Laak was a quarter of western

Königsberg Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. Its territory is now part of

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

History

The name 'Laak' comes from an

Old Prussian Old Prussian is an extinct West Baltic language belonging to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European languages, which was once spoken by the Old Prussians, the Baltic peoples of the Prussian region. The language is called Old Prussian to av ...

word meaning 'open field', 'marshland', or a 'brooklet'. This word is thought to refer to a waterway known as ''Lack''/''Lacke'', which ran to the south of a later road named Laak.Karl, p. 160 Laak consisted of flat meadow land before becoming a medieval '' Freiheit'' suburb of

Altstadt ''Altstadt'' () is the German language word for "old town", and generally refers to the historical town or city centre within the old town or city wall, in contrast to younger suburbs outside. '' Neustadt'' (new town), the logical opposite of ...

. Because of the wetness of the land, development of Laak was first concentrated to the north along the hill Rollberg before continuing to the west and south. Laak was bounded by

Neurossgarten Neurossgarten () was a quarter of northwestern Königsberg, Germany. Its territory is now part of Kaliningrad, Russia. History The name ''Neuroßgarten'' means "new horse pasture" in German, with the eastern Königsberg suburb of Rossgarten (o ...

to the north, Altstadt to the east,

Lastadie Postcard of Lastadie Lastadie was a quarter of central Königsberg, Germany. Its territory is now part of Kaliningrad, Russia. Etymology The name Lastadie is derived from the Medieval Latin ''Lastagium'', referring specifically to sailing bal ...

to the south, and the early 17th century

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

city walls to the west. Beyond the walls were Kosse and

Mittelhufen image:Kaliningrad 05-2017 img50 Oberpostdirektion building.jpg, Baltic Fleet headquarters in Kaliningrad, formerly Königsberg's postal headquarters image:PoliceUFSB.jpg, Federal Security Service (Russia), FSB office, formerly Königsberg's police h ...

. Laak was closely affiliated with the Lastadie warehouse quarter and Lizent toll district. By the ''Rathäusliche Reglement'' of 13 June 1724, King

Frederick William I of Prussia Frederick William I (; 14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740), known as the Soldier King (), was King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death in 1740, as well as Prince of Neuchâtel. Born in Berlin, he was raised by the Hugu ...

merged Altstadt and Laak into the united city of Königsberg. Laak was heavily damaged by the 1944

Bombing of Königsberg A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechanical ...

and the 1945

Battle of Königsberg The Battle of Königsberg, also known as the Königsberg offensive, was one of the last operations of the East Prussian offensive during World War II. In four days of urban warfare, Soviet Union, Soviet forces of the 1st Baltic Front and the 3 ...

Locations

Laak was divided into Unterlaak (Lower Laak) to the east and Oberlaak (Upper Laak) to the west. Unterlaak ran from the western end of Altstadt's Altstädtische Langgasse until Lizentgrabenstraße, while Oberlaak continued from Lizentgrabenstraße to Deutschordensring at the western city walls. Unterlaak had a medieval

ropewalk A ropewalk is a long straight narrow lane, or a covered pathway, where long strands of material are laid before being twisted into rope. Due to the length of some ropewalks, workers may use bicycles to get from one end to the other. Many ropew ...

along Reifschlägergasse, and the city's fire department moved there in 1866. Also found in eastern Laak was the mercantile Markthalle. The Laakspeicherstraßen were three roads connecting Unterlaak to Lastadie. Institutions in Oberlaak included the city employment office (Arbeitsamt), an anatomical institute (the Anatomie) of the

University of Königsberg The University of Königsberg () was the university of Königsberg in Duchy of Prussia, which was a fief of Poland. It was founded in 1544 as the world's second Protestant Reformation, Protestant academy (after the University of Marburg) by Duke A ...

headed by

Karl Friedrich Burdach Karl Friedrich Burdach (12 June 1776 – 16 July 1847) was a German physiologist. He was the first to use the word "biology" and was a pioneer of neuroanatomy. Life Burdach came from a family of physicians in Leipzig. He graduated in medicine ...

in 1836, and a forensic institute (Gerichtsmedizinisches Institut) headed by

Georg Puppe Georg Puppe (4 February 1867 – 20 November 1925) was a German social physician and medical examiner. Life Georg Puppe was born on 4 February 1867. He attended the Raths- and Friedrichs-Gymnasium in Kostrzyn nad Odrą, where he graduated in 1 ...

in 1903.Albinus, p. 324 The foundry

Union Giesserei Königsberg Union Giesserei (German: Union Gießerei) was a German engineering company based in Königsberg, East Prussia. History From a Königsberg merchant family, Maria Schnell married an English-born founder Charles Hughes, and in 1826 bought a silver r ...

was located between Oberlaak and Neuroßgarten's Botanischer Garten.

Notes

References

* * * * *Karl, G. (1924). ''Geschichtliches Straßenverzeichnis der Stadt Königsberg in Preußen. Einleitung und Ergänzungen bis 1941 von Peter Wörster.'' Königsberg Pr.: Verlag der Königsberger Allgemeinen Zeitung und Verlagsdruckerei. pp. 176. Reprinted by Verein für Familienforschung in Ost- und Westpreußen e.V. Nr. 4. Hamburg, 1992. * * Seraphim, August (ed). ''Altpreussische Monatsschrift'' (1906). Vierzigster Band. Der Provinzialblätter CIX. Band. Erstes und Zweites Heft. Verlag von Thomas und Oppermann. Königsberg in Pr. {{DEFAULTSORT:Laak (Konigsberg) Former subdivisions of Königsberg