Editing Masurians (section)

{{short description|Lechitic ethnic group of northeastern Poland}}
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{{Expand Polish|topic=gov|fa=yes|date=January 2017}}
{{Expand German|topic=gov|fa=yes|date=January 2017}}
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{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Masurians
| native_name      = Mazurzy <small>([[Polish language|Polish]])</small>
Mazurzÿ <small>([[Masurian dialects|Masurian]])</small>
| native_name_lang = [[Polish language|Polish]] Masurian
| image            = Flag of Masurians.svg
| image_caption    = [[Flag of Masuria]]
| image_alt        = 
| total            = 5,000–15,000
| total_year       = 
| total_source     = 
| total_ref        = 
| genealogy        = 
| regions          = [[Poland]] ([[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship]])<br>[[Germany]]
| languages        = [[Polish language|Polish]] ([[Masurian dialects]]), [[German language|German]] ([[High German languages|High German dialects]])
| religions        = [[Lutheranism]]
| related_groups   = [[Polish people|Poles]], [[Masovians]], [[Kurpie]]s
| footnotes        = 
}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-P017317, Ostpreußen, Masurisches Bauernhaus.jpg|thumb|right|300px| Typical Masurian farmhouse near a lake, [[East Prussia]], 1931]]
The '''Masurians''' or '''Mazurs''' ({{langx|pl|Mazurzy}}; {{langx|de|Masuren}}; [[Masurian dialects|Masurian]]: ''Mazurÿ''), historically also known as '''Prussian Masurians''' ([[Polish language|Polish]]: ''Mazurzy pruscy''), are an [[ethnic group]] originating from the region of [[Masuria]], within the [[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship]], [[Poland]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szatkowski |first=Piotr |date=2017-07-13 |title=Mazurska krew czy mazurski duch? Co dziś znaczy "być Mazurem"? |url=https://przegladbaltycki.pl/5346,mazurska-krew-mazurski-duch-dzis-znaczy-byc-mazurem.html |access-date=2023-01-20 |language=pl-PL}}</ref> They number around 5,000–15,000 people. In the 2011 Polish census, 1,376 individuals declared themselves to be Masurian as either a first or a secondary identification. Before [[World War II]] and its [[Expulsions of Germans|post-war expulsions]], Masurians used to be a more numerous ethnic group found in the southern parts of [[East Prussia]] for centuries following the 16th century [[Protestant Reformation]]. Today, most Masurians live in what is now [[Germany]] and elsewhere.

Masurians are mostly descendants of colonists from [[Mazovia]], but many of them have their roots in [[Germany]], [[Lithuania]], [[France]], [[Austria]], [[Scotland]], the [[Netherlands]] and [[Russia]]. Some research also indicate the admixture of the remains of the [[Old Prussians]].<ref>[https://projekty.ncn.gov.pl/opisy/485179-en.pdf Piotr Szatkowski: Masurians – the disappearing testimony of the linguistic past of the Polish-German borderland. The contemporary language practices of descendants of the native population of Masuria]</ref> These settlers moved to the [[Duchy of Prussia]] during and after the [[Protestant Reformation]]. They spoke the [[Masurian dialects]]. Since the mid-19th century, [[High German]] was increasingly used among Masurians as opposed to [[Low German]] used by most of East Prussia's German population. Many Masurians were often [[bilingual]] in German and Polish languages. In the 19th century, the [[Masuria]] region of [[East Prussia]] was named after the Masurians.

Like most of the East Prussian population, they favored [[Protestantism]] and adopted [[Lutheranism]] in 1525 when [[Albert, Duke of Prussia]] secularized the duchy and converted. [[Roman Catholic]] [[Warmiaks]] and [[Masovians]] were not affected, as they inhabited parts that formally belonged to the [[Kingdom of Poland]].

After [[World War II]], many Masurians were classified as [[Germans]] and therefore [[expulsion of Germans after World War II|mostly expelled along with them]] or [[Emigration from Poland to Germany after World War II|emigrated after 1956 from what was now Poland]] to [[Allied-occupied Germany|post-war Germany]]. Although most of them left for the [[West Germany|West]], some also ended up in [[East Germany]]. Conclusion of the war and ensuing resettlements saw an ethnic conflict between leaving Masurians and incoming [[Kurpie]] mainly on religious (Protestant–Catholic) grounds.