BRAUNSBERG  , a

town of Germany, in the kingdom of Prussia, 38 m. by rail S.W. of Konigsberg, on the Passarge, 4 M. from its mouth in the Frisches Haff . Pop . (1900) 12,497 . It possesses numerous Roman Catholic institutions, of which the most important is the Lyceum Hosianum (enjoying university rank), founded in 1564 by the cardinal bishop Stanislaus Hosius . Brewing, tanning, and the manufactures of soap, yeast, carriages and bricks are the most important industries of the town, which also carries on a certain amount of trade in corn, ship timber and yarn . The river is navigable for small vessels . The castle of Braunsberg was built by the Teutonic knights in 1241, and the town was founded ten years later . Destroyed by the Prussians in 1262, it was restored in 1299 . The town, which was the seat of the bishops of Ermeland from 1255 to 1298, was granted the " law of Lubeck " by its bishop in 1284, and admitted to the Hanseatic League . After numerous vicissitudes it fell into the hands of the Poles in 1520, and in 1626 it was captured by Gustavus Adolphus . The Swedes kept possession till 1635 . It fell to Prussia by the first partition of Poland in 1772 .