American Reacts The BALKANS Explained (Geography Now!)

[@GuitarOwnsDrums]

I once asked a Greek guy at uni to explain the Balkans to me. He said: "Everyone hates each other, and everyone hates the Turks"

[@draganmarkovic491]

But there are some exceptions, Serbs and Greeks love each other and Bosniak's(Muslims from Bosnia) don't hate the Turks

[@dinkopausic6357]

and gypsies

[@icsgg3607]

As a true Balkaner I can confirm that.

[@kristiyangrigorov5232]

We have very strange relationships on the balkans. We all love and hate each other at the same time :D@@draganmarkovic491

[@draganmarkovic491]

@@kristiyangrigorov5232 It's not that strange. It is all logical, countries and people groups have many unresolved issues, conflicting interests and some deep historical wounds which is where the "hate" comes from. But on a people, more individual level we like each other, especially abroad because we do have pretty similar cultures and life experiences, and abroad we have similar struggles and problems.

[@stanbatakarata6081]

All Balkans countries and peoples is good .Greeting from Bulgaria 🇧🇬

[@gladiusthrax4941]

on your question about Eastern Europe. I think that is a term which came about during the iron curtain cos you had 2 very distinct parts of Europe, politically. But culturally you cannot put for example Russia and Albania together. Therefore Eastern Europe is basically Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The other countries identify with other regions, like they always have, for many centuries

[@madhunter6420]

it is eastern europe

[@viktorbaraga4514]

Eastern Europe is a political construct which always comes in handy when history is being rewritten. If it was geographical then how is it, that driving from Croatian seaside ( East ) to Vienna ( West ) which is due east, Northeast. Dangerous subject for the area. Just to add another controversial, we should add new facts and debates on prehistoric Europe. According to these new claims The First Civilization in Europe started in the Balkans. Vinca, Danube civilization. The latest book which is scientifically approaching the issue. Harrald Haarmann, Danube Civilization. Interesting, but one needs to be as impartial as possible, to follow and learn. @@madhunter6420

[@jeboshifru]

Also because geography, because we're not in the east of europe.

[@cyrus8886]

16:16 Italian ia a latin langauge Slovene is slavic From two different branches

[@mariuslaurentiubarbu8396]

the " bowl " is called Transilvania, in Romania :)

[@timurlane4004]

Oh no he opened the Pandora's box

[@A_Name_]

Geo now? Or the Balkans 😂

[@666johnco]

If you look at the fact that Europe goes all the way to the Ural's the Poles are not wrong about being in Central Europe. It was only the Cold War that caused those states to be branded Eastern.

[@wewenang5167]

but they act like eastern European though that is why xD

[@nenadstefanovic779]

YUgoslavia actually was part of NAM not East nor West of the curtain. Check ur histories.

[@666johnco]

@@nenadstefanovic779 'Poles' I was talking about POLAND as was himself in part of the video commentary. ....Check the actual word written!!!!!!

[@Meveloon800]

This Guy is one of 4 People . (1) He is Pole (2)He has Polish Ancestory (3) Very Polish Influenced Friends Patriotic (4) American Discord Admin who wants to Prove some of them know more then US Canada and .........🤔 Taco Wall County.

[@draganmarkovic491]

Eastern Europe has it's reputation, some of it is justified some it's not. But it's kind of like this, when someone says South Europe people think of Spain, Italy, beaches, wine etc, Central Europe people think of Germany, Austria, rich countries, well organized etc, and Eastern Europe people think of Russia, Soviet Union, generally poorer part of Europe, for some reason people think it's unsafe, wild but actually it's safer then western Europe but that is the reputation or prejudice.

[@Pidalin]

The point is that countries were not called eastern europe before communism time and many Americans still use cold war maps and eastern block = eastern europe for them. Before internet started be more common, it would be really ridiculous when you would said for example Czechia is eastern europe, we never heard anyone saying that, but when we joined internet, you started see that rest of world is calling us eastern europe and that was really confusing, because for us, eastern europe is mostly just former USSR and not even all of those countries, it's mostly like difference between orthodox and catholic world, when you have all those gothic cathedrals and HRE emperors were siting in your country, it's really WTF moment when you realize that people call you eastern europe just because of few years of communism.

