German spreadout

[Walther Darré]

If this is history I don't know, but I'm hoping this is not a TOO inappropriate question:
Why is it that Germans are spread out through all Europe? Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein of course, but then we find Germans in Transsilvania (which belonged to Austria before alright but it's still quite far), Ukraine, Balticum etc etc. The list is long. Why is this? Some German Kibbutz-system? (Kibbutz is the Israeli settlement programme, for those of you who didn't know.)

[Lord Gort]

Its all to do with Teutons and the Hanseatic league as well as the expansion of Austria, the creation of the Holy Roman empire etc.

Its all complictaed stuff.

:roll:

[Victor]

The Germans in Transylvania: Schwabs and Saxons were settled there in the 13th century IIRC by the Hungarian crown. It had nothing to do with the Austrian empire (which came to Transylvania in 1699). They were already there. Unfortunately many emigrated back in the 70s and 80s and also in the 90s. Germany offers much better conditions than Romania.