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Human settlement in the Harbin area dates from at least 2200 BC (late Stone Age). It is formerly Pinkiang.
The modern city of Harbin originated in 1898 from a small village, with the start of the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway (KWZhD) by Russia, an extension of the Trans-siberian railroad, shortcutting substantially the distance to Vladivostok and creating a link to the port city of Dairen (Dalnii) and the Russian Naval Base Port Arthur.
Following the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-5), Russia's influence declined, and several thousand nationals from 33 countries including the United States, Germany, and France moved to Harbin. Sixteen countries established consulates and set up several hundred industrial, commercial and banking companies in Harbin. The Chinese also established their own businesses in brewing, foodstuffs and the textile industry. Harbin had established its status as the center of northeastern China and as an international metropolis.
In December 1918, during the Russian Civil War, defeated Russian White Guards and refugees retreated to the city: it then became a major centre of White Russian émigrés. The city became the largest Russian enclave outside Russia. The Jewish Community was formed by Russian Jews and included a group of German Jews, who fled Nazi-Germany in the late thirties. The Russians established the Russian school system and published the Russian language newspapers and journals.
In 1935, after the sale of the railway (KWZhD) to the Japanese and after 1946 the bulk of Russians returned to the Soviet Union. The rest of the European Community (Russians, Germans, Poles, Greeks etc.) emigrated during the years 1950-54 to Australia, Brazil and the USA, or were repatriated to their home countries. In 1988 the original Russian community numbered just 30 old people.
With the establishment of the Manchukuo, Japanese troops occupied Harbin from February 4, 1932. The Soviet Army took the city on 20 August 1945. Harbin never came under the control of the Kuomintang, whose troops stopped 60 km short the city and its administration was transferred by the departing Soviet Army to the Chinese People's Liberation Army in April 1946.
The eight Harbin counties originally formed part of Songhuajiang Prefecture (松花江地区), and became incorporated into Harbin on August 11, 1999, making Harbin a sub-provincial city.
Other related archives1898, 1918, 1932, 1935, 1945, 1985, 1996, 20 August, 2005, 2009, 2010 Winter Olympics, Aarhus, Acheng, Alpine skiing, American,
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page |
