Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Hoffmann, Max, 1869–1927, German general in World War I. A brilliant strategist, he contributed to the German victory over the Russians at Tannenberg and in 1916 became chief of staff of the eastern...

(Encyclopedia) Three Emperors' League, informal alliance among Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia, announced officially in 1872 on the occasion of the meeting of emperors Francis Joseph, William I, and Alexander I...

(Encyclopedia) Ehrenburg, Ilya Grigoryevich ēlyäˈ grĭgôrˈyəvĭch āˈrənbo͝ork [key], 1891–1967, Russian journalist and novelist, whose name is also spelled Erenburg. He wandered throughout Western Europe...

(Encyclopedia) Medveditsa mĭdvĕˈdyĭtsə [key], river, c.430 mi (690 km) long, SE European Russia. It rises NW of Volsk, flows roughly parallel to the Volga past Petrovsk, and empties into the Don River near Sera...

(Encyclopedia) Telpos-Iz tyĭlpôsˈ-ēs [key], peak 5,304 ft (1,617 m) high, NE European Russia, in the N Urals. It was thought to be the highest in the Urals until the discovery of Naroda peak. ...

(Encyclopedia) Severodvinsk syĕˈvĕrŏdvinsk [key], city (1989 pop. 249,000), NW European Russia, on the Dvina Bay of the White Sea. The main industries are shipbuilding, lumbering, and transshipment. It is a base...

(Encyclopedia) Ashton, Sir Frederick, 1904–88, British choreographer and dancer, b. Guayaquil, Ecuador. He grew up in Peru and was drawn to dance after seeing (1917) a performance by Anna Pavlova there. Traveling ...

(Encyclopedia) John II (John Casimir), 1609–72, king of Poland (1648–68), son of Sigismund III. He was elected to succeed his brother, Ladislaus IV. The turbulent period of his reign is known in Polish history a...

(Encyclopedia) Chmielnicki, Khmelnytskyy or Khmelnitsky, Bohdan all: bəkhdänˈ khmĕlnētˈskē [key], c.1595–1657, hetman (leader) of Ukraine. An educated member of the Ukrainian gentry, he early joined the Ukr...

(Encyclopedia) Harbin härˈbĭn [key], Rus. Kharbin, city (1994 est. pop. 2,505,200), capital of Heilongjiang prov., China, on the Songhua River. It is the major trade and communications center of central Manchuria...