[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Germans speaking Polish

[Posnsrch at aol.com]

         Subject: Re: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia]  Germans speaking Polish  Date: 
10/31/2005 11:08:05 P.M. Central Standard  Time  From: _Posnsrch_ 
(mailto:Posnsrch)    
          To: _albertr7 at juno.com_ (mailto:albertr7 at juno.com) , 
_ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org_ (mailto:ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org) 
 


Hi Al,
How very interesting. Thank you so much for sharing what their lives were  
like "back then" and a bit of history. I couldn't see if you posted this on  the 
list, but if you don't think it is too personal, what a  wonderful story for 
others to read. 
Nellie, a  68-yr-old root digger

 
In a message dated 11/1/2005 7:46:57 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
albertr7 at juno.com writes:
Hi.
I'm glad you enjoyed reading it.  No, I don't think it is too  personal. You 
may forward it to the list if you would like to do that.
Al.

 
Here is Al's story of his family:
 


Hi Nellie,
 
Yes, my great-grandfather Samuel Schultz was well to do.  They lived  in 
Russian-Poland in what was called Congress Poland, so most of their  neighbors 
were either Germanic or Polish.  Grandmother said it was her  grandfather (my 
great-great-grandfather) who had acquired a great deal of money  which he gave to 
each of his sons.   Grandmother said they had  hired servants working in 
their home.  In fact a young servant girl used to  share her room as she was 
growing up.  The village where they lived is  devoted to farming and not much else. 
Even though they were farmers they  were rather prosperous, and controlled a 
large acreage perhaps. Samuel was  the village magistrate and had the 
unpleasant task of rounding up young men to  be conscripted into the Russian army.  My 
grandmother was disinherited  because she insisted on joining the Baptist 
religion, which is one reason she  married my grandfather who was one of the 
servants (a farmhand) in  Poland.  As soon as they could they came to