The German minority in Latvia and Estonia:From the national awakenings to the Second World War

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Latvia and Estonia are now experiencing a situation, which is recognized as unique in Europe. Their populations are multi-ethnic due to their history, and a significant part of their national minorities does not hold citizenship. This explains the fact that many studies and research papers are produced about the Russian minorities in these countries. On the contrary, only a few works study their German minorities, mainly because of the small numbers of those who are left. Yet, we must bear in mind that the Baltic Germans stayed in the region for 700 years, from the end of the 12th century to WWII. As a consequence, they had undoubtedly a strong influence on its history. This phenomenon can now be the subject of a simple sightseeing tour, and the fact of walking in the streets of the old towns of Riga and Tallinn makes us uncover a clear heritage from the Baltic German merchants from the Hanseatic League. From the very first sight, it seems that the legacy of the Baltic Germans is an element of definition for Estonia and Latvia, as an inherent part of their cultural patrimonies.

Extraits

[...] Baltic Germans were then associated with the worse part of local history. Furthermore, nationalist leaders developed a national mythology. Faehlmann and Kreutzwald (notice the German names). In Estonia, delivered Kalevipoeg (Kalev'son, national hero) in 1862, while Pumpurs in Latvia published Lacplesis (The Bear's killer) in 1889. Both the stories deal with fights against Germans invaders, and the brave resistance of the local populations. This development in the national awareness led to a switch in the perception of the Baltic Germans that is to say from the status of landlords to the one of colonisers, from local bourgeois to foreign occupants. [...]

[...] The Baltic Germans belong then to the past, in spite of the Russian minorities in Estonia and Latvia, which are part of the present times. Still, their importance for these countries was fundamental. In 700 years, they shaped many aspects of the local languages, cultures and environment. Their role in the national awakening process was important, because they were considered as an opposite element of the national identity and welfare. Then, we can say that an opposition, against them, also initiated the national awareness. [...]

[...] Kaplans, The Latvians Laar, M.; Bird's-eye view of Estonian history, Grenader p. Nies, S.; Les Etats Baltes, une longue dissidence, Armand Colin p. History of Latvia, the 20th century, Jumava p. Rei, A.; The Drama of the Baltic Peoples, Kirjastus Vaba Eesti p. Spekke A.; History of Latvia: an outline, M. Goppers p. Toivo U. Raun.; Estonia and Estonians.; Stanford White, J.D. ; “Nationalism and Socialism in Historical Perspective”, in The Baltic states: The national self-determination of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Graham Smith p. [...]

[...] Ulmanis in Latvia from January and May 1934, produced a twist in the good institutional dispositions towards the minorities. Concerning the educational system, the right for directors to represent their minorities in the national institutions disappeared quickly. And the authoritarian regimes were based on the strengthening of the role of the state, opposed to the private economic sector. It meant a reduction of the economic opportunities for the Baltic Germans. But the main change in the situation of the 30's was the rise of the Nazi ideas of German superiority and of “Drang Nach Osten” (Rush towards the East). [...]

[...] While they slowed down the nationalist process, they were clearly directed against the Baltic Germans. And their implementation aimed at ousting them from administrative and political offices. After some reforms, they lost their police power over the peasants and their right to impose corporal punishment. New laws on urban administration abolished the privileges of the German craft guilds. And in 1867, Russian replaced German as the official language of the administration in Courland, Livland and Estland. Nevertheless, the russification was never a real threat for the effective power of the Baltic Germans, which was due to their privileged position among the local society. [...]