View source for Neumark

{{Short description|Region in the Margraviate of Brandenburg}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox former subdivision
|native_name            = {{lang|de|Neumark}} or {{native name|de|Ostbrandenburg}}<br>{{native name|pl|Nowa Marchia}}<br>{{native name|la|Terra trans Oderam}}
|conventional_long_name = Neumark or East Brandenburg
|common_name            = Neumark
|era                    = {{ubl|[[Middle Ages]]|[[Modern era]]}}
|nation                 = the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]]
|subdivision            = Region
|today                  = {{plainlist|
*[[Poland]]
*[[Germany]]}}
|year_start             = 1252
|year_end               = 1945
|event_start            = [[Lubusz Land]] bought by [[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Mgvt Brandenburg]] and [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg|Abp Magdeburg]]
|date_start             =
|event1                 = Pawned to the [[Teutonic Knights]]
|date_event1            = 1402–1463{{sup|a}}
|event2                 = Partitioned to form [[Brandenburg-Küstrin]]
|date_event2            = 1535–1571
|event3                 = Electors inherited [[Duchy of Prussia]]
|date_event3            = 1618
|event4                 = Expanded on abolition of [[Posen-West Prussia]]
|date_event4            = 1938
|event_end              = [[Potsdam Agreement]] awarded most of Neumark to [[People's Republic of Poland|Poland]]
|date_end               = 1 August
|event_post             = [[Administrative divisions of Poland|Reorganised]] to [[Lubusz Voivodeship]]
|date_post              = 1 January 1999
|p1                     = Lubusz Land
|flag_p1               = POL Przemysł II 1295 COA.svg
|s1                     = Lubusz Voivodeship
|flag_s1                = Flag of Poland.svg
|s2                     = West Pomeranian Voivodeship
|flag_s2                = Flag of Poland.svg
|s3                     = Brandenburg
|flag_s3                = Flag of Germany.svg
|image_map              = Karte Mark Brandenburg 1320.png
|image_map_caption      = The Margraviate of Brandenburg c. 1320, showing the Neumark as the portion reaching out to the east. Cross-hatched are territories also acquired by the [[House of Ascania]] outside of Brandenburg.
|image_coat             = Brandenburg Wappen.svg
|symbol_type            = [[Coat of arms of Brandenburg]], shared by the Neumark
|capital                = [[Myślibórz|Soldin]]
|footnotes              = a: Pawned to the [[Teutonic Knights]] in 1402, who gained complete control of the territory by 1429. Pawned back to Brandenburg in 1455, whose reacquisition of the territory was completed in 1463.
}}

The '''Neumark''' ({{IPA|de|ˈnɔʏmaʁk|-|De-Neumark.ogg}}), also known as the '''New March'''  ({{langx|pl|Nowa Marchia}}) or as '''East Brandenburg''' ({{langx|de|Ostbrandenburg}} {{IPA|de|ˈɔstˌbʁandn̩bʊʁk||De-Ostbrandenburg.ogg}}), was a region of the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]] and its successors located east of the [[Oder|Oder River]] in territory which became part of [[History of Poland (1945–1989)|Poland]] in 1945 except some villages of former districts of Königsberg in the New March and Weststenberg remained in Germany.

Called the [[Lubusz Land]] while part of [[Poland in the Middle Ages|medieval Poland]], the territory later known as the Neumark gradually became part of the [[Germans|German]] [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]] from the mid-13th century. As '''Brandenburg-Küstrin''' the Neumark formed an independent state of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] from 1535 to 1571; after the death of [[John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin|the margrave John]], a younger son of [[Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg]], it returned to [[John George, Elector of Brandenburg|Elector John George]], the margrave's nephew and Joachim I Nestor's grandson. With the rest of the Electorate of Brandenburg, it became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1701 and part of the [[German Empire]] in 1871 when each of those states first formed. After [[World War I]] the entirely [[ethnic German]] Neumark remained within the [[Free State of Prussia]], itself part of the [[Weimar Republic]] (Germany).

