Addition: West Germany accepted the post WWII borders during the Treaty of Warsaw (1970). In 1990 the reunited Germany signed the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany. Check this video about the territorial change of Poland: ruclips.net/video/xxHp1JXvjeM/видео.html
Eventually Germany will start to flex it's muscles, and try to expand again. What one generation agrees to, has no bearing on what subsequent generations will think is rightfully theirs. Fights over land and resources are perpetual, and just because countries agree today, does not mean they will agree tomorrow.
I am a Berliner and have visited Kaliningrad about eight years ago. I grew up during the cold war, and alone the fact that I was able to make that journey at all, in my own car no less, was really special. Kaliningrad itself has exactly two historical buildings left, the cathedral with the grave of Emmanuel Kant and the former stock exchange. The city really is a testament to the immense destruction during WW2. The city was largely destroyed by British air force bombardments during the summer of 1944 and the intense fighting between the German and Soviet army in 1945 gave it the rest. Seven hundred years of history destroyed in less than a year. The population fled the city to avoid the fighting. No one was able to return. If that isn't motivation enough to keep Europe peaceful, I don't know what is. Today Kaliningrad is largely a city of Soviet era prefab buildings, which show their years. Yet the city is full of young people and has lively restaurants and cafes. They have a car manufacturing plant and of course the military. I also visited the country-side, where more German era buildings survived. The historic town centre of Sowetsk /Tilsit is largely intact and there are villages with mostly German era houses. What was most jarring to me was that when I visited most of the very fertile, agricultural land was unused. I don't know why or if that changed after the sanctions. I didn't have the time to visit the coastal resorts, but have read other accounts that they are quite lovely.
@@Chosen_Ash Königsberg is dead. Cities are not made of stones but of the people, society history and culture of the place. That is gone and will never be resurrected. Now you only see Kaliningrad, which is another city, just at the same spot.
This video is so different from other historians' content because you actually go into detail and explain things in an understandable manner! Thank you for offering up this information to your viewers!
Thanks for your message, Laura. If you are interested I made other videos about territorial changes. Feel free to take a look. Russia: ruclips.net/video/F8grLJ5qN5E/видео.html Poland: ruclips.net/video/xxHp1JXvjeM/видео.html Ukraine: ruclips.net/video/347zyCNL85c/видео.html
My best regards to the Netherlands and especially to you from Cologne/Köln. I‘ve started following you recently, and besides your knowledge, I really like your approach to these topics. It is always good to see a different perspective. You deliver, and I find all your videos so far outstanding, neutral and empathetic. Good job, mijn Her. Keep it up.
Germany lost two wars and somehow recovered from both and you could say the basically got what they wanted be the focal point of Europe. The European Union is just a nicer way to say empire lol
@@HistoryHustle there are many proofs that intentions behind european union are mainly coming from Germany and that majority of european nations ''member monthly payments'' go to Germany and only some to France, Britain and other.
I lived close to Kaliningrad but it wasn’t a popular tourist attraction so my parents didn’t take me there when I was a kid. On the other hand I’ve been to Gdańsk/Danzig a bunch of times and I gotta tell you that the city is an excellent example of German and Polish architecture working together as the city switched hands multiple times over 1000 years. The city was also spared by the two world wars. Also almost no Germans live there but often come as tourists and there are no national hostilities that I know of
Very interesting to read. I believe Gdansk suffered severe damage during WWII but was rebuilt according to the original city plan. With Kaliningrad that just wasn't the case. Königsberg was destroyed and its remains mostly removed to make way for a Soviet city. From what I've seen on photos it isn't really beautiful, yet Gdansk is. When Iook at old photos of Königsberg is kinda looks like Gdansk a little bit.
@@HistoryHustle The difference between what Gdańsk and Kaliningrad look like is due to the fact that Poles believe that Gdańsk was historically a Polish city and returned to Poland after 1945, and Konnigsberg was never associated with Russia and the Russians did not feel any sentiment towards this city. Gdańsk was founded by Poles in 997 and for several hundred years was part of the Kingdom of Poland or the Duchy of Pomerania which was part of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1308 Gdańsk was conquered by the Knights of the Teutonic Order and incorporated into their country. Over 150 years later, the townspeople of Gdńsk and other Prussian towns disobeyed the Teutonic Order and asked the King of Poland to join the Kingdom of Poland. For the next 300 years, Gdańsk was a Polish city. After the partitions of Poland, Gdańsk was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia and became a German city, where Poles and Kashubians also lived.
@ I know that. Well, so what? Constantinople in 1453 was a city inhabited by the Greeks, and now Istanbul is a Turkish city. Germans can mainly blame itself. If Germany had not started the war, Gdańsk would still be a city where the majority of the population was Germans. The Russians chased the Germans away. Gdańsk was bombed and shelled and was razed to the ground. After the war, Poles came and it was Poles who built Gdańsk as it is now. Now 99% of Gdańsk's inhabitants are Poles and if there is no war, it will not change. By the way, Trento is also a German city.
History Hustle super informative, and actually so much I didn’t know. It’s a good relief from just the war and death WWII videos on RUclips. You’re a cool guy Stefan. dank u well menheer.
Western border of Poland was accepted by West Germany in 1970 as part of the Treaty of Warsaw or Warschauer Vertrag. I think that it is also important to note that around 3 million of Poles were also forcefully reloaded in very poor conditions to the Recovered Territories. Poland lost over 75 000 km2 of land after the war and that's close to the area of Czech Republic. Im just pointing that out because many people tend to see Germany as a victim and Poland as one of the perpetrators . Other than that it was a great and very informative video.
Thanks for the addition Anna. Regarding the border acception I added a pinned comment about the Warsaw Treayty of 1970. I was referring to the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany were the reunifed Germany officially accepted the borders also. In a week I have a similar episode about the territorial changes of Poland! There I will mention the loss of Eastern Poland (the Kresy) as well as the forced relocation of people.
As a German I feel very bad for Poland and I completely agree the polish suffered heavily at the hands of the nazis but then you should see that innocent German civilians were often raped by the soviets and forced out of their homes but I am very thankful for Poland for keeping our cities nice and not ruining them like what Russia did Königsberg no offence to Russia but it looks disgusting
@@kaiserschmarrn260 Konigsberg was flattened mostly by the British air force. Soviets rebuilt the city in their own drab style. It probably would have been politically incorrect for them to restore the German architecture..
This is one of the tragedies of the WWII. I don't question that the Germans themselves were to blame, but for ordinary people who had lived out there for centuries, everything changed. I live in the southern part of Sweden (Skåne/Scaniia). For centuries this was Denmark. Then in 1658, they lost a war against Sweden and under the treaty of Roskilde, the eastern part of Denmarkt suddenly belonged to Sweden. Now, a big difference was that nobody were expelled but the Swedish government didn't waste any time on turning the population into proper Swedes. The administrative language as well as the language used in the church was Swedish. So what has this got to do with East Prussia? Well, I can tell you that although 350 years have passed, I swear that not a single Dane travelling on the roads around here does so without thinking about the "lost lands". The same when Swedes and Danes meet. Sooner or later the topic comes up. It will be the same with East Prussia and the other territories. Germans will consider it a great unjustice for hundreds of years to come. I don't think any Danes really consider retaking their eastern territories and only very few crack-pots in Sweden dream of re-unifying Scania with Denmark but who knows what the future will bring?
To expel an entire population because of their nationality isn't okay. I know many people support this, but i think it's wrong in every possible lanner. Especially the case of Prussia and Danzig. They historically and traditionally always have been. I sometimes imagine how it would be for me as a Norwegian if Sweden annex my region of the country, and told me to "Go home". It's basically the same for Germany's case, Poland annexed huge parts of German significance, I know that the responses to this comment will brag about how bad the nazis were and how Germany deserved it, but i think it really created more harm then good in Europe. Just let Germans stay where they always have been, regardless if it's Berlin, Munich or Danzig.
I hate ignorant people. Why are you talking about something you know nothing about? Why are you lying? Saying that the areas of Prussia or Gdańsk have always been inhabited by Germans is absurd. Check how the Polish state looked like 1000 years ago. Gdańsk is a typical Polish city. It was founded by Poles and has been Polish for most of history. It belonged to Poland for over 600 years and to Germany for less than 300 years. Why would Poles not take back their city? Are you crazy or a ñâ.źì? Besides, how do you imagine that Poles would live in one country next to their tormentors? Did you know that the Germans killed millions of innocent Poles? Germany started the war, killed millions of people and lost the war. Why wouldn't they lose territory?
The forced deportations ordered by Stalin after wwii in modern day Poland as well as in the Baltic countries and other places were a crime - no matter what. No one “deserved” it.
Yes my Dear, I was in Kaliningrad/Königsberg that fascinated me completely. Even in the surroundings as Pillau and Fischdorf and Cranz. And people were so kind, outspoken and warmheartd. They don't want to live but in peace.
If you look at the present day map of Germany notice the capital city Berlin is no longer centralized as in old Germany. Not only Germany lost its eastern territories but Berlin lost much of its hinterland. If you want a centrally located capital city of Germany would be a place like Hanover for example
Hoi Stefan, Ik heb in '93 Kaliningrad bezocht met een vriend. We zijn er met de trein heengegaan. De Oblast was net geopend. Daarvoor besloten gebied vanwege de Oostzeevloot. Er zijn nog wat poorten die intact zijn en - zoals hieronder weergegeven - de beurs en de Dom. Misschien dat je er inmiddels al geweest bent, maar goed. Niemand sprak Engels; er was geen ansichtkaart te zien. Twee hotels en weinig restaurants. We hebben soms ook gegeten in de stationsrestauratie, omdat er verder niet zoveel was. Je zag hier en daar nog wel een authentiek huis of ruine, maar als het origineel was had het meestal zo'n typische Sovjet-pleisterlaag gekregen. De mensen waren erg aardig, maar vroegen zich ook wel af wat we daar eignelijk kwamen doen. We moesten ook oppassen dat we niet verder gingen dan dat wat we op de kaart terug konden zien. De weg vragen was er niet bij. We zijn ook naar de bunker op zoek geweest van Otto Lasch (Kampfkommandant - Koenigsberg). De ingang was op zijn Sovjets ergens verstopt bij een bushalte. We spraken ook een man - oorspronkelijk uit Wit-Rusland - die in Kaliningrad moest gaan wonen, omdat hij indertijd Haftling was. Hij kon een beetje Duits. Hij vertelde dat de stad tot 1961 een Gespenststadt was. Daarna hebben ze toch maar het KoeninsgsSchloss gesloopt en begonnen ze de zaak met Oostblok-woningen vol te bouwen. Ik vond het een interessante, maar tegelijkertijd ook erg lelijke stad. Hij schijnt vroeger erg mooi geweest te zijn. Soort van kruising tussen Hamburg en Amsterdam met grachten en pakhuizen. Mooie programma's maak je, hoor. Ik ben al patreon. Groeten, Menno
Good question. I recently took a peak in a German educational book and it indeed elaborates on that. So yeah, I guess most Germans are aware of it, also since many of the expellees came to West Germany so many Germans today have relatives that came from the east.
They know it(tho propaganda works well, even if some of the German youth knows it, they don't care) but can't even talk about it, it's like a taboo, in Germany you can't talk about its past but a bad things and especially about a lost territories.
Shouldn't you have mentioned that the Greater Poland uprising of 1918 had something to do with that whole region going back to Poland? People usually think that Poland was just lucky that the Treaty of Versailles gave her a lot of territory, but they're unaware of the fact that Poles actually lived there and that there was a successful uprising.
I was stationed in Bad Tolz in the 1980s. While there I once went to a party at a German girls house where I saw a picture of a guy in an SS uniform with an Iron Cross ribbon and medal around it. As I was looking at it she came up to me and said "That is my grandfather. We are very proud". I didn't know what to say but later I thought of my ancestors who fought for the Confederacy in the American War Between The States. We still fly a Confederate flag at our ranch in Mason, Texas but we are not racists. In fact my kids are half Mexican and my cousin is married to a black man who is one of the best human beings I've ever met. Lost causes have an effect on people even if that cause was wrong. Love your videos!
