Partitioning of Prussia
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In German historiography, the partitioning of Prussia (Preußische Landesteilung) refers to the time when the historic lands of Prussia proper, the former Teutonic State, were divided between Ducal Prussia and Royal Prussia.
A specific Prussian national consciousness became notable in works on local historiography by the end of the 14th century. Different from chronicles of the Teutonic Order, the historiography now related to the country. Although often sympathetic to the Order, the works show a sense of regional identity. Regardless of whether they were in opposition to the Teutonic Order, historians now portray the country.[1] However, in 1466, the Second Peace of Thorn (1466) arbitrarily cut the land into two pieces without taking regard to the local conditions.[2]
For Royal Prussia, Karin Friedrich has described a Prussian identity, which was not shaped by nationality but by political concepts which were seen compatible with political ideals of the Polish Rzeczpospolita.[3] Many commonalities between Royal Prussia and Ducal Prussia continued to exist. The diets of Ducal Prussia and Royal Prussia met separately, but those of Royal Prussia often welcomed ambassadors from the Duchy. Efforts continued to a common mint, and a common defense, which, when realized, would have furthered commonality between the country parts. Also, a common revision of the Kulm law was strived for, but even though both King Sigismund and duke Albrecht intervened, a separate Landrecht for the Duchy was created in 1620.[2] Estates in Royal Prussia had to deal with Polish matters increasingly and preserving the German language and the status of the Polish as foreigners were often discussed topics.[2]
In both country parts, a remarkable relation between Prussian and German emerged. At start of the 16th century, monk Simon Grunau of Tolkemit recorded on the population of Natangia that Prussians speaking the Prussian language lived along with Prussians who spoke German.[4] In the first half of the 16th century, historians write of a new-Prussian nation (narodowość nowopruska) with continuing traditions in both parts of Purssia.[5]
The sense of identity in Royal Prussia was very complicated because depending on circumstance, Ducal Prussia was seen as part of the country, as a closely related twin-country, or as a separated part of the country.[6] In general, local elites, mostly German-speaking, saw that their autonomy was better served by attachment to the Polish king rather than by rule by a German duke. Depending on status in society, the Duchy was seen as a closely related member of a double country. Consciousness of citizens was supranational and many people were bilingual, German being the country's language while Polish was used at diets and by nobility.[6] In the following time, the middle ranks of nobility became more oriented towards Poland, while townspeople sticked to demands for political autonomy from Poland. Historians have observed that assimilation to Poland-Lithuania however did not increase further from the time 1690–1730 on. Bourgeois elites, particularly 1560 and 1570, fiercely held to the political autonomy. However, in the first half of the 16. century, Prussian national consciousness evolved with impulses taken from the Duchy and continuing traditions from the time of the Teutonic Order. Lower ranks of nobility were lesser involved with this consciousness. Acculturation to Poland-Lithuania ceased on the 1690–1730, also due to events such as the Blood-bath of Thorn/Toruń. Attraction of Polish nobility also decreased also due to spread of higher education and early enlightenment.The particular history is not well reflected in Polish historiography, which strives to construct a history of Pomorze stretching from Szczecin to Klaipėda, which does not properly reflect the region's diverse identity before 1945.[7]
Later, reunification of these two separated Old Prussian parts of the country was an opportunity for Frederick II the Great in 1773 to name the western part of the country West Prussia, while East Prussia referred to the eastern part of the country.[8]
References
[edit]- Jähnig, Bernhard (1995). ""Entstehen und Schicksal des Neustamms der Preußen aus Deutschen, Balten und Slaven vom 13. bis zum 20. Jahrhundert". Tausend Jahre Nachbarschaft: die Völker des baltischen Raumes und die Deutschen. Bruckmann. pp. 185–198.
- Jagodzinsk, Sabine (2024). Prussiae suae bis pater: Adlige Repräsentationskulturen in beiden Teilen Preußens (17./18. Jh.). Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3447120746.
- Bömelburg, Hans-Jürgen (2005). Sabine Beckmann (Herausgeber); Klaus Garber (eds.). Das Landesbewußtsein im Preußen königlich polnischen Anteils in der Frühen Neuzeit.