After [[World War II]] the [[Potsdam Conference]] assigned the majority of the Neumark to Polish administration, and since 1945 has remained part of Poland. [[Polish population transfers (1944–1946)|Polish settlers]] largely replaced the [[Expulsion of Germans after World War II|expelled German population]]. Most of the Polish territory became part of the [[Lubusz Voivodeship]], while the northern towns [[Choszczno|Choszczno (Arnswalde)]], [[Myślibórz|Myślibórz (Soldin)]], and [[Chojna|Chojna (Königsberg in der Neumark)]] belong to the [[West Pomeranian Voivodeship]]. Some territory near [[Cottbus]], which was administratively part of the [[Frankfurt (region)|Government Region of Frankfurt]] (coterminous with the Neumark) after the 1815 [[Congress of Vienna]], became part of [[East Germany]] in the 1940s, becoming part of [[Germany]] after [[German reunification|reunification]] in 1990.

== Location ==
The Oder marked the borders of the Neumark in the west and south; in the north it bordered [[Pomerania]], and in the east [[Greater Poland]] until the [[Partitions of Poland]] in the late 18th century. From the 1772 [[First Partition of Poland]] it bordered the Prussian [[Netze District]] in the east, which had largely been carved out of the northern part of Greater Poland. After the 1793 [[Second Partition of Poland]] the remainder of Greater Poland became part of the Province of [[South Prussia]]. [[Treaties of Tilsit|In 1807]] South Prussia and the southern part of the Netze District (among other areas) became part of the Napoleonic [[Duchy of Warsaw]], while the northern part of the Netze District was merged into the [[Province of West Prussia]]; the Neumark shared borders with both.

After 1815 ([[Congress of Vienna]]) the Neumark was dissolved, largely becoming part of {{lang|de|[[Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt]]}} of the [[Province of Brandenburg]]. Most of the eastern border of the Neumark became that of Brandenburg/Frankfurt with West Prussia ([[Province of Prussia]] 1829–1878) and the [[Grand Duchy of Posen]] ([[Province of Posen]] from 1848).

The [[Warta]] and [[Noteć]] Rivers and their swamp regions dominated the landscape of the region. At the time of the Neumark's greatest territorial extent (at the end of the 17th century), the region included the following later {{lang|de|[[Districts of Prussia|Kreise]]}} (districts) and towns:

=== In the Brandenburgian Region of Frankfurt ===
{{see also|Frankfurt (region)}}
* {{Interlanguage link|Arnswalde (district)|de|Kreis Arnswalde|fr|Arrondissement d'Arnswalde|pl|Powiat Arnswalde|lt=Arnswalde}} (1818–1945; from 1938 part of Pomeranian [[Posen-West Prussia (region)|Region of Posen-West Prussia]]), based in [[Drawno|Neuwedell]] (till 1908), thereafter in [[Choszczno|Arnswalde]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Crossen (district)|de|3=Landkreis Crossen (Oder)|lt=Crossen (Oder)}} (1818–1945), based in [[Krosno Odrzańskie|Crossen upon Oder]]
* [[Landkreis Friedeberg Nm.|Friedeberg]] (1816–1945; from 1938 part of Pomeranian Region of Posen-West Prussia), based in [[Strzelce Krajeńskie|Friedeberg in the New March]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Königsberg/Neumark (district)|de|3=Landkreis Königsberg Nm.|lt=Königsberg (New March)}} (1816–15 March 1946, remainder west of the Oder merged into {{Interlanguage link|Angermünde (district)|de|3=Landkreis Angermünde|lt=Angermünde}}, {{Interlanguage link|Lebus (district)|de|3=Landkreis Lebus|lt=Lebus}} and {{Interlanguage link|Oberbarnim (district)|de|3=Landkreis Oberbarnim|lt=Oberbarnim districts}}), based in [[Chojna|Königsberg in the New March]] 
* {{Interlanguage link|Landsberg/Warthe (district)|de|3=Landkreis Landsberg (Warthe)|lt=Landsberg (Warthe)}} (1818–1945), based in [[Gorzów Wielkopolski|Landsberg upon Warthe]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Soldin (district)|de|3=Landkreis Soldin|lt=Soldin}} (1818–1945), based in [[Myślibórz|Soldin]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Sternberg (district)|de|3=Kreis Sternberg (Brandenburg)|lt=Sternberg}}, (1816–1873; partitioned into [[Oststernberg district|Oststernberg]] and {{Interlanguage link|Weststernberg|de|3=Landkreis Weststernberg}}), based in [[Sulęcin|Zielenzig]] (till 1852), thereafter in [[Ośno Lubuskie|Drossen]]

