Baltia

Baltia, oficially the Republic of Baltia (Baltish: Republik fon Baltia), is a sovereign state in. It is bordered to the north by the, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the east by Lake Peipus and , to the southeast by and to the south by  and Königsberg. Baltia has 6,283,284 inhabitants, covering 175,015 km² of land, and is influenced by a.

Baltia is a democratic established in 1919. The largest city and capital is Riga. Baltish is the official language, closely related to. Baltia is a, divided into 15 regions and 381 municipalities.

In 1918, towards the end of, the Declaration of Independence was signed and Baltia declared itself independent. After a brief attempt to establish a kingdom, finally the country became a republic. During, Baltia was then occupied by the in 1940, then  a year later and again by the  in 1944, establishing the Baltish Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1945, a few weeks before the, the Riga Uprising staged by the Baltish Resistance, was one of the most significant episodes during the years of occupation. As a result of this uprising, authorities were imprisoned, Soviet troops left the country, the Government returned from exile and announces the liberation of Baltia.

Baltia is member of the, , the , the , the Nordic Council, the , CBSS, , NIB, , and the. On 1 January 2011, Baltia adopted the Euro as the official currency and became the 17th member of the.

Etymology
Beginning in the and through the present day, Baltia appears on the maps described in  as : Ostland, : Østerland, : Oostland, : Österlanda, etc. In English "Ost" is "East", and in fact, Baltia lies to the east for, ,  and.

The term "Baltic" stems from the name of the Baltic Sea – a hydronym dating back to the 11th century ( mentioned : Mare Balticum) and earlier. It likely originates from the root  'bhel'  meaning white, fair. From the 17th and 18th centuries, in close relationship with the sea that bathes the coasts of the country, the people who lived there began to call himself "Balts" and therefore the region called it Baltia.

Middle Ages and pre-Russian era
In 13th century Baltic and Finnic peoples in the region became target of. In the aftermath of Livonian crusade a crusader state officially named Terra Mariana, but also known as Livonia, was established in central Baltia. It was divided in four autonomous bishoprics and lands of. After Brothers of the Sword suffered defeat in Battle of Schaulen its remains became integrated in as autonomous Livonian Order. Northern Baltia initially became Danish dominion, but was purchased by Teutonic Order in the mid-14th century. The majority of the crusaders and clergy were German and remained influential in northern and central Baltia until first half of 20th century. Baltic Germans formed the backbone of the local gentry, and German served both as a lingua franca and for record keeping, giving rise to the current Baltish language.

Southern Balts were also targeted by crusaders, however were able to resist and formed the Duchy of Baltia some time before 1252. It allied with. After Union of Krewa in 1385 created dynastic union between the two countries they became ever closer integrated and finally merged into Polish–Baltish Commonwealth in 1569. After the victory in Polish–Baltish–Teutonic War the Polish–Baltish union became a major political power in the region.

In 1558 Livonia was attacked by and the Livonian war, which lasted until 1583, broke out. The rulers of different regions within Livonia sought to ally with foreign powers, which resulted in Polish–Baltish, Swedish and Danish involvement. As a result, by the 1561 Livonian confederation had ceased to exist and its lands in the current center of Baltia became Duchy of Courland and Semigalia and Duchy of Livonia, which were vassals to Polish–Baltish Commonwealth, Ösel island came under Danish rule and Northern Baltia became Swedish Duchy of Estland. In aftermath of later conflicts in 17th century much of Duchy of Livonia and Osel also came under Swedish control as Swedish Livonia. These newly acquired Swedish territories as well as and  (now the western part of the  of Russia) became known as. Parts of Duchy of Livonia that remained in the Commonwealth became Inflanty Voivodeship, which contributed to modern Latgalia, region in Eastern Baltia becoming culturally distinct from rest of Baltia as German nobility lost its influence and the region remained Catholic just like Poland and Southern Baltia, while rest of Baltia became Lutheran.

