Prussia

Historical Context Essay

Gerhart Hoffmeister (University of California, Santa Barbara)

Ed. by Gerhard P. Knapp, University of Utah
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Domains

Political Geography

Dates

Date of occurrence 1225-1947

Places

Germany (Location)
Poland (Location)

Resources

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In 1947, after the end of World War II, the victorious Allies abolished the state of Prussia as they identified it with German militarism. Surprisingly, the prehistory of Prussia started outside the borders of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations in Polish East Prussia (1200s). At the peak of its power, the ruling house of Hohenzollern fought the Hapsburg Empire (1700s) and, with its decline, Prussia rose to dominate first Northern Germany and then united all of Germany under its leadership. Ironically, the conquest of Germany led to Prussia's gradual loss of identity and eventual demise (1871-1932) even before the decree of the Allies.

I. Prehistory

It took five centuries from its colonizing beginnings to the foundation of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701). Within the

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2646 words

Citation: Hoffmeister, Gerhart. "Prussia". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 February 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1528, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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