There is some confusion with the history of the Prussians.
During the 13th century, the Old Prussians [Prusai a Baltic tribe] were conquered by the Teutonic Knights [Germans], and gradually assimilated over the following centuries. The former German state of Prussia took its name from the Baltic Prussians [Prusai], although it was led by Germans who had assimilated the Old Prussians; the old Prussian language was extinct by the 17th or early 18th century.
During the 13th century, the Old Prussians [Prusai a Baltic tribe] were conquered by the Teutonic Knights [Germans], and gradually assimilated over the following centuries. The former German state of Prussia took its name from the Baltic Prussians [Prusai], although it was led by Germans who had assimilated the Old Prussians; the old Prussian language was extinct by the 17th or early 18th century.
The land of the Old Prussians [Prusia] consisted approximately of central and southern East Prussia — the present-day Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship of Poland, the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, and the southern Klaipėda Region of Lithuania.
Prusai [Old Prussians - Baltic Prussians] spoke a language known as Old Prussian [Prusu kalba] and followed a religion closely related to Lithuanian paganism with such gods as Perkuns [Thunder]. Lithuania was the last pagan country in Europe to convert to Christianity.
This is a case of ethnic cleansing where a Baltic Tribe [Lithuanian] was germanized and disappeared.
The Baltic Tribes were united under Mindaugas, Lithuania's First and only King. In 1253 he was crowned King of Lithuania.
The Teutonic Knights [Germans] were not Lithuanians / Balts. They just took the Baltic Tribe name and land as their own. So, there is no common connection.
The Lithuanians were under constant threat by the Teutonic Knights and had to once and for all deal with this menace.
The Teutonic Knights were subsequently defeated by the Lithuanians and Polish allies July 15, 1410. Commander of the Lithuanian Army was Vytautas The Great and Jogaila [Lithuanian] First King of Poland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vytautas_the_Great
The Russians did the same thing to Belarus. The Belorussians were russified and lost their Heritage, Language etc.
Here is where the Lithuanians overcame efforts by the Poles, Teutonic Order, Russians and others to rid them of their Language and Heritage.
In the final analysis it was the Lithuanian farmer that taught his children and kept the Heritage alive over thousands of years.
Again, an example of who the Lithuanians are and what they did to remain a distinct and separate ethnic group, older than most and proud of it. Maintaining the Language and Heritage proved to be the key to survival.
Again, an example of who the Lithuanians are and what they did to remain a distinct and separate ethnic group, older than most and proud of it. Maintaining the Language and Heritage proved to be the key to survival.
Efforts by outside forces failed over and over.
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