[@draganmarkovic491]

@@Pidalin Some consider germanic people as central europe and Slavic people as eastern. Those divisions vary as they can have different reasons and intentions, like geopolitical and geographical divisions are very different and various geopolitical angles of looking at things can make for very different divisions. Serbia can be categorised as southern, central and eastern Europe or southeastern even.

[@Pidalin]

@@draganmarkovic491 yes, because when you say slavic, they imagine just Russians

[@draganmarkovic491]

@@Pidalin There is also a thing about excluding Russia from Europe and looking at Europe that way Czechia might even be eastern Europe.

[@Pidalin]

@@draganmarkovic491 That's probably because of Russia was just far far away before 20th century, except few writers and music composers, most of people probably never heard about some Russia before Napoleonic wars. It was far away even for us even when it was not that far, but all bussines and cooperation was mainly with Germany and Austria.

[@jim-bob-outdoors]

Going back to Montenegro in September, its a great place. Great people, food and countryside.

[@Patrikch100]

Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland is Central Europe. You also have North, Central and South America.

[@tilenoblak7304]

And little Liechtenstein 🇱🇮!

[@Patrikch100]

@@tilenoblak7304 yes yes yes 💪💪

[@jeboshifru]

Slovenia is not central europe, they are both balkan and central europe. And Austrians have a saying that the Balkan beginnst in Austria, but that's just a joke, because we brought a lot of our mentality to Austria. The best explanation of Slovenia comes from Slavoj Žižek (google him): kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKino3ung79sotE

[@johnfrancismaglinchey4192]

No one is ashamed of Eastern Europe.

[@fabulouscat3911]

False, any country that can call itself not eastern European, does so. Nobody wants to be associated with Russia other than the Serbs, Armenians and Belarusians

[@Danielz09]

I am proud to be eastern european, i agree

[@g.santoro1387]

Latin was more the language of government and politics while greek had more first Language speakers and by being the largest language group in the eastern parts of the Roman empire greek was spoken by about half of the Balkan people most of Anatolians and even the Levant mesopotamia and egpyt as these countries had seen Hellenization since Alexanders conquest. Also Greek was sort of the language of schoolers across the empire and was basically a prestige language among Roman aristocrats. So it was the language of prestige, nobles, commerce and the eastern provinces.

[@BlazVeber69]

And we all now know English. A dumbed-down, German language. The "Empire" is still alive. Pozdrav iz Slovenije.

[@wewenang5167]

yeh common people in Roman empire spoke greek, Latin only spoken by the higher class and people who worked in the government. Its like French in england some time ago, the royals and nobles spoke French but common people spoke English xD

[@sallesekulic]

One thing everybody misses to say is that balkans has been the center of the world for 6000 years.... in last 1000 years that changed....and 100 years ago it started coming back ...... then last 50 years the world is holding us down .... because we where "China in Europe" and they would have had problem with Yugoslavia the same one they are having with China today ("Serious series serious punch" super-power powerhouse)... the shorthest history of balkans

[@eliasnjetski1146]

Slovenia is the best of those countries. ❤ Richest Most liberal Friendly towards its neighbours Greetings from Sweden (Not Switzerland) as some people mixes up our countries 😂. It's kind of hilarious though.

[@viktorbaraga4514]

Still better for public to mix Sweden and Switzerland than Slovenia and Sierra Leon. What do you think?

[@eliasnjetski1146]

@@viktorbaraga4514 Yes that is true though..

[@zuzu6864]

I'm from Slovenia. It's kinda funny what kind of 'reputation' we have, but anyways. To answer your question, even though Slovenia and Italy are right next to each other, our languages are nowhere near close. Italian is a romance language, while Slovenian is a Slavic one. It also said in the video how Slovenian is hard to understand by other Slavic people (Bosnians, Serbians, Croats), which it is, but it's kinda different the other way around. We can actually understand them pretty well, which is kinda fun. Anyway, I was under the impression that Kosovo was Albania, mainly because everyone I know from there is Albanian, but I have learned long ago the kind of dispute Serbia and Albania have over Kosovo.

