From the Handbook for Schooling the Hitler Youth
Chapter Nine: The German Culture Area (Handbook online is here)
The 13th century Teutonic Order fortress in Marienburg, German Empire as seen in 1890. Constructed by the German Catholic religious order in what is today Malbork, Poland, it is a UN World Heritage site. (click to enlarge)
The following has been edited for greater brevity -cy
The region influenced by German culture extends far beyond the boundaries of the German population area, far into the east of Europe. It comprises the territories of many non-Germans who, however, remained for centuries under the over-lordship of the Reich or belonged to that state of many peoples, Austria.
The German colonists flowed into the lands of eastern Europe in three great waves: the eastward migrations from the 11th to the 14th centuries inclusive; from the 17th and 18th centuries; and of the 19th century. About four million Germans now live in the Germanic regions of eastern Europe as successors to these colonists [at the time of writing - approximately 1937 -cy].
