where did they come from. I know that German merchants settled there during the 13 century, but what were the native Lituanians? Were they slavic or german or what?
2007-01-27 01:53:44 · 6 answers · asked by ? 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Lithuanians are a Slavic people who according to DNA and linguistic evidence, are closely related to the Poles. Like the Poles what seperates them from other Slavs is an infusion of some German blood from years of cross-migration with the Nordic peoples. Unlike the southern Slavs and Ukranians, anthropologists note a large presence of blond hair and blue eyes. Some physical anthropologists argue this proves there is Germanic influence in their blood. According to this theory the Slavs before mixing with Viking raiders and German settlers in places like Lithuania, Poland, and the Baltic regions were essentially a darker-haired population noted for their stocky builds, sallow skin tones, flat wide faces, dark eyes, and straight hair. Clearly these physical characteristics show an Asiatic influence of the Slavs from their origins in the Eastern steppes.
2007-01-27 02:15:23 · answer #1 · answered by Jumpin' Jack Flash 1 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Lithuanians have been around for a very long time. Lithuanian is the oldest Indo-European language in existence, which would indicate that they predate the Germans by several hundred years. So, they're not Germanic or Slavic, but related to both (by language grouping).
2007-01-27 02:03:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lithuanians, Latvians, and Prusians (NOT the German Prussians) form a linguistic group called the Balts. While their language roots are similar to Slavic roots, they are not Slavs. The Balts have their own branch on the Indo-European language tree.
The Prusians were exterminated by the Teutonic knights by 1400, the knights took the name Prussian.
2007-01-27 02:30:04 · answer #3 · answered by sudonym x 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ethnically, they are related to both the Slavs and the Finns. But their language and culture are decidedly Baltic. They are more related to the Scandinavian peoples than anyone. And as for the Germans, the Lithuanians actually organized into a state to fend off assaults from the Teutonic Order.
2007-01-27 02:00:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually they're Lithuanian.
2007-01-27 02:03:15 · answer #5 · answered by Barry G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are Slavic.
2007-01-28 01:57:39 · answer #6 · answered by Ollie 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