An ethnic group called the Skalvian tribe formed in the 1st – 6th centuries. The Skalvians populated a small territory on both banks of the Nemunas. Exhausted by the battles against the Order of Crusaders, the Skalvian tribe was constantly losing its territories. The Skalvians established their settlements around their holy place Rambynas. The Skalvians were forced to give up their fight against the Order in the 13th century.The remaining tribesmenmerged with the nearby Lithuanian and Prussian tribes. The Skalvian tribe is mentioned for the last time in 1542 – 1563.

In 1525, the Duchy of Prussia was established. One of its regionsinhabited bySkalvian, Nadruvian and other ancient Lithuanian tribes was called Lithuania Minor, Prussian Lithuania, Lithuanian Province or simply Lithuania, while the inhabitants were given the name Lietuvininkai. In the aftermath of World War II, East Prussia was taken away from Germany and divided between Russia and Poland. As a result, the ethnic composition of the population changed fundamentally. The local Germans and Lietuvininkai moved west. Part of Prussian Lithuania (the Klaipėda Region) came under the control of Lithuania.

From 1923 to 1939.Part of Prussian Lithuania (the Klaipėda region) belonged to Lithuania by the right of autonomy. After World War II, Lithuania was incorporated into the Soviet Union. Lithuania’s independence was restored in 1990. The Klaipėda region was named Lithuania Minor. In 1992, the Rambynas Regional Park was founded. Within it,natural and historical assets are protected, researched and promoted.