Prussia
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+ | '''Prussia''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|r|ʌ|ʃ|ə}}; {{Audio-de|Preußen|De-Preußen-2.ogg}} [ˈpʁɔɪsən]) was a prominent historical [[Germans|German]] state originating out of the [[Duchy of Prussia]] and the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]], and centred on the [[Prussia (region)|region of Prussia]]. For centuries, the [[House of Hohenzollern|House of {{lang|de|Hohenzollern|nocat=y}}]] ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organised and effective army. Prussia, with its capital in {{lang|de|[[Königsberg]]}} and from 1701 in [[History of Berlin|Berlin]], shaped the [[history of Germany]]. | ||
- | '''Prussia''' was, most recently, a historic state originating in [[Brandenburg]], an area that for centuries had substantial influence on [[Germany|German]] and European history. The last capital of Prussia was [[Berlin]]. However, in the course of its history, Prussia has had various meanings: | + | In 1871, German states united to create the [[German Empire]] under Prussian leadership. In November 1918, the monarchies were abolished and the nobility lost its political power during the [[German Revolution of 1918–19]]. The [[Kingdom of Prussia]] was thus abolished in favour of a republic—the [[Free State of Prussia]], a [[states of the Weimar Republic|state]] of Germany from 1918 until 1933. From 1933, Prussia lost its independence as a result of the [[Preußenschlag|Prussian coup]], when the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi regime]] was successfully establishing its ''{{lang|de|[[Gleichschaltung]]}}'' laws in pursuit of a [[unitary state]]. With the end of the Nazi regime, the division of Germany into [[Allied-occupied Germany|allied-occupation zones]] and the separation of its territories east of the [[Oder–Neisse line|{{lang|de|Oder–Neisse|nocat=y}} line]], which were incorporated into Poland and the Soviet Union, the State of Prussia ceased to exist ''{{lang|la|[[De facto#Politics|de facto]]}}'' in 1945. Prussia existed ''[[de jure]]'' until its formal liquidation by the [[Allied Control Council]] Enactment No. 46 of 25 February 1947. |
- | * The land of the [[Prussian people| Baltic Prussians]] (in what is now parts of southern [[Lithuania]], the [[Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad]] [[exclave]] of [[Russia]], and north-eastern [[Poland]]); | + | The name ''Prussia'' derives from the [[Old Prussians]]. In the 13th century, the [[Teutonic Knights]]—an organized [[Catholic]] medieval [[Military order (society)|military order]] of [[Prussian Crusade|German crusaders]]—conquered the lands inhabited by them. In 1308, the Teutonic Knights conquered the region of [[Pomerelia]] with {{lang|pl|[[Gdańsk]]}} ({{lang|de|Danzig}}). Their [[State of the Teutonic Order|monastic state]] was mostly [[Germanisation|Germanised]] through [[Ostsiedlung|immigration from central and western Germany]] and in the south, it was [[Polonisation|Polonised]] by settlers from [[Masovia]]. The [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)|Second Peace of Thorn]] (1466) split Prussia into the western [[Royal Prussia]], a province of Poland, and the eastern part, from 1525 called the [[Duchy of Prussia]], a fief of the [[Crown of Poland]] up to 1657. The [[Brandenburg-Prussia|union of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia]] in 1618 led to the proclamation of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1701. |
- | * The [[Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights]]; | + | |
- | * Part of the lands of the Polish Crown called [[Royal Prussia]]; | + | |
- | * A [[fief]] known as [[Ducal Prussia]] ruled by the [[Hohenzollern]] margraves and electors of [[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], first under the sovereignty of Poland, then under the full sovereignty of Brandenburg; | + | |
- | * The entire Hohenzollern realm, whether within or outside Germany proper; | + | |
- | * An independent kingdom from [[1701]] until [[1871]], the [[Kingdom of Prussia]], which was also the largest constituent kingdom, first of the [[North German Confederation]], then of the united [[German Empire]] until the German Emperor's abdication in [[1918]]; | + | |
- | * The largest territorial and administrative unit within the since 1871 persisting unified [[Germany]] (the [[Deutsches Reich|German Reich]]). | + | |
+ | Prussia entered the ranks of the [[great power]]s shortly after becoming a kingdom, and exercised most influence in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 18th century it had a major say in many international affairs under the reign of [[Frederick II of Prussia|Frederick the Great]]. During the 19th century, Chancellor [[Otto von Bismarck]] united the German principalities into a "[[German Question|Lesser Germany]]", which excluded the [[Austrian Empire]]. | ||
