This older view is represented by mid 20th-century proposals to assume the existence by 250 BC of five general groups to be distinguishable: North Germanic in Southern Scandinavia excluding Jutland; North Sea Germanic along the middle Rhine and Jutland; Rhine-Weser Germanic; Elbe Germanic; and East Germanic.
In the mid-20th century, there were proposals that by 250 BC, five distinct groups of people existed: those in Southern Scandinavia excluding Jutland (North Germanic); those along the middle Rhine and Jutland (North Sea Germanic); those in the Rhine-Weser region; those in the Elbe region; and those in the East.