Russian Empire era
At the beginning of the 18th century the was attacked by coalition of several European powers in the. Among these powers was Russia seeking to restore its access to the Baltic Sea. During the course of war it conquered all of the Sweden's provinces on Eastern Baltic coast. This acquisition was legalized by the in which Baltic Dominions were ceded to Russia. The treaty also granted the Baltic-German nobility within Estland and Livonia the rights to self-government, maintaining their financial system, existing customs border, religion, and the German language; this special position in the Russian Empire was reconfirmed by all Russian Tsars from  to. Under Russian rule these territories came to be known as Ostsee Governorates (Russian: Остзейские губернии). Initially these were two governorates named after the largest cities: Riga and Reval. After the which took place in the last quarter of the 18th century the third Ostsee Governorate was set, the one of Courland. Following the annexation of Courland the two other governates were renamed to the Governorate of Livonia and the Governorate of Estland.

As a result of Partitions of Poland from 1772 to 1795 Polish–Baltish Commonwealth ceased to exist and its territories were incorporated in, and. In early 1810, trying to appease the German nobility who lived in the north and giving more autonomy to the territory that occupied the former Duchy of Baltia in the south, decided to abolish governorates and unite them in the Grand Duchy of Baltia, within the and with a very similar status to the. It was at this time when an exclusive dialect, baltisch-deutsch, legally spoken in the Duchy, began to be better known and used by the population.



In the 1850's, as a result of the abolition of and the availability of education to Baltish-speaking population, an active Baltish nationalist movement developed in the 19th century. It began on a cultural level, resulting in the establishment of Baltish language literature, theatre and professional music and led on to the formation of the Baltish national identity and the Age of Awakening.

After the unsuccessful uprising in 1863, the Tsarist authorities implemented a number of Russification policies. They banned the Baltish press, closed cultural and educational institutions, the Orthodox Russian Church was the church of state and the Baltish army was made subject to Russian rules of military service.



Independence (First Republic)
Following the takeover of power in Russia after the  of 1917 and  victories against the Russian army, between the Russian 's retreat and the arrival of advancing German troops, the Council of Baltia issued the Baltish Declaration of Independence in Vilna on 23 March and in Riga on 24 March 1918.

The country was occupied by German troops, the was signed whereby the Russian government waived all claims to Baltia. The Germans stayed until November 1918 when, with the end of the war in the west, the soldiers returned to Germany, leaving an opening that the Bolshevik troops took advantage of, moving onto Baltia. This caused the Baltish War of Independence which was to last 14 months.

After winning the Baltish War of Independence against the and later the Baltisch Freikorps and Baltisch Landwehr volunteers, who had earlier fought alongside Baltia, the Dorpat Peace Treaty was signed on 2 February 1920. The Republic of Baltia was recognised (de jure) by Finland on 7 July 1920, Poland on 31 December 1920, Argentina on 12 January 1921, by the Western Allies on 26 January 1921 and by India on 22 September 1921.

A constituent assembly freely elected was convened on 21 March 1919, and adopted the Constitution, which came into force on 1 January 1921. The Constitution was suspended in part by Karl Ulmer after being elected President in 1936, but was reaffirmed and amended by referendum in 1948. Since then, it has been modified and is still in force in Baltia today.

Baltia maintained its independence for 22 years until June 1940 when the Soviet Union occupied and annexed Baltia in accordance to the secret protocols of. The occupation was followed by mass arrests and deportations having more than 1,000,000 citizens removed.

World War II
On 24 September 1939, warships of the appeared off Baltish ports and  began a patrol over Riga, Reval, Libau and Windau. The Baltish government was forced to give their assent to an agreement that allowed the to establish military bases and station 75,000 troops on Baltish soil for "mutual defence". On 12 June 1940, the order for a total military blockade on Baltia was given to the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Before midnight of 14 June 1940, the issued an ultimatum to Baltia and on 15 June the Soviet military blockade on Baltia went into effect, two Soviet bombers downed the Finnish passenger aeroplane "Kaleva" flying from Reval to  carrying three diplomatic pouches from the US delegation in Riga.