[@delmaticodsh5281]

Thanks to react to this video

[@RuiCBGLima]

14:57 yes they did started... Serbias was like that old dude releasing the arrow in the battle of the Hornbug in The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers, initiating the batte

[@paulharrison9030]

I think you were thinking about the Carpathians.

[@mooniescreamer]

You want a story about fighting in comments, Balkans related? Quote: "I was watching some video on Pornhub, and below, in the comments, a Serb and Croat is arguing who started the war. For f***'s sake is there anything sacred to you?"

[@vedranjurisa]

This made me laugh!

[@capcarap9094]

what westerners consider eastern Europe is technically split in this way:eastern Europe is just Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania and Hungary Central Europe would be Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia(mostly) South-East is Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia - Kosovo, North Macedonia and Greece....again there is other distinction as why southern Europe such as Slovenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia - Kosovo, North Macedonia would not consider them selves as eastern Europe due to political split after WW2, these countries were not under Iron Curtain-Soviet Union where was harsh Soviet communism

[@RudinBrodic]

Actually all the Balkan people generally understand each other except Albanians and Greeks. Albanians with the help of NATO banished most of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohia and now they claim it's their land. In fact it's the cradle of Serbian nation.

[@shabagge]

Bull shit. The cradle of your people, is in Bosnia and Herzegowina, you came in the 13 century to kosovo. Learn your history better.

[@RudinBrodic]

@@shabagge Šabane.

[@Αμαρντα]

And russia helped serbia

[@paulmellon7598]

Hey Conner/Connor? ... we need more people like you who "like to learn stuff." I think a lot of the modern day bewilderment stems from the inhabitants of this huge geographical area being historically nomadic people, who have been penned in by external (WW1 & 2) forces and coerced into living within political/religious borders that were not of their choosing. Might the Native American experience help with understanding ...? I honestly don't know, but I like to learn stuff too, so just a thought ...

[@dinkopausic6357]

The last nomadic people in the Balkans were the Slavs who settled here over 1000 years ago. Even back then you already had cities that were millenia old. So nomadic is out of place here, tribalist fits better. Because of the rugged landscape, communities were more separated from each other, which resulted in a tribalist mentality that causes the problems we still have nowadays

[@paulmellon7598]

@@dinkopausic6357 Thank you so much for your reply. I have no dispute with your thoughts, nor wish to have any disagreement. As evidenced this week, temperatures can influence peoples' movement.

[@jeboshifru]

Why is it that nobody from Balkans wants to be called Eastern Europe? Because we know geography, man, and we know what east means.

[@georgekoul]

During the Roman Empire Ancient Greek was the main language of the Empire. It was spoken by the majority of the conquered nations into the Empire than the Latin. Even the Romans Emperors known ancient Greek,and this was because of Alexander's the Great conquests, so the Romans adopted also the Greek language into the Empire and the architecture and the Greek alphabet and words on their language.

[@viktorbaraga4514]

This is new to me. I understand that Greek was the basis to develop Latin. There must have been some people living in the territory of modern Greece. What language was used among them?

[@PeoplecallmeLucifer]

8:25 funny you mention new Zealand because there is a major Croatian expat community there

[@matyy_.]

generally no1 wants to be called eastern european because we associating eastern europe with russia and the USSR and communism and occupation and so on thats why no1 who had to deal with comunism dont want to be called that but balkans they were ally of soviet union back in the day as yugoslavia tey had relations but never were like under their influence like Poland, Czechoslovakia Romania and so on. There was something like comunism but in balkan way lets say. But geography is simple some1 below said it who is central who west who south its just how it is on the map

[@vedranjurisa]

I must say I don't understand countries without controversy

[@nikoladd]

Actually Bulgarians can understand Serbian rather well. The reverse is less so. The fact that most of today's Serbia was part of the First Bulgarian Empire at the time the Bulgarian literary language was created may have something to do with that.

[@borapetrovic1957]

yeah i mean we Serbs can understand macedonians so we can also understand bulgarians but a litle bit harder

[@CheefCoach]

It have nothing to do with that. Both languages are south Slavic languages and have common root.

[@mildandbitter]

Now basically all you need to know is that people in the Balkans don't get on.

[@matijamaksan4344]

Poland calling itself Central Europe is totally understandable because it is in centre of Europe. Romania not wanting to be called Eastern nor Balkan is weird tho.

