The Baltic Germans

Centuries before the Third Reich attempted to realize its plans for domination of Central and Eastern Europe, Germany had established itself as a major force in the Baltic Region. For nearly 800 years, Germans had wielded enormous political and influence in the region.

After fighting (and losing) in the Holy Land during the Crusades, the Teutonic Knights turned their attention toward the non-Christian peoples who were a little closer to home. They found the inhabitants of the Baltic coast, who were not only Pagans, but also not nearly as strong militarily, to be perfect for conquering. In the late 1100s the Knights made their move eastward, first defeating the Prussian-speaking tribes and working their way toward the remaining three Baltic peoples, The city of Riga was founded by Bishop Albert on the Daugava River in 1201 as a base of operation for the crusading Germans. A second crusading order, the Brothers of the Sword, was founded the next year, and worked to subjugate the neighboring tribes.

Some were more successful in fighting off the threat, however. Lithuania, under Grand Duke Mindaugas, possessed a relatively united state that was able to defeat the Germans so badly that in 1237, the Brothers of the Sword had to disband; its remnants joined the Teutonic Order. In 1410, at the Battle of Grunwald, also called the Battle of Tannenberg, Lithuania removed the German threat once and for all.

Estonia and Latvia were not so lucky. They were not strong enough to fight the invaders, and as a result they were quickly subjugated. Their territory would eventually be divided into three main regions, which were Courland, which today is southwestern Latvia; Estonia, which was only the northern part of that country of today; and Livonia, which combined both peoples and lay between the other two. Although the territory would later be conquered by the Swedes (1629) and then the Russians (1721), German influence would remain strong until after the Second World War.

While Lithuania would enjoy decades as an independent state and, together with Poland, rule the largest empire in Europe at the time, Latvia and Estonia found that a disproportionate amount of power lay in the hands of the so-called “Baltic Germans.” Although they were a tiny minority nationwide, the Baltic Germans made up a large percentage of the populations of such cities as Riga and Tallinn and comprised a large share of the merchants and professionals in the cities. Most cities were called by their German names—Dorpat (Tartu) and Reval (Tallinn) were in Estonia, Libau (Liepaja) was in Latvia. In the countryside, Germans held large estates, and were considered to be something of a local nobility.

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