On 16 June, the Soviet Union invaded Baltia. The following day, some 90,000 additional troops entered the country. In the face of overwhelming Soviet force, the Baltish government capitulated on 17 June 1940 to avoid bloodshed. The military occupation of Baltia was complete on 21 June and most of the Baltish Defence Forces surrendered according to the orders of the Baltish government, believing that resistance was useless and were disarmed by the Red Army.

On 6 August 1940, Baltia was annexed by the Soviet Union as the Baltish SSR and the deposed president of Baltia, Karl Ulmer was imprisoned and deported to where died later. Elections were held with single pro-Soviet candidates listed for many positions and a puppet government was established led by Anton Snyder. The repressions followed with the mass deportations carried out by the Soviets in Baltia on 14 June 1941. Many of the country's political and intellectual leaders were killed or deported to remote areas of the USSR by the Soviet authorities in 1940–1941. Repressive actions were also taken against thousands of ordinary people.

On 21 June 1941 German troops attacked Soviet forces in Operation Barbarossa. On 22 June 1941 a diverse segment of the Baltish population rose up against the Soviet regime, declared renewed independence, and formed the short-lived Provisional Government. This period is known as the June Uprising. By 29 June Riga was reached and with Soviet troops killed, captured or retreating, Baltia was left under the control of German forces by early July and the Provisional Government, deprived of any real power, self-disbanded on August 5. The occupation was followed immediately by SS troops who were to act in accordance with the  which required the population of Baltia to be cut by 50%.

Under German occupation, Baltia was administered as part of Reichskommissariat Ostland. Baltish paramilitary and Auxiliary Police units established by the occupation authority participated in the Holocaust and other atrocities. 30,000 Jews from the Riga Ghetto being killed in the Rümbulen Forest in November and December 1941, to reduce overcrowding in the ghetto and make room for more Jews being brought in from Germany and the west. There was a pause in fighting, apart from partisan activity, until after the ended in January 1944 and the Soviet troops advanced, entering Baltia in July and eventually capturing Riga on 13 October 1944.

After the retreat of the German armed forces, the Soviets re-established the annexation of Baltia in 1944 and implemented a program of.

After World War II (Second Republic)
In late April 1945, the Riga Uprising was a civil-military insurrection organized by the Baltish Resistance and some  to liberate the city of Riga from Soviet occupation. The uprising went on until 4 May 1945, ending in a ceasefire between the Baltish Resistance and the Red Army, which decided to quit Riga on the same day. Next morning, Baltia was officially liberated, government-in-exile returned from and the Constitution was partially reinstated. This period is called Second Republic.

When ended and under border changes promulgated at the  in 1945, the District of Memeland, occupied since 1939 by Nazi Germany, was again transferred to Baltia. The Treaty of Narwa, signed in 1947 with the, included a territorial concession. Baltia was forced to cede the District of Petschur, which belonged to Baltia from 1920 to 1944. This treaty was the first step to establishing good relations between both countries since the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1945, including obligations and restraints to ensure that Baltia was never re-occupied again by Soviet forces and retained its independence.

Baltia remained outside and  and rejected, in apparent deference to Soviet desires. However, the provided secret development aid and helped the (non-communist) SDP in hopes of preserving Baltia's independence. Constitutional change in 1948 led to a parliament elected by proportional representation, election by direct popular vote of the President of  the Republic and electoral age lowered from 23 to 21 years.

The post-war period was a time of rapid economic growth and increasing social and political stability for Baltia. The five decades after the saw Baltia turn from a war-ravaged agrarian society into one country with a sophisticated market economy and high standard of living.

Johannes Fischbein, linked in his youth to BNU and other organizations, was Prime Minister from 1966 to 1978.

In the 70s and 80s, Baltia built a extensive welfare state. The national Government provides unemployment insurance, maternity benefits, family allowances, and day-care centers. The National Health Act of 1980 provided for the establishment of free health centers in every municipality.

