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Baltic German nobility

January 01, 1970

Baltic German nobility was a privileged social class in the territories of today's Estonia and Latvia. It has existed continuously since the Northern Crusades and the medieval foundation of Terra Mariana. Most of the nobility were Baltic Germans, but with the changing political landscape over the centuries, Polish, Swedish and Russian families also became part of the nobility, just as Baltic German families re-settled in locations such as the Swedish and Russian Empires.[1] The nobility of Lithuania is for historical, social and ethnic reasons separated from the German-dominated nobility of Estonia and Latvia.

The cover of the Baltisches Wappenbuch (Baltic Armorial)

History edit

This nobility was a source of officers and other servants to Swedish kings in the 16th and particularly 17th centuries, when Couronian, Estonian, Livonian and the Oeselian lands belonged to them. Subsequently Russian Tsars used Baltic nobles in all parts of local and national government.

Latvia in particular was noted for its followers of Bolshevism and the latter were engaged throughout 1919 in a war against the German landed aristocracy and the German Freikorps. With independence the government was firmly Left. In 1918 in Estonia 90% of the large landed estates had been owned by Baltic Barons and Germans and about 58% of all agricultural estates had been in the hands of the big landowners. In Latvia approximately 57% of agricultural land was under Baltic German ownership. The Baltic Germans lost the most land in left-wing and nationalist agrarian reform, as in the new Czechoslovakia. The agrarian legislation introduced in Estonia on 10 October 1919 and in Latvia on 16 September 1920 reflected above all a determination to break the disproportionate political and economic power of the German element. In Estonia 96.6% of all the estates belonging to the Baltic Germans were taken over, together with farms and villas. The question of fair compensation was left open for later. In Latvia, in contrast to the implied promise in Estonia, nominal remainders usually made up of about 50 hectares and in a few cases 100 hectares, were left to the dispossessed estate owners, as well as an appropriate amount of stock and equipment. These concessions were seen by most Baltic Germans as forcing them to accept the lifestyle of a peasant farmer. Again, fair compensation would be considered later. The Baltic Germans thus lost most of their inherited wealth built up over 700 years.[2]

Apart from the landed estate owners, the rural Mittelstand dependent upon the old estates was severely affected. The expropriation of agrarian banks by the State also hit the Baltic Germans, who controlled/owned them. Paul Schiemann's later polemic against the Bank of Latvia came to the conclusion that 90% of Baltic Germans wealth had gone into the coffers of the Latvian State. The USA Commissioner to the Baltic in 1919 wrote of the Estonians: "German Balts are their pet aversion, more so really than the Bolsheviks". His comment conveys the extreme position of the Baltic peoples on the subject of the Baltic Barons. The dispossessed Germans drifted to the cities and towns. The new left-wing government in Berlin was unsympathetic to their kin in the Baltic States and was criticized by Baron Wrangel, who from March 1919 had increasingly assumed the role of spokesman for the German Balts at the German Foreign Ministry (Auswartiges Amt) and argued that the internationally recognised Treaty of Nystad guaranteed the position of the German minority in the Baltic.[3]

The Baltic Barons and the Baltic Germans in general were given the new and lasting label of Auslandsdeutsch by the Auswärtiges Amt who now grudgingly entered into negotiations with the Baltic governments on their behalf, especially in relation to compensation for their ruination. Of the 84,000 German Balts, some 20,000 emigrated to Germany during the course of 1920-21. More followed during the inter-war years.[4]

Nowadays, it is possible to find the descendants of the Baltic nobility all around the world.

Manorial system edit

 
Järlepa (German: Jerlep) manor house, Estonia, a typical Baltic manor house.

Rural Estonia and Latvia were to a large extent dominated by a manorial estate system, established and sustained by the Baltic nobility, up until the declaration of independence of Latvia and Estonia following the upheavals after World War I. Broadly speaking, the system was built on a sharp division between the landowning, German-speaking nobility and the Estonian- or Latvian-speaking peasantry. Serfdom was for a long time a defining characteristic of the Baltic countryside and underscored a long-lasting feudal system, until its abolishment in the Governorate of Estonia in 1816, in the Courland Governorate in 1817 and in the Governorate of Livonia in 1819 (and in the rest of the Russian Empire in 1861). Still, the nobility continued to dominate the rural parts of Estonia and Latvia via manorial estates throughout the 19th century. However, almost immediately following the declaration of independence of Estonia and Latvia, both countries enacted far-reaching land reforms which in one stroke ended the former dominance of the Baltic nobility on the countryside.