Never thought much of the link between WW2 and the American Civil War, but this makes sense. Yet, when it comes down to waving flags I think we shouldn't compare it. I don't think it would be great Germans would raise the nazi flag... Thanks for sharing.
@@HistoryHustle It isn't also great when Americans raise the flag of the Confederacy.. The whole war was about slavery and the Confederacy wanted to keep it. I think it's ok to honor your ancestors and respect the sacrifices they made but showing support to their ideals is not.
Should have taken Kaliningrad, once the enclave become part of Germany, many Russian settlers would return back to their old town and villeges, reducing the % of Russian very fast, many German would settle there too if given the compensation to restart their life, by 2022 if would have been 30yrs...I am sure that city would be like 70% German by now .
Polish government never agreed to any and refused all the proposed changes of the borders. In the response allies resolved allied Polish government by recognizing poppet, communist Polish government created by Russians that approved all changes.
@@niklasciccone2724 I see. Do notice that large parts in the east (within Silezia / Pomerania) had a very big Polish majority. These territories once belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
I think the amount of territory Germany lost after ww1 especially Danzig was completely unjustified. Only Germans live there so why did they give it away to a foreign nation??? Just weird
@@banger2998 In a sense it was just part and parcel of warfare at the time. Here is an interesting comparison for how losing countries were dealt with ruclips.net/video/ArVAS4lOFmc/видео.html
while i dearly loved my history teachers of secondary school, the students of the host, it really must be a treat to be taught by him, he is magnificant. this is one of the few channels i watch every vid religiously like its crack cocaine lol
@@SukhdeepSingh-bq1wk It will not! People there changed. I was born and lived there for my first 35 years before I immigrated in 1992. It is more likely that wright win nazi in Germany will rise first than ex-soviet commies take the power.
This guy may be a trouble maker. Germany owned Kaliningrad for a few centuries while Poland also owned east Prussia for a few centuries, while Teutonic knights (Crusaders, of may European ethnicities, such as Magyars, Bularians, French warriors) owned East Prussia for a few centuries, and Russian kingdom owned East Prussia for about 6 years in the late middle ages. Centuries ago, Russia owned Kaliningrad and east Prussia for six years from say, about 1690 to about 1696. Or say from 1776 to 1792, I forgot the years. It's all over google searches, which years Russian Kingdom of the Romanov Dynasty owned East Prussia. Battle of Eylau is one such battle. The extremely small Russian population of East Prussia (5 percent) of pre ww2 years and large population of Lviv Poland(25 percent ethnic Rusians of Lviv in pre-ww2 months), preferred to call themselves Jews instead of Russians, to avoid resentment of Poles) preferred to remain invisible to German speaking bureaucrats or Polish speaking bureaucrats (depending on who ruled). This was by calling themselves bi-lingual (The five thousand ethnic Russians of East Prussia of pre ww2 days claimed they were German speaking people on stepping outside home in Kohlinsburg, while speaking Russian at home in pre ww2 east Prussia), claimed to be of either Orthodox or protestant faith, and avoided confrontation. In case there is any talk of deportation of Russians from central Europe in those centuries, the bilingual Russians there preferred to refer to themselves as locals, as Jews, not Russians or as Orthodox Christians. In 1940, Nazi Germany declared that it will conquer all Slavic countries and re-settle these countries with Soviet citizens with German word anywhere in their names. eg. Boris Fritz Yeltsin, Boris Vindman Volkov, Ivan alexei Vindman. At the end of world war 2, there were war repercussions. East Prussia was physically detached from Germany, and German nationalists for centuries wanted to conquer the Polish corridor (land between Germany, real name Deuchland, and East Prussia, a detached province). The winning allies in Potsdam decided to give a larger area of East Prussia to Poland, as Poland had also owned East Prussia for a few earlier centuries many centuries back. Meanwhile, any ethnic Russian or BelaRusian or Ukrainian with a German name in their names (eg. Boris Yeltsin Hoffman) were allowed to re-settle in Kaliningrad, northern areas of East Prussia up to the sea, a smaller part. So, the ww2 allies decided to implement Hitler's perverted plans at Potsdam meetings and Yalta meetings, to give a little percentage of land of East Prussia , the seaport section, to Russia, in order to re-settle Soviet Russian-speaking people of Russia and BelaRus, with a German name somewhere in their names (eg. Irene Volkova Hoffman) in the smaller north part of East Prussia, which they called Kaliningrad. Russia got , say about 25 percent of East Prussia while Poland got 75 percent of landmass of East Prussia at the end of ww2. Now in 2020, both areas of former East Prussia are full or Poles ( part of East Prussia which went to Poland, over 90 percent Poles) or ethnic Russians, (over 90 percent, in part of East Prussia which went to Russia) with over 90 percent ethnicity, as of today. Modern German citizens of Germany proper say they do not know any old people of German ethnicity from East Prussia today as of 2020. The Germans say they think no German citizen inside Germany still alive misses East Prussia, that they know of, and there is no need for future ethnic cleansing of map of non - existent East Prussia, by theoretical future deportation of Poles and ethnic Russians from big former non-existent East Prussia province.
8:40 There was more than just one tiny exception: there were about 20 border changes with the acquirement of land that was largely uninhabited. These lands were usually annexed for better (independent) water management and more efficient border control/patrol. You could also say some were annexed for strategic purposes, but I don't think the Dutch army made many defenses on the strategic heights they acquired (just used for border patrol). If a German's home happened to switch to the Dutch side of the border, he/she could acquire a Dutch documents (a special type of passport). Some of those inhabitants now still have benefits from the Dutch government (like AOW). Aside of the uninhabited areas, there were two larger areas of whole villages: Elten (with Elten, Hoch-Elten and Feldhuisen) and Tüddern (with Selfkant, Süsterseel, Wehr, Hillensberg, Havert, Schalbruch, Isenbruch, Millen, Stein and Lind). The second one included more than a handful of villages. The Netherlands returned everything with the exception of a forested area of the glacial push moraine southeast of Nijmegen. This elevated area was annexed to grant an advantage to the Dutch border control, but was not returned to Germany because one of the men arranging the border treaty (to return the territories to Germany) liked to walk in this area. He didn't want to cross the German border to be able to go there.
Could have been worse. I think the allies were considering breaking the whole country up and making it a pasture. Churchill foresaw the Cold War and pushed for a Germany that could be reconstituted to counter balance the Russians.
Hello Stefan. I was at the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet in August in 2007 at the age of 27 for one week together with my father and a man he knows who was born there and had to escape with his family as a child in 1945 aged 9 years old as the Red Army conquered the nationalsocialistic Germany. My father and me are citizens of the FRG where he was born in 1951. We traveled to Kaliningrad / Königsberg by night train from Berlin. The border crossing between Braniewo / Braunsberg in the Republic Poland and Mamonowo / Heiligenbeil in the Russian Federation where very strict and the process took about 90 minutes on the trip to and from the Russian Federation. Very interesting is that the railway track from the polish-russian border to Kaliningrad South Station / Königsberg Südbf. is a two sized gauge: One is in the russian broad gauge and the other of the three tracks is in the european standard gauge. The russian train sleeping cars which where used for the route between Berlin and Kaliningrad / Königsberg had axis in the european standard gauge and remained until the final station. That's unique in the Russian Federation. The railway tracks in the rest of the exclave of the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet where changed from the european standard gauge into the russian broad gauge for the commutter trains the "Elektrischka" and the long distance trains to and from other destinations from 1945 onwards within a short time. For train leaving and arriving times at every station in the Russian Federation Moscow Time is authoritative. At the CBSes and bus stops the local time is authoritative. Our impressions where mostly nice. We enjoyed the landscape of the area during sightseeing. We traveled three times from Kaliningrad / Königsberg to the coast: Visiting Pionerski / Neukuhren from where is the man my father knows, to Swetlogorsk / Rauschen which is a recreation town and to the southern russian part of the Curonian Spit / Kurische Nehrung. At Kaliningrad / Königsberg itself you can still see some old city gates, churches and the cellar of the destroyed castle of Königsberg. The other buildings where built up by the Soviet People after WW II. About this my father and me only could have a very small impression about the massive destruction of the old Königsberg. The harbour is also worth a sightseeing tour. Outside of Kaliningrad / Königsberg itself we didn't see many buildings from the former german epoch but there're still some existing. The russian people where friendly to us foreign tourists, also the seniors which impressed me very much because of the horrible crimes against humanity which the Germans only two generations before had done to them and their families. A lot of soviet citizens where settled to the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet from other parts of the USSR after the German people where expelled from there in 1945 and 1946 as you know of course. We where very impressed about two women, a mother and her daughter who are living at Pionerski / Neukuhren who know the man who my father knows in a small old house and are starving because of their tiny pensions. They both can't work. They have almost nothing but they invited us for lunch. It was a really heartwarming hospitality from those two poor women ❤️ which my father, his acquaintance and me appreciated very much. My father is an orthopedic technician and he took measure from the older woman to build an orthopedic corset for her later at home at his business after his acquaintance had translated that my father wanted to help her. He speaks a little bit Russian. Later during our holidays there we also visited a rehabilitation hospital for children in the outskirts of Kaliningrad / Königsberg and offered some help for delivering rehabilitation goods like wheelchairs and caring beds f. e. I translated this time together with a doctor: She from her boss, the chief doctor, from Russian into English and me to my father from English into German. But unfortunately nothing happened later because of the strict customs rules between the EU and the Russian Federation 😔. We really wanted to help the starving children and their doctors and therapists supporting them with these goods that they could do their little patients give better medical treatment with a bit newer technical equipment. Another difference between the Republic Poland and the Russian Federation is that in the Republic Poland much more fields are cultivated than in the Russian Federation. I think it has something to do with subsidies for the farmers by the state. But I can be wrong. A trip to the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet is worth it everytime, Stefan. Maybe you've been there already since you posted this very interesting documentation. You're doing a great job and I really appreciate to watch your documentations because you show so many interesting details which where never taught to my school mates and me in the mid and late 90's Thank you very much for that.
Hello Christian, thanks for taking the time to write this extensive reply. Really interesting to read. Now I want to go really bad to the oblast.I had plans for last Summer. Due to the pandemic I could only travel to the Polish part of former East Prussia where I recorded several videos. In case you find them interesting, here are some: ruclips.net/video/p6B8pIe7Ckw/видео.html ruclips.net/video/2qvPJzjHaeA/видео.html ruclips.net/video/6JZZ-BV5KoI/видео.html Again, many thanks for your interesting comment!
@@HistoryHustle Hello Stefan. Thank you very much for your answer and the video links from your visit in the Republic Poland. I really appreciate it. Keep on doing such a good and very interesting work. Unfortunately there's no directly train service between Berlin and Kaliningrad / Königsberg anymore. So you've gotta travel by coach from the Republic Poland to the Russian Federation. BTW: There's no traveling between the Republic Belarus and the Russian Federation possible for non belo- or russian citizens since a few years. Only by plane from a few airports. But you'll surely see this information later on the website or in the app of the Dutch ministry for foreign affairs. Greetings.
@@larssrensen4353 But they elected and cheered a government of murderers. Which make them accessories to mass murder. Moreover they got the loot of the stolen wealth. Which makes them accessories to mass theft.
@@patriciabrenner9216okay let’s draw the same parallel to other countries There were no innocents in Hiroshima or Nagasaki There are no innocents in Ukraine All Hawaiians liked the king so there were no innocents when it was brutally annexed Having such a belief system is disgusting, virulent.
@@richardandersson7620 In Ukraine? Don't make me laugh. The people who greeted the Nazis with bread and salt? Who hleleped them at Babi Yar? As to the Ja[anese, same thing as the Germans.