Recent history
Between 1990 and 1992 a political and economical crisis occurred in Baltia. Following parliamentary elections in 1990, talks between political parties were unsuccessful leading the country to a period of 66 days unable to form a government, the longest in the history of the country. In January 1991, the conservative Berthold Lutz, supported by the CSU, managed to form a minority government. In June 1992, Lutz was defeated by and the government collapses. The President Leonard Meier, unable to call new elections by the approaching end of his mandate, decided to appoint a led by Johannes Pracht until new elections held in December.

At the same time, Baltia fell into a depression caused by a combination of, fixed currency, depressed Western, Soviet, and local markets. Stock market and housing prices declined by 50%. The growth in the 1980s was based on debt and defaults started rolling in GDP declined by 15% and increased from a virtual full employment to one fifth of the workforce. The crisis was amplified by trade unions' initial opposition to any reforms and the political crisis.

Balts rejected the adhession to the by referendum in October 1994. Weeks later, Prime Minister Martin Lasch lost a and resigns. The Deputy Prime Minister Andreas Taschner replaced Lasch as Prime Minister for just less than five months, until tensions between coalition partners and the lack of parliamentary support led to his resignation and new elections are called.

After signing the on 16 April 2003 and hold a referendum on 14 September 2003, Baltia was admitted to the  on 1 May 2004. In the same referendum, the population also approved take part into the. On 29 March 2004 Baltia joined. The NATO Summit 2006 was held in Riga.

The country adopted the euro as currency on 1 January 2011.

In 2014, Riga was the.

Geography
Baltia shares terrestrial borders with (851 km),  (616 km), Königsberg (227 km) and  (91 km). The total area of Baltia is 175,015 km², land area is 167,215 km² and water area is 7.800 km². The country lies between latitudes 53º and 59º N and longitudes 21º and 29º E. Baltia has a long, shallow coastline (4,382 km.) along the, with 1,520 islands dotting the northern shore of the country. The two largest islands are Ösel, at 2,673 km² and Dagö, at 989 km². The country's highest point, Grosse Eiberg (Big Egg Mountain), is in the hilly northeast and reaches 318 m. above sea level. There are more than 10,000 natural and artificial lakes in Baltia. The largest of them is Lake Peipus (Peipussee) (3,555 km²), forms much of the border between Baltia and. The second-largest is the Curonian Lake (Kurischsee) (1,619 km²), in the south, shared between Baltia and Königsberg. The third is Wirzsee (270 km²) in the centre-north of the country. The major rivers include the Döna, the Neman, the Wilia, the Livonian (Liflandisch), the Windau, the Scheschuppe, the Courlandish (Kurlandisch) and the Embach. Forests are the outstanding feature of Baltia, claiming 45% of the national territory.

Baltia has a (Dfb in the . Average temperatures in winter are reasonably mild, ranging from −2.5 °C in the coast of Memeland to −7.6 °C in northeastern in February, the coldest month. July temperatures range from 16 °C in Memel to 17.6 °C in Dönaburg. Baltia's proximity to the sea brings high levels of humidity and precipitation, with average annual precipitation of 656 millimeters. Heavy precipitation occurs, especially during harvest time in August and September. Snow occurs every year, it can be snowing from October to April. In some years sleet can fall in September or May. Baltia experienced a  in 2002, causing forest and peat bog fires. The country suffered, along with the rest of, a several  in the summer of 2006.

There are currently 14 national parks in Baltia, comprising a total area of 5,546 km². National parks of Baltia are managed by the Baltish Nature Authority (Naturbehörde) and owned by the state. The first national park established in Baltia was Buchtland National Park (Nationalpark Buchtland), created in 1971. It lies between Harrien-Jerwen Region and Vierland Region in the northern Baltic coast and 70 kilometers east from Reval. The largest natural park of Baltia is Livonian River National Park (Nationalpark Liflandisch Fluss), established in 1973 and with an area of 917,45 km². The park administration is based in Segewold, 53 kilometers northeast from Riga.