=== In the Pomeranian Region of Köslin ===
{{see also|Köslin (region)}}
* {{Interlanguage link|Dramburg (district)|de|3=Landkreis Dramburg|lt=Dramburg}} (1816–1945; from 1938 part of Pomeranian Region of Posen-West Prussia), based in [[Drawsko Pomorskie|Dramburg]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Schivelbein (district)|de|3=Kreis Schivelbein|lt=Schivelbein}} (1816–1945), based in [[Świdwin|Schivelbein]]

== History ==
=== Ancient history ===
In the [[Bronze Age]] the area which became the Neumark fell within the area of the [[Lusatian culture]]. In the [[Iron Age]] the [[Jastorf culture]] operated in this region, identified sometimes with [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] and sometimes with [[Celt]]ic tribes.

As its inhabitants moved westward, the region became depopulated during the [[Migration Period]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} After AD 500 [[West Slavs|West Slavic tribes]] gradually repopulated the area, which became a forest borderland between [[Pomerania]] and [[Greater Poland]]. According to the [[Bavarian Geographer]]'s description, the Miloxi inhabited the future Neumark region: they had 47 settlements between the [[Oder]] and [[Poznań]].

=== Middle Ages ===
[[File:Ziemia Lubuska.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Lubusz Land]] – core of the future Neumark – during the [[Poland during the Piast dynasty|Piast period]] (marked in yellow)]]
The region came under the sovereignty of the [[Poland during the Piast dynasty|first Polish state]] during the 10th-century rule of [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]] (died 992) and [[Bolesław I of Poland|Bolesław I]] (ruled 992–1025), Dukes of the [[Polans (western)|Polans]].<ref>
''Poland.gov''. "[http://poland.gov.pl/Mieszko,I,and,Boleslaw,Chrobry,(Boleslaus,the,Brave),326.html Mieszko I and Boleslaw Chrobry (Boleslaus the Brave)]". Accessed December 3, 2006.</ref> Polish rulers incorporated the future Neumark territory as the [[Lubusz Land]] and by the beginning of the 13th century the previously depopulated region had a thinly-spread population of [[Polish people|Poles]].

Beginning in the 1230s, [[Low German|Low-German]]–speaking colonists from the [[Holy Roman Empire]] began settling north and south of the [[Warta]] and [[Noteć]] Rivers upon the initiative of Pomeranian and Polish lords (see {{lang|de|[[Ostsiedlung]]}}). The lords invited members of the [[Knights Templar]] and [[Knights Hospitaller]] to establish [[monastery|monasteries]], near which settlements began to develop. To fortify the borderland Pomeranian and Polish dukes built castles in the north, around which settlements also grew.

The [[House of Ascania|Ascanian]] [[margrave]]s of Brandenburg, starting with [[Albert the Bear]] (ruled 1157–1170), aspired to extend their dominion east of the Oder. They had gained a foothold east of the river by 1242 and in 1252 the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]] and the [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg]] purchased the Lubusz Land. In 1253 they founded [[Frankfurt (Oder)|Frankfurt an der Oder]] as a river-crossing and as a staging-point for further expansion eastward.<ref>Barraclough, Geoffrey. ''The Origins of Modern Germany''. W. W. Norton. 1984. {{ISBN|0-393-30153-2}}</ref> Through land purchases, marriage pacts, and services to Poland's [[Piast dynasty]], the Ascanians extended their territory eastward to the [[Drawa]] River and northward to the [[Parsęta]] River. For instance, the Polish [[castellany]] of [[Santok]], an important base and crossing point over the Warta near its junction with the Noteć, was sought by Pomerania. To relieve himself of the trouble of maintaining the fortress, Duke [[Przemysł I of Greater Poland]] granted the castellany to Margrave [[Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal|Conrad]] as a dowry for his daughter Konstancja. To safeguard the region Margrave [[John I, Margrave of Brandenburg|John I]] founded the town of Landsberg an der Warthe (now [[Gorzów Wielkopolski]]) in 1257. The Templars sold [[Myślibórz|Soldin]] to the Ascanians in 1261, and the town began to become a center for the region.

