Abstract
Latvia and Estonia are now experiencing a situation, which is recognized as unique in Europe. Their populations are multi-ethnic due to their history, and a significant part of their national minorities does not hold citizenship. This explains the fact that many studies and research papers are produced about the Russian minorities in these countries. On the contrary, only a few works study their German minorities, mainly because of the small numbers of those who are left. Yet, we must bear in mind that the Baltic Germans stayed in the region for 700 years, from the end of the 12th century to WWII. As a consequence, they had undoubtedly a strong influence on its history. This phenomenon can now be the subject of a simple sightseeing tour, and the fact of walking in the streets of the old towns of Riga and Tallinn makes us uncover a clear heritage from the Baltic German merchants from the Hanseatic League. From the very first sight, it seems that the legacy of the Baltic Germans is an element of definition for Estonia and Latvia, as an inherent part of their cultural patrimonies.