I am in full and complete agreement. I’ve visited the places on my way back from a road trip to Romania and I’ve read old books and texts and visited museums on it too. I literally don’t care how, they must be German again. The horrors of what the poles did should never be forgotten and the land in question is the result of a complete ethnic cleansing sponsored by the USSR. Poles love to hate communism unless it’s given them 70% of their land
For some time I have been interested in the territorial changes of Germany. It is also interesting to look at cities in the region and still being able to see remnants of their German past. mainly in the architecture. I also believe in Kaliningrad there is plans to rebuild a Historically themed centre for the city and even plans to Rebuild the old Castle there. Even though articles of that subject are now a few years old and I don't know if there is still a plan for the castle to be rebuilt. I would like to visit some day as well as some of the cities in Poland. Also there is still a small population of German speakers living in Poland. mostly in the lower Silesian region. I wonder why some of them were allowed to stay in the area while others were forced to move to Germany after the end of the war?
The region had a exception where germans with polish ancestry were able to get polish citizenship. But i myself dont really know about the topic, so ima just leave this link here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_minority_in_Poland
In 9:09 the reason why there is still some german speakers in Sileasia is because the Silesean culture is maxed with Polish - German and even Silesia being its owing thing between the two
i was in kaliningrad.... januari 2020.... it's nice to go there.... good pubs but also typical eastern buildings. my english is not good enough to tell the whole story....
For the vast majority of Gdansk's time, the city remained within Polish borders. The Teutonic Knights had it only in the years 1308-1454, and the Prussians in the years 1793-1807 and from 1814. For seven years (1807-1814), Gdańsk was a free city under the control of France.
it’s a bit scary talking to polish people when they are not aware of the fact that 30% of their territory was originally German and was given to them after World War Two while the German majority population was expelled. The reason why it was given to Poland was to compensate for the loss of the territories in Kaliningrad and parts of Lithuania to the Soviet Union. This would be unthinkable today. This is what communist propaganda and history washing can do to a country.
I think much of the ww1 terrotorial loss was somewhat justified, because those areas were already predominently Polish or Czech ethnically. With the exceptions of Danzig and Saarland. Lorraine were mostly French ethnically, Alsace mostly German ethnically, so that may have been a little more quesrionable. But the territories they lost following ww2 were not justified. These were almost entirely ethnically german territories. From which millions of people were forcibly expelled. But today there are very few Germans in them. So returning the territories seems a little questionable because it would just repeat the same issue as in the past. Except I highly doubt modern germany would forcibly expel polish people from these territories if returned. And poland would remain in control of the polish corridor as this has been ethnically polish for several hundred years anyway. Which is why it seemed justified to form a polish corridor to begin with. So it's a little complicated. And with them both being EU member states today, it seems to not really matter to many germans. They'll all be one country in 50 years anyway, because I have a feeling the EU will fully unify at some point by then.
@@umad5671 A pew research poll from last year shows the opposite. Poland has the most positive view out of all EU member states of the union, with 84% viewing it positively.
@@psychedelicfoundry4474 I'm from 🇵🇱 and we want our own country Positive view is about ability to travel across eu member states, economic cooperations etc Not exactly about political integration
@@umad5671 i see your point of view. As the positive views reflect the current situation which doesn't include complete intergration. However, the only way which the eu isn't completely intergrated is militarily. It doesn't mean you don't have your own country. It would likely be a confederation of some sorts. I understand how the past has affected your people and what they want. Look, i'm American but my ancestory is German and Jewish and I have spent time in Europe. I was very impressed by it. I am very aware of the ills of Germany as well as the great things they have done over the last few decades. They are the largest economically and most populous country in the EU. Russia is a growing threat to all of central and western Europe. That is why i believe they will unify in a centralized protective force. It doesn't mean you don't have your own country, it means you work together militarily for your collective protection. You will still have your own country. That country will just be economically, politically, and militarily linked to the other EU countries. The only difference from today is the military. It would be like a milder version of the US, where states are still distinct and can make their own laws. But even less than that. Poland would still be more independant than any state in the US. But I do understand why you would be skeptical, poland was a very strong country until the recent past and was abused out of existence by its nieghbors. So were my jewish ancestors by the same people that did that to yours. I hope you'll see why i think that is the best future for Europe. Regardless I'm far more terrified of my countries future than yours. I wish you the best and i'll respect your point of view no matter what. At the end of the day it is your country and you deserve far more a say than I do in it's future.
Because we seem to not care about the territory it makes me really confused when I see Chinese people arguing about how stuff in the south Chinese sea is actually belongs to them because it got lost around 50 years ago
As a Chinese, I don't really feel anything about that sea. It was actually not owned by anyone in the past, no any states declared anything in Ancient time. Only in 20th century, rulers came to believe such stuff. Nobody felt home on South China sea . The very much lost territories are our homes. After Soviet-driven Chinese Communist Party took in power(ofs before that the Kuomintang also terrible and Japanese occupants too), most people just lost homes to the state, nobody owns even an inch of China's 9.6 million Square kilometers land. I am not a nationalist, don't care the territory stuff. Really feel sorry for the innocent lives and sufferings during that owful time, but I don't have sympathy for those German/Russian/French/Soviet/Chinese nationalists and Communists, they wanted hurting and hatred, they got it. Just a pity they didn't all die, many still are alive.
My mother's side of the family was from western Germany and the graveyard in her old town is regularly cleared of old graves. The last time I was there was around 2000 and the oldest grave at that times was that of my grandparents. It was 13 years old. So much for visiting ancestors.
I mean, sure, it would be nice if Germany still had its original borders but we, as a people and through our actions during the 20th century are responsible for the loss of territory which has occurred. Now, Germany is where it is and there is no point in crying about lost territory. Look forward and plan for a better future. Make the Germany that exists now, along with Europe, stronger.
@bean420man I agree. However I think that we should make an effort to preserve the culture and traditions that haven‘t been forgotten. And I think people should be educated about the expulsions in school. It is saddening that a lot of people in Germany don’t know about the struggles the expellees faced, the violence they had to endure or the discrimination they faced in Germany. In my experience people are only educated about this topic, if they had relatives who went through that experience and have told them about it. If things proceed as they are now the extreme right will continue to shape a narrative, using the suffering of those people, to downplay our responsability as a people regarding the atrocities comitted in the name of Germany. Personally I think the expellees struggles have been tainted enough by right wing propaganda and I don‘t think their history and expulsion will be remembered much in their respective places of birth any time soon. Therefore I think it is our responability to educate about this topic neutrally, preserve and reclaim our cultural heritage and show the survivors the empathy they deserve, but didn‘t get.
I have to remind you that Poznan and the whole region was stolen from Poland in 1792 r that is why this part just returned to ethnical fatherland .That part of the Europe has complicated history and it is hard to just claim it belonged to Germany.The land was just grabbed from Poland,piece by piece in course of time.That is why there were majority of people claiming themselves Poles and spoke of Polish language.They inhibited that area for centuries and always spoke Polish! aside of heavy influx of German colonists .
@fernando jose gonzalez olguin actualy the austrian declare war to the serbian because one of its people kill its arch duke and then russia declare war then french because of france is russia's ally and britain declare war when germany invade belgium that how its started
Regards Stefan, thanks for the interesting video. An addition entitled "Germany (and Poland) after the Third World War" may be necessary soon. The post-WWII map lacks a territory with a characteristic shape called Silesia. This area has changed hands throughout history. First it belonged to Poland, then to the Czech and German principalities, then to Prussia, and finally to Poland again. This area was handed over by neighbors without taking into account the voice and will of the inhabitants. The tragedy of Silesia was that there were conflicting states on both sides. And Silesia was a bargaining chip in their hands. Last time it was Stalin (and his dear friends Roosevelt and Churchill) who presented Silesia to Poland in exchange for the eastern territories of Poland. The once highly industrialized Silesia and Wroclaw (Breslau - the fifth largest city in Germany) were handed over to the descendants of the tribes of nomads from the area of the Black Sea. As a result of ethnic cleansing (loss of property, name changes, ban on traveling and contact with families, etc.), the true descendants of the Silesians are almost non-existent. And only a miracle can restore the situation that the Silesians will regain their home. There's a light in the tunnel. This time both of Silesia's neighbors are on the same side of the barricade. Both Germany and Poland have a common enemy to whom we Silesians wish good luck. Germany and Poland (and the rest of Europe) broken by Mr. Putin can give place to free Silesia. And depopulated Ukraine is a wonderful and safe place of return for post-war newcomers to Silesia. We Silesians do not care what Europe thinks about it. We have not started wars, we have never threatened anyone, we have not used terrorism to defend our place in the world. And no one ever cared, wiping us off the map.
@@HistoryHustle it is dark! Some countries when they ready they can cause neighborly countries to fight each other by just pushing the right buttons! And when a country has a global hegemony they will do anything to keep. When the German ships were on their way to invade Norway, one British empire official said “ if reports are correct, this would be too good to be true because this is precisely what we want them to do” Japan attacked the US, Hitler said, the US has maneuvered the Japanese into firing the first shot. Harry Truman said “if we see that Germany is winning we should help Russia and if we see that Russia is winning we should help Germany that way they kill as many as possible”
I'm from Erie Pennsylvania and very proud of my German ancestry. In Erie we have a Museum known as the Kurtze Museum and it has a map of Germany at the height of it's Territorial prowess,amazing lve come to Realize l could also have Polish Slovish and Chek running thru my veins( have to get that D. N.A. test done ) thanks for the interesting videp!
If you had a map of areas of German settlement in the Middle Ages they would initially end more or less at the river Elbe. Then Germans expanded Eastwards and then northeastwards, of course always to expand Christian faith. Then the knights doing this, founded states that became East Prussia. Then Brandenburg, itself one of the first areas of East expansion, added East Prussia to itself. By irony of history, the frontier country Prussia became strongest German country, then expanded westwards getting the area where coal and iron where found, then annexing almost everything north of the river Main and uniting Germany under its leadership. But also gathering lots of hatred by the southern states and in the annexed areas. But German population and economy was always concentrated near the river Rhine and many Germans would consider it the German heartland. Well, this all may contribute a bit why many Germans are not terribly sad about the loss of the areas in the East.
So it was all Germany,s fault that a Bosnian Serb assassin and Black Hand terror network fired 2 pistol shots Sarajevo-Bosnia. June 28, 1914. Sudetenland was once part of Austro-Hungarian Empire not the German Reich.
So other countries could also apply to same the rule and ask for theritory back or only Germany can? In any case : what would you do with all people living there? Kill them or move them? Germany started the war and lost it and new borders are its consequence.
Poland did not ask for the war and it was perfectly fine with their pre-war borders. That was Stalin's idea to annex Polish eastern lands and give Poland German. Germany should not have started the war.
@@Ingen.17 ever heard of the treaty of Versailles? Also people conveniently miss out that Soviets also invaded Poland and were planning to invade whole of Europe. So operation barbarossa was a preemptive strike which saved Europe. Please I have read polish life under austro Hungarian and Kaiser's Germany was way better than tsarist and communist Russia
so simply ignore international law,Geneva,Den Haag ??? Do you feel justice was served ??? You should dig a little deeper than just rely on revised history books.
@@HistoryHustle for starters listen to von Rhonsdorf, deZayas,Croft . They amongst others dig into the archives of various countries. Today's history books are rewritten and I don't have to mention by whom ! It is not as simple as just tabulating events as they transpire from this to that and so on. I know you are trying to do a good job and I certainly give you credit for that. But many more details/events are missing. And again as mentioned before international laws of war are very clear.....check it out. And not to forget ethnic cleansing far beyond the end of the war ! As far as WWI do I understand you correctly that Germany started by going into Belgium? Furthermore the only part re-unification after WWII was thru blackmail (Bush/Kohl).
These are both German helmets from WW1. Although a spike helmet can make is worry because it's actually made for the largest part of leather so offers therefore no protection. The M16 Stahlhelm was introduced in 1916 and offered much better protection.
Germany should have their old land back. Is is rightfully theirs and it is German land, not Polish, not French, not Danish, no. I believe Germany deserves it's former territory back, it is not what it once was anymore.
First, it was not necessary to start the war (first and second), these lands would probably still be German. Secondly, I wonder how the German Prussia became? They were conquered with fire and sword by the Teutonic Knights. And how did Silesia, Pomerania and Greater Poland become part of Germany? They were captured militarily. Well, since Germany was defeated in World War I and then in World War II, these lands were lost. What was previously gained as a result of the war was lost as a result of the war.
