ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bessarabia Germans

Well kiddo, Bessarabia is a place in Eastern Europe where a lot of Germans used to live long ago. These Germans were known as Bessarabia Germans because they lived in Bessarabia.

A long time ago, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Bessarabia was a part of the Russian Empire. The Russian Empress, Catherine the Great, invited Germans to come and settle in Bessarabia because she wanted to develop the area. So many Germans moved there and started farming and making their homes.

These Bessarabia Germans had their own language, culture, and traditions. They lived in their own communities and schools, and were very proud of their heritage.

But things changed in the 20th century. Bessarabia became a part of Romania, and later on, the Soviet Union. During World War II, many of the Bessarabia Germans were deported by the Soviet authorities, and many of them died in forced labor camps.

Today, there are still some Bessarabia Germans living in Bessarabia, but most of them have moved away or assimilated into other cultures. But their legacy lives on, and their story is an important part of Eastern European history.