Most of the colonists who settled in Brandenburg's new eastern territory came from [[Magdeburg]] or the [[Altmark]] ("Old March"). Unlike in the rest of Brandenburg (where the Ascanians settled knights in open villages) the margraves began constructing castles in their land east of the Oder to guard against Poland.<ref name="Koch">Koch, H. W. ''A History of Prussia''. Barnes & Noble Books, 1993. {{ISBN|0-88029-158-3}}</ref>
The Slavic inhabitants of the region gradually became [[Germanisation|Germanized]]. Because the new ''Terra trans Oderam'', or "land across the Oder", formed an extension of the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]], it became known as the Neumark ("New March") after the middle of the 15th century.

With the extinction of the Ascanian line in 1320, Brandenburg's interest in the Neumark decreased. Neither the margraves of the [[House of Wittelsbach|Wittelsbach]] (1323–1373) nor those of the [[House of Luxembourg|Luxembourg]] dynasties concerned themselves with developing their easternmost territory further. The political vacuum allowed Poland to reassert its influence in the area, while [[Robber baron (feudalism)|robber baron]]s terrorized the populace.

=== Teutonic Knights ===
{{See also|Treaties of Cölln and Mewe}}
Brandenburg pawned the Neumark to the [[Teutonic Knights]] in 1402, and it passed completely under their control in 1429, although the Order neglected the region as well. After the Teutonic Knights' defeat in the [[Battle of Grunwald]] (Tannenberg) in 1410, the future Grand Master [[Michael Küchmeister von Sternberg]] used the Neumark as a staging ground for an army of [[Germans|German]] and [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]] mercenaries which he later used against the forces of King [[Jogaila|Władysław II Jagiełło]] of Poland. This allowed the Order to retain much of its territory in the [[Peace of Thorn (1411)|First Peace of Thorn]] in 1411.<ref>Urban, William. ''The Teutonic Knights''. Greenhill Books. 2003. {{ISBN|1-85367-535-0}}</ref>

In 1454/1455 the Knights' mismanagement led to their pawning of the Neumark back to Brandenburg, by then led by Elector [[Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg|Frederick II]] of the [[House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern dynasty]] ([[Treaties of Cölln and Mewe]]). After Frederick completed the re-acquisition of Neumark in 1463 for 40,000 [[guilder]]s, the region belonged to Brandenburg for the following centuries, with the exception of the time between 1535 and 1571. Frederick II wrote for his successors "that the said land, the New Mark, shall belong to German territory and to the worshipful Electorate of the Mark of Brandenburg, with which it was incorporated at the institution of the Electorate, and shall so remain, and shall never pass to those who speak not the German tongue".<ref>Eulenburg, Herbert, translated by M. M. Bozman. ''The Hohenzollerns''. The Century Co. 1929.</ref>

