Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Monday, March 27
    Trending
    • This Day in History on March 27th
    • This Day in History on March 26th
    • This Day in History on March 25th
    • This Day in History on March 24th
    • History Short: Has Any US President Ever Been Arrested?
    • This Day in History on March 23rd
    • R.I.P. Lance Reddick (1962-2023)
    • This Day in History on March 22nd
    History and Headlines
    • Arts & Entertainment
      • Cinema & TV
      • Games
      • Literature
      • Music
      • Sports
      • Video Games
    • Bizarre Bulletin
      • Misconceptions
      • The Bizarre
      • The Paranormal
      • The Unexplained
    • Lifestyle
      • Animals/Pets
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Health/Medicine
      • Home Improvement
      • Horoscopes
      • Travel
    • Science & Tech
      • Inventions
      • Nature
      • Vehicles
    • Society
      • Business and Economics
      • Crime
      • Military
      • Politics
      • Religion
      • Society
    • About
      • Welcome to Our Site!
      • This Day in History
      • Table of Contents: A History of the World
      • Online History Textbooks
      • A Guide to Some of Our Favorite Scholars and Educators
      • Advance Screenings and Movie Reviews Archive
      • Schedule of Video Adaptations of Our Articles
    • Friends
      • Armchair History TV
      • Fact Fiend
      • RealClearHistory
      • Simply Charly
      • TopTenz
      • ​Unique Interpretations
    History and Headlines
    You are at:Home»December»December 28»European Borders Do Not Mean Much
    December 28

    European Borders Do Not Mean Much

    Major DanBy Major DanDecember 28, 2019Updated:December 28, 2019No Comments7 Mins Read
    Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Tumblr Twitter VKontakte WhatsApp
    Constance Markievicz

    A Brief History

    On December 28, 1918, Constance Markievicz, while an inmate in Holloway prison, London, England, made history as the first woman elected to British House of Commons as a Member of Parliament (MP).  You may notice her last name is not a typically British name, but her birth name of Constance Georgine Gore-Booth represents her English and Irish ancestry.  Her married name, Markievicz, you may recognize as a Slavic appellation, specifically Polish.  It is her husband, Casimir Markievicz, a playwright, director and artist that provides the background for the theme of this article, that of the changing and not always reasonable borders of European countries.

    Digging Deeper

    Casimir Markievicz was born in Malopolska Province of Poland, in what is today within the Ukraine.  The borders of Poland have varied so much over the centuries that it defies belief.  From disappearing altogether to enjoying enormous expansions of territory, Poland is one of the best (worst?) examples of the fallacy of European borders.  After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles granted Poland a “corridor” through East Prussia so that Poland would have free access to an ocean (Baltic Sea) port (Danzig, or Gdansk).  This “Polish Corridor” left Germany with a non-contiguous country, with East Prussia separated from the rest of Germany by this concession to Poland.  The perceived insult to Germany that their country could be mutilated in such a way grated on the nerves of German nationalists and provided some of the impetus for the invasion of Poland in 1939 that started World War II in Europe.

    Of course, the fact that the borders of Poland have changed so often and so drastically essentially means that the borders of their neighboring countries have also experienced those same changes in reverse.  The Ukraine, a country often in the daily news today (2019), is currently the largest European country by territory (of countries entirely within the continent of Europe), and like Poland is another country with an amorphous and changing border.  Chafing under the Russian thumb during the Soviet period as one of the “SSR’s” of the Soviet Union, the Ukraine finally got its independence after the USSR broke up in 1991.  Alas, Vladimir Putin and his gang of thugs in Russia saw fit to seize the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, creating a virtual state of war between Russia and the Ukraine, providing the backdrop for the political crisis enveloping the administration of US President Donald Trump over the withholding of American military assistance from the Ukraine in exchange for political favors (allegedly).  While the Crimea situation remains under contention, Russia is meanwhile attempting to snatch up some more Ukrainian territory, so the map of Europe may change again in the near future!  (Note:  When the grandparents of this author were born in the Ukraine prior to 1900, the actual political country of their birth was the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so although they were ethnic Ukrainians, their nationality on their passports when they immigrated to the US said “Austria.”)

    Since World War I and then after World War II we also had a couple of composite Slavic countries that combined more than one individual nationality into a single entity, notably Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.  Prior to World War II the Germans ate up part of Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland) and after the fall of communism in Europe (1993) the country became the separate nations of Slovakia and the Czech Republic.  Bohemia, a former entity comprising much of what is now the Czech Republic, no longer exists.  For that matter, Bohemia was part of the greater entity of Moravia, another place you do not find on a current map.  At least the Czechoslovakian breakup went off smoothly and without violence, while the breakup of Yugoslavia was fraught with warfare, violence, and terror.