The manorial system gave rise to a rich establishment of manorial estates all over present-day Estonia and Latvia, and numerous manor houses were built by the nobility. The manorial estates were agricultural centres and often incorporated, apart from the often architecturally and artistically accomplished main buildings, whole ranges of outbuildings, homes for peasants and other workers at the estates and early industrial complexes such as breweries. Parks, chapels and even burial grounds for the noble families were also frequently found on the grounds. Today, these complexes form an important cultural and architectural heritage of Estonia and Latvia.[5][6]

For an overview of manorial estates in Estonia and Latvia, see List of palaces and manor houses in Estonia and List of palaces and manor houses in Latvia.

Organization edit

Main article: Baltic knighthoods

They were organized in the Estonian Knighthood in Reval, the Couronian Knighthood [de; lv] in Mitau, the Livonian Knighthood in Riga, and the Oesel Knighthood [de; et] in Arensburg. Viborg also had an institution to register rolls of nobles in accordance with Baltic models in the 18th century.

Noble titles in the Duchies of Estonia, of Livonia and Courlande edit

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ von Klingspor, Carl Arvid (1882). "Baltisches Wappenbuch. Wappen sämmtlicher, den Ritterschaften von Livland, Estland, Kurland und Oesel zugehöriger Adelsgeschlechter" (in German).
  2. ^ The Baltic States and Weimar Ostpolitik by John Hiden, Cambridge University Press (England), 1987, p.36-7.
  3. ^ Hiden, 1987, p.37-41.
  4. ^ Hiden, 1987, p.50-55.
  5. ^ Hein, Ants (2009). Eesti Mõisad - Herrenhäuser in Estland - Estonian Manor Houses. Tallinn: Tänapäev. ISBN 978-9985-62-765-5.
  6. ^ Sakk, Ivar (2004). Estonian Manors - A Travelogue. Tallinn: Sakk & Sakk OÜ. ISBN 9949-10-117-4.

External links edit

  • Bartlett, Roger (1993). "The Russian and the Baltic German nobility in the eighteenth century". Cahiers du Monde Russe et Soviétique. 34 (1–2): 233–243. doi:10.3406/cmr.1993.2349.
  • Genealogisches Handbuch der baltischen Ritterschaften, family trees of Baltic nobility in German
  • Baltisches Wappenbuch, coats of arms of Baltic nobility
  • Estonian Manors Portal, the English version introduces 438 well preserved manors in Estonia, historically owned by the Baltic nobility