=== Brandenburg-Küstrin ===
{{Infobox country
|native_name            = {{native name|de|Markgrafschaft Brandenburg-Küstrin}}
|conventional_long_name = Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin
|common_name            = Neumark
|era                    = [[Early modern age]]
|status                 = Margraviate
|empire                 = Holy Roman Empire
|government_type        = [[Principality]]
|today                  = {{ubl|[[Poland]]<br>[[Germany]]}}
|year_start             = 1535
|year_end               = 1571
|event_start            = Partitioned from<br>{{spaces|4}}[[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]]
|date_start             = 
|event_end              = Reabsorbed into<br>{{spaces|4}}[[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]]
|date_end               = 
|p1                     = Margraviate of Brandenburg
|flag_p1                = Flag of Brandenburg (1340-1657).svg
|s1                     = Margraviate of Brandenburg
|flag_s1                = Flag of Brandenburg (1340-1657).svg
|image_flag             = Flag of Brandenburg (1340-1657).svg
|flag_type              = [[Flag of Brandenburg]]
|flag_alt               = Flag of Brandenburg
|image_coat             = Brandenburg Wappen.svg
|coat_alt               = Argent an eagle Gules armed and beaked Or, langued Gules, the wings charged with a trefoil Or – i.e.: a red eagle with golden talons and beak and a red tongue, on a white background; the wings are overlaid with golden trefoils
|symbol_type            = [[Coat of arms of Brandenburg]]
|other_symbol = <div style="padding:0.3em;">[[File:Gross Johann von Küstrin.jpg|90px|A silver coin showing the head of a bearded man, surrounded by the text 'Iohan DG Mar Branden et Ste']]</div> 
|other_symbol_type = A [[groschen]] of John, [[Margrave]] of Brandenburg-Küstrin, 1545
|capital                = {{ubl|[[Myślibórz|Soldin]] (to 1548){{sup|a}}|[[Küstrin]] (from 1548){{sup|b}}}}
|leader1                = [[John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin|John]]
|title_leader           = [[Margrave]]
|footnotes              = {{ordered list|type=lower-alpha|Soldin is now the Polish city of [[Myślibórz]].|Küstrin straddled the [[Oder-Neisse line]], so was partitioned after [[World War II]] and is now [[Kostrzyn nad Odrą]] in Poland and the [[Küstriner Vorland]] in Germany.}}
}}
After the death of Elector [[Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg|Joachim I Nestor]] in 1535, Brandenburg's territory west of the Oder (the [[Kurmark]]) went to his older son [[Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg|Joachim II Hector]], while the Neumark went to his younger son [[John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin|John]], who began ruling the Neumark as an independent margraviate and consolidated the land. An enthusiastic supporter of the [[Protestant Reformation]], John succeeded in converting the Neumark to [[Lutheranism]] and in confiscating church property. He lived frugally and acquired wealth for his treasury through [[usury]] and hiring out [[mercenary]] companies.

The division of Brandenburg resulted in [[trade war]]s between the brothers, as Crossen and Landsberg competed with the Kurmark's Frankfurt for mercantile primacy. The two margraves eventually compromised – at the economic expense of [[Szczecin|Stettin]]. (The brothers also reconciled out of concern for their territories during the [[Schmalkaldic War]] of 1546–47.)

In 1548 John's administration moved from Soldin to [[Küstrin]]. With the death of both brothers within ten days of each other in 1571, the Neumark became reunited with the Kurmark under Joachim II's son, [[John George, Elector of Brandenburg|John George]].<ref name="Koch"/>

=== Brandenburg-Prussia ===
In 1618, East Brandenburg became part of [[Brandenburg-Prussia]] after the electors' inheritance of the [[Duchy of Prussia]]. During the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618–1648) both [[Swedish Empire|Swedish]] and [[Holy Roman Empire|Imperial]] troops plundered, ravaged and burnt the land, while [[Bubonic plague|plague]] epidemics in 1626 and 1631 killed much of the populace. While occupied by Swedish troops the region had to contribute 60,000 [[thaler]]s and 10,000 ''[[Wispel]]'' of [[rye]].

=== Kingdom of Prussia ===
[[Image:Karte der Neumark (um 1720).jpg|thumb|Map of the Neumark ({{circa|1720}})]]
[[Image:Neumark1818.jpg|thumb|Districts in the Neumark as of 1873]]
After the declaration of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1701, the situation in the Neumark began to improve. King [[Frederick I of Prussia|Frederick I]] initiated new waves of colonization. Many [[French people|French]] [[Huguenot]]s, forced to flee from religious persecution in [[France]], arrived as settlers. The textile industry also began to develop in the Neumark. The [[Seven Years' War]] caused the region to regress in its development, as high contributions were exacted from the population for the war effort and the Neumark was the setting for battles such as at [[Battle of Kunersdorf|Kunersdorf]]. Under [[Frederick II of Prussia|Frederick II]], increased land reclamation and economic consolidation resulted from the drainage of the Warta and Notec areas.

