I had to think of Ferdinand von Wrangel, the famous German-Baltic governor of Russian Alaska, when the former Russian Alaska was repeatedly referred to in the Russian media recently. For example, the chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, recently threatened the USA: “Alaska used to be Russia”. “We are going to the final battle for Crimea and Alaska… …from the Kuril Islands to the Baltic coasts…We are going to the last battle for Crimea and Alaska. Children sing that they are ready to go to the last battle – for the Crimea, Alaska, “from the Kuril Islands to the Baltic coasts…”. Ferdinand v. Wrangell vehemently but unsuccessfully opposed the Alaska sale.