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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

What's A Prussian?

 I imagine that in recent years Prussians have felt a renewed spirit of unity. Once they traded and fought with Romans, viking Northmen, and Swedes with dignity. For a time they found it difficult to maintain their independence in the face of German, Pole, Lithuanian, and Russian incursions. At other times they found support from Lithuanians and learned a bit from Poles and Germans. They have found it difficult to love Russians, but very likely share some Slavic cousins with them.


For a time, being named by Romans disturbed their identity. Later their identity was disturbed by being tools and creators of the German state.


They are a people of the Baltic. It doesn't seem wrong to call a Prussian a Balt.


If you can find northwest Europe on your map, you can probably find the Baltic Sea. I think the people on the eastern shore of that sea may have been termed West Balts. I don't know why. Anyway if you are walking a beach of that eastern shore, look down, you may spot a nice little hunk of amber. There have probably been Prussians along that shore since before there were Romans in Rome.


The Prussian language, like other languages has changed over time. Some languages have disappeared with time. Prussian has come close to disappearing, but it has not. The old Baltic language is one of the oldest in Europe.


How close have my imaginings come to the facts. Tell me where I seem  to be closest to the facts and where I have been farthest from them.

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