The reorganization of Prussia after the territorial changes – resulting from the [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1815 – changed the political makeup of the Neumark. The {{Interlanguage link|Dramburg (district)|de|3=Landkreis Dramburg|lt=districts of Dramburg}} and {{Interlanguage link|Schivelbein (district)|de|3=Kreis Schivelbein|lt=Schivelbein}} and the northern part of the {{Interlanguage link|Arnswalde (district)|de|3=Landkreis Arnswalde|lt=Arnswalde district}} with the town of [[Ińsko|Nörenberg]] became part of the [[Province of Pomerania (1815–1945)|Province of Pomerania]]. The Neumark's remaining territory was incorporated into the newly created [[Frankfurt (region)|Frankfurt Region]] of the [[Province of Brandenburg]].

=== Germany ===
With the formation of the Prussian-led [[German Empire]] in 1871 the Neumark — along with the rest of Brandenburg — became part of a unified German state. In the [[Weimar Republic]]'s [[Weimar National Assembly|National Assembly]] of 1 November 1919, the majority of the region voted for the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD). The Neumark populace mostly voted for the [[German National People's Party]] in the elections for the German [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] on 20 May 1928, with a small island of SPD voters. In the Reichstag vote of December 1924 1,900 votes were cast for the [[Polish People's Party]] out of a population of 570,000. In 1925 the Neumark had 3,500 [[Polish language|Polish]] speakers.<ref name="ZgV">Zentrum gegen Vertreibungen. [http://www.z-g-v.de/english/aktuelles/?id=56 "History of the German expellees and their homelands"]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061015180850/http://www.z-g-v.de/english/aktuelles/?id=56 |date=2006-10-15 }}. Accessed 12 May 2006.</ref> In the Reichstag vote of 6 November 1932, the [[Nazi Party]] won the election in the region.<ref name="Westermann">''Westermanns Atlas zur Weltgeschichte''. Georg Westermann Verlag. 1963.</ref>

When the Nazi authorities dissolved the province of [[Posen-West Prussia]] in 1938, they expanded the Frankfurt Region to include the [[Kreis Schwerin in Posen|districts of Schwerin]] and [[Kreis Meseritz|of Meseritz]], although the New Marcher {{Interlanguage link|Arnswalde (district)|de|3=Landkreis Arnswalde|lt=districts of Arnswalde}} and [[Landkreis Friedeberg Nm.|of Friedeberg]] were reassigned to Pomerania. According to the 1939 census, the Neumark had a population of 645,000 residents, including 3,000 non-Germans.<ref name="ZgV"/> The dialect spoken in much of the territory was the [[East Low German]] [[Brandenburgisch dialect]].

==== Infrastructure before 1945 ====
The Neumark region long featured [[agriculture]] and [[forestry]]. The medium-sized towns were mostly ''Ackerbürgerstädte'', or farmer-citizen-towns. The textile industry became prominent in the 19th century. With the construction of modern roadways, of the ''Fernverkehrstraße 1'' (an arterial road from [[Berlin]] to [[Königsberg]]), and of the [[Prussian Eastern Railway]], the Neumark also began to develop industrially. Such development was primarily geared toward agricultural needs and was concentrated near the cities of Landsberg and Küstrin, and the Neumark did not become nearly as industrialized or densely populated as other German areas such as the [[Ruhr]], [[Saxony]], or [[Upper Silesia]].

==== World War II ====
Near the end of [[World War II]], the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Red Army]] reached the Neumark at the end of January 1945. Because the Red Army had advanced so quickly, the civilian population of the region suffered greatly from warfare and occupying troops because they had not prepared to flee in time. More than 40,000 New Marchers were [[killed in action]] as soldiers.

