Peoples of Eastern Europe: composition, culture, history, languages

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

Countries of Eastern Europe is a natural-territorial array located between the B altic, Black and Adriatic Seas. Slavs and Greeks make up the bulk of the population of Eastern Europe, while Romanesque and Germanic peoples predominate in the western part of the mainland.

Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is a historical and geographical region that includes the following countries (according to the United Nations classification):

• Poland.
• Czech Republic.
• Slovakia.
• Hungary.
• Romania.
• Bulgaria.
• Belarus.
• Russia.
• Ukraine.
• Moldova.

The history of the formation and development of Eastern European states is a long and difficult path. The formation of the region began in the prehistoric era. In the first millennium of our era, there was an active settlement of Eastern Europe by the population. Later, the first states were formed.

The peoples of Eastern Europe have a very complex ethnic composition. This fact is the reason why these countriesoften there were conflicts on ethnic grounds. Today the region is dominated by the Slavic peoples. About how the statehood, population and culture of Eastern Europe were formed, further.

First peoples in Eastern Europe (BC)

The very first peoples of Eastern Europe are considered to be the Cimmerians. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus says that the Cimmerians lived in the first and second millennium BC. The Cimmerians settled mainly in the Azov region. Evidence of this are the characteristic names (Cimmerian Bosporus, Cimmerian crossings, Cimmeria region). The graves of the Cimmerians who died in clashes with the Scythians on the Dniester were also discovered.

In the 8th century BC there were many Greek colonies in Eastern Europe. The following cities were founded: Chersonese, Feodosia, Phanagoria and others. Basically, all the cities were trading. Spiritual and material culture was quite well developed in the Black Sea settlements. Archaeologists are still finding evidence to support this fact.

The next people inhabiting Eastern Europe in the prehistoric period were the Scythians. We know about them from the works of Herodotus. They lived on the northern coast of the Black Sea. In the 7th-5th century BC, the Scythians spread to the Kuban, Don, appeared in Taman. The Scythians were engaged in cattle breeding, agriculture, crafts. All these areas were developed by them. Traded with the Greek colonies.

In the 2nd centuryBC, the Sarmatians made their way to the land of the Scythians, defeated the first and settled the territory of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

In the same period, the Goths appeared in the Black Sea steppes - Germanic tribes. For a long time they oppressed the Scythians, but only in the 4th century AD they managed to completely oust them from these territories. Their leader, Germanarich, then occupied almost all of Eastern Europe.

The peoples of Eastern Europe in antiquity and the Middle Ages

The Kingdom of the Goths did not last long. Their place was taken by the Huns, a people from the Mongolian steppes. From the 4th-5th century they waged their own wars, but in the end their union broke up, some remained in the Black Sea region, others went to the east.

In the 6th century, the Avars appeared, they, like the Huns, came from Asia. Their state was located where the Hungarian Plain is now. Until the beginning of the 9th century, the Avar state existed. The Avars often clashed with the Slavs, as the Tale of Bygone Years says, they attacked Byzantium and Western Europe. As a result, they were defeated by the Franks.

In the seventh century, the Khazar state was formed. The North Caucasus, the Lower and Middle Volga, the Crimea, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov were dominated by the Khazars. Belenjer, Semender, Itil, Tamatarkha are the largest cities of the Khazar state. In economic activity, emphasis was placed on the use of trade routes that passed through the territory of the state. They were also engaged in the slave trade.

In the 7th century, the state of Volga Bulgaria appeared. It was inhabited by Bulgars and Finno-Ugric peoples. In 1236 the Bulgars were attackedMongol-Tatars, in the process of assimilation, these peoples began to disappear.

In the 9th century, the Pechenegs appeared between the Dnieper and the Don, they fought with the Khazars and Rus. Prince Igor went with the Pechenegs to Byzantium, but then a conflict broke out between the peoples, which escalated into long wars. In 1019 and 1036, Yaroslav the Wise struck at the Pecheneg people, and they became vassals of Russia.

In the 11th century, the Cumans came from Kazakhstan. They raided trade caravans. By the middle of the next century, their possessions stretched from the Dnieper to the Volga. Both Russia and Byzantium reckoned with them. A crushing defeat was inflicted on them by Vladimir Monomakh, after which they retreated to the Volga, beyond the Urals and Transcaucasia.

Slavic peoples

The first mention of the Slavs appear around the first millennium of our era. A more accurate description of these peoples falls on the middle of the same millennium. They are called Slovenians at this time. Byzantine authors talk about the Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula and in the Danube.

Depending on the territory of residence, the Slavs were divided into western, eastern and southern. So, the southern Slavs settled in the south-east of Europe, the western Slavs - in Central and Eastern Europe, the eastern - directly in Eastern Europe.

It was in Eastern Europe that the Slavs assimilated with the Finno-Ugric tribes. The Slavs of Eastern Europe were the largest group. The eastern ones were originally divided into tribes: glades, drevlyans, northerners, dregovichi, polochans, krivichi, radimichi, vyatichi, ilmen slovenes,boozhane.

Today, the East Slavic peoples include Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians. To the Western Slavs - Poles, Czechs, Slovaks and others. Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Macedonians and so on belong to the southern Slavs.

Current population of Eastern Europe

The ethnic composition of the population of Eastern Europe is heterogeneous. Which nationalities prevail there, and which are in the minority, we will consider further. 95% of ethnic Czechs live in the Czech Republic. In Poland - 97% are Poles, the rest are Gypsies, Germans, Ukrainians, Belarusians.