- | The name ''Prussia'' derives from that of the [[Old Prussians]], a [[Balts|Baltic]] people related to the [[Lithuanians]] and [[Latvians]]; "[[Old Prussia]]" was later conquered by the [[Teutonic Knights]] and then slowly [[Germanisation|Germanised]]. The union of the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]] and the [[Duchy of Prussia]] in 1618 led to the proclamation of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1701. | + | At the [[Congress of Vienna]] (1814–15), which redrew the map of Europe following [[Napoleon]]'s defeat, Prussia acquired a large section of north western Germany, including the coal-rich {{lang|de|[[Ruhr]]}}. The country then grew rapidly in influence economically and politically, and became the core of the [[North German Confederation]] in 1867, and then of the [[German Empire]] in 1871. The Kingdom of Prussia was now so large and so dominant in the new Germany that {{lang|de|[[Junker (Prussia)|Junkers]]}} and other Prussian élites identified more and more as Germans and less as Prussians. |
- | Prussia attained its greatest importance in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 18th century, it became a great European power under the reign of [[Frederick II of Prussia]] (1740–86). During the 19th century, Chancellor [[Otto von Bismarck]] pursued a policy of uniting the German principalities into a "[[Kleindeutsche Lösung|Lesser Germany]]" that would exclude the [[Austrian Empire]]. | + | The Kingdom ended in 1918 along with other German monarchies that collapsed as a result of the post-[[World War I]] [[German Revolution]]. In the [[Weimar Republic]], the [[Free State of Prussia]] lost nearly all of its legal and political importance following the [[Preußenschlag|1932 coup]] led by [[Franz von Papen]]. Subsequently, it was effectively dismantled into Nazi German ''[[Gaue]]'' in 1935. Nevertheless, some Prussian ministries were kept and [[Hermann Göring]] remained in his role as [[Minister President of Prussia]] until the end of [[World War II]]. [[Former eastern territories of Germany]] that made up a significant part of Prussia lost the majority of their German population after 1945 as the [[People's Republic of Poland]] and the [[Soviet Union]] both absorbed these territories and had most of its German inhabitants [[flight and expulsion of Germans|expelled]] by 1950. Prussia, deemed ''a bearer of militarism and reaction'' by the [[Allies]] was [[Abolition of Prussia|officially abolished by an Allied declaration]] in 1947. The international status of the former eastern territories of Germany was disputed until the [[Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany]] in 1990, while its return to Germany remains a topic among [[far right]] politicians, the [[Federation of Expellees]] and various political revisionists. |
- | The Kingdom of Prussia dominated northern Germany politically, economically, and in terms of population, and was the core of the unified [[North German Confederation]] formed in 1867, which became part of the [[German Empire]] or ''[[Deutsches Reich]]'' in 1871. | + | The term ''Prussian'' has often been used, especially outside Germany, to emphasise professionalism, aggressiveness, militarism and conservatism of the {{lang|de|[[Junker]]}} class of landed aristocrats in the East who dominated first Prussia and then the German Empire. |
- | With the end of the [[House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern monarchy]] in Germany following [[World War I]], Prussia became part of the [[Weimar Republic]] as a [[Free State of Prussia|free state]] in 1919. Prussia as a state was abolished ''[[de facto]]'' by the [[Nazism|Nazis]] in 1934 and ''[[de jure]]'' by the [[Allies of World War II]] in 1947. | ||
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- | Since then, the term's relevance has been limited to historical, geographical, or cultural usages. Even today, a certain kind of ethic is called "Prussian virtues", for instance: perfect organisation, sacrifice, rule of law, obedience to authority, and militarism, but also reliability, tolerance, thriftiness, punctuality, modesty, and diligence. Many Prussians believed that these virtues promoted the rise of their country. | ||
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Revision as of 12:37, 18 January 2018
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Prussia (Template:IPAc-en; Template:Audio-de [ˈpʁɔɪsən]) was a prominent historical German state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg, and centred on the region of Prussia. For centuries, the [[House of Hohenzollern|House of Template:Lang]] ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organised and effective army. Prussia, with its capital in Template:Lang and from 1701 in Berlin, shaped the history of Germany.
