Central EuropeCentral Europe--Chapter 15----Chapter 15--

III. Poland & the Baltic III. Poland & the Baltic CountriesCountries

Poland’s landscape = Poland’s landscape = Northern European Plain!Northern European Plain!

U.S.S.R. stands for… U.S.S.R. stands for… UUnion of nion of SSoviet oviet SSocialist ocialist RRepublics epublics

Baltic CountriesBaltic Countries Estonia, Latvia, LithuaniaEstonia, Latvia, Lithuania

KaliningradKaliningrad Exclave?Exclave?

KaliningradKaliningrad

Originally part of Germany (“Konigsberg”) Originally part of Germany (“Konigsberg”)

WWII = USSRWWII = USSR

Importance = Russia’s only Importance = Russia’s only

ice-free Baltic port ice-free Baltic port

STALIN LENIN KALININ

A. PolandA. Poland

Language?Language?

Religion?Religion?

Capital?Capital?

Ghetto?Ghetto? Warsaw Jews (WWII)?Warsaw Jews (WWII)?

Main seaport =Main seaport = Gdansk (ship building city)Gdansk (ship building city)

Post-Cold War economy = free-market! Post-Cold War economy = free-market! 2004 = joined EU2004 = joined EU

Solidarity Movement (Poland)Solidarity Movement (Poland)

Founded by Lech Walesa (1980) in the Lenin Founded by Lech Walesa (1980) in the Lenin shipyards (Gdansk) shipyards (Gdansk)

Non-communist trade union Non-communist trade union Led anti-communist movement against USSRLed anti-communist movement against USSR Internment vs. imprisonment? Internment vs. imprisonment?

Walesa: Nobel Peace Prize (1983)Walesa: Nobel Peace Prize (1983)

B. The Baltic CountriesB. The Baltic Countries

Early settlersEarly settlers Balts & FinnsBalts & Finns

Trade?Trade?Estonia & Estonia & ?? Language & Religion?Language & Religion?

Latvia & Latvia & ??Lithuania & Lithuania & ??All joined EU in 2004All joined EU in 2004

IV. The Czech Republic & SlovakiaIV. The Czech Republic & Slovakia

A. HistoryA. History

Once part of Austo-Hungarian EmpireOnce part of Austo-Hungarian Empire Independence after WWIIndependence after WWI

Czech RepCzech Rep. (Industrial) & . (Industrial) & SlovakiaSlovakia (Agricultural) = (Agricultural) = CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

Complementary RegionComplementary Region

WWII: GermanyWWII: Germany

Post WWII: USSRPost WWII: USSR Velvet Revolution (1989)Velvet Revolution (1989)

1993: Czechoslovakia split1993: Czechoslovakia split Czech Republic & SlovakiaCzech Republic & Slovakia

Velvet Revolution: Velvet Revolution: peaceful overthrow of peaceful overthrow of Communist Govt. in Czechoslovakia (1989)Communist Govt. in Czechoslovakia (1989)

B. The Czech Republic & Slovakia B. The Czech Republic & Slovakia

Czech Republic:Czech Republic: Capital?Capital? Economy?Economy? EU?EU? Euro? Euro?

Slovakia:Slovakia: Capital?Capital? Economy?Economy? EU?EU? Euro?Euro?

……that’s all folks!!that’s all folks!!