Ostmark: Difference between revisions
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==Use of the term during the Middle Ages?== |
==Use of the term during the Middle Ages?== |
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It is often thought that this term was used in [[Carolingian]] times and during the early [[middle ages]] for |
It is often thought that this term was used in [[Carolingian]] times and during the early [[middle ages]] for the core territory of Austria, more or less modern [[Lower Austria]]. However, this German-language term in not ascertained in any documents written in that time, but only the Latin form ''Marchia orientalis'', as almost all documents were written in [[Latin]]. |
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The famous [[Ostarrichi]] document of [[996]] describes the march ruled by the [[Babenberg]] family since [[976]] as ''regione vulgari vocabulo Ostarrichi'', i.e. the region known as ''Ostarrichi'' (Eastern Realm) in the [[vernacular]]. It is therefore thought that the term ''Ostarrichi'' was the actual translation used for the territory at that time and thus became the linguistic ancestor of the German name for Austria, ''Österreich''. |
The famous [[Ostarrichi]] document of [[996]] describes the march ruled by the [[Babenberg]] family since [[976]] as ''regione vulgari vocabulo Ostarrichi'', i.e. the region known as ''Ostarrichi'' (Eastern Realm) in the [[vernacular]]. It is therefore thought that the term ''Ostarrichi'' was the actual translation used for the territory at that time and thus became the linguistic ancestor of the German name for Austria, ''Österreich''. |
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Revision as of 13:16, 5 February 2005
- This page is about medieval Austria. For East German currency, see East German mark
Ostmark ("Eastern March") is a German term used in certain historical periods for Austria.
Use of the term during the Middle Ages?
It is often thought that this term was used in Carolingian times and during the early middle ages for the core territory of Austria, more or less modern Lower Austria. However, this German-language term in not ascertained in any documents written in that time, but only the Latin form Marchia orientalis, as almost all documents were written in Latin. The famous Ostarrichi document of 996 describes the march ruled by the Babenberg family since 976 as regione vulgari vocabulo Ostarrichi, i.e. the region known as Ostarrichi (Eastern Realm) in the vernacular. It is therefore thought that the term Ostarrichi was the actual translation used for the territory at that time and thus became the linguistic ancestor of the German name for Austria, Österreich.
The Margraviate of Austria was one of the Eastern border areas of the Holy Roman Empire during the early middle ages. In Charlemagne's time, much what is today Eastern and Central Austria was populated by Slavs (as well as most of Eastern Germany, where pockets of Sorbs remain to this day), who had migrated to the area at the end of the Völkerwanderung and mixed with the Celtic population of antiquity. However, during the 800s and 900s, Germanic settlers began to expand eastward along the Danube and into the Alps from the Duchy of Bavaria. The Margraviate of Austria, and the Duchies of Styria and Carninthia (the letter two characterized by partly Slavic populations) developed from this. Austria was elavated to a duchy independent from Bavaria only in the Privilegium Minus of 1156.
19th and 20th Century use of the term
The term "Ostmark" itself, a concise, but unhistoric 19th century translation of marchia orientalis, was revived by the Nazis after the Anschluss of Austria in 1938, as they wanted to purge any Austrian identity separate from the Altreich. In 1942, the term was officially replaced by Alpen- und Donaugaue (Alpine and Danube Territories) in order to avoid any connotation of Austrian particularity and specific relationship between the territories making up Austria.