Polessk

First mentioned in 1249 as Labagovs. The name is from the Prussian labs "good" with the suffix -ov or down a river called Laba (former name of Deima). Later, the Germanized Labiau (German: Labiau) is consolidated. Labiau). City since June 28, 1642.

In 1656 a treaty of alliance in the war against Poland was signed in the city between Elector Frederick William I and King Charles X of Sweden.

In 1885, Labiau had 4,744 residents, most of them Lutherans (29 Catholics and 92 Jews).

By 1930, the town had 5,411 residents, a brewery and other businesses were in operation.

Since 1945 it was a part of the USSR (RSFSR). In 1946 it was renamed Polessk in honor of one of the commanders of the Guards, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel Sergei Ivanovich Poletskiywho was killed during the East Prussian operation.. According to other sources - when renamed in 1946, it was named for its extensive forest and hunting grounds.