Kaliningrad is a city that amazes with its beauty and mysteries. Many historians, archaeologists, and just lovers of ancient architecture visit it every year and study its rich heritage. Amazingly, there are still finds of historical value. Much of this is facilitated by the dungeons of Koenigsberg. According to legend, it was in them that the famous lost Amber Room was hidden. What are these structures? Is a true underground city really located near Kaliningrad, or are these just isolated forts and bunkers? Let's figure it out.
History of the city of the times of Germany - Prussia
The history of Koenigsberg begins in the middle of the XIII century, when a fortress was laid on the site of a small settlement. First, wooden, and later rebuilt from stone. Gradually, a city begins to form around the castle: people settled because of their favorable geographical position (proximity to the shipping lane), as well as for reasons of protection.
Gradually, three nearby urban settlements join the city, the cathedral is rebuilt, and in the XVI century the first university opens.
The first time the city becomes Russian during the reign of Catherine the Great when it was taken during the Seven Years War.
It was with the XIX century that the first secrets of the dungeons of Koenigsberg were connected. It was at this time that the active construction of fortifications, bastions and other defensive structures began. The city is developing: public transport appears, a tram starts. Koenigsberg becomes the first German settlement to open an airport (1919).
By the beginning of World War II, Koenigsberg is a city with already very developed infrastructure.
Kaliningrad military
The history of Koenigsberg during the war is very sad. Without any pity, the great monuments of architecture are destroyed. So, on Kristallnacht, ideologically minded youngsters literally deliver the New Synagogue, which has not stood for 100 years.
The city is destroyed and the constant bombing by the British. The historical center was badly damaged.
As a result, in 1945 there was a capture of Koenigsberg by Soviet troops under the command of
Marshal Vasilevsky. East Prussia was transferred to the USSR.
During its military history, the dungeons of Koenigsberg are surrounded by a large number of legends and secrets. Which ones? We will tell a bit later.
Soviet city
The history of Koenigsberg of the Soviet period is associated with the restoration of the city. Unfortunately, some monuments were irretrievably lost, others, for example, the Royal Castle, were not restored for ideological reasons. Its walls were simply blown up, and archaeological groups were occasionally allowed into the territory. But it is believed that it is in the castle ruins that the main entrance to the underground Koenigsberg is located.
An important milestone in the history of the city is associated with the end of the Union’s existence: its leadership begins to actively cooperate with Germany in restoring the historical monuments of the city. Recently, negotiations are underway to recreate the Royal Palace.
It is named Konigsberg Kaliningrad in honor of M.I. Kalinin. This happened at the beginning of the Soviet period, in 1946.
Secrets and legends of the city
Koenigsberg is an ancient city with a rich history. Of course, he is covered in a lot of legends and secrets. They were born of folk rumor. Although some of them have a real historical background.
The most common legend says that during the time of Nazi Germany, a real underground city was rebuilt near Koenigsberg. And it's not just about the tunnel system. Konigsberg's dungeons were bunkers, factories, storage facilities, even railway stations. Transport routes were laid directly underground so that the leadership - and especially Hitler - could easily get to Poland.
When the Soviet army was already on the outskirts of the city, the Nazis flooded these structures. According to legend, there were numerous treasures seized by the Nazis during the offensive. The Amber Room is also located there.
Adherents of the legend motivate their innocence by the fact that the defeated Germans allegedly wanted to completely rebuild the city if they were allowed to take the treasures. One thing is obvious: a large number of diggers are exploring the dungeons of Koenigsberg, hoping to find at least some jewelry of Nazi Germany.
According to legend, all communications are at a depth of 60 meters. It is difficult to find them, because the Germans destroyed the entrance before the retreat: it buried it 16 meters deep in an explosion.
Underground: The Legend
Because of what such a legend arose? If we analyze the life of the post-war city, we can see that it was mainly inhabited by people from the countryside. How did they see Koenigsberg? Numerous forts, bunkers, bomb shelters, tunnels ... Naturally, the philistine imagination painted a picture of the fact that this is part of some kind of invisible infrastructure. For them, ordinary hatches were an unusual structure.
In addition, the works devoted to the Amber Room, which were published in the 50s, are burning interest. This is the Secret of the Amber Room, the Secret Fairway, and many others.
What makes a legend untenable
There are two points of view regarding the legend: one disproves it, the other justifies it. Let us first examine the facts that lead to the proof that there is no and cannot be an underground city.
We make a reservation right away, these facts deny only the presence of developed infrastructure near Koenigsberg. They do not dispute the existence of all kinds of underground utilities (hatches, bomb shelters, bunkers). These elements are in no way interconnected.
So, the most important argument brought by legends denying reality is that the city stands on soils dotted with underground groundwater. This makes the underground construction process very time consuming and expensive.
Numerous ground defense structures (forts) and defense (bomb shelters) prove this fact. The first underground are very rare. They are a complex system with protection against water. Most forts are buildings overlaid with a thick layer of earth.
The bomb shelters were built on several floors with thick walls, with no windows.
Dungeon Evidence
Much more facts testify to the veracity of the legend.
The first is associated with the active construction of bomb shelters. Koenigsberg - a city, probably strategically important for the Germans - according to the townspeople, had to undergo shelling sooner or later. In this regard, the leadership and ordinary people begin to equip places where you can save your life.
Along with the structures described in the previous chapter, the townspeople independently try to determine a place for a bomb shelter. The safest is the basement. In order to have more space for people, and also to be able, without putting themselves in danger, to go to another area during the shelling, the cellars united among themselves (the walls simply broke). Thus appeared passages underground several kilometers long. These corridors were at first confused for the new inhabitants of the city.
Another evidence is related to the railway tunnel, which runs under one of Koenigsberg’s squares. If you walk along it, you will notice several walled doors. What are these secret passages? Not at all. Just this way the prisoners were taken to cells: the prison was on Handel Street. Thus, the local residents of the city did not see the crowds of convicts in the beautiful streets of the city. Passages were laid already when Koenigsberg became Kaliningrad.
There is another evidence that is not directly related to the existence of the city: in pre-war time, there were a lot of firms in Koenigsberg that were engaged in the construction of underground.
Thus, the facts say that on the basis of already existing underground objects, the Nazis could well have developed a network known as Koenigsberg's dungeons.
General Lyash’s Bunker and Amber Room
The history of the masterpiece called "Amber Room" to this day is shrouded in many secrets. Firstly, why wasn’t it evacuated along with all the decoration of the palaces? Secondly, according to the NKVD, two copies of the room were made, and the original went as a gift to the United States. One copy was walled up in the cellars of the Catherine Palace, and the second was placed in the place of the original. It was taken by the Germans.
According to researchers, the masterpiece can be in the bunker Lyasha, the commandant of the city. The structure was built in 1944. Historians claim that this underground structure is very large, it has at least two floors and an extensive system of corridors and secret rooms. This is where the "Amber Room" is hidden, as well as a large number of ingots of melted gold.
In addition, scientists hope to find in the bunker research materials of the Nazi laboratory “Koenigsberg-13”. It is known that Hitler and his associates developed "weapons of retaliation." It could very well be here.
The research results and other trophies hoped to get not only the Soviet intelligence, but also the allies. That is why there were fierce discussions about who should enter the city first.