Under the terms demanded by the Soviet Union in the [[Potsdam Agreement]], the region was put under Polish administration after the [[Potsdam Conference]] and eventually became part of Poland. Germans remaining in the region were [[expulsion of Germans after World War II|expelled]]. Poles, some of whom had themselves been expelled from the [[Territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union|Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union]] settled the region. A small part of the German population, mostly technicians for the water supply companies, were retained and used for compulsory labour; they were allowed to emigrate to Germany in the 1950s. Older estimates indicated that of the pre-war population of 645,000, only 5,000 of the inhabitants from 1939 remained in the province in 1950.<ref name="Westermann"/><ref>Scheuch, Manfred. ''Historischer Atlas Deutschland: Vom Frankenreich bis zur Wiedervereinigung''. Bechtermünz. 2001. {{ISBN|3-8289-0358-4}}</ref>

====Villages in today's Germany west of the Oder====
After the [[river regulation|regulation of the river]] Oder in the 18th century the western border of the New March was not adapted to the Oder's new partially more eastern course. Thus the New Marcher villages west of the Oder, now the German-Polish border, remained with post-World War II Germany.

Formerly located within the ''District of Königsberg in the New March'' were the villages {{Interlanguage link|Adlig Reetz|de}}, {{Interlanguage link|Bleyen|de|3=Bleyen|lt=Alt and Neu Bleyen}}, {{Interlanguage link|Altglietzen|de}}, {{Interlanguage link|Altreetz (Oderaue)|de|3=Altreetz|lt=Altreetz}}, {{Interlanguage link|Altwustrow|de}}, {{Interlanguage link|Bralitz|de}}, {{Interlanguage link|Croustillier|de}}, Drewitz Ausbau (a locality of Bleyen), {{Interlanguage link|Gabow, Bad Freienwalde|lt=Gabow|de|Gabow}}, {{Interlanguage link|Güstebieser Loose|de}}, [[Hohenwutzen]], {{Interlanguage link|Karlsbiese|de}}, {{Interlanguage link|Karlshof (Neulewin)|de|lt=Karlshof}}, Königlich Reetz (a locality of [[Oderaue]]), [[Küstrin-Kietz]], {{Interlanguage link|Neuenhagen in the New March|de|3=Neuenhagen (Bad Freienwalde)}}, Neuküstrinchen (a locality of Oderaue), {{Interlanguage link|Neulietzegöricke|de}}, [[Neuranft]], [[Neurüdnitz]], {{Interlanguage link|Neutornow|de|Neutornow (Bad Freienwalde (Oder))|pl|Neutornow (Bad Freienwalde (Oder))}}, {{Interlanguage link|Neuwustrow|de}}, Schaumburg in the Oderbruch (a locality of Bleyen), {{Interlanguage link|Schiffmühle|de|3=Schiffmühle (Bad Freienwalde)}}, {{Interlanguage link|Zäckericker Loose|de}} and Zelliner Loose (a locality of [[Letschin]]). The villages of {{Interlanguage link|Aurith|de}} and Kunitz-Loose (a locality of [[Wiesenau]]) formed part of the Weststernberg district.

=== Poland ===
The [[Oder-Neisse line]] delimiting Germany and Poland split several localities of the region into [[divided cities]]:

* Küstrin was separated into German [[Küstrin-Kietz]] and Polish [[Kostrzyn nad Odrą]],
* Frankfurt an der Oder was split into German [[Frankfurt (Oder)]] and Polish [[Słubice]],
* Guben was divided into German [[Guben]] and Polish [[Gubin, Poland|Gubin]],
* Bad Muskau was split into German [[Bad Muskau]] and Polish [[Łęknica]],
* Forst was divided into German [[Forst (Lausitz)|Forst]] and Polish [[Zasieki]],
* Görlitz was separated into German [[Görlitz]] and Polish [[Zgorzelec]].

To replace the expelled indigenous German population, Soviet authorities re-settled Neumark with Poles and [[Ukrainians]] from [[territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union]]. From 1975 to 1998 the former Neumark territory was divided between the Voivodeships of [[Gorzów Voivodeship|Gorzów]] and [[Zielona Góra Voivodeship|Zielona Góra]] with a small section around Chojna in [[Szczecin Voivodeship (1975–1998)|Szczecin Voivodeship]]. Since the reorganization of Polish voivodeships on 1 January 1999, almost all of the former Neumark region lies within the [[Lubusz Voivodeship]].

