Sudeten Germans

The Sudeten Germans were ethnic Germans living in the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia, mainly along the border areas. Historically part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they maintained their language and culture. After World War I, Czechoslovakia became an independent country, and tensions arose between the Czech government and the Sudeten Germans, who sought greater autonomy or reunification with Germany. These tensions contributed to political instability and were exploited by Nazi Germany in the 1930s, leading to the annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938. After World War II, most Sudeten Germans were expelled from Czechoslovakia.