January 01, 1970
baltic, german, nobility, privileged, social, class, territories, today, estonia, latvia, existed, continuously, since, northern, crusades, medieval, foundation, terra, mariana, most, nobility, were, baltic, germans, with, changing, political, landscape, over,. Baltic German nobility was a privileged social class in the territories of today s Estonia and Latvia It has existed continuously since the Northern Crusades and the medieval foundation of Terra Mariana Most of the nobility were Baltic Germans but with the changing political landscape over the centuries Polish Swedish and Russian families also became part of the nobility just as Baltic German families re settled in locations such as the Swedish and Russian Empires 1 The nobility of Lithuania is for historical social and ethnic reasons separated from the German dominated nobility of Estonia and Latvia The cover of the Baltisches Wappenbuch Baltic Armorial Contents 1 History 2 Manorial system 3 Organization 3 1 Noble titles in the Duchies of Estonia of Livonia and Courlande 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it January 2013 This nobility was a source of officers and other servants to Swedish kings in the 16th and particularly 17th centuries when Couronian Estonian Livonian and the Oeselian lands belonged to them Subsequently Russian Tsars used Baltic nobles in all parts of local and national government Latvia in particular was noted for its followers of Bolshevism and the latter were engaged throughout 1919 in a war against the German landed aristocracy and the German Freikorps With independence the government was firmly Left In 1918 in Estonia 90 of the large landed estates had been owned by Baltic Barons and Germans and about 58 of all agricultural estates had been in the hands of the big landowners In Latvia approximately 57 of agricultural land was under Baltic German ownership The Baltic Germans lost the most land in left wing and nationalist agrarian reform as in the new Czechoslovakia The agrarian legislation introduced in Estonia on 10 October 1919 and in Latvia on 16 September 1920 reflected above all a determination to break the disproportionate political and economic power of the German element In Estonia 96 6 of all the estates belonging to the Baltic Germans were taken over together with farms and villas The question of fair compensation was left open for later In Latvia in contrast to the implied promise in Estonia nominal remainders usually made up of about 50 hectares and in a few cases 100 hectares were left to the dispossessed estate owners as well as an appropriate amount of stock and equipment These concessions were seen by most Baltic Germans as forcing them to accept the lifestyle of a peasant farmer Again fair compensation would be considered later The Baltic Germans thus lost most of their inherited wealth built up over 700 years 2 Apart from the landed estate owners the rural Mittelstand dependent upon the old estates was severely affected The expropriation of agrarian banks by the State also hit the Baltic Germans who controlled owned them Paul Schiemann s later polemic against the Bank of Latvia came to the conclusion that 90 of Baltic Germans wealth had gone into the coffers of the Latvian State The USA Commissioner to the Baltic in 1919 wrote of the Estonians German Balts are their pet aversion more so really than the Bolsheviks His comment conveys the extreme position of the Baltic peoples on the subject of the Baltic Barons The dispossessed Germans drifted to the cities and towns The new left wing government in Berlin was unsympathetic to their kin in the Baltic States and was criticized by Baron Wrangel who from March 1919 had increasingly assumed the role of spokesman for the German Balts at the German Foreign Ministry Auswartiges Amt and argued that the internationally recognised Treaty of Nystad guaranteed the position of the German minority in the Baltic 3 The Baltic Barons and the Baltic Germans in general were given the new and lasting label of Auslandsdeutsch by the Auswartiges Amt who now grudgingly entered into negotiations with the Baltic governments on their behalf especially in relation to compensation for their ruination Of the 84 000 German Balts some 20 000 emigrated to Germany during the course of 1920 21 More followed during the inter war years 4 Nowadays it is possible to find the descendants of the Baltic nobility all around the world Manorial system edit nbsp Jarlepa German Jerlep manor house Estonia a typical Baltic manor house Rural Estonia and Latvia were to a large extent dominated by a manorial estate system established and sustained by the Baltic nobility up until the declaration of independence of Latvia and Estonia following the upheavals after World War I Broadly speaking the system was built on a sharp division between the landowning German speaking nobility and the Estonian or Latvian speaking peasantry Serfdom was for a long time a defining characteristic of the Baltic countryside and underscored a long lasting feudal system until its abolishment in the Governorate of Estonia in 1816 in the Courland Governorate in 1817 and in the Governorate of Livonia in 1819 and in the rest of the Russian Empire in 1861 Still the nobility continued to dominate the rural parts of Estonia and Latvia via manorial estates throughout the 19th century However almost immediately following the declaration of independence of Estonia and Latvia both countries enacted far reaching land reforms which in one stroke ended the former dominance of the Baltic nobility on the countryside The manorial system gave rise to a rich establishment of manorial estates all over present day Estonia and