Baltic Genealogical Profile: Difference between revisions

==Historical Context==

'''Estonia'''. 1.4 million people (64% Estonian, 29% Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Finn) traditionally Lutheran.

'''Latvia'''. 2.4 million people (57% Latvian, 30% Russian, 4% Belarusian, 4% Ukrainian, 3% Pole, 1% Lithuanian) traditionally Lutheran.

'''Lithuania'''. 3.7 million people (81% Lithuanian, 8% Russian, 7% Poles, rest Belarusian and Ukrainian) predominantly Roman Catholic

German crusading orders subjugated the territory of modern-day '''Estonia''' and '''Latvia''' in the 13th century. Later, Sweden dominated the northern area and Poland-Lithuania the southern. Russia gained control during the 18th century. From 1918-1945, Estonia and Latvia enjoyed an interlude of independence before the Red Army imposed Soviet power. The Soviets brought in masses of Russians to industrialize the area. The Estonian share of the population decreased from 90% to 61% in 1989 and the Latvian portion of the population dropped from a high of 76% in 1935 to 57% in 2005. With the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, both states regained their independence.

Under Grand Duke Vytautas, 1392-1430, '''Lithuania''' became a large and powerful state, its boundaries extending from the Baltic to the Black Sea. It merged with Poland in 1569. Russia annexed Lithuania at the end of the 18th century. In 1918, it regained its independence. In 1920, Poland occupied a portion of eastern Lithuania around Vilnius. In 1923 Lithuania seized the area of Klaipeda (Memel) on its western edge, formerly part of East Prussia. The Red Army established Soviet rule in 1944. It regained it independence in 1991.