I dont care how much land we lost, the Allies could've just anex us. We have done some bad things, but still we got spared and we can live in peace now. (Yes the Allies did some bad things to like every Country. But that does not make the Action of war any better, no matter what Country). Why have a powerful germany that crushes countrys, when the price are Innocent lives. "Make Germany great agian" but not with weapons but with peace. Sometimes i wish i would be the leader of Germany to fix maaaaaany things. Sorry for my bad englisch, but my main Language is German. Have a gut day, btw good Vidieo.
My family escaped 1945 from the so called Sudetenland in fact that the Czechs expelled germans also with force, i am not political right or a Reichsbürger but i am the opinion that no country/state have the right to expell people just because theyre palestinians, poles, jews or germans, i like the meals from my true homeland since i eated others as the baby meals and of course i like my true homeland as well with its beautiful landscape, i dont understand how so many generations after the second world war can be punished for something they never had been involved, how can even a country/state be punished for many generations after for something wich is compared to its whole history just a small but of course important part, germany is so more as Hitler and even germany back in the time of the second world war was so much more as just Hitler/NSDAP, my family was one of many wich was political splited, a part liked the social democratic party (SPD) and the other Hitler with his NSDAP party, so how even can people punished for something they never had been supported (partwise)?! For me the lost parts of germany after the second world war are stolen, selled or however you want to describe it, but mainly lost from people wich named it their homeland since centuries over generations. And yes, of course i want my true homeland back because the expell was a warcrime over generations like agent orange in the vietnam war from what generations there suffers till today.
I did made a video about the so-called Brno Death March: ruclips.net/video/B0DjYT5zQ7M/видео.html I agree that Germany was and is more than Hitler/NSDAP. Even Germans today bare the guilt of what has happened then. That many Germans (many who had nothing to do with the NSDAP) were punished by explusion after the war is also a sad thing. I have a more pragmatic view to current events. Changing everything back to what it was, give East Prussia back to Germany etc. simply is going a big mess. Let's learn from what had happened. Pay attention to both sides of the line, and also move on a look ahead.
I m really sorry for youre bitterness and I don' t blame no one but after what happen in WW2 it was a wonder that Germany reunificated in 1990.Please do not forget it was also a proposal that the state of Israel to be created to german soil and that proposal was really close to became a reality.
The Ethnic Germans in the Sudetenland cheered and wanted the German to occupied that part of Czech , They betrayed their own Country , That is the reason why they got kicked out , it sounds like a good reason to me .
@@stironeceno Obviously, as they weren't politically represented and obviously were germans. So lets say Mexico conquers a part of the USA or Spain conquers a part of France, of course in the next war between the countries the US citizens or French citizens in these regions are still loyal and fight for their freedom. Is it that hard to understand? What was done to Germany regarding the territory losses was just completely wrong. Without the territory losses after WW1 and the hate of the german refugees the second World War would have very likely not taken place. Germans wanted to have their territories back. That should be understandable, no matter the nationality you have.
wrong again ! The British were first : More than a century after 48 000 people died in concentration camps in what's known as the South African War between 1899 and 1902 - or the Anglo-Boer War. Then the Germans : In 1903, some of the Khoi and Herero tribes rose in revolt and about 60 German settlers were killed. Troops were sent from Germany to re-establish order but only dispersed the rebels, led by Chief Samuel Maharero. So far I have replied to your questions yet you have not responded to my questions???
I only get notifications when people post new comments, not when they reply on my comments. With almost 50K subs it won't be possible for me to reply to each reply. Hope you understand. Edit: now when I look up your comments, you didn't ask any questions, only made statements.
Interesting. You're right, I messed up the pronounciation a but. In Dutch we say "Pruisen" but pronouncing thát for a non-Dutch speaker is very hard. In German it's "Preussen". Considering you're Polish, how is it pronounced there?
@@HistoryHustle "Prusy", we pronacuce it just like you did, but English does not use Latin pronunciation for lack of better word, but most of European nations do. We read W as V for example.
I am wondering if those people who lived in that extended Germany were actually Germans. Because speaking German and being German probably offered greater economic opportunities. I might be wrong. My great grandfather and great grandmother were speaking German in the family as their first language, but we have no connection with Germany at all.
Ok let me just say it this way, I am a german, and no I am not a nazi, I hate the fact that all that land was taken from Germany after ww1 and ww2. My grandparents were forcably expelled and as far as I know they have never seen their home since. The things that the Nazis did in the name of Germany were horrible but the Nazis are and were not Germany. They were a band of barbaric thugs who only got into power because of the injustices done to Germany in the treaty of Versailles. Like claiming that Germany was at fault for ww1 which it wasnt, nobodey was at fault for ww1. Renouncing the claim to the territories of Pommerania, Silesia and East Prussia is one of the greatest betrails in german history and Germany should very much claim those territories.
First of all thanks for your reply. That not all Germans back then were nazis is clear. On the other side, many German soldier (also Wehrmacht) did participate in the crimes committed in the east. On the flipside, many civilians at home were not to blame but did suffer tremendously because of the war (bombings in the west and Soviet soldiers in the east). As for the land taken from them after WW1: do note that in many of these areas there were mostly Polish people living there. Russia also lost a great deal of land to Poland, but in fact these grounds were historically and mostly ethnically Polish. Therefore the land lost after WW1 is understandable. The other terms of the treaty maybe not, but that's a different story. The lands Germany lost after WW2 were mostly due to Stalin's policies. Since he took the former eastern areas of Poland (the Kresy) which are now western Ukraine, western Belarus and the Vilnius region of Lithuania, Poland had to be compensated and thus the lands of the losing side were granted to Poland. East Prussia was seen as a bulwark of Prussian militarism that needed to be abolished. Again, perhaps not fair or right but at least understandable. My biggest critic on these policies were the harshness of the forces expulsions in which countless Germans lost their lives. As for the home of your grandparents. Where is it located? Poland? You can visit that area. Kaliningrad? You can also visit that region. Outside the current crisis of course.
@@HistoryHustle First of all thank you for wrighting me back, it shows that you take your viewers seriously and that is very rare on youtube. My grandparents came from East Prussia and Breslau in Silesia. It is true that they could visit their home, why they have not I do not yet know.
You're welcome. Breslau (Wroclaw now) is now a really beautiful city. The Poles did rebuild it nicely. As for former East Prussia (Kaliningrad Oblast and northeast Poland) I hope to visit these regions this Summer (we'll see) and shoot content on location.
Addition: West Germany accepted the post WWII borders during the Treaty of Warsaw (1970). In 1990 the reunited Germany signed the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany.
Check this video about the territorial change of Poland: ruclips.net/video/xxHp1JXvjeM/видео.html
they were blackmailed into it !!!!!!!!!
russia will never return kaliningrad
@@camau79 big fuss over Crimea but not enough over illegally taken territory from Germany!!! We live in an unjust world.
Eventually Germany will start to flex it's muscles, and try to expand again. What one generation agrees to, has no bearing on what subsequent generations will think is rightfully theirs. Fights over land and resources are perpetual, and just because countries agree today, does not mean they will agree tomorrow.
@@stampsmyfunthings Nothing illegal.
I am a Berliner and have visited Kaliningrad about eight years ago. I grew up during the cold war, and alone the fact that I was able to make that journey at all, in my own car no less, was really special. Kaliningrad itself has exactly two historical buildings left, the cathedral with the grave of Emmanuel Kant and the former stock exchange. The city really is a testament to the immense destruction during WW2. The city was largely destroyed by British air force bombardments during the summer of 1944 and the intense fighting between the German and Soviet army in 1945 gave it the rest. Seven hundred years of history destroyed in less than a year. The population fled the city to avoid the fighting. No one was able to return. If that isn't motivation enough to keep Europe peaceful, I don't know what is. Today Kaliningrad is largely a city of Soviet era prefab buildings, which show their years. Yet the city is full of young people and has lively restaurants and cafes. They have a car manufacturing plant and of course the military. I also visited the country-side, where more German era buildings survived. The historic town centre of Sowetsk /Tilsit is largely intact and there are villages with mostly German era houses. What was most jarring to me was that when I visited most of the very fertile, agricultural land was unused. I don't know why or if that changed after the sanctions. I didn't have the time to visit the coastal resorts, but have read other accounts that they are quite lovely.
Thanks for sharing this information!
Konigsberg*
@@Chosen_Ash Königsberg is dead. Cities are not made of stones but of the people, society history and culture of the place. That is gone and will never be resurrected.
Now you only see Kaliningrad, which is another city, just at the same spot.
I don't know which Königsberg you went to, but it has definitly more then the 2 historical buildings.
This video is so different from other historians' content because you actually go into detail and explain things in an understandable manner! Thank you for offering up this information to your viewers!
Thanks for your message, Laura. If you are interested I made other videos about territorial changes. Feel free to take a look.
Russia: ruclips.net/video/F8grLJ5qN5E/видео.html
Poland: ruclips.net/video/xxHp1JXvjeM/видео.html
Ukraine: ruclips.net/video/347zyCNL85c/видео.html
I noticed that you really decorate your background to the details. Even the books changed....
Good job, stefan !
Thank you so much. Actually this was the very first episode of History Hustle at Home that I recorded.
A few German buildings still exist in Konigsberg. It is a miracle they survived Stalin's demolition fever.
And there is heaps more in Eastern Poland I visited last Summer. Hope one day I can visit Kaliningrad.
@@HistoryHustle I hope you get to visit too. Fingers crossed that you will!
🤞
@@HistoryHustle you mean konigsberg
Is Królewiec you Nazi.
My best regards to the Netherlands and especially to you from Cologne/Köln. I‘ve started following you recently, and besides your knowledge, I really like your approach to these topics.
It is always good to see a different perspective. You deliver, and I find all your videos so far outstanding, neutral and empathetic.
Good job, mijn Her. Keep it up.
Danke, Hans! Wilkommen in History Hustle.
The Russians destroyed the whole architecture in Kaliningrad. While Poland has restored and preserved the historic buildings
Indeed. Although the Russian did restore some stuff, like the church.
Germany lost two wars and somehow recovered from both and you could say the basically got what they wanted be the focal point of Europe. The European Union is just a nicer way to say empire lol
Germany made a comeback yes. Why do you think the EU is an empire?
History Hustle it was mostly a joke an empire is a bunch of countries being controlled by one and EU is a bunch of countries working together
I see.
@@HistoryHustle what do you think would Germany be like rn if Germany didn't loss land and population, Do you think Germany would be a super power rn
@@HistoryHustle there are many proofs that intentions behind european union are mainly coming from Germany and that majority of european nations ''member monthly payments'' go to Germany and only some to France, Britain and other.
I lived close to Kaliningrad but it wasn’t a popular tourist attraction so my parents didn’t take me there when I was a kid. On the other hand I’ve been to Gdańsk/Danzig a bunch of times and I gotta tell you that the city is an excellent example of German and Polish architecture working together as the city switched hands multiple times over 1000 years. The city was also spared by the two world wars. Also almost no Germans live there but often come as tourists and there are no national hostilities that I know of
Very interesting to read. I believe Gdansk suffered severe damage during WWII but was rebuilt according to the original city plan. With Kaliningrad that just wasn't the case. Königsberg was destroyed and its remains mostly removed to make way for a Soviet city. From what I've seen on photos it isn't really beautiful, yet Gdansk is. When Iook at old photos of Königsberg is kinda looks like Gdansk a little bit.
History Hustle 😮 I thought Gdańsk was neutral
It became a free city in interwar years but got taken over when Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
@@HistoryHustle The difference between what Gdańsk and Kaliningrad look like is due to the fact that Poles believe that Gdańsk was historically a Polish city and returned to Poland after 1945, and Konnigsberg was never associated with Russia and the Russians did not feel any sentiment towards this city. Gdańsk was founded by Poles in 997 and for several hundred years was part of the Kingdom of Poland or the Duchy of Pomerania which was part of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1308 Gdańsk was conquered by the Knights of the Teutonic Order and incorporated into their country. Over 150 years later, the townspeople of Gdńsk and other Prussian towns disobeyed the Teutonic Order and asked the King of Poland to join the Kingdom of Poland. For the next 300 years, Gdańsk was a Polish city. After the partitions of Poland, Gdańsk was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia and became a German city, where Poles and Kashubians also lived.
