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| German warrior |
The Germans were an important Teutonic race inhabiting central Europe. The
people were known to the Romans as Germani. At the beginning of our era
the Germani, or Germans, occupied central Europe from the Vistula and
the Carpathians on the east to a point westward of the Rhine. During the
third and fourth centuries many German tribes migrated. The
Vandals settled in Spain and now form a part of the Spanish people. The
Lombards settled in the valley of the Po and were absorbed by the
Italians. The Franks and the Burgundians contributed to the present
population of France. The Germans were forced from a part of their
territory by the Slavs, who broke over the Carpathian barriers.
Descendants of the ancient Germans formed the great majority of the
German Empire. About one-fourth of the inhabitants of Austria- Hungary
were Germans. The Baltic provinces of Russia contain about a million
Germans. Two-thirds of Switzerland is inhabited by people of Germanic
race and language.