In 1871, German states united to create the German Empire under Prussian leadership. In November 1918, the monarchies were abolished and the nobility lost its political power during the German Revolution of 1918–19. The Kingdom of Prussia was thus abolished in favour of a republic—the Free State of Prussia, a state of Germany from 1918 until 1933. From 1933, Prussia lost its independence as a result of the Prussian coup, when the Nazi regime was successfully establishing its Template:Lang laws in pursuit of a unitary state. With the end of the Nazi regime, the division of Germany into allied-occupation zones and the separation of its territories east of the [[Oder–Neisse line|Template:Lang line]], which were incorporated into Poland and the Soviet Union, the State of Prussia ceased to exist Template:Lang in 1945. Prussia existed de jure until its formal liquidation by the Allied Control Council Enactment No. 46 of 25 February 1947.
The name Prussia derives from the Old Prussians. In the 13th century, the Teutonic Knights—an organized Catholic medieval military order of German crusaders—conquered the lands inhabited by them. In 1308, the Teutonic Knights conquered the region of Pomerelia with Template:Lang (Template:Lang). Their monastic state was mostly Germanised through immigration from central and western Germany and in the south, it was Polonised by settlers from Masovia. The Second Peace of Thorn (1466) split Prussia into the western Royal Prussia, a province of Poland, and the eastern part, from 1525 called the Duchy of Prussia, a fief of the Crown of Poland up to 1657. The union of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 led to the proclamation of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701.
Prussia entered the ranks of the great powers shortly after becoming a kingdom, and exercised most influence in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 18th century it had a major say in many international affairs under the reign of Frederick the Great. During the 19th century, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck united the German principalities into a "Lesser Germany", which excluded the Austrian Empire.
At the Congress of Vienna (1814–15), which redrew the map of Europe following Napoleon's defeat, Prussia acquired a large section of north western Germany, including the coal-rich Template:Lang. The country then grew rapidly in influence economically and politically, and became the core of the North German Confederation in 1867, and then of the German Empire in 1871. The Kingdom of Prussia was now so large and so dominant in the new Germany that Template:Lang and other Prussian élites identified more and more as Germans and less as Prussians.
The Kingdom ended in 1918 along with other German monarchies that collapsed as a result of the post-World War I German Revolution. In the Weimar Republic, the Free State of Prussia lost nearly all of its legal and political importance following the 1932 coup led by Franz von Papen. Subsequently, it was effectively dismantled into Nazi German Gaue in 1935. Nevertheless, some Prussian ministries were kept and Hermann Göring remained in his role as Minister President of Prussia until the end of World War II. Former eastern territories of Germany that made up a significant part of Prussia lost the majority of their German population after 1945 as the People's Republic of Poland and the Soviet Union both absorbed these territories and had most of its German inhabitants expelled by 1950. Prussia, deemed a bearer of militarism and reaction by the Allies was officially abolished by an Allied declaration in 1947. The international status of the former eastern territories of Germany was disputed until the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany in 1990, while its return to Germany remains a topic among far right politicians, the Federation of Expellees and various political revisionists.
The term Prussian has often been used, especially outside Germany, to emphasise professionalism, aggressiveness, militarism and conservatism of the Template:Lang class of landed aristocrats in the East who dominated first Prussia and then the German Empire.