==== Modern inhabitants ====
During the Polish post-war census of December 1950, data about the pre-war places of residence of the inhabitants as of August 1939 was collected. In case of children born between September 1939 and December 1950, their origin was reported based on the pre-war places of residence of their mothers. Thanks to this data it is possible to reconstruct the pre-war geographical origin of the post-war population. The same area corresponding to 1939 East Brandenburg east of the [[Oder-Neisse line]] (which became part of Poland in 1945) was inhabited as of December 1950 by:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+1950 population by place of residence back in 1939:<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kosiński|first=Leszek|date=1960|title=Pochodzenie terytorialne ludności Ziem Zachodnich w 1950 r. [Territorial origins of inhabitants of the Western Lands in year 1950]|url=http://rcin.org.pl/Content/33932/WA51_50482_r1960-z2_Dokumentacja-Geogr.pdf|journal=Dokumentacja Geograficzna|language=Polish|location=Warsaw|publisher=PAN (Polish Academy of Sciences), Institute of Geography|volume=2|pages=Tabela 1 (data by county)|via=Repozytorium Cyfrowe Instytutów Naukowych}}</ref>
!Region (within 1939 borders):
!Number
!Percent
|-
|[[Indigenous peoples|Autochthons]] (1939 [[Nazi Germany|DE]]/[[Free City of Danzig|FCD]] citizens)
|14,809
|3,3%
|-
|[[Polish population transfers (1944–1946)|Polish expellees]] from [[Kresy]] ([[Soviet Union|USSR]])
|187,298
|42,1%
|-
|Poles from abroad except the USSR
|10,943
|2,5%
|-
|Resettlers from the [[Capital city of Warsaw (1919–39)|City of Warsaw]]
|8,600
|1,9%
|-
|From [[Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Warsaw region]] ([[Mazovia|Masovia]])
|16,926
|3,8%
|-
|From [[Białystok Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Białystok region]] and [[Suwałki Region|Sudovia]]
|3,772
|0,8%
|-
|From [[Pomeranian Voivodeship (1919–1939)|pre-war Polish Pomerania]]
|19,191
|4,3%
|-
|Resettlers from [[Poznań Voivodeship (1921–1939)|Poznań region]]
|88,427
|19,9%
|-
|Katowice region ([[Silesian Voivodeship) (1920–39)|East Upper Silesia]])
|4,725
|1,1%
|-
|Resettlers from the [[Łódź|City of Łódź]]
|2,377
|0,5%
|-
|Resettlers from [[Łódź Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Łódź region]]
|22,954
|5,2%
|-
|Resettlers from [[Kielce Voivodeship|Kielce region]]
|14,203
|3,2%
|-
|Resettlers from [[Lublin Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Lublin region]]
|19,250
|4,3%
|-
|Resettlers from [[Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Kraków region]]
|12,587
|2,8%
|-
|Resettlers from [[Podkarpackie Voivodeship|Rzeszów region]]
|13,147
|3,0%
|-
|place of residence in 1939 unknown
|5,720
|1,3%
|-
!Total pop. in December 1950
!'''444,929'''
!100,0%
|}
Over 95% of the 1950 population were newcomers to the region, with less than 5% residing in German East Brandenburg already back in August 1939 (so called autochthons, who had German citizenship before [[World War II]] and were granted Polish citizenship after 1945). The largest group among new inhabitants were Poles expelled from areas of [[Kresy|Eastern Poland]] annexed by the Soviet Union. The second largest group were people from neighbouring [[Poznań Voivodeship (1921–1939)|pre-war Poznań Voivodeship]] of Poland (historical [[Greater Poland]] region), comprising one-fifth of post-war inhabitants.

== See also ==
* [[Bishopric of Lebus]]
* [[List of cities and towns in the Neumark]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.nada.kth.se/~ovidiu/maps/images/1493-schedel-europa.jpg 1493 map -Marcha Nova-Neumark]
* [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/brandenburg_1320_1415.jpg Map of the Neumark in the Middle Ages]
* [http://wiki.genealogy.net/index.php/Neumark Administrative history] {{in lang|de}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060521192841/http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/BRG/neumark/ Genealogical research] {{in lang|de}}

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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neumark}}
[[Category:Former states and territories of Brandenburg]]
[[Category:History of Lubusz Voivodeship]]
[[Category:Regions of Brandenburg]]