Galerie

 

The great seaport of Danzig standing at the mouth of the river Vistula on the Baltic Sea, was founded by the Slays and Poles. Although the exact date is unknown, the first entry in her chronicles was made in AD 997. She was granted municipal autonomy in 1260 and developed as a trade centre. As with other cities of N.E.Europe,the large—scale production of wheat lay at the very roots of her growth and flourishin guxban culture; this being one reason that the city interested the exp— ar.ding Teutonic Order which also considered the Vistula a vital line of communication with Germany. Thus by a strategy of opportunism after being requested in 1308 by Poland to expel the Margraves of Brandenburg from Danzig the Teutonic Knights occupied the city. Afterwards they mtintained their hold, having asked from Poland compensation of a mag nitude they well knew it could not afford.

In spite of the apparent omnipotence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, the Hanseatic cities of Prussia, Kuim, Elbing, Königsberg, Braunsbergand Danzig maintained their separate and independent powers. Control of the Vistula and a large part of the Baltic coast inevitably turned the Order into a sea power,creating,thereby,its own fleet. The Hanseatic merchants even organised their own civic or state postal comnunication system.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 46 - January - February - March - 1985, Page 13.