Administrative Districts of Prussian Poland – Kingdom of Prussia During the Napoleonic Wars (1807-1815)

During the War of the Fourth Coalition (1806-1807), the Prussian Empire joined forces with Russia, Saxony, the United Kingdom, and Sweden with hopes to defeat the French Empire. In August 1806, the Prussian Empire launched attacks against the French forces located in the area. The Prussian army was defeated in the decisive battles of Jena and Auerstedt. By October 1806, the French army had entered Berlin (Clark, 2006).

In July 1807, the Prussian Empire settled for peace and signed the Treaties of Tilsit. The Prussian Empire would lose all the land that was gained during the Second and Third Partitions of Poland. Danzig was re-established as a free state. The Provinces of South Prussia, New Siliesa, and Posen were incorporated into the newly formed Duchy of Warsaw (Wikipedia, Treaty of Tilsit, 2010). The Province of New East Prussia was divided between the Duchy of Warsaw (Plozk Department) and the Russian Empire (Bialystok Department) (Wikipedia, New East Prussia, 2010).

-(Kreis Deutsch Krone, Kreis Kamin, Kreis Konitz, Kreis Dirschau, Kreis Stargard, Kreis Marienburg, and Kreis Marienwerder). 

– Regierung Königsberg (Kreis Samland, Kreis Bradenburg, Kreis Braunsberg, Kreis Morungen, Kreis Neidenburg, Kreis Heilsberg, Kreis Rastenburg, and Kreis Tapiau).

– Regierung Gumbinnen (Kreis Insterburg, Kreis Sehesten, and Kreis Oletzko).

Altsitt, Kreis Samland, Regierung Gumbinnen, Provinz Ostpreußen (East Prussia), Königreich Preußen

or

ex. Altsitt, Samland County, Province of East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia

or

ex. Sumin, Kreis Stargard, Provinz Westpreußen (West Prussia), Königreich Preußen

or

ex. Sumin, Stargard County, Province of West Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia

These administrative districts would last from 1806-1815, until the French Army was defeated by the allied forces of Europe. Information regarding the administrative districts of a village, town, or city can be obtained through parish records, Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs (Meyers Gazetteer of the German Empire), written histories, East and West Prussia Gazetteer, GOV – the genealogical gazeteer, JewishGen ShtetlSeeker – Town Search, Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, or by various other means.

Brandt, E. R. & Goertz, A. (2002). Genealogical guide to East and West Prussia. Minneapolis: E. R. Brandt

Clark, C. (2006). Iron kingdom: the rise and downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Davies, N. (2005). God’s playground: a history of Poland in two volumes volume I the origins to 1795. New York: Columbia University Press.

Goertz, A. (2005). FAQ: Prussia. Mennonite genealogy. Retrieved May 10, 2010, from http://www.mennonitegenealogy.com/faq/faqpruss.htm

Magocsi, P. R. (2002). Historical atlas of Central Europe. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Wikipedia. (2010). New East Prussia. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_East_Prussia

Wikipedia. (2010). Treaties of Tilsit. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaties_of_Tilsit

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