Cultural Differences, a Short Historical Review

In this chapter I will present a short historical review of the ancient history of the Balics in order to explain the cultural differences existing between the three countries 		 
    A closer study of the earlier history of the Baltics puts the differences and similarities of the three neighbouring countries in a clearer light. The Baltic peoples were among the last Europeans to join Christian civilization in the 12th and 13th centuries, and have since been able to preserve their own languages and cultures through centuries of occupation by German knights, Poland, Sweden and Russia. The Baltic languages differ greatly; Estonian is related to Finnish, whereas Latvian and Lithuanian belong to the Indo-European language group.

 
    The occupyinig powers did of course influence the area as well, thereby assisting in making the differences greater between the three Baltic states. Religion and culture in Lithuania of today have been greatly influenced by the country€s long common history with the flourishing state of Poland and it has therefore acquired a distinct Catholic society, while Estonia and Latvia have been influenced by the German and Scandinavian lutheran culture.(Nordberg 1993, p. 2.) These major differences could neither Russia in the 19th century, nor the USSR in the 20th century eradicate, but similar problems arose in all three independent states following two centuries of tsarist Russian domination and half a century of communism within the Soviet Union.

   Kirsikka Bonsdorff: This chapter is in my opinion too short. Perhaps it could be a part of the introduction?