Baltic German

The Baltic Germans (German: Deutsch-Balten, Deutschbalten, sometimes incorrectly Baltendeutsche), were ethnically German inhabitants of the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea which forms today the countries of Estonia and Latvia.

Territories

In Baltic German settlement patterns, the Baltic area consisted of the following territories:

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• Estland (Latin: Estonia), roughly the northern half of present-day Estonia; major towns: Reval (Tallinn), Narwa (Narva).
• Livland (Latin: Livonia), roughly the southern half of present-day Estonia and the northern half of today's Latvia; major towns: Riga, Dorpat (Tartu).
• Kurland (Latin: Couronia, also English: Courland), roughly the southern half of present-day Latvia; major towns: Mitau (Jelgava), Windau (Ventspils), Libau (Liep?ja).
• the island of Ösel (Saaremaa) present-day Estonia; major town: Arensburg (Kuressaare).

Occasionally, ethnic Germans from East Prussia are considered Baltic German for reasons of cultural, linguistic, and historical affinities. In contrast, the Old Prussians were of Baltic, not Germanic, stock.

Related Topics:
East Prussia - Old Prussians

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