@ I know that. Well, so what? Constantinople in 1453 was a city inhabited by the Greeks, and now Istanbul is a Turkish city. Germans can mainly blame itself. If Germany had not started the war, Gdańsk would still be a city where the majority of the population was Germans. The Russians chased the Germans away. Gdańsk was bombed and shelled and was razed to the ground. After the war, Poles came and it was Poles who built Gdańsk as it is now. Now 99% of Gdańsk's inhabitants are Poles and if there is no war, it will not change. By the way, Trento is also a German city.
What a great vid! Thank you my hustling man ☺️
The danish territory was actually quite a surprise.
Thanks, glad you liked it!
History Hustle super informative, and actually so much I didn’t know. It’s a good relief from just the war and death WWII videos on RUclips.
You’re a cool guy Stefan. dank u well menheer.
Western border of Poland was accepted by West Germany in 1970 as part of the Treaty of Warsaw or Warschauer Vertrag. I think that it is also important to note that around 3 million of Poles were also forcefully reloaded in very poor conditions to the Recovered Territories. Poland lost over 75 000 km2 of land after the war and that's close to the area of Czech Republic. Im just pointing that out because many people tend to see Germany as a victim and Poland as one of the perpetrators . Other than that it was a great and very informative video.
Thanks for the addition Anna. Regarding the border acception I added a pinned comment about the Warsaw Treayty of 1970. I was referring to the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany were the reunifed Germany officially accepted the borders also. In a week I have a similar episode about the territorial changes of Poland! There I will mention the loss of Eastern Poland (the Kresy) as well as the forced relocation of people.
As a German I feel very bad for Poland and I completely agree the polish suffered heavily at the hands of the nazis but then you should see that innocent German civilians were often raped by the soviets and forced out of their homes but I am very thankful for Poland for keeping our cities nice and not ruining them like what Russia did Königsberg no offence to Russia but it looks disgusting
@@kaiserschmarrn260 Konigsberg was flattened mostly by the British air force. Soviets rebuilt the city in their own drab style. It probably would have been politically incorrect for them to restore the German architecture..
Mansion Beach true
@@kaiserschmarrn260 Verräter ! Dir können die Polen doch egal sein.
This is one of the tragedies of the WWII. I don't question that the Germans themselves were to blame, but for ordinary people who had lived out there for centuries, everything changed. I live in the southern part of Sweden (Skåne/Scaniia). For centuries this was Denmark. Then in 1658, they lost a war against Sweden and under the treaty of Roskilde, the eastern part of Denmarkt suddenly belonged to Sweden. Now, a big difference was that nobody were expelled but the Swedish government didn't waste any time on turning the population into proper Swedes. The administrative language as well as the language used in the church was Swedish. So what has this got to do with East Prussia? Well, I can tell you that although 350 years have passed, I swear that not a single Dane travelling on the roads around here does so without thinking about the "lost lands". The same when Swedes and Danes meet. Sooner or later the topic comes up. It will be the same with East Prussia and the other territories. Germans will consider it a great unjustice for hundreds of years to come. I don't think any Danes really consider retaking their eastern territories and only very few crack-pots in Sweden dream of re-unifying Scania with Denmark but who knows what the future will bring?
Thanks for sharing your insights.
I came here for the salty comments, I was largely disapointed... Your Viewers argue way to civilized! ; )
It's a good thing civilized people watch this :)
Why would anyone be salty over this topic?
I would recommend some Falklands war videos
To expel an entire population because of their nationality isn't okay. I know many people support this, but i think it's wrong in every possible lanner.
Especially the case of Prussia and Danzig. They historically and traditionally always have been.
I sometimes imagine how it would be for me as a Norwegian if Sweden annex my region of the country, and told me to "Go home". It's basically the same for Germany's case, Poland annexed huge parts of German significance,
I know that the responses to this comment will brag about how bad the nazis were and how Germany deserved it, but i think it really created more harm then good in Europe. Just let Germans stay where they always have been, regardless if it's Berlin, Munich or Danzig.
Back then they thought differently.
Poland also lost a lot of their significance and cities they were living for centuries. Why you can't see what other countries lost?
I hate ignorant people. Why are you talking about something you know nothing about? Why are you lying? Saying that the areas of Prussia or Gdańsk have always been inhabited by Germans is absurd. Check how the Polish state looked like 1000 years ago. Gdańsk is a typical Polish city. It was founded by Poles and has been Polish for most of history. It belonged to Poland for over 600 years and to Germany for less than 300 years. Why would Poles not take back their city? Are you crazy or a ñâ.źì? Besides, how do you imagine that Poles would live in one country next to their tormentors? Did you know that the Germans killed millions of innocent Poles? Germany started the war, killed millions of people and lost the war. Why wouldn't they lose territory?
you have to take responsibility for your political choices
The forced deportations ordered by Stalin after wwii in modern day Poland as well as in the Baltic countries and other places were a crime - no matter what. No one “deserved” it.
Another great video Stefan! 👍 Keep them coming I love these territorial evolution videos!
Cheers! Perhaps I'll do Hungary in the future!
Man you are everywhere
Very easy to understand and follow along. Nice vid!
Thank you for watching.
Yes my Dear, I was in Kaliningrad/Königsberg that fascinated me completely. Even in the surroundings as Pillau and Fischdorf and Cranz. And people were so kind, outspoken and warmheartd. They don't want to live but in peace.
Thanks for sharing. De
Thanks, another great post.
Thank you!
If you look at the present day map of Germany notice the capital city Berlin is no longer centralized as in old Germany. Not only Germany lost its eastern territories but Berlin lost much of its hinterland. If you want a centrally located capital city of Germany would be a place like Hanover for example
Yes. Also Warsaw is now more to the east of Poland but it used to be in the centre.
Hoi Stefan,
Ik heb in '93 Kaliningrad bezocht met een vriend. We zijn er met de trein heengegaan. De Oblast was net geopend. Daarvoor besloten gebied vanwege de Oostzeevloot. Er zijn nog wat poorten die intact zijn en - zoals hieronder weergegeven - de beurs en de Dom. Misschien dat je er inmiddels al geweest bent, maar goed. Niemand sprak Engels; er was geen ansichtkaart te zien. Twee hotels en weinig restaurants. We hebben soms ook gegeten in de stationsrestauratie, omdat er verder niet zoveel was. Je zag hier en daar nog wel een authentiek huis of ruine, maar als het origineel was had het meestal zo'n typische Sovjet-pleisterlaag gekregen. De mensen waren erg aardig, maar vroegen zich ook wel af wat we daar eignelijk kwamen doen. We moesten ook oppassen dat we niet verder gingen dan dat wat we op de kaart terug konden zien. De weg vragen was er niet bij. We zijn ook naar de bunker op zoek geweest van Otto Lasch (Kampfkommandant - Koenigsberg). De ingang was op zijn Sovjets ergens verstopt bij een bushalte. We spraken ook een man - oorspronkelijk uit Wit-Rusland - die in Kaliningrad moest gaan wonen, omdat hij indertijd Haftling was. Hij kon een beetje Duits. Hij vertelde dat de stad tot 1961 een Gespenststadt was. Daarna hebben ze toch maar het KoeninsgsSchloss gesloopt en begonnen ze de zaak met Oostblok-woningen vol te bouwen. Ik vond het een interessante, maar tegelijkertijd ook erg lelijke stad. Hij schijnt vroeger erg mooi geweest te zijn. Soort van kruising tussen Hamburg en Amsterdam met grachten en pakhuizen. Mooie programma's maak je, hoor. Ik ben al patreon. Groeten, Menno
Excellent, thanks for all your effort.
Cheers mate!
Wow this was a good video!
Thanks!
germany: "yea, we lost too much land from 2 world wars, were just gonna stop now"
I can understand.
I wonder, is it a commonly known fact among the Germans, that they lost territory and were expelled?
Good question. I recently took a peak in a German educational book and it indeed elaborates on that. So yeah, I guess most Germans are aware of it, also since many of the expellees came to West Germany so many Germans today have relatives that came from the east.
@@HistoryHustle Well, thank you for your answers!
History Hustle Hondod How do Germans feel about that. Do they feel they can’t complain or do they also feel like victims.
They know it(tho propaganda works well, even if some of the German youth knows it, they don't care) but can't even talk about it, it's like a taboo, in Germany you can't talk about its past but a bad things and especially about a lost territories.
Everyone here knows about our lost territories
Shouldn't you have mentioned that the Greater Poland uprising of 1918 had something to do with that whole region going back to Poland? People usually think that Poland was just lucky that the Treaty of Versailles gave her a lot of territory, but they're unaware of the fact that Poles actually lived there and that there was a successful uprising.
Well actually I made a likewise video about Poland. Right here:
ruclips.net/video/xxHp1JXvjeM/видео.html
I was stationed in Bad Tolz in the 1980s. While there I once went to a party at a German girls house where I saw a picture of a guy in an SS uniform with an Iron Cross ribbon and medal around it. As I was looking at it she came up to me and said "That is my grandfather. We are very proud". I didn't know what to say but later I thought of my ancestors who fought for the Confederacy in the American War Between The States. We still fly a Confederate flag at our ranch in Mason, Texas but we are not racists. In fact my kids are half Mexican and my cousin is married to a black man who is one of the best human beings I've ever met. Lost causes have an effect on people even if that cause was wrong. Love your videos!
Never thought much of the link between WW2 and the American Civil War, but this makes sense. Yet, when it comes down to waving flags I think we shouldn't compare it. I don't think it would be great Germans would raise the nazi flag... Thanks for sharing.
@@HistoryHustle It isn't also great when Americans raise the flag of the Confederacy.. The whole war was about slavery and the Confederacy wanted to keep it.
I think it's ok to honor your ancestors and respect the sacrifices they made but showing support to their ideals is not.
Always be proud of who you are
@@notadam043 Even if you kill millions?
Should have taken Kaliningrad, once the enclave become part of Germany, many Russian settlers would return back to their old town and villeges, reducing the % of Russian very fast, many German would settle there too if given the compensation to restart their life, by 2022 if would have been 30yrs...I am sure that city would be like 70% German by now .
Perhaps...
Thanks for all the information really interesting for history nerd like me
Thanks!
Polish government never agreed to any and refused all the proposed changes of the borders. In the response allies resolved allied Polish government by recognizing poppet, communist Polish government created by Russians that approved all changes.
I believe that's what happened yes.
Germany looks nice with its old land.
In what way?
@@HistoryHustle Because now it looks so small and for a long time in History Germany or Prussia had those lands.
@@niklasciccone2724 I see. Do notice that large parts in the east (within Silezia / Pomerania) had a very big Polish majority. These territories once belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
I think the amount of territory Germany lost after ww1 especially Danzig was completely unjustified. Only Germans live there so why did they give it away to a foreign nation??? Just weird
@@banger2998 In a sense it was just part and parcel of warfare at the time. Here is an interesting comparison for how losing countries were dealt with ruclips.net/video/ArVAS4lOFmc/видео.html
while i dearly loved my history teachers of secondary school, the students of the host, it really must be a treat to be taught by him, he is magnificant. this is one of the few channels i watch every vid religiously like its crack cocaine lol
Glad you like the channel.
German Empire borders looked the best.
Why?
best guy
This was what I was looking for
Thanks for your message.
@@HistoryHustle sir what do you think if ussr will rise again?
@@SukhdeepSingh-bq1wk It will not! People there changed. I was born and lived there for my first 35 years before I immigrated in 1992. It is more likely that wright win nazi in Germany will rise first than ex-soviet commies take the power.
@@zosimus2.18i2 my question was what if today USSR reform
Thanks for using the word exclave!!! :)
👍
Klaipeda=Memel
Kaliningrad=Königsberg
Gdansk=Danzig
Poznan=Posen
Wroclaw=Breslau
It still belongs to Germany.
Greetings from Holland
I see.
