If Baltic Sea was left untouched by Soviet agression

[Dombra]

Soviet aggression did to the Baltic Sea what Islam did to the Mediterranean. It split it up. What do you think the Baltic Sea would be like if it was left untouched?

The Baltic States would be the biggest winners as they would be free from dictatorship and the present demographics. Estonia would (to Karl and every Estonians joy) be considered Nordic

The pollution would probably not be as bad

[Dombra]

Any thoughts?

[Jehan]

It's dificult to imagine another story. But probably as you said the baltic country should be more rich and develop. Maybe Kaliningrad should be an independant baltic nation to.

[Silk]

The Baltic states are only related to Germanic stuff, due to the fact that both groups are Indo-European. Estonia is Finno-Ugric, but Lithuania and Latvia is Baltic. They have their own ethnic group. In terms of culture, they are close to Scandinavians, but in terms of ethnicity, they are somewhat related to the Slavic people, if anything. I know Estonia is doing everything it can, to be part of the Nordic world, while Lithuania historically has a lot more in common with Poland than with it's Northern Baltic neighbours (Lithuania is Catholic, while the other two nations historically have been Lutheran). I wouldn't add the Slavic component just yet because, it is blatantly evident it's a bit of an 'imported' (by force by the Soviet Union) cultural identity of these nations, who have probably never been happier than current times, with their independence and all that. Their history at least in recent memory is quite tragic in my opinion, what Imperial Russia and then the Soviet Union did to these lands makes one appreciate that, they even exist.

[Ülev]

good, old days

[Rethel]

good, old days

What on earth Galinds are doing on the core Mazowian soil!!!???

[Ülev]

What on earth Galinds are doing on the core Mazowian soil!!!???

man, we were Balts!

you never read lithuanian wikpedia I suppose?

https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balt%C5%B3_prokalb%C4%97

[Ülev]

wake up R1, look how it is seen from Lithuanian perspective:

Baltijos Hidronimai = Balts Hydronyms

[Peterski]

I wouldn't add the Slavic component just yet because, it is blatantly evident it's a bit of an 'imported' (by force by the Soviet Union) cultural identity of these nations, who have probably never been happier than current times, with their independence and all that. Their history at least in recent memory is quite tragic in my opinion, what Imperial Russia and then the Soviet Union did to these lands makes one appreciate that, they even exist.

Ethnic Polish minority in Lithuania has been living there since the 1300s AD. There is nothing "Soviet-imported" about them and they were always extremely important in Lithuania. Vilnius used to have Polish majority, as in case of several other cities and regions in Lithuania. Ethnic Polish minority in Southern Latvia (historically known as Polish Livonia) is a bit younger, it has been present there since the 1500s AD. Currently Poles of Lithuania get along well with Russians of Lithuania because both groups are discriminated by the state, which made them natural allies. In Latvia the situation is different - because Latvian government strongly supports the Polish minority and discriminates only Russians, trying to play the two groups against each other (and it kind of works - but in Latvia Russians are much more numerous than Poles). After WW2 many Poles were expelled and many Russians came to replace them. The reason why Russians came to replace Poles was because there were simply not enough of ethnic Lithuanians and Latvians to colonize areas and cities from which ethnic Poles had been expelled.

======================

Some ethnic data from Polish historian Piotr Eberhardt:

1) All three Baltic states:



2) All of Lithuanian territory:



3) The Land of Vilnius:



=========

Edit:

2) All of Lithuanian territory:



3) The Land of Vilnius:

And in 1959 (the number of Poles declined due to expulsion, especially urban Polish population was deported - most of rural Poles were allowed to stay and later many migrated back to cities):

The number of Russians increased from 69 thousand to 231 thousand:



After WW2 Ukraine also imported many Russians, and now they are getting what they deserved (the Civil War in Eastern Ukraine, as Russians are not loyal to the Ukrainian state):

[Sekarotuinen]

wake up R1, look how it is seen from Lithuanian perspective:

Baltijos Hidronimai = Balts Hydronyms

Balts never extended that far inland or west.

This guys map is accurate.

good, old days