Why did the Germans, the Russians, the Poles, the Swedes - pretty

File: GLL0M9y.png (854KB, 986x1118px) Image search: [Google]

854KB, 986x1118px

While I am very skeptical about these kinds of maps, it is interesting how all three stand out.

File: 1467901760630.jpg (1MB, 2000x1819px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2000x1819px

>>1961037
>fail to absord them the way other micro-nations/cultures were in those lands/countries?

File: Religions.png (717KB, 793x646px) Image search: [Google]

717KB, 793x646px

>>1961065

>>1961065
>>1961068

Point is - they did not become part of Poland and/or Russia.
Why? Sheer luck or Russia/Poland saw more problem keeping them than fighting for them?

Balts have never been a particularly good fighters - the 1918-1919 victory was possibly only because of weak Germany and Russia/USSR.

File: battles of Polish-Bolshevik war.png (435KB, 1237x851px) Image search: [Google]

435KB, 1237x851px

>>1961104
Courtesy of their former overlords.

File: 1462805943416.jpg (889KB, 2250x872px) Image search: [Google]

889KB, 2250x872px

Baltic Stronk

>>1961115
Why though?

Make sure that the buffer between them and Russia is maintained?

>>1961133
No one in his sane mind would want to border Russia

File: Cw22SodXEAQNJrH.jpg (44KB, 564x451px) Image search: [Google]

44KB, 564x451px

>>1961141
tfw

>>1961037
Probably because they kept changing hands so often. And if you survived until 1850 nothing was gonna kill you.

>>1961161
Why 1850?

File: 1421424457332.png (862KB, 1280x376px) Image search: [Google]

862KB, 1280x376px

>>1961104
>never been a particularly good fighters
Lithuanians were pretty alright, actually. Then again, they're not balts at all, but descend from Ptolemy IX's unnamed child born to a black male slave. The young lad was exiled at birth to the great unknown north with a retinue of his own slaves and a chest of gold to support himself. Over time he and his descendants were able to conquer vast areas stretching right to the Sea of Japan, covering much of present-date Russia, before eventually losing much of its lands in successive wars against the retro-neo-neo-Finnish Khaganate.

A fun fact for the day.

>>1961161
That is just not true.

umm.. because they were adaptable and cooperative and because full cultural assimilation was never on the agenda back then?
The elite would adapt the rulers' language and mix with the conquerors gradually of course. Then lands would change hands and the new lords would find they can just work with what they have, adding a bit of their own customs; core customs of lower classes would stay the same.
It also helps to look at the languages: latvian for instance has so much of both german and russian structures in it, quite some vocabulary as well from both; the rest is a mix of baltic and finno-ugric words. Since german crusaders that founded livonia were were the first ones to put the tribes and proto-states residing on the the current territory of latvia under single rule, they had every opportunity to mould the place in every aspect, but they focused on religion.
And keep in mind it was one of the last places in Europe to convert to christianity - only 13th-14th century. That's awfully close to reformation on the grand time-scale. NOW add the orthodox faith the russkies brought. Soon it was probably the most religiously diverse, tolerant place in europe after the netherlands. And you bet the pagan traditions were strong af among peasantry and remote areas, they survived into modernity too, though mostly due to their (somewhat forced) renaissance and the nationalism hit in the 19th century
Additionally the oral musical traditions are some of the strongest in the world; short verses "dainas" covered a wide range of themes and topicsand were easy to memorise and dissiminate among the illiterate, singing has been ubiquitous since forever and the vowel-rich tongues just lend themselves so easily to music.

>>1961161
>Probably because they kept changing hands so often
This. They are under British-French power now, but these countries doesnt like to assimilate colonies.
>if you survived until 1850 nothing was gonna kill you.
False. These countries were created by winners of WWI. They stop to use Russian language, start to develop own indugenous "culture" after 1917.
They would remain Russians without revolution. Or would become Germans - after 40 years in Germany. No one of them cares about fucken indugenous languages by themselves.

>>1961169
>>1961552
Generally in Europe if you made to the age of nationalism without getting assimilated your were going to make to modern day.

>>1961641
t. Ivan "Cyka Blyat" Ivanovich

>>1961641
>False. These countries were created by winners of WWI. They stop to use Russian language, start to develop own indugenous "culture" after 1917.

Countries=/nations/cltures.

>>1961650
yes. but i sometimes wonder if that was such a great thing

Because we are the strongest most powerful race in the world.

>>1961641
>This. They are under British-French power now, but these countries doesnt like to assimilate colonies.

No, we're under the Swedes now. They're the only people investing here really.

>>1961641
But we wuz grand duchy and sheit

>>1961900
That's Belarus.
The """"""country"""""" going by the name of Lithuania today can only claim the heritage of shiteating s*mogitians.

>>1961920
>Orthodox "Lithuanians"

nice try

>>1961924
They're the only Lithuanians.

>>1961937
Then why do they have names like Misha and Vlad?

>>1961037
They had the privelege of having little to nothing worth conquering them for

>>1961941
Because of russification, obviously.
Why do more than 2/3 of s*mogitians have last names ending in -owski or -vich?

>>1961948
Never met anyone with a name like that.

Lithuanian language + catholic = Lithuanian

>>1961950
>Never met anyone with a name like that
Just take a glance at your ID card.

>>1961956
My last name ends with enas

>>1961959
k, bybenas

>>1961964
rude