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The presence of German-speaking populations in Central and Eastern Europe is rooted in centuries of history, with the settling in northeastern Europe of Germanic peoples predating even the founding of the Roman Empire. The presence of the independent German states in the region (particularly Prussia), and later the German Empire and also in other multi-ethnic countries, such as Austria-Hungary, Poland, Imperial Russia, etc., demonstrates the extent and duration of German-speaking settlements. In the German language the German populations in these parts of Europe are commonly referred to as ''Volksdeutsche''. The number of ethnic Germans in Central and Eastern Europe dropped dramatically as the result of the German flight and expulsion from Central and Eastern Europe. There are still a substantial number of ethnic Germans in the countries that are now Germany and Austria's neighbors to the east—Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia. In addition, there are or have been significant populations in such areas as Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan. ==Early Middle Ages settlement area== In the early Middle Ages, Charlemagne had subdued a variety of Germanic peoples in Central Europe dwelling in an area roughly bordered by the Alps in the South, the Vosges Mountains in the West, the North Sea and Elbe River in the North and the Saale River in the East. These inhomogeneous Germanic peoples comprised several tribes and groups who either formed, stayed or migrated into this area during the Migration Period. After the Carolingian Empire was divided, these people found themselves in the eastern part, known as East Francia or ''Regnum Teutonicum'', and over time became known as Germans. The area was divided into the stem duchies of Swabia (Alamannia), Franconia, Saxony and Bavaria (including Carinthia). Later, the Holy Roman Empire would be constituted largely, but not exclusively of these regions. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「History of German settlement in Central and Eastern Europe」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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