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Kaliningrad Region (Russia)

Kaliningradskaâ oblasth

Last modified: 2010-02-19 by antónio martins
Keywords: kaliningrad | koenigsberg | konigsberg | monogram: e | castle (white on red) | prussia |
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Калининградская область

Kaliningrad region flag
image by Pascal Gross, 19 Jun 2006
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Presentation of Kaliningrad Region

(Note: You need an Unicode-aware software and font to correctely view the cyrillic text on this page. See here transliteration details).

  • Name (english): Kaliningrad Region • (russian): Калининградская область | Kaliningradskaâ oblasth
  • Capital: Калининград | Kaliningrad • (former name): Königsberg (<1945)
  • Area: 15 100 km2 (≅5 800 sq.mi.) • Population: 946 800 inhabitants in 2000
  • Status: Region (область | oblasth) within the Russian Federation
  • Federal District: Northwestern Region • Economic region: Northwestern Region (in the soviet era: Baltic)
  • License plate code: 39 • Ham radio code: KA • ISO 3166-2 code: KGD
  • Flag adopted on 2006.06.08 • Coat of arms adopted on 2006.06.08

Formerly the northern part of East Prussia, based on the city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) this region was annexed to the Russian SFR at the end of the war. With Baltic independence, it is now detached from Russia proper. Recently, plans were revealed for free port and enterprise zone status for what is seen by many as Russia’s potential modern “window on the west”.
Stuart Notholt, 28 May 1995

There is also a Polish name for the city — Krolewiec (King’s town) — as Prussia used to be a vassal state of the Commonwealth of the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania (a multinational state), before it became independent.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 23 Aug 2002


About the flag

Flag was adopted on 09 June 2006 by a majority of 21 out of 34 deputies. It is divided horizontally in two equal stripes of red and dark blue separated by a thin yellow stripe. In the canton a white fortress surmounted by the monogram of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
Pascal Gross, 19 Jun 2006

I received a message from Jos Poels the flag and coat-of-arms were not adopted on 9 but 8 June, pointing to: number 14.
Mark Sensen, 20 Jun 2006


No flag until 2006

I have a letter from Administration of Kaliningrad Region dated 6 mar 1999: in that times region had no official flag.
Victor Lomantsov, 11 Mar 2000

I’ve recently learned that Tambov and Kaliningrad regions have set up workgroups to create regional symbols.
Pascal Gross, 26 Feb 2002


2005 proposals

As it is informed on the Russian web-sites Gtz.RU, Strana.RU, RosBalt.RU and others, session of the Government of the Region of Kaliningrad on November, 15, 2005 has taken place. At this session projects of the coat of arms and a flag of the Region of Kaliningrad have been considered.

The statement of the coat of arms and flag at session of the Kaliningrad Regional Duma on November, 18 was originally planned. But the governor of the Region of Kaliningrad Mr. George Boos has suggested, that projects of the coat of arms and a flag have passed discussion. Probably, the coat of arms and a flag will be authorized only to the 60-anniversary of the Region of Kaliningrad in 2006.

Mikhail Revnivtsev, quoted by Santiago Dotor, 16 Nov 2005

Uqnalëv’s proposal

2005 proposal
image by Yosef Obskura, Željko Heimer and António Martins, 11 Sep 2009

I received a message from Jos Poels about a previous proposal for flag and coat-of-arms, shown online.
Mark Sensen, 20 Jun 2006

The project of a blue flag with yellow cross belonged to a member of Heraldic Council at the President of the Russian Federation Mr. Ukhnalyov, (Ухналёв) the author of the State Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation. The project of the flag is a blue cloth, 2:3, with yellow St. Andrew cross. The project of the coat of arms is ancient russian (viking or normanns) blue drop-forme shield topped with an amber royal crown. In a shield is gold right wing of eagle is represented.
Mikhail Revnivtsev, quoted by Santiago Dotor, 16 Nov 2005

Is there any specific reason for the St. Alban’s Cross? Is he the patron saint of Kaliningrad/Konigsburg?
James Dignan, 17 Nov 2005

I think it is just coincidence — it is described as a yellow St. Andrew's Cross.
Ned Smith, 17 Nov 2005

Medvedev’s proposal

2005 proposal
image by Yosef Obskura, Željko Heimer and António Martins, 11 Sep 2009

The author of projects is the heraldry-artist Mr. Mikhail Medvedev from Saint Petersburg, a member of Heraldic Council at the President of the Russian Federation. Original project of Mr. Mikhail Medvedev is blue flag with white St. Andrew cross fimbriated by yellow and with yellow triangle at a staff.
Mikhail Revnivtsev, quoted by Santiago Dotor, 16 Nov 2005


Fruitless contest of 2002

Today on 23 October of 2002 years 14:08 The competition of the projects of the official symbols of Kaliningrad region (flag, coat of arms, hymn), declared by the administration of Kaliningrad region, it continues until 28 October of 2002 years.Claims for participation in the competition are received by the secretary of competitive commission for the address: Kaliningrad, ul.Klinicheskaya, 21, cables.11, bodies.453907 (Historico- artistic museum) with the notation "to the competition" the symbols of region ".The sums of competition will be conducted/supplied with the determination of conqueror for each nomination (coat of arms, flag, hymn) with awarding of the rewards: for the best hymn - 16 000 rub. for the best coat of arms - 14 000 rub.for the best flag - 8 000 rub. The sums of competition will be proclaimed not later than on 20 December of 2002 years.The complete text of the decision of the administration of Kaliningrad region about the competition of the projects of the official symbols of Kaliningrad region is published in the Russian newspaper
Pascal Gross, translating from I. Smirnova, 20 Dec 2002

The session of a commission on summarizing competition of the projects of official symbols of the Kaliningrad area - flag, arms, hymn is held December 25.
Pascal Gross, translating from I. Smirnova, 24 Dec 2002


Coat of arms

The arms at the site refered above are the combination arms of Koenigsberg, the central arms are the original Koenigsberg arms, the two other smaller shields are the arms from two cities that merged with Koenigsberg in the 18th century. The present arms of Kaliningrad show a ship with as a kind of escutcheon the arms of Koenigsberg. These are at Ralf Hartemink’s website.
Ralf Hartemink, 22 Feb 1999

Old municipal coat of arms: per pale,

  1. Argent, a Crown Gules (crown of czech king Ottokar II, founder of the city);
  2. Gules, a Cross couped Argent
Victor Lomantsov, 19 Jul 2000


Anything below this line was not added by the editor of this page.