    Yugoslavia was carved out of the ashes of World War I as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, combining historic Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and later Kosovo as well.  Yugoslavia was formed from territory formerly claimed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbia prior to World War I.  Prior to Austrian-Hungarian hegemony, the Ottoman Turks had controlled much of the territory.  After World War II, Yugoslavia was no longer a monarchy, but a communist state in the orbit of the USSR, united by force by the dynamic communist leader and partisan, Josip Broz Tito.  The death of Tito in 1980 and the gradual disintegration of communism in Europe led to separatism by some of the nationalities of Yugoslavia, resulting in war during the early 1990’s, with lingering violence past the actual dissolution of the country.  What is now the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is basically Serbia, with the rest of the former country broken up as the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia.  Kosovo was given back to Albania against the wishes of the Serbians that control the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

    After World War I, France was given back Alsace and Lorraine, territories between Germany and France that had been annexed by Imperial Germany after the Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871.  Called the “Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine” by Imperial Germany, after World War I, with Germany in defeat, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France.  In fact, reacquiring Alsace-Lorraine was a matter of great national patriotic fervor for France during World War I and provided impetus for French people to support the idea of a war against Germany.  Italy also had territorial disputes with Austria-Hungary, as the borders between those nations were also not clearly defined by history.

    During World War II the land grab by Germany changed the map of Europe, at least temporarily, including the annexation of Austria into part of Germany.  The conflict also provided cover for the Soviets to conduct their own land grab efforts in Finland, a land grab that was ultimately successful after hard fighting, which changed the European map in the North.

    Just as Americans can see how their own country grew over the decades following independence, the maps of Europe changed constantly with the rise and fall of the various kingdoms and empires through the centuries.  Romans and Greeks, Ottomans and Moors all played a part in redrawing European maps from time to time.  Incursions by Norsemen, North Africans, Turks, Huns and Mongols all played a part in the variable status of artificial borders in Europe, as did the Napoleonic Empire of France (1804-1815) and the great wars since.

    Maps and borders drawn by political divisions often have little to do with geography or ethnic population, although those political borders can definitely affect the course of human events that can alter the demographics of an area.  One thing is apparent, at least to this author:  Borders drawn on a map are a ridiculous excuse for nationalistic fervor that results in war and violence.  Do you agree?

    Question for students (and subscribers): What European country do you consider to have “artificial” borders? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Benezet, Louis Paul. The Story of the Map of Europe, Its Making and Its Changing. Franklin Classics, 2018.

    Dolan, Allison. The Family Tree Historical Maps Book – Europe: A Country-by-Country Atlas of European History, 1700s-1900s.  Family Tree Books, 2015.

    The featured image in this article, a photograph by B. Wallace of the New Map of Europe in 1918 outside Independence Hall Philadelphia, PA on or about 10-26-1918, is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1924, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. See this page for further explanation.

    Share. Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Twitter Tumblr
    Previous ArticleCrazy Golf in Europe: 5 Best Mini and Crazy Golf Courses in Europe
    Next Article Must-Have Tools For Every Homeowner Who Loves to DIY
    Major Dan

    Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

    Related Posts

    History Short: Has Any US President Ever Been Arrested?

    March 24, 2023

    Animated Map of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine (through March 20th, 2023)

    March 20, 2023

    History Short: Is Nuclear Power Safe?

    March 12, 2023
    Follow Us!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Patreon
    Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
    Most Recent

    This Day in History on March 27th

    March 27, 2023

    This Day in History on March 26th

    March 26, 2023

    This Day in History on March 25th

    March 25, 2023

    This Day in History on March 24th

    March 24, 2023

    History Short: Has Any US President Ever Been Arrested?

    March 24, 2023
    This Day in History Video

    Advertisements




    Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases via links in the “Historical Evidence” sections of articles.

    About HistoryAndHeadlines.com

    Thanks for visiting History and Headlines!  This site exists primarily for educational purposes and is intended as a resource for Dr. Zar’s students.  Articles are mostly written by either Dr. Zar or his dad (Major Dan).  To any guest readers, please keep that in mind when commenting on articles.   Thank you!

    We try to present our students with historical topics that are both diverse and a bit out of the ordinary.  Our motto is “We try until we succeed!”

    Contact us at admin@historyandheadlines.com

    Guidelines and Policies for Images used on This Site, as well as for Guest and Sponsored Articles, and Other Terms of Use

    Privacy Statement

    © 2023 History and Headlines

    All-Time Most Commented

    July 28, 1866: 18 Year Old Girl Wins Commission to Sculpt Statue of Lincoln (A Truly Great American Woman)

    July 28, 2014

    December 24, 1865: Birth of the Ku Klux Klan

    December 24, 2015

    December 25, 1868: President Johnson Pardons all Confederate Veterans

    December 25, 2015

    February 5, 1909: First Plastic Invented was called Bakelite!

    February 5, 2014

    November 23, 1876: “Boss” Tweed Turned Over to Authorities

    November 23, 2013
    Recommended Book
    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

    History and Headlines
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.