Not to mention Ödenburg, Fünfkirchen, Hermannstadt, Preßburg, Kronstadt, Schäßburg, Törzburg, Temeschburg, Bozen, Brixen, Meran, Libau, Windau, Dünaburg, Reichenberg, Aussig, Brünn, Budweis, Pilsen, Ostrau, Bistritz, Karlsburg, Engels, Marburg and many many more
This guy may be a trouble maker. Germany owned Kaliningrad for a few centuries while Poland also owned east Prussia for a few centuries, while Teutonic knights (Crusaders, of may European ethnicities, such as Magyars, Bularians, French warriors) owned East Prussia for a few centuries, and Russian kingdom owned East Prussia for about 6 years in the late middle ages. Centuries ago, Russia owned Kaliningrad and east Prussia for six years from say, about 1690 to about 1696. Or say from 1776 to 1792, I forgot the years. It's all over google searches, which years Russian Kingdom of the Romanov Dynasty owned East Prussia. Battle of Eylau is one such battle. The extremely small Russian population of East Prussia (5 percent) of pre ww2 years and large population of Lviv Poland(25 percent ethnic Rusians of Lviv in pre-ww2 months), preferred to call themselves Jews instead of Russians, to avoid resentment of Poles) preferred to remain invisible to German speaking bureaucrats or Polish speaking bureaucrats (depending on who ruled). This was by calling themselves bi-lingual (The five thousand ethnic Russians of East Prussia of pre ww2 days claimed they were German speaking people on stepping outside home in Kohlinsburg, while speaking Russian at home in pre ww2 east Prussia), claimed to be of either Orthodox or protestant faith, and avoided confrontation. In case there is any talk of deportation of Russians from central Europe in those centuries, the bilingual Russians there preferred to refer to themselves as locals, as Jews, not Russians or as Orthodox Christians. In 1940, Nazi Germany declared that it will conquer all Slavic countries and re-settle these countries with Soviet citizens with German word anywhere in their names. eg. Boris Fritz Yeltsin, Boris Vindman Volkov, Ivan alexei Vindman. At the end of world war 2, there were war repercussions. East Prussia was physically detached from Germany, and German nationalists for centuries wanted to conquer the Polish corridor (land between Germany, real name Deuchland, and East Prussia, a detached province). The winning allies in Potsdam decided to give a larger area of East Prussia to Poland, as Poland had also owned East Prussia for a few earlier centuries many centuries back. Meanwhile, any ethnic Russian or BelaRusian or Ukrainian with a German name in their names (eg. Boris Yeltsin Hoffman) were allowed to re-settle in Kaliningrad, northern areas of East Prussia up to the sea, a smaller part. So, the ww2 allies decided to implement Hitler's perverted plans at Potsdam meetings and Yalta meetings, to give a little percentage of land of East Prussia , the seaport section, to Russia, in order to re-settle Soviet Russian-speaking people of Russia and BelaRus, with a German name somewhere in their names (eg. Irene Volkova Hoffman) in the smaller north part of East Prussia, which they called Kaliningrad. Russia got , say about 25 percent of East Prussia while Poland got 75 percent of landmass of East Prussia at the end of ww2. Now in 2020, both areas of former East Prussia are full or Poles ( part of East Prussia which went to Poland, over 90 percent Poles) or ethnic Russians, (over 90 percent, in part of East Prussia which went to Russia) with over 90 percent ethnicity, as of today. Modern German citizens of Germany proper say they do not know any old people of German ethnicity from East Prussia today as of 2020. The Germans say they think no German citizen inside Germany still alive misses East Prussia, that they know of, and there is no need for future ethnic cleansing of map of non - existent East Prussia, by theoretical future deportation of Poles and ethnic Russians from big former non-existent East Prussia province.
Thanks for taking the time to write this down.
8:40 There was more than just one tiny exception: there were about 20 border changes with the acquirement of land that was largely uninhabited. These lands were usually annexed for better (independent) water management and more efficient border control/patrol. You could also say some were annexed for strategic purposes, but I don't think the Dutch army made many defenses on the strategic heights they acquired (just used for border patrol). If a German's home happened to switch to the Dutch side of the border, he/she could acquire a Dutch documents (a special type of passport). Some of those inhabitants now still have benefits from the Dutch government (like AOW).
Aside of the uninhabited areas, there were two larger areas of whole villages: Elten (with Elten, Hoch-Elten and Feldhuisen) and Tüddern (with Selfkant, Süsterseel, Wehr, Hillensberg, Havert, Schalbruch, Isenbruch, Millen, Stein and Lind). The second one included more than a handful of villages.
The Netherlands returned everything with the exception of a forested area of the glacial push moraine southeast of Nijmegen. This elevated area was annexed to grant an advantage to the Dutch border control, but was not returned to Germany because one of the men arranging the border treaty (to return the territories to Germany) liked to walk in this area. He didn't want to cross the German border to be able to go there.
Thanks for sharing this additional information.
The video is perfect👍
👍
Good vid.
Thank you!
Could have been worse. I think the allies were considering breaking the whole country up and making it a pasture. Churchill foresaw the Cold War and pushed for a Germany that could be reconstituted to counter balance the Russians.
True. The morgenthau Plan. Saturday a video about the ins and outs of that plan.
Here is my recent video about the Morgenthau Plan:
ruclips.net/video/ICrQElMI4nM/видео.html
Good.
Hello Stefan. I was at the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet in August in 2007 at the age of 27 for one week together with my father and a man he knows who was born there and had to escape with his family as a child in 1945 aged 9 years old as the Red Army conquered the nationalsocialistic Germany. My father and me are citizens of the FRG where he was born in 1951. We traveled to Kaliningrad / Königsberg by night train from Berlin. The border crossing between Braniewo / Braunsberg in the Republic Poland and Mamonowo / Heiligenbeil in the Russian Federation where very strict and the process took about 90 minutes on the trip to and from the Russian Federation. Very interesting is that the railway track from the polish-russian border to Kaliningrad South Station / Königsberg Südbf. is a two sized gauge: One is in the russian broad gauge and the other of the three tracks is in the european standard gauge. The russian train sleeping cars which where used for the route between Berlin and Kaliningrad / Königsberg had axis in the european standard gauge and remained until the final station. That's unique in the Russian Federation. The railway tracks in the rest of the exclave of the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet where changed from the european standard gauge into the russian broad gauge for the commutter trains the "Elektrischka" and the long distance trains to and from other destinations from 1945 onwards within a short time. For train leaving and arriving times at every station in the Russian Federation Moscow Time is authoritative. At the CBSes and bus stops the local time is authoritative. Our impressions where mostly nice. We enjoyed the landscape of the area during sightseeing. We traveled three times from Kaliningrad / Königsberg to the coast: Visiting Pionerski / Neukuhren from where is the man my father knows, to Swetlogorsk / Rauschen which is a recreation town and to the southern russian part of the Curonian Spit / Kurische Nehrung. At Kaliningrad / Königsberg itself you can still see some old city gates, churches and the cellar of the destroyed castle of Königsberg. The other buildings where built up by the Soviet People after WW II. About this my father and me only could have a very small impression about the massive destruction of the old Königsberg. The harbour is also worth a sightseeing tour. Outside of Kaliningrad / Königsberg itself we didn't see many buildings from the former german epoch but there're still some existing. The russian people where friendly to us foreign tourists, also the seniors which impressed me very much because of the horrible crimes against humanity which the Germans only two generations before had done to them and their families. A lot of soviet citizens where settled to the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet from other parts of the USSR after the German people where expelled from there in 1945 and 1946 as you know of course. We where very impressed about two women, a mother and her daughter who are living at Pionerski / Neukuhren who know the man who my father knows in a small old house and are starving because of their tiny pensions. They both can't work. They have almost nothing but they invited us for lunch. It was a really heartwarming hospitality from those two poor women ❤️ which my father, his acquaintance and me appreciated very much. My father is an orthopedic technician and he took measure from the older woman to build an orthopedic corset for her later at home at his business after his acquaintance had translated that my father wanted to help her. He speaks a little bit Russian. Later during our holidays there we also visited a rehabilitation hospital for children in the outskirts of Kaliningrad / Königsberg and offered some help for delivering rehabilitation goods like wheelchairs and caring beds f. e. I translated this time together with a doctor: She from her boss, the chief doctor, from Russian into English and me to my father from English into German. But unfortunately nothing happened later because of the strict customs rules between the EU and the Russian Federation 😔. We really wanted to help the starving children and their doctors and therapists supporting them with these goods that they could do their little patients give better medical treatment with a bit newer technical equipment. Another difference between the Republic Poland and the Russian Federation is that in the Republic Poland much more fields are cultivated than in the Russian Federation. I think it has something to do with subsidies for the farmers by the state. But I can be wrong. A trip to the Kaliningrad Oblast / Königsberger Gebiet is worth it everytime, Stefan. Maybe you've been there already since you posted this very interesting documentation. You're doing a great job and I really appreciate to watch your documentations because you show so many interesting details which where never taught to my school mates and me in the mid and late 90's Thank you very much for that.
Hello Christian, thanks for taking the time to write this extensive reply. Really interesting to read. Now I want to go really bad to the oblast.I had plans for last Summer. Due to the pandemic I could only travel to the Polish part of former East Prussia where I recorded several videos. In case you find them interesting, here are some:
ruclips.net/video/p6B8pIe7Ckw/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/2qvPJzjHaeA/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/6JZZ-BV5KoI/видео.html
Again, many thanks for your interesting comment!
@@HistoryHustle Hello Stefan. Thank you very much for your answer and the video links from your visit in the Republic Poland. I really appreciate it. Keep on doing such a good and very interesting work. Unfortunately there's no directly train service between Berlin and Kaliningrad / Königsberg anymore. So you've gotta travel by coach from the Republic Poland to the Russian Federation. BTW: There's no traveling between the Republic Belarus and the Russian Federation possible for non belo- or russian citizens since a few years. Only by plane from a few airports. But you'll surely see this information later on the website or in the app of the Dutch ministry for foreign affairs. Greetings.
👍
Bismarck always has a plan, Bismarck always has a plan
yes...
Germany got punished too harsh in the east after WW2.
The citizens didn't have to pay for the crimes of their government
The crimes were condoned and cheered by the citizens. There was no innocent German.
@@patriciabrenner9216 Most Germans didn't kill anybody
@@larssrensen4353 But they elected and cheered a government of murderers. Which make them accessories to mass murder. Moreover they got the loot of the stolen wealth. Which makes them accessories to mass theft.
@@patriciabrenner9216okay let’s draw the same parallel to other countries
There were no innocents in Hiroshima or Nagasaki
There are no innocents in Ukraine
All Hawaiians liked the king so there were no innocents when it was brutally annexed
Having such a belief system is disgusting, virulent.
@@richardandersson7620 In Ukraine? Don't make me laugh. The people who greeted the Nazis with bread and salt? Who hleleped them at Babi Yar?
As to the Ja[anese, same thing as the Germans.
Posen was not given to Poland. The Poles took in the Uprising of Wielkopolska in 1919.
Partially. More about it here:
ruclips.net/video/EmHTPcMgKgk/видео.html
Tbh I think we should give em back Pomerania and Silesia
Think it won't be that easy.
@@HistoryHustle no but I think they should have it back
I am in full and complete agreement. I’ve visited the places on my way back from a road trip to Romania and I’ve read old books and texts and visited museums on it too.
I literally don’t care how, they must be German again. The horrors of what the poles did should never be forgotten and the land in question is the result of a complete ethnic cleansing sponsored by the USSR. Poles love to hate communism unless it’s given them 70% of their land
@@jamoses5766why?
I don’t support Germany in ww2 and I am not German but this was a genocide. Of course Germany did bad but two wrongs doesn’t make a right.
I agree two things don't make one right.
For some time I have been interested in the territorial changes of Germany. It is also interesting to look at cities in the region and still being able to see remnants of their German past. mainly in the architecture. I also believe in Kaliningrad there is plans to rebuild a Historically themed centre for the city and even plans to Rebuild the old Castle there. Even though articles of that subject are now a few years old and I don't know if there is still a plan for the castle to be rebuilt. I would like to visit some day as well as some of the cities in Poland. Also there is still a small population of German speakers living in Poland. mostly in the lower Silesian region. I wonder why some of them were allowed to stay in the area while others were forced to move to Germany after the end of the war?
