Zhizdra

Schisdra (Russian Жиздра ) is a small town in the Kaluga oblast (Russia) with 5585 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located about 180 km south-west of Kaluga Oblasthauptstadt at the same Schisdra, a left tributary of the opening into the Volga River Oka.

Schisdra is the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons.

History

The old village Schisdra received its town charter in 1777 as an administrative center of a circle ( Ujesds ). The derived from the river name is Baltic origin and means coarse sand or gravel.

In the 18th and 19th century the city was the center of the timber trade. Of great importance for the economy of the city was at this time the establishment of plants in the region west of the city (eg in Ljudinowo ) by the industrialist family Malzow for which around Schisdras iron ore, coal and clays were mined for refractory materials.

As a result of this development, however, not continued, and Schisdra remained relatively insignificant small town.

During World War II Schisdra was occupied on October 5, 1941 by the German Wehrmacht and recaptured on 16 August 1943 by the West Front of the Red Army under the Orjoler operation.

Demographics

Note: Census data (1926-1939 rounded)

Culture and sights

The city has a museum of local history.

Economy and infrastructure

In Schisdra there are companies in the woodworking, textile and food industries.

The station opened in 1899 Sikejewo at the railway Moscow - Bryansk Kiev is located ten kilometers east of the city ( kilometer 313). A the same time opened a connecting line to the town was destroyed in the Second World War and then not restored.

The M3 highway Moscow - Bryansk - Ukrainian border ( then on to Kiev) also leads east past the town. From this one a road branches off to Ljudinowo.

Personalities

• Alexei Eliseev (* 1934 in Schisdra ), Cosmonaut