The aim of this project is to collect profiles of individuals or families of Germans of Baltic origin. By and large this definition includes i) Germans who lived in Baltic countries and ii) Germans who lived by the Baltic Ocean, such as merchants from the towns such as Lübeck.

The Baltic Germans (German: Deutsch-Balten or Deutschbalten, later Baltendeutsche) are ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. The Baltic Germans constituted less than 10% of the population in the Baltic countries, but the Baltic Germans possessed far more significant seats and positions than their average number might lead to believe.

In the aftermath of WW II, Baltic Germans faced an expulsion from Estonia and Latvia. Of the Baltic Germans who were ousted from the Baltic countries after WW II, a majority resettled back to Germany proper. As far as the rest are concerned, a significant amount of Baltic Germans also sought asylum in the Americas, north as well as south.

In the course of their 700-year history, Baltic German families had ethnic German roots, but also had extensive intermarriage with Estonians, Livonians and Latvians, as well as with other Northern or Central European people, such as Danes, Swedes, Irish, English, Scots, Poles, Hungarians and Dutch.

Finland, post WW II, was not too appealing to the Germans. Because of this, the branches of Baltic Germans in Finland are more likely to go back in history. Most of the Baltic German families in Finland constitute of noblesse during the era when the Balticum was a part of the Swedish empire. On the other hand, the Russian Empire had its own fair share of Baltic Germans.

German merchants have moved to Finland at least since the times of Hanseatic League. Matter of factly, Helsinki was established to compete with Reval (Tallinn). And, as far as the towns of Turku and Viipuri are concerned, Turku was connected more with Sweden, whereas Viipuri was more attached to Baltic countries and Lübeck. And in the pecking order of the ancient Viipuri, the Germans ranked the highest (followed by the Swedes, and only lastly the Finns).

All and all, during the centuries there has been a significant influx of Baltic Germans into Finland, and their influence in Finland has been significant. By now the families have totally mixed to the Finnish population, but this does not make their history any less interesting but rather the opposite. And this is why the project was launched.

• Projektin tarkoituksena on koota saman projektinimikkeen alle baltiansaksalaisia, joiden sukulinjat ovat rantautuneet myöhemmin Suomeen.
• "Baltiansaksalaiset (saks. Deutsch-Balten tai Baltendeutsche) olivat etenkin nykyisessä Virossa ja Latviassa asunut etninen saksalaisvähemmistö. Saksalaisia asettui asumaan Baltiaan 1100-luvulta alkaen. Baltiaa hallinnut aristokratia koostui muinaisten ritarien jälkeläisten ja alueelle myöhemmin Saksasta muuttaneiden lisäksi myös muualta Euroopasta kotoisin olleista aatelisista (esimerkiksi Venäjän palkkaamista sotilaista), jotka olivat Baltiaan asetuttuaan omaksuneet saksan kielen. Saksalaisväestöön kuuluivat lisäksi kaupunkeihin asettuneet saksalaiset kauppiaat."

Lähde: Wikipedia, Baltiansaksalaiset, 2018, haettu 17.6.2018, https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltiansaksalaiset

• Projekti kuuluu pääprojektiin Suomi ja Karjala