The expression "Drang nach Osten" literally means "Onslaught on the East". "Drang nah Osten": meaning, usage and history of expression

Drang Nach Osten is a term that was used in the 19th century to refer to German expansionist policies for expanding the "living space" in the fight against other peoples, primarily the Slavs. This concept was used in Kaiser Germany and nationalist circles to substantiate the foreign policy course of the country. In addition, the term firmly established in the national historiography.

History of occurrence

The concept of Drang Nach Osten first appeared in German history as early as the early Middle Ages in the 8th and 13th centuries, when the Germans conducted an offensive on the lands of the Baltic Slavs. They sought to gain a foothold in the southern region of the Baltic coast, where there was a fierce struggle between them and Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians, as well as Finno-Ugric peoples. In theory, this concept was finalized in the 12th century, during the reign of Friedrich Barbarossa. This emperor conducted an active eastern policy, organizing northern eastern campaigns. During his reign, many peoples, including the Slavs and the Balts, were numbed. Here it should be noted that the same policy was carried out in the central European regions, primarily in the Austrian direction. However, in this direction the process of Germanization has not succeeded.

Stages

The meaning of the term "Drang nach Osten" has historical roots that go back to the times of the peoples' movement in the Eastern European countries. Historians conditionally singulate several migratory and offensive waves. The first of these dates back to the 9th century, when the East Frankish feudal lords organized expansion into Czech and Croatian lands. The next period is a period of mature Middle Ages (10-11th centuries), when the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire attacked the Baltic and Polish regions. The third stage is the attack of a number of feudal rulers and princes on the Slavic tribes. This time was, perhaps, most eventful in the history of the German invasions. It was at this time that the Teutonic and Livonian orders and the Order of Swordmen sought to extend their power to the Eastern Baltic region. At the same time, not only the German knights, but also German merchants, who in this direction have achieved certain successes, pressed the Russian merchants in Latvia actively.

Later the Middle Ages and modern times

Drang nach osten applies to the expansion of the Germans into the East Slavic lands and in the 16th and 18th centuries. At this time in Europe, a new state was formed - the monarchy of the Habsburgs, which subjugated the Czech, Saxon, Hungarian and other lands. In addition, the Brandenburg house annexed part of the Polish territories after the partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, this expansion was periodically slowed down due to the active resistance of the Slavic peoples. Among the most famous battles are the Battle of the Ice and the Battle of Grunwald. Indicative is the fact that the Germans themselves used this term to justify the need to unify Germanic lands under the rule of Prussia.

In the second half of the 19th century Drang Nach Osten was a kind of ideological doctrine that implied a common struggle for the unity of the state in the course of the onslaught on the Slavic lands. At first, it was about economic expansion, and also about the strengthening of German influence in the lands of the empire. Such theories were connected with the fact that the national liberation movement was strengthened in the multinational empire, and the concept of pan-Germanism arose as a reaction. This new idea was supported by the authorities and actively used by the Kaiser government at the turn of the century to justify the struggle for expanding the sphere of influence.

Spread

The term "drang nach osten" has been used in journalism since the middle of the 19th century. In our country, it has become widespread since 1865, which was due to the deterioration of relations between the Russian government and the Baltic Germans. Subsequently, this concept was transferred to the journalism of other publications (in Poland, the Czech Republic, France). At the same time, expression was used by historians.

Military years

The words "drang nach osten" received a new color and meaning in connection with the outbreak of the First World War. However, at present they are most often used when it comes to the Great Patriotic War. This is due to the fact that Hitler in his work "Mein Kampf" justified the need for Germans to expand the living space at the expense of the Slavic lands. He wrote that their government has the right to occupy other people's territories only because there was too much population growth in the country, which needed to be fed. At the same time he called for abandoning the policy of expanding trade ties and concentrating on the conquest of German domination on the continent. Therefore, domestic historians, as well as a number of researchers from Eastern Europe, use this term to refer to the Nazi aggressive policy.

Modern application

In the history of Eastern Europe, the Germanic onslaught acquired a sad reputation. The East (drang nach osten in the German version) became the main direction of expansion, which was accompanied by both economic exploitation and numerous wars. But today the term has not lost its significance, especially in connection with the aggravated situation in the Slavic states. Moreover, modern political scientists apply this term not only to the Slavic peoples, but also to the eastern direction in general. Many specialists have introduced the term "American Drang Nach Osten" when it comes to US foreign policy these days. The authors note the government's desire to participate in events in Ukraine, Syria and other countries. In this regard, this term has received a new sound and is no longer always perceived as German expansion into the Slavic lands. However, the last remark applies to political science.

In science and politics

In historiography and historical science, the term is still used in the traditional sense. These problems are connected with the fact that the eastern direction has always occupied one of the main directions in the policy of European states. Such a situation is still preserved, and despite appeals for peace and attempts to resolve the accumulated contradictions by diplomatic means, the situation remains extremely acute in this region. The problem of the eastern countries has always remained especially urgent, and that is why today this area has been included in the concept under consideration. The modern geopolitical situation is such that the term "drang nach osten" again begins to be actively used in political vocabulary.