Latvia and numerous manor houses were built by the nobility The manorial estates were agricultural centres and often incorporated apart from the often architecturally and artistically accomplished main buildings whole ranges of outbuildings homes for peasants and other workers at the estates and early industrial complexes such as breweries Parks chapels and even burial grounds for the noble families were also frequently found on the grounds Today these complexes form an important cultural and architectural heritage of Estonia and Latvia 5 6 For an overview of manorial estates in Estonia and Latvia see List of palaces and manor houses in Estonia and List of palaces and manor houses in Latvia Organization editMain article Baltic knighthoods They were organized in the Estonian Knighthood in Reval the Couronian Knighthood de lv in Mitau the Livonian Knighthood in Riga and the Oesel Knighthood de et in Arensburg Viborg also had an institution to register rolls of nobles in accordance with Baltic models in the 18th century Noble titles in the Duchies of Estonia of Livonia and Courlande edit King Magnus King of Livonia declared during the Livonian War Duke Dukes of Courland or Dukes of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Beck e g Peter August Duke of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Beck Count e g Count Joseph Carl von Anrep Count von Lowenwolde Baron or the corresponding title of Freiherr e g Baron Henrik Magnus von Buddenbrock Baron Arthur SR Friedrich Johann Ludwig von Kleist Keyserlingk 1839 1915 Mitau Latvia House Susten Gawesen Knight and nobleGallery edit nbsp Bishop of Riga Albert von Buxhoeveden nbsp Hermann von Salza fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Order nbsp Wolter von Plettenberg Master of the Livonian Order nbsp Herman Wrangel Soldier and politician nbsp Otto Wilhelm von Fersen Swedish field marshal nbsp Ernst Johann von Biron Duke of Courland and Semigallia nbsp Ernst Gideon von Laudon Austrian field marshal nbsp Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen General and Member of the State Council of the Russian Empire nbsp Jacob von Sievers Russian statesman from the Sievers family nbsp Burkhard Christoph von Munnich Russian field marshal reformer of the Imperial Russian Army nbsp Peter von Lacy Russian field marshal nbsp Franz Moritz von Lacy Austrian field marshal son of the latter nbsp Adam Johann von Krusenstern admiral and explorer nbsp Ferdinand von Wrangel admiral and explorer nbsp Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen admiral and explorer nbsp Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly Russian field marshal and Minister of War nbsp Fabian Gottlieb von der Osten Sacken field marshal nbsp Dorothea von Lieven Lady in waiting of the Imperial Court of Russia salonist nbsp Elisa von der Recke writer and poet nbsp Balthasar von Campenhausen Privy Councilor and Chamberlain nbsp Christoph Johann von Medem courtier in the courts of Prussian kings Frederick the Great Frederick William II and Emperor of Russia Paul I nbsp Barbara von Krudener religious mystic and author nbsp Otto von Kotzebue navigator nbsp Karl Ernst von Baer naturalist biologist geologist meteorologist geographer a founding father of embryology nbsp Otto Wilhelm von Struve astronomer nbsp Dorothea von Medem Duchess of Courland nbsp Otto Magnus von Stackelberg archaeologist nbsp Peter Clodt von Jurgensburg sculptor nbsp Alexander von Bunge botanist nbsp Alexander von Keyserling geologist and paleontologist nbsp Alexander von Oettingen Lutheran theologian and statistician nbsp Adolf von Harnack Lutheran theologian and church historian nbsp Paul von Tiesenhausen general nbsp Edgar von Wahl teacher mathematician and linguist creator of the Occidental language Interlingue nbsp Eduard von Toll geologist and Arctic explorer nbsp Jakob von Uexkull biologist ethologist cyberneticist and a semiotician nbsp Margarete von Wrangell professor of agricultural chemistry nbsp Alexander von Middendorff zoologist and explorer nbsp Eduard von Tottleben general nbsp Alexander von Kaulbars general and explorer one of the first organisers of the Russian Air Force nbsp Paul von Rennenkampf general nbsp Roman von Ungern Sternberg anti Bolshevik General nbsp Stanislaus Eric Count Stenbock writer nbsp Alexandra von Wolff Stomersee psychoanalyst nbsp Pyotr Wrangel anti Bolshevik GeneralSee also editHistory of Estonia History of Latvia Baltic Germans Baltic knighthoods Terra Mariana Baltische LandeswehrReferences edit von Klingspor Carl Arvid 1882 Baltisches Wappenbuch Wappen sammtlicher den Ritterschaften von Livland Estland Kurland und Oesel zugehoriger Adelsgeschlechter in German The Baltic States and Weimar Ostpolitik by John Hiden Cambridge University Press England 1987 p 36 7 Hiden 1987 p 37 41 Hiden 1987 p 50 55 Hein Ants 2009 Eesti Moisad Herrenhauser in Estland Estonian Manor Houses Tallinn Tanapaev ISBN 978 9985 62 765 5 Sakk Ivar 2004 Estonian Manors A Travelogue Tallinn Sakk amp Sakk OU ISBN 9949 10 117 4 External links editBartlett Roger 1993 The Russian and the Baltic German nobility in the eighteenth century Cahiers du Monde Russe et Sovietique 34 1 2 233 243 doi 10 3406 cmr 1993 2349 Genealogisches Handbuch der baltischen Ritterschaften family trees of Baltic nobility in German Baltisches Wappenbuch coats of arms of Baltic nobility Estonian Manors Portal the English version introduces 438 well preserved manors in Estonia historically owned by the Baltic nobility Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baltic German nobility amp oldid 1222016335, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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