Slovakia is a small but multinational country. Ten percent of the population are Hungarians, 2% are gypsies, 0.8% are Czechs, 0.6% are Russians and Ukrainians, 1.4% are representatives of other nationalities. The population of Hungary is 92 percent Hungarians or, as they are also called Magyars. The rest are Germans, Jews, Romanians, Slovaks and so on.

Romanians make up 89% of the Romanian population, followed by Hungarians at 6.5%. The peoples of Romania also include Ukrainians, Germans, Turks, Serbs and others. In the composition of the population of Bulgaria, the Bulgarians are in the first place - 85.4%, the Turks are in the second position - 8.9%.

In Ukraine, 77% of the population are Ukrainians, 17% are Russians. The ethnic composition of the population is represented by large groups of Belarusians, Moldovans, Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, and Hungarians. In Moldova, the main population is Moldovans, followed by Ukrainians.

Most multinational countries

The most multinational among the countries of Eastern Europe is Russia. Here livemore than one hundred and eighty nationalities. The Russians are first. Each region has an indigenous population of Russia, such as the Chukchi, Koryaks, Tungus, Daurs, Nanais, Eskimos, Aleuts and others.

More than one hundred and thirty nations live on the territory of Belarus. The majority (83%) are Belarusians, then Russians - 8.3%. Gypsies, Azerbaijanis, Tatars, Moldovans, Germans, Chinese, Uzbeks are also in the ethnic composition of the population of this country.

How did Eastern Europe develop?

Archaeological research in Eastern Europe gives a picture of the gradual development of this region. Archaeological finds speak of the presence of people here since antiquity. The tribes inhabiting this territory cultivated their lands manually. During excavations, scientists found ears of various cereals. They were engaged in cattle breeding and fishing.

Culture: Poland, Czech Republic

Each state has its own traditions and customs. The culture of the peoples of Eastern Europe is diverse. Polish is rooted in the culture of the ancient Slavs, but Western European traditions also had a great importance on it. In the field of literature, Poland was glorified by Adam Mickiewicz and Stanisław Lemm. The population of Poland is mostly Catholics, their culture and traditions are inextricably linked with the canons of religion.

The Czech Republic has always retained its identity. In the first place in the field of culture is architecture. There are many palace squares, castles, fortresses, historical monuments. Literature in the Czech Republic was developed only in the nineteenth century. Czech poetry was "founded" by K. G. Maha.

Painting, sculpture and architecture in the Czech Republic has a long history. Mikolash Alesh, Alphonse Mucha are the most famous representatives of this trend. There are many museums and galleries in the Czech Republic, among them unique ones - the Museum of Torture, the National Museum, the Jewish Museum. The richness of cultures, their similarities - all this matters when it comes to the friendship of neighboring states.

Culture of Slovakia and Hungary

In Slovakia, all celebrations are inextricably linked with nature. National holidays of Slovakia: the feast of the Three Kings, similarly to Shrovetide - the removal of Madder, the feast of Lucy, the Maypole. Each region of Slovakia has its own folk customs. Woodcarving, painting, weaving are the main occupations in the countryside in this country.

Music and dance are at the forefront of Hungarian culture. Music and theater festivals often take place here. Another distinctive feature is the Hungarian baths. The architecture is dominated by Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. The culture of Hungary is characterized by folk crafts in the form of embroidered products, wood and bone products, and wall panels. In Hungary, cultural, historical and natural monuments of world importance are located everywhere. In terms of culture and language, neighboring peoples were influenced by Hungary: Ukraine, Slovakia, Moldova.

Romanian and Bulgarian culture

Romanians are mostly Orthodox. This country is considered to be the birthplace of European gypsies, which left its mark on the culture.

Bulgarians and Romaniansare Orthodox Christians, so their cultural traditions are similar to other Eastern European nations. The oldest occupation of the Bulgarian people is winemaking. The architecture of Bulgaria was influenced by Byzantium, especially in religious buildings.

Culture of Belarus, Russia and Moldova

The culture of Belarus and Russia was largely influenced by Orthodoxy. St. Sophia Cathedral, Borisoglebsky Monastery appeared. Decorative and applied arts are widely developed here. Jewelry, pottery and foundry are common in all parts of the state. Chronicles appeared here in the 13th century.

The culture of Moldova developed under the influence of the Roman and Ottoman empires. Proximity in origin with the peoples of Romania, the Russian Empire had its significance.

Russian culture occupies a huge layer in Eastern European traditions. It is represented very widely in literature, art, and architecture.

The link between culture and history

The culture of Eastern Europe is inextricably linked with the history of the peoples of Eastern Europe. This is a symbiosis of various foundations and traditions, which at different times influenced cultural life and its development. Directions in the culture of Eastern Europe largely depended on the religion of the population. Here it was Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Languages of the peoples of Europe

The languages of the peoples of Europe belong to three main groups: Romance, Germanic, Slavic. The Slavic group includes thirteen modern languages, several minor languages and dialects. They are the main ones in Eastern Europe.

Russian,Ukrainian and Belarusian are part of the Eastern Slavic group. The main dialects of the Russian language: northern, central and southern.

Ukrainian has Carpathian dialects, southwestern and southeastern. The language was influenced by the long neighborhood of Hungary and Ukraine. The Belarusian language has a southwestern dialect and a Minsk dialect. The West Slavic group includes Polish and Czechoslovak dialects.

Several subgroups are distinguished in the South Slavic group of languages. So, there is an eastern subgroup with Bulgarian and Macedonian. The Western subgroup includes Serbo-Croatian and Slovene.

The official language in Moldova is Romanian. Moldovan and Romanian are, in fact, the same language of neighboring countries. That is why it is considered to be state. The only difference is that Romanian borrows more from Western countries, while Moldovan borrows more from Russia.