Quote Originally Posted by jon1959 View Post
I wish I'd followed your advice earlier.... just after his reference to 'irredentism' showed where the thread was going.
Did it? Where did you think it was going?

In the 19th century there was no standard German language, with many different dialects and varieties. Plaatdeutsch/nedersachsen is an altogether different language spoken today by millions.

Even today parts of Germany have different identities: Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich....