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BORDERLANDS AND BORDERLANDS AND HISTORY OF CENTRAL HISTORY OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH EAST AND SOUTH EAST EUROPEEUROPE

©Vladislav B. Sotirovic©Vladislav B. SotirovicMykolas Romeris UniversityMykolas Romeris University

Institute of Political SciencesInstitute of Political Sciencesvsotirovic@mruni.euvsotirovic@mruni.eu

www.mruni.euwww.mruni.eu

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Central European borders Central European borders toward Russia toward Russia lacked the lacked the natural frontiersnatural frontiers unlikely as unlikely as Pyrenees and Alps, or British Pyrenees and Alps, or British ChannelChannel

Instead of high mountains Instead of high mountains there are there are endless Euro-Asian endless Euro-Asian steppes steppes

In Central Europe and the In Central Europe and the Balkans there are at least Balkans there are at least 30 30 distinctive nationalitiesdistinctive nationalities

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GeographicallyGeographically, Central , Central and South East Europe and South East Europe are composed by Vistulan are composed by Vistulan River Basin, Danube River Basin, Danube Basin and Balkan RangesBasin and Balkan Ranges

Carpathian massifCarpathian massif (horseshoe) is cutting (horseshoe) is cutting Danube Basin in two and Danube Basin in two and historically/culturally it is historically/culturally it is transitional zonetransitional zone

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The regional rivers as The regional rivers as national axes:national axes:

Vistula for PolesVistula for PolesDanube for Austrians and Danube for Austrians and HungariansHungarians

Maritsa for BulgariansMaritsa for BulgariansVardar for MacedoniansVardar for MacedoniansCentral European Morava Central European Morava for Czechsfor Czechs

Balkan Morava for SerbsBalkan Morava for Serbs

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Sava for Slovenes and CroatsSava for Slovenes and CroatsZeta and MoraZeta and Morača ča for for MontenegrinsMontenegrins

Shifting boundaries of Shifting boundaries of PolandPolandPoland is probably only Poland is probably only amorphous stateamorphous state in Europe in Europe what concerns the borderswhat concerns the borders

In In 16181618 Polish eastern state Polish eastern state borders have been 80 miles borders have been 80 miles far from Moscowfar from Moscow

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However, in However, in 19451945 Polish eastern Polish eastern state borders have been already state borders have been already 500 miles far from Moscow500 miles far from Moscow

Polish state was established in Polish state was established in 960 by 960 by Mieszko Piast Mieszko Piast when he when he was accepted as a national rulerwas accepted as a national ruler

German influence in Poland was German influence in Poland was strong even after the strong even after the Battle of Battle of Tanenberg/Tanenberg/ŽalgirisŽalgiris in 1410 in 1410

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VILNIUS/WILNO, KAUNAS/KOWNO, VILNIUS/WILNO, KAUNAS/KOWNO, SARAJEVO, MOSTAR, SARAJEVO, MOSTAR, PRESSBURG/POSZONY/BRATISLAVPRESSBURG/POSZONY/BRATISLAVA, TIMIŞOARA/TEMESVÁR, ETC. A, TIMIŞOARA/TEMESVÁR, ETC. SYMBOLIZE THE UNION AND SYMBOLIZE THE UNION AND DISPUTE OF TWO OR MANY DISPUTE OF TWO OR MANY NATIONS NATIONS

Sarajevo was the most Sarajevo was the most cosmopolitan city in the whole cosmopolitan city in the whole BalkansBalkans

Spain 1492 = Sarajevo 1992Spain 1492 = Sarajevo 1992Balkan = intolerance and crueltyBalkan = intolerance and cruelty

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DalmatiaDalmatia is on the periphery is on the periphery of Central Europe oriented of Central Europe oriented towards Italytowards Italy

Southern GreeceSouthern Greece is on the is on the periphery of South East periphery of South East Europe oriented towards Europe oriented towards Mediterranean LevantMediterranean Levant

Adriatic citiesAdriatic cities as Zadar, as Zadar, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Trogir etc. Kotor, Dubrovnik, Trogir etc. had an autonomous statushad an autonomous status

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““Phanariot” Greeks Phanariot” Greeks have been have been in service of Ottoman sultans in service of Ottoman sultans till 1821till 1821

Phanariots ruled Phanariots ruled Principalities Principalities of Wallachia and Moldaviaof Wallachia and Moldavia as as Ottoman governors from 1714 Ottoman governors from 1714 till 1821till 1821

Principality of Romania in 1862Principality of Romania in 1862Romanians as the easternmost Romanians as the easternmost champions of a Latin champions of a Latin civilizationcivilization

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Lands between Baltic and Lands between Baltic and AdriaticAdriatic are settled mainly are settled mainly by migrating peoples from by migrating peoples from the East (7the East (7thth – 13 – 13thth cc.): cc.):

Western Slavs Western Slavs (Poles, Czechs, (Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians, Slovaks, Ruthenians, Lusatian Sorbs)Lusatian Sorbs)

Southern SlavsSouthern Slavs (Slovenians, (Slovenians, Croats, Serbs, Boshnjaks, Croats, Serbs, Boshnjaks, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Bulgarians)Bulgarians)

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RomaniansRomaniansGreeksGreeksAlbaniansAlbaniansTurksTurksJewsJewsGermansGermansItaliansItaliansArmeniansArmenians

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Ashkenazi JewsAshkenazi Jews in Poland, in Poland, Hungary, Romania, BulgariaHungary, Romania, Bulgaria

Sephardic JewsSephardic Jews in the in the Balkans (migrating after Balkans (migrating after 1492 to tolerant Ottoman 1492 to tolerant Ottoman Empire)Empire)

SalonikaSalonika and and SarajevoSarajevo had a had a numerous Jewish populationnumerous Jewish population

Albanian settlementsAlbanian settlements around around Kavalla, Corinth, Zadar, in Kavalla, Corinth, Zadar, in Sarajevo, Srem, Kumanovo Sarajevo, Srem, Kumanovo

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After 1526After 1526 regions of regions of Central and South East Central and South East Europe were divided Europe were divided between Habsburgs and between Habsburgs and OttomansOttomans

Russian approach towards Russian approach towards the regionsthe regions::

Peace of Kutchuk-Kainardji Peace of Kutchuk-Kainardji in 1774 (Crimea is Russian)in 1774 (Crimea is Russian)

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Peace of Jassy in 1792 (Russia Peace of Jassy in 1792 (Russia to Dnester)to Dnester)

Peace of Bucharest in 1812 Peace of Bucharest in 1812 (Russia to Pruth)(Russia to Pruth)

Partition of Poland-Lithuania Partition of Poland-Lithuania in 1772, 1793 and 1795in 1772, 1793 and 1795

1795–1914 Central and South 1795–1914 Central and South East EuropeEast Europe are divided are divided between Russia, Austria-between Russia, Austria-Hungary, Prussia/Germany Hungary, Prussia/Germany and Ottoman Empireand Ottoman Empire

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