What connections do German Russians have to Prussia?
Prussia was initially inhabited by Slavic tribes and later settled by Germanic tribes. These tribes in turn were conquered by the Teutonic Order, which brought Christianity to the region. Prussia at one time was incorporated into Poland but was never part of Russia. Prussia grew significantly in influence and power under the leadership of Frederick the Great in the eighteenth century. The regions enclosed by Prussia’s boundaries under Frederick’s rule included Brandenburg, Pomerania, Silesia, Danzig, West and East Prussia. The Prussian Prime Minister, Otto von Bismarck, implemented the unification of the German states following Prussia’s victory in the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, establishing the German Empire. The Mennonites who settled in the Black Sea region of Russia emigrated from West Prussia. Following Germany’s defeat in World War I, the Danzig Corridor of Prussia was granted to Poland, thus dividing Prussia. After World War II, most of the lands that were once within the bord