[@Xayidee]

Only Dobrogea is part of the Balkan peninsula (the bit next to the Black Sea), the rest of the country is: Transilvania + Banat (central), Moldova (eastern) and Oltenia + Muntenia (southern).

[@mirkozlikovski9553]

no one in Balkans and the rest of Slavic countries does not likes to be called "east European" because geographically the eastern border of European continent goes from the northern shore of Caspian sea in Kazakhstan almost to the Novaya Zemlya in the Arctic Barents sea.... so, "eastern Europe" is by large part covered by Russia, while the rest gets occupied by half of Belarus, half of Ukraine and part of Kazakhstan... "east, west, north and south" are geographical terms, despite the fact that "east and west" got political connotation in last 50-70 years...

[@aleksazivkovic2792]

I believe that 3 presidents have to be unanimous to get the decision

[@A_Name_]

@1:55 Montenegro

[@CheefCoach]

On your question of East Europe is just geography man. If you take a map of Europe, and if you know where are the borders of Europe (hint: they are on Ural mountains), you would notice that Poland is in dead center. Today Russia is having around 1/3 of Europe territory. So East Europe is generally ex Soviet Union. Poland, Germany and small countries down to them are central Europe. France and UK are western Europe. Scandinavian are north. Balkans, Apennines and Iberia peninsulas are south Europe. Border of Balkans are Sava and Danube river.

[@petrosskarlatidis9577]

Kosovo is the first area where Slavs (not Serbs, Slavs in general) settle south of the Danube. The Albanians are an ancient branch, but until 200 years ago they had no written language, nor a state. The Romans refer to the area of ​​today's Albania as "Illyria Graeca" and not illyria Albania or something like that. Slovenians are Balkans, because they are Slavs, if you deny their origin and wish to be characterized as central European because of their country's position, it is their right. Romanians are the inhabitants of Wallachia and speak a language influenced by "common Latin". The guy who made the video should do better research.

[@bulgariannationalist5719]

Bulgaria🇧🇬

[@silviahannak3213]

How can Italian (latin) understand a slavic language? Doesn't make sense but i would like to know if this is possible or not.

[@CheefCoach]

It is not. But some Slavic languages accepted some Latin based words, and Italian language accepted a lot of Latin words, so they are some overlapping in dictionaries.

[@vedranjurisa]

Not possible, unless you are born and raised in Serbia, particularly in Voivodia and you entity is Romanian hahhahahaha

[@vedranjurisa]

@@CheefCoach Stop with the bs most of the languages have Latin roots but understand shit of the Italian!

[@LauraArniman]

3:40 because of post WW II history.When u speak about "eastern european" most Americans and other ppl from world first thought is poor communist countries, or "part of soviet uninon" that is why....

[@williambranch4283]

Arak is ME moonshine, also drunk in the Balkans. Illyria and Dalmatia (aka Yugoslavia) and Bulgaria and European Turkey (aka Thrace) were the bad boys in ancient times. The Hungarian plains were usually held by nomad tribes. Of course Greece was cool ;-) Europe is about ethnicity (after expelling the Ottomans), not race, until recently.

[@alessandrodolce5118]

1:49 Montenegro

[@BuXnAMaN]

Romania is Balkan in many ways .

[@elconocido1994]

pleace react south america explained :3

[@Hatris2000]

Slovenia is central Europe... that concept of Eastern Europe is all because of the Iron curtain and frankly does not make much sense a part if the country is really in the east.

[@FreethoughtsOnline]

Kosovo...a NATO base that calls itself a country

[@ВојиславРистић]

balkan is biger.

[@manosdd378]

macedonians country greek

[@BlazVeber69]

Slovenian here!

[@djorovicsix]

This man talks so superficially about countries which he obviously has no knowledge of history, after all, it is so typically American.America stole Kosovo from Serbia so they could steal resources and ores, they should tell people that, let them know the truth.

[@knudplesner]

So you like the red and yellow flag at 7:58 : da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sk%C3%A5ne

[@knudplesner]

So you like the red and yellow flag: sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sk%C3%A5nska_flaggan#/media/Fil:Sk%C3%A5nes_flagga.jpg