Prussia

The word Prussia (German: Preußen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Pr?sai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings:

Geography

Prussia began its existence as a small territory in what is now northern Poland and the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia. The region was sparsely populated by Prussians. The area later became subject to German colonization. By the time of its abolition it stretched across the North German Plain from the French, Belgian and Dutch borders on the west to the Lithuanian border and to territories which are now in eastern Poland. At its greatest extent before 1918 it included much of western Poland as well. For a period between 1795 and 1807 Prussia also controlled most of central Poland, including Warsaw.

Related Topics:
Poland - Kaliningrad - Exclave - Russia - Prussians - Colonization - North German Plain - French - Belgian - Dutch - Lithuanian - 1918 - 1795 - 1807 - Warsaw

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Before its abolition Prussia included, as well as what might be called "Prussia proper" (the regions of West Prussia and East Prussia, which now lie in Poland and Russia), the regions of Pomerania, Silesia, Brandenburg, Lusatia, Province of Saxony (now state of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany) Hanover, Schleswig-Holstein, Westphalia, parts of Hesse, the Rhineland, and some small detached areas in the south such as Hohenzollern, the home of the Prussian ruling family. However there were some regions even in northern Germany that never became a part of Prussia, such as Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, and the Hanse city-states.

Related Topics:
West Prussia - East Prussia - Russia - Pomerania - Silesia - Brandenburg - Lusatia - Province of Saxony - Saxony-Anhalt - Hanover - Schleswig-Holstein - Westphalia - Hesse - Rhineland - Hohenzollern - Oldenburg - Mecklenburg - Hanse

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Being predominantly a northern and eastern German state, Prussia had a large Protestant majority, although there were substantial Roman Catholic populations in the Rhineland, while a number of districts in Posen, Silesia, West Prussia, and the Warmia and Masuria regions of East Prussia had populations of predominantly Catholic Poles. This in part explains why the Catholic south German states, especially Austria and Bavaria, resisted Prussian hegemony for so long. Despite its overwhelmingly German character, Prussia's annexations of Polish territory in the late 18th century brought with them a large and troublesome Polish minority. In 1919 this annexed territory was returned to the newly reconstructed Polish state.

Related Topics:
Protestant - Roman Catholic - Rhineland - Posen - Silesia - West Prussia - Warmia - Masuria - East Prussia - Austria - Bavaria - 1919

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