Politics
Baltia has been a  since 1 January 1921, when the Constitution came into force, except for the period of 1936-1940, when Karl Ulmer partially revoke the Constitution and for the period of 1940-1945, when the country was invaded by  and by. The political culture is stable in Baltia, where power is held between two and three parties that have been in politics for a long time. This situation is similar to other countries in. The current President of Baltia, Christine Kallenbach, has been the Baltia's representative in the from 2004 until 2016. The current Prime Minister is Jürgen Ratzlaff, who is the former Second Vice-President of the Landtag and the head of the Baltish People's Party.

Politics and government
The President of Baltia (Republikpräsident fon Baltia) is Baltia's. The President is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a term of six years with a maximum of two consecutive terms. The presidency is largely a, but the President does exercise certain functions like calling elections, promulgate or return the laws approved in the Landtag, appoints the Prime Minister and appoints the Cabinet ministers according to the advice of the Prime Minister, among others specified in the Constitution.

The Prime Minister of Baltia (Ministerpräsident fon Baltia) is Baltia's and is nominated by the President and approved by the Parliament, and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Chamber.

The is formed by the Council of Ministers (Ministerrat), the deliberative council of the Government of Baltia. The cabinet usually consists of 12 to 16 ministers and a varying number of state secretaries. The government, headed by the Prime Minister, thus represents the political leadership of the country and makes decisions in the name of the whole executive power.

The unicameral Baltish parliament, elected in on the basis of, has 190 members and influences the governing of the state primarily by determining the income and the expenses of the state (establishing taxes and adopting the budget). At the same time the Parliament has the right to present statements, declarations and appeals to the people of Baltia, ratify and denounce international treaties with other states and international organisations and decide on the Government loans.

The Landtag appoints, on the proposal of the President of Baltia, the Chairman of the Supreme Court, the chairman of the board of the Bank of Baltia, the Auditor General, the Chancellor of Justice and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. A member of the Landtag has the right to demand explanations from the Government of the Republic and its members. This enables the members of the Parliament to observe the activities of the executive power and the above-mentioned high officials of the state.

Legislative elections are held every four years, or sooner in case of a national Government collapses (for example: if a Prime Minister lost a, it must resign and a new cabinet must be formed or the President must dissolve the Parliament and snap elections are held).

Law
According to the Constitution of Baltia (Ferfassung fon Baltia) the supreme power of the state is vested in the people. The people exercise their supreme power of the state on the elections of the Landtag through citizens who have the right to vote. The supreme is vested in the Supreme Court (Staatsgerichtshof), with 19 justices. The Chairman of the Supreme Court is appointed by the Landtag for nine years on nomination by the President. The President of Baltia, who gives assent to the laws passed by the Landtag, also having the right of sending them back and proposing new laws. The Public Ministry, headed by the Chancellor of Justice, constitutes the independent body of public prosecutors.

Administrative divisions
Baltia is a divided into 15 first-level administrative regions (regionens). The regions are administrated through directly elected regional councils (regionalrat) who elect the Region President (Regionpräsident). Additionally, the President and Government are represented in every region by a Landhauptmann, who effectively acts as a Governor. The regions were created on 1 January 1982 to replace the 40 former counties.

The regions are sub-divided into 381 second-level municipalities (kommunens), which in turn are administrated by directly elected municipal council (kommunalrat), headed by a mayor (bürgmeister) and a small executive cabinet. Most of municipalities are also divided in parishes (ortschaftens), in the rural municipalities and in boroughs (bezirkens), in the urban municipalities, both without any official political responsibilities but are traditional subdivisions in Baltia.

Regional councils and municipal councils have different roles and separate responsibilities. ,, regional development and certain cultural institutions are administered by regional councils. Public water utilities, garbage disposal,, and support to people with  are administered by the municipalities.