Neumark
The Oder River marked the western boundary of the Neumark for centuries. This waterway separated the region from the core territory of Brandenburg to the west. In the north, the land bordered Pomerania while Greater Poland lay to the east until the late 18th century. The landscape was dominated by the Warta and Noteć Rivers and their surrounding swamp regions. These wetlands shaped the physical character of the area throughout its history.
Political boundaries shifted repeatedly as empires rose and fell. From 1772 onward, the eastern border touched the Prussian Netze District carved from northern Greater Poland. After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, the remainder of Greater Poland became part of South Prussia. The Napoleonic Duchy of Warsaw absorbed parts of the region in 1807 before the Congress of Vienna dissolved the Neumark entirely in 1815. Most of the territory merged into the Province of Brandenburg while other sections joined West Prussia or the Grand Duchy of Posen.
Low-German-speaking colonists began settling north and south of the Warta and Noteć Rivers starting in the 1230s. Pomeranian and Polish lords invited these settlers to develop the previously depopulated forest borderland between Pomerania and Greater Poland. Members of the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller established monasteries near which new settlements grew. Dukes built castles in the north to fortify the border against potential attacks.
The Ascanian margraves of Brandenburg extended their dominion east of the Oder by 1242. They purchased the Lubusz Land from the Margraviate of Brandenburg and the Archbishopric of Magdeburg in 1252. Frankfurt an der Oder was founded that same year as a river-crossing point for further expansion. Margrave John I established Landsberg an der Warthe in 1257 to safeguard the region. The Templars sold Soldin to the Ascanians in 1261, turning it into a regional center. Unlike other parts of Brandenburg where knights settled open villages, the margraves constructed castles east of the Oder to guard against Poland.
Elector Joachim I Nestor died in 1535 leaving his territory divided between two sons. His older son Joachim II Hector received the Kurmark west of the Oder while younger son John ruled the Neumark as an independent state until 1571. This division created trade wars between Crossen and Landsberg competing with Frankfurt for mercantile primacy. John converted the Neumark to Lutheranism and confiscated church property to build wealth through usury and hiring out mercenary companies.
John moved his administration from Soldin to Küstrin in 1548. Both brothers died within ten days of each other in 1571 ending the separation. The Neumark returned to unified control under John George, the nephew of the deceased margrave. Frederick II later wrote that the New Mark should belong to German territory and never pass to those who spoke not the German tongue. This administrative split lasted only thirty-six years before reunification restored the region to Brandenburg's core.
The declaration of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701 marked a turning point for regional development. King Frederick I initiated new waves of colonization bringing French Huguenots forced to flee religious persecution in France. The textile industry began developing in the Neumark during this period. Frederick II oversaw increased land reclamation through drainage of the Warta and Notec areas.
Infrastructure improved with construction of modern roadways including the Fernverkehrstraße 1 running from Berlin to Königsberg. The Prussian Eastern Railway also facilitated industrial growth concentrated near Landsberg and Küstrin. Despite these efforts the Neumark did not become nearly as industrialized or densely populated as regions like the Ruhr or Saxony. Most medium-sized towns remained Ackerbürgerstädte or farmer-citizen-towns focused on agriculture and forestry rather than heavy manufacturing.
The Soviet Red Army reached the Neumark at the end of January 1945 advancing so quickly that civilians could not prepare to flee. More than 40,000 New Marchers were killed in action as soldiers while others died under occupying troops. Under terms demanded by the Soviet Union in the Potsdam Agreement the region was put under Polish administration after the Potsdam Conference.
Germans remaining in the region were expelled leaving only about 5,000 inhabitants from the pre-war population of 645,000 still present in 1950. Older estimates suggested this tiny fraction represented survivors who had not fled. Poles and Ukrainians from territories annexed by the Soviet Union settled the emptied lands. A small part of the German population mostly technicians for water supply companies were retained for compulsory labor before emigrating to Germany in the 1950s.
Soviet authorities re-settled the Neumark with Poles and Ukrainians from areas of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union. The largest group among new inhabitants were Poles expelled from Eastern Poland annexed by the USSR comprising 42.1 percent of the December 1950 population. One-fifth of post-war inhabitants came from neighboring pre-war Poznań Voivodeship of historical Greater Poland.
Over 95 percent of the 1950 population were newcomers to the region with less than 5 percent residing in German East Brandenburg back in August 1939. From 1975 to 1998 the former territory was divided between the Voivodeships of Gorzów and Zielona Góra. Since the 1st of January 1999 almost all of the former Neumark lies within the Lubusz Voivodeship while northern towns like Choszczno belong to West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Villages west of the Oder remained with post-World War II Germany forming the modern border.
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Common questions
What defined the western boundary of Neumark for centuries?
The Oder River marked the western boundary of Neumark for centuries. This waterway separated the region from the core territory of Brandenburg to the west.
When did political boundaries shift to include parts of Neumark in South Prussia?
After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, the remainder of Greater Poland became part of South Prussia. The Napoleonic Duchy of Warsaw absorbed parts of the region in 1807 before the Congress of Vienna dissolved the Neumark entirely in 1815.
Who established settlements north and south of the Warta and Noteć Rivers starting in the 1230s?
Low-German-speaking colonists began settling north and south of the Warta and Noteć Rivers starting in the 1230s. Pomeranian and Polish lords invited these settlers to develop the previously depopulated forest borderland between Pomerania and Greater Poland.
How long did the administrative split of Neumark last after John I died in 1535?
This division created trade wars between Crossen and Landsberg competing with Frankfurt for mercantile primacy. Both brothers died within ten days of each other in 1571 ending the separation, meaning the administrative split lasted only thirty-six years before reunification restored the region to Brandenburg's core.
What percentage of the December 1950 population were Poles expelled from Eastern Poland annexed by the USSR?
The largest group among new inhabitants were Poles expelled from Eastern Poland annexed by the USSR comprising 42.1 percent of the December 1950 population. Over 95 percent of the 1950 population were newcomers to the region with less than 5 percent residing in German East Brandenburg back in August 1939.
Which Voivodeships contained the former territory of Neumark from 1975 to 1998?
From 1975 to 1998 the former territory was divided between the Voivodeships of Gorzów and Zielona Góra. Since the 1st of January 1999 almost all of the former Neumark lies within the Lubusz Voivodeship while northern towns like Choszczno belong to West Pomeranian Voivodeship.