CUSTRIN

custrin, or kustrin, a town of germany, in the kingdom of prussia, a fortress of the first rank, at the confluence of the oder and warthe, 18 m. n.e. from frankfort-on-oder and 51 m. n.e. of berlin by rail. pop. (1900) 16,473 (including the garrison). it consists of the town proper within the strong fortifications, a suburb on the left bank of the oder, and one on the right bank of the warthe. there are three evangelical churches and one roman catholic, and a handsome town hall. there are bridges over both rivers. custrin has some manufactories of potato-meal, machinery, pianos, furniture, cigars, &c., and there is a considerable river trade. about 1250 a town was erected on the site of custrin, where a fishing village originally stood. from 1535 till 1571 it was the residence of john, margrave of brandenburg-custrin, who died without male heirs in 1571. custrin was the prison of frederick the great when crown-prince, and the scene of the execution of his friend hans hermann von katte on the 6th of november 1730.