The region had a exception where germans with polish ancestry were able to get polish citizenship.
But i myself dont really know about the topic, so ima just leave this link here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_minority_in_Poland
Thanks for adding.
In 9:09 the reason why there is still some german speakers in Sileasia is because the Silesean culture is maxed with Polish - German and even Silesia being its owing thing between the two
i was in kaliningrad.... januari 2020.... it's nice to go there.... good pubs but also typical eastern buildings. my english is not good enough to tell the whole story....
Cool, love to visit one Day. Thanks for your reply 👍
For the vast majority of Gdansk's time, the city remained within Polish borders. The Teutonic Knights had it only in the years 1308-1454, and the Prussians in the years 1793-1807 and from 1814. For seven years (1807-1814), Gdańsk was a free city under the control of France.
it’s a bit scary talking to polish people when they are not aware of the fact that 30% of their territory was originally German and was given to them after World War Two while the German majority population was expelled. The reason why it was given to Poland was to compensate for the loss of the territories in Kaliningrad and parts of Lithuania to the Soviet Union. This would be unthinkable today. This is what communist propaganda and history washing can do to a country.
Poland never had 'territories in Kaliningrad'. The Vilnius region yes and what is now the west of Ukraine and Belarus.
If i had a picklehaube helmet ,I would have at least once opened a coconut with it. That being said, great job.
Thanks! Not sure if the spike is strong enough..
I think much of the ww1 terrotorial loss was somewhat justified, because those areas were already predominently Polish or Czech ethnically. With the exceptions of Danzig and Saarland. Lorraine were mostly French ethnically, Alsace mostly German ethnically, so that may have been a little more quesrionable. But the territories they lost following ww2 were not justified. These were almost entirely ethnically german territories. From which millions of people were forcibly expelled. But today there are very few Germans in them. So returning the territories seems a little questionable because it would just repeat the same issue as in the past. Except I highly doubt modern germany would forcibly expel polish people from these territories if returned. And poland would remain in control of the polish corridor as this has been ethnically polish for several hundred years anyway. Which is why it seemed justified to form a polish corridor to begin with. So it's a little complicated. And with them both being EU member states today, it seems to not really matter to many germans. They'll all be one country in 50 years anyway, because I have a feeling the EU will fully unify at some point by then.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.
Poland rather leave Eu then unify as "states of Europe"
@@umad5671 A pew research poll from last year shows the opposite. Poland has the most positive view out of all EU member states of the union, with 84% viewing it positively.
@@psychedelicfoundry4474
I'm from 🇵🇱 and we want our own country
Positive view is about ability to travel across eu member states, economic cooperations etc
Not exactly about political integration
@@umad5671 i see your point of view. As the positive views reflect the current situation which doesn't include complete intergration. However, the only way which the eu isn't completely intergrated is militarily. It doesn't mean you don't have your own country. It would likely be a confederation of some sorts. I understand how the past has affected your people and what they want. Look, i'm American but my ancestory is German and Jewish and I have spent time in Europe. I was very impressed by it. I am very aware of the ills of Germany as well as the great things they have done over the last few decades. They are the largest economically and most populous country in the EU. Russia is a growing threat to all of central and western Europe. That is why i believe they will unify in a centralized protective force. It doesn't mean you don't have your own country, it means you work together militarily for your collective protection. You will still have your own country. That country will just be economically, politically, and militarily linked to the other EU countries. The only difference from today is the military. It would be like a milder version of the US, where states are still distinct and can make their own laws. But even less than that. Poland would still be more independant than any state in the US. But I do understand why you would be skeptical, poland was a very strong country until the recent past and was abused out of existence by its nieghbors. So were my jewish ancestors by the same people that did that to yours. I hope you'll see why i think that is the best future for Europe. Regardless I'm far more terrified of my countries future than yours. I wish you the best and i'll respect your point of view no matter what. At the end of the day it is your country and you deserve far more a say than I do in it's future.
Because we seem to not care about the territory it makes me really confused when I see Chinese people arguing about how stuff in the south Chinese sea is actually belongs to them because it got lost around 50 years ago
I understand.
As a Chinese, I don't really feel anything about that sea. It was actually not owned by anyone in the past, no any states declared anything in Ancient time. Only in 20th century, rulers came to believe such stuff. Nobody felt home on South China sea .
The very much lost territories are our homes. After Soviet-driven Chinese Communist Party took in power(ofs before that the Kuomintang also terrible and Japanese occupants too), most people just lost homes to the state, nobody owns even an inch of China's 9.6 million Square kilometers land.
I am not a nationalist, don't care the territory stuff. Really feel sorry for the
innocent lives and sufferings during that owful time, but I don't have sympathy for those German/Russian/French/Soviet/Chinese nationalists and Communists, they wanted hurting and hatred, they got it. Just a pity they didn't all die, many still are alive.
Lucky we came from the Rhineland. Can still visit ancestors graves.
I understand.
My mother's side of the family was from western Germany and the graveyard in her old town is regularly cleared of old graves. The last time I was there was around 2000 and the oldest grave at that times was that of my grandparents. It was 13 years old. So much for visiting ancestors.
Some german journalists vited Kaliningrad still few years ago and found few old germans who still speak in so called Prussian accent
Very interesting! Hope to travel there one day.
I mean, sure, it would be nice if Germany still had its original borders but we, as a people and through our actions during the 20th century are responsible for the loss of territory which has occurred. Now, Germany is where it is and there is no point in crying about lost territory. Look forward and plan for a better future. Make the Germany that exists now, along with Europe, stronger.
The Problem is other cluntries do that so we have to claim
@@progameryt4058 Your reply makes no sense
Thanks for your message, Bean420man.
@bean420man I agree. However I think that we should make an effort to preserve the culture and traditions that haven‘t been forgotten. And I think people should be educated about the expulsions in school. It is saddening that a lot of people in Germany don’t know about the struggles the expellees faced, the violence they had to endure or the discrimination they faced in Germany. In my experience people are only educated about this topic, if they had relatives who went through that experience and have told them about it. If things proceed as they are now the extreme right will continue to shape a narrative, using the suffering of those people, to downplay our responsability as a people regarding the atrocities comitted in the name of Germany. Personally I think the expellees struggles have been tainted enough by right wing propaganda and I don‘t think their history and expulsion will be remembered much in their respective places of birth any time soon. Therefore I think it is our responability to educate about this topic neutrally, preserve and reclaim our cultural heritage and show the survivors the empathy they deserve, but didn‘t get.
I have to remind you that Poznan and the whole region was stolen from Poland in 1792 r that is why this part just returned to ethnical fatherland .That part of the Europe has complicated history and it is hard to just claim it belonged to Germany.The land was just grabbed from Poland,piece by piece in course of time.That is why there were majority of people claiming themselves Poles and spoke of Polish language.They inhibited that area for centuries and always spoke Polish! aside of heavy influx of German colonists .
Thanks for adding.
Germany want more land but instead they lost most of their land
Edit: their desire for more land and power has became their downfall
That's where it came down to.
@fernando jose gonzalez olguin what is revanchist even mean
@fernando jose gonzalez olguin actualy the austrian declare war to the serbian because one of its people kill its arch duke and then russia declare war then french because of france is russia's ally and britain declare war when germany invade belgium that how its started
Regards Stefan, thanks for the interesting video. An addition entitled "Germany (and Poland) after the Third World War" may be necessary soon. The post-WWII map lacks a territory with a characteristic shape called Silesia. This area has changed hands throughout history. First it belonged to Poland, then to the Czech and German principalities, then to Prussia, and finally to Poland again. This area was handed over by neighbors without taking into account the voice and will of the inhabitants. The tragedy of Silesia was that there were conflicting states on both sides. And Silesia was a bargaining chip in their hands. Last time it was Stalin (and his dear friends Roosevelt and Churchill) who presented Silesia to Poland in exchange for the eastern territories of Poland. The once highly industrialized Silesia and Wroclaw (Breslau - the fifth largest city in Germany) were handed over to the descendants of the tribes of nomads from the area of the Black Sea. As a result of ethnic cleansing (loss of property, name changes, ban on traveling and contact with families, etc.), the true descendants of the Silesians are almost non-existent. And only a miracle can restore the situation that the Silesians will regain their home.
There's a light in the tunnel. This time both of Silesia's neighbors are on the same side of the barricade. Both Germany and Poland have a common enemy to whom we Silesians wish good luck. Germany and Poland (and the rest of Europe) broken by Mr. Putin can give place to free Silesia. And depopulated Ukraine is a wonderful and safe place of return for post-war newcomers to Silesia.
We Silesians do not care what Europe thinks about it. We have not started wars, we have never threatened anyone, we have not used terrorism to defend our place in the world. And no one ever cared, wiping us off the map.
Best would be if Germany and Poland
would have a union
Kareliengrad should be bought if could Austria should vote if they wanted to join
Unique vision presented here.
@@HistoryHustle it would benefit all country's involving it
Austria would rather go for a union with czechia and slovenia before making a union with germany...
Isnt Tsingtao a popular Chinese beer. ? Good video.
Indeed! And thanks.
War has no end! It just pauses
Sounds dark.
@@HistoryHustle it is dark! Some countries when they ready they can cause neighborly countries to fight each other by just pushing the right buttons! And when a country has a global hegemony they will do anything to keep.
When the German ships were on their way to invade Norway, one British empire official said “ if reports are correct, this would be too good to be true because this is precisely what we want them to do”
Japan attacked the US, Hitler said, the US has maneuvered the Japanese into firing the first shot.
Harry Truman said “if we see that Germany is winning we should help Russia and if we see that Russia is winning we should help Germany that way they kill as many as possible”
I would like to learn about the tiny border changes after both wars.
Perhaps in the future some day.
I'm from Erie Pennsylvania and very proud of my German ancestry. In Erie we have a Museum known as the Kurtze Museum and it has a map of Germany at the height of it's Territorial prowess,amazing lve come to Realize l could also have Polish Slovish and Chek running thru my veins( have to get that D. N.A. test done ) thanks for the interesting videp!
Interesting, thanks for sharing.
You are wrong Germany after the first word war lost so much land in Africa ..
Taking the colonies into account then yes, indeed. I was speaking about the German homeland in Europe.
@@HistoryHustle ok thanks pointing out 👌
No problem.
African land wasn’t Germany’s land to start with. Those cultures should have their homelands, too.
As the WWII result Poland and Germany became artificially homogeneous countries. Diversity was gone.
True.
What the Germans gained in peace, lost in the war. There is a lesson here.
No more war I guess.
I always get De-Prussian when I hear someone call the city Kaliningrad.
I see.
The victors write a history books
Ok
And set countries borders, especially the losers.
And so does everyone else.
@@Aa-sn1gl
Tell that to the Kurds.
@ 9:30 The Polish-German border was settled in 1970. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Warsaw_(1970)
Check.
If you had a map of areas of German settlement in the Middle Ages they would initially end more or less at the river Elbe. Then Germans expanded Eastwards and then northeastwards, of course always to expand Christian faith. Then the knights doing this, founded states that became East Prussia. Then Brandenburg, itself one of the first areas of East expansion, added East Prussia to itself. By irony of history, the frontier country Prussia became strongest German country, then expanded westwards getting the area where coal and iron where found, then annexing almost everything north of the river Main and uniting Germany under its leadership. But also gathering lots of hatred by the southern states and in the annexed areas. But German population and economy was always concentrated near the river Rhine and many Germans would consider it the German heartland. Well, this all may contribute a bit why many Germans are not terribly sad about the loss of the areas in the East.
Thanks for sharing your insights on this.
Before the barbaric invasions german tribes used to live also in schlesien and pommern.
@@sator3946 Celtics were also living in Silesia and other regions of Central Europe. Should we considere these land British too?
Nonsense what you are saying! Pommern had a very rich NORTH GERMAN culture that was obliterated by the effects of World War 2!
So it was all Germany,s fault that a Bosnian Serb assassin and Black Hand terror network fired 2 pistol shots Sarajevo-Bosnia. June 28, 1914. Sudetenland was once part of Austro-Hungarian Empire not the German Reich.
Never stated that.
Russia: *Boo hoo, let me play a sad song on the world's smallest violin*
Russia? Please check:
ruclips.net/video/F8grLJ5qN5E/видео.html
The Russians lost a lot more territory, but they were not displaced and their culture was not erased from those areas.
Comparing the two is....
Cool
Thanks.
@@HistoryHustle can you pls make a video on philippines or ww2 in the pacific theater that will cool too
Made one about Pacific. Phil. not yet.
6:01 slow-fuck republic!😂
Forgive me for this!
Lol
Germany was huge before the war(s).
Still is but not as huge as before.
I hope Germany will be strong again and gets its territory back
Like why?
Heheheh teritory back.. good joke.
So other countries could also apply to same the rule and ask for theritory back or only Germany can? In any case : what would you do with all people living there? Kill them or move them? Germany started the war and lost it and new borders are its consequence.
@vv bbibbi Better to be irrelevant country than being forced to listen to German language every day XD
@vv bbibbi Germany didn't stop existing. It is people who made the nation not the line on the map.
Poland: Takes almost all land
Only some eastern provinces. Not the most.
Poland did not ask for the war and it was perfectly fine with their pre-war borders. That was Stalin's idea to annex Polish eastern lands and give Poland German. Germany should not have started the war.
Qingdao has fantastic beer as well!
👌yes
Imagine starting a world war, losing it, then complaining that is was unfair.
Some people do...
A Serb started it by assassinating a prince
@@noone3272 You're not wrong but I'm talking about WW2. That Serb didn't make Hitler invade half of the country at gun point.
@@Ingen.17 ever heard of the treaty of Versailles?
Also people conveniently miss out that Soviets also invaded Poland and were planning to invade whole of Europe. So operation barbarossa was a preemptive strike which saved Europe.
Please I have read polish life under austro Hungarian and Kaiser's Germany was way better than tsarist and communist Russia
@@noone3272 What does that have to do with eliminating half the population of Earth out of your hate for certain groups of people?
That German Helmet. That Insignia is on the backside of the American one dollar bill
Interesting.
tsingtao is a well know chinese beer, is it there any connection with german beer ?
Yes. More on it in this video:
ruclips.net/video/bDMF0KqMh7g/видео.html
so simply ignore international law,Geneva,Den Haag ??? Do you feel justice was served ??? You should dig a little deeper than just rely on revised history books.
Please explain.
@@HistoryHustle for starters listen to von Rhonsdorf, deZayas,Croft . They amongst others dig into the archives of various countries. Today's history books are rewritten and I don't have to mention by whom ! It is not as simple as just tabulating events as they transpire from this to that and so on. I know you are trying to do a good job and I certainly give you credit for that. But many more details/events are missing. And again as mentioned before international laws of war are very clear.....check it out. And not to forget ethnic cleansing far beyond the end of the war ! As far as WWI do I understand you correctly that Germany started by going into Belgium? Furthermore the only part re-unification after WWII was thru blackmail (Bush/Kohl).
Ok
When Russia looses the War against Ukraine (as they no doubt will) they should be made to give Germany back the Kaliningrad Oblast (Region)
Think Germany has no interest in it any longer. Perhaps Poland does...
Should I be worried why you have that helmet
These are both German helmets from WW1. Although a spike helmet can make is worry because it's actually made for the largest part of leather so offers therefore no protection. The M16 Stahlhelm was introduced in 1916 and offered much better protection.
No worry. Its a cool helmet
You got a problem with it?
Germany had to sacrifice a lot of territory in order to settle it's debt to the victims of it's actions.
indeed, that and more.
Germany should have their old land back. Is is rightfully theirs and it is German land, not Polish, not French, not Danish, no. I believe Germany deserves it's former territory back, it is not what it once was anymore.
Please explain.
First, it was not necessary to start the war (first and second), these lands would probably still be German. Secondly, I wonder how the German Prussia became? They were conquered with fire and sword by the Teutonic Knights. And how did Silesia, Pomerania and Greater Poland become part of Germany? They were captured militarily. Well, since Germany was defeated in World War I and then in World War II, these lands were lost. What was previously gained as a result of the war was lost as a result of the war.
Lol
Do you want to start an another war......
Think again
You forgot to mention Africa's land. These are also truthfully German lands XD
Your accent is interesting. What nationality are you?
Dutch.
@@HistoryHustle Awesome. Great video
Thank you!
I dont care how much land we lost, the Allies could've just anex us. We have done some bad things, but still we got spared and we can live in peace now. (Yes the Allies did some bad things to like every Country. But that does not make the Action of war any better, no matter what Country). Why have a powerful germany that crushes countrys, when the price are Innocent lives. "Make Germany great agian" but not with weapons but with peace. Sometimes i wish i would be the leader of Germany to fix maaaaaany things.
Sorry for my bad englisch, but my main Language is German. Have a gut day, btw good Vidieo.
Danke, Pasquale! :)
I love Germany from India🇮🇳
For starters to have peace you have to be prepared for war so that means make your nation as strong as possible.
Verräter !
Es ist unmöglich eine komplette Nation zu annektieren. Sieh dir an, was in Israel oder Kurdistan los ist.
My family escaped 1945 from the so called Sudetenland in fact that the Czechs expelled germans also with force, i am not political right or a Reichsbürger but i am the opinion that no country/state have the right to expell people just because theyre palestinians, poles, jews or germans, i like the meals from my true homeland since i eated others as the baby meals and of course i like my true homeland as well with its beautiful landscape, i dont understand how so many generations after the second world war can be punished for something they never had been involved, how can even a country/state be punished for many generations after for something wich is compared to its whole history just a small but of course important part, germany is so more as Hitler and even germany back in the time of the second world war was so much more as just Hitler/NSDAP, my family was one of many wich was political splited, a part liked the social democratic party (SPD) and the other Hitler with his NSDAP party, so how even can people punished for something they never had been supported (partwise)?!
For me the lost parts of germany after the second world war are stolen, selled or however you want to describe it, but mainly lost from people wich named it their homeland since centuries over generations.
And yes, of course i want my true homeland back because the expell was a warcrime over generations like agent orange in the vietnam war from what generations there suffers till today.
I did made a video about the so-called Brno Death March:
ruclips.net/video/B0DjYT5zQ7M/видео.html
I agree that Germany was and is more than Hitler/NSDAP. Even Germans today bare the guilt of what has happened then. That many Germans (many who had nothing to do with the NSDAP) were punished by explusion after the war is also a sad thing.
I have a more pragmatic view to current events. Changing everything back to what it was, give East Prussia back to Germany etc. simply is going a big mess. Let's learn from what had happened. Pay attention to both sides of the line, and also move on a look ahead.
I m really sorry for youre bitterness and I don' t blame no one but after what happen in WW2 it was a wonder that Germany reunificated in 1990.Please do not forget it was also a proposal that the state of Israel to be created to german soil and that proposal was really close to became a reality.
they would have left czechia anyways, for higher salaries in west germany
The Ethnic Germans in the Sudetenland cheered and wanted the German to occupied that part of Czech , They betrayed their own Country , That is the reason why they got kicked out , it sounds like a good reason to me .
@@stironeceno Obviously, as they weren't politically represented and obviously were germans. So lets say Mexico conquers a part of the USA or Spain conquers a part of France, of course in the next war between the countries the US citizens or French citizens in these regions are still loyal and fight for their freedom. Is it that hard to understand? What was done to Germany regarding the territory losses was just completely wrong. Without the territory losses after WW1 and the hate of the german refugees the second World War would have very likely not taken place. Germans wanted to have their territories back. That should be understandable, no matter the nationality you have.
wrong again ! The British were first : More than a century after 48 000 people died in concentration camps in what's known as the South African War between 1899 and 1902 - or the Anglo-Boer War. Then the Germans : In 1903, some of the Khoi and Herero tribes rose in revolt and about 60 German settlers were killed. Troops were sent from Germany to re-establish order but only dispersed the rebels, led by Chief Samuel Maharero. So far I have replied to your questions yet you have not responded to my questions???
I only get notifications when people post new comments, not when they reply on my comments. With almost 50K subs it won't be possible for me to reply to each reply. Hope you understand.
Edit: now when I look up your comments, you didn't ask any questions, only made statements.
About your remark. I said: "They (the Germans) committed the first genocide of the 20th century". The British did have camps, but didn't commit G.
well then what did they commit? How is their murdering thousands then classified? What should that be called?
Mass murder.
@@HistoryHustle Mass murder? Britain is the most destructive force on earth. A lot of blood in their hands. Genocidal empire
Good video, just one thing it is pronaunced in more like Prassia than Prussia.
Interesting. You're right, I messed up the pronounciation a but. In Dutch we say "Pruisen" but pronouncing thát for a non-Dutch speaker is very hard. In German it's "Preussen". Considering you're Polish, how is it pronounced there?
@@HistoryHustle "Prusy", we pronacuce it just like you did, but English does not use Latin pronunciation for lack of better word, but most of European nations do. We read W as V for example.
It is the European obsession with drawing lines on the map that has caused most of humanities suffering.
Yeah...
So Hitler's "Lebensraum" became "Losing Raum".
Pretty much yeah.
I am wondering if those people who lived in that extended Germany were actually Germans. Because speaking German and being German probably offered greater economic opportunities. I might be wrong. My great grandfather and great grandmother were speaking German in the family as their first language, but we have no connection with Germany at all.
Not all. Many Poles come to live under German rule after the partitions.
And Yet, is a great country,
It is yes.
Have an old globe no precise date but has the Danzig corridor on i
Must be interwar then.
Ok let me just say it this way,
I am a german, and no I am not a nazi, I hate the fact that all that land was taken from Germany after ww1 and ww2.
My grandparents were forcably expelled and as far as I know they have never seen their home since.
The things that the Nazis did in the name of Germany were horrible but the Nazis are and were not Germany.
They were a band of barbaric thugs who only got into power because of the injustices done to Germany in the treaty of Versailles.
Like claiming that Germany was at fault for ww1 which it wasnt, nobodey was at fault for ww1.
Renouncing the claim to the territories of Pommerania, Silesia and East Prussia is one of the greatest betrails in german history and Germany should very much claim those territories.
First of all thanks for your reply. That not all Germans back then were nazis is clear. On the other side, many German soldier (also Wehrmacht) did participate in the crimes committed in the east. On the flipside, many civilians at home were not to blame but did suffer tremendously because of the war (bombings in the west and Soviet soldiers in the east). As for the land taken from them after WW1: do note that in many of these areas there were mostly Polish people living there. Russia also lost a great deal of land to Poland, but in fact these grounds were historically and mostly ethnically Polish. Therefore the land lost after WW1 is understandable. The other terms of the treaty maybe not, but that's a different story. The lands Germany lost after WW2 were mostly due to Stalin's policies. Since he took the former eastern areas of Poland (the Kresy) which are now western Ukraine, western Belarus and the Vilnius region of Lithuania, Poland had to be compensated and thus the lands of the losing side were granted to Poland. East Prussia was seen as a bulwark of Prussian militarism that needed to be abolished. Again, perhaps not fair or right but at least understandable. My biggest critic on these policies were the harshness of the forces expulsions in which countless Germans lost their lives.
As for the home of your grandparents. Where is it located? Poland? You can visit that area. Kaliningrad? You can also visit that region. Outside the current crisis of course.
@@HistoryHustle First of all thank you for wrighting me back, it shows that you take your viewers seriously and that is very rare on youtube.
My grandparents came from East Prussia and Breslau in Silesia.
It is true that they could visit their home, why they have not I do not yet know.
You're welcome. Breslau (Wroclaw now) is now a really beautiful city. The Poles did rebuild it nicely. As for former East Prussia (Kaliningrad Oblast and northeast Poland) I hope to visit these regions this Summer (we'll see) and shoot content on location.
Yes, Germany deserved it. It's not like any of those other countries have had brutal war or brutal dictators. Lol
Ok.