Mitteleuropa

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Mitteleuropa is a German term approximately equal to Central Europe

The concept of Mitteleuropa may outside of Germany be best known for the policy of the Central Powers during World War I, that assumed the creation of several buffer states in Central Europe, liberated from Imperial Russia, and commonly viewed as puppet states. By their creation, growing dissent in the occupied areas could be answered, and resources needed to fight the war on the Western Front more efficiently could be spared.

The policy was realized after signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, in which Russia ceded most of the areas occupied by Germany and Austria-Hungary to the respective countries. Among the states thus created by the Central Powers were:

Most of the abovementioned countries liberated themselves after the collapse of Imperial Germany and Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I. Most of them soon gained international recognition and participated in signing of the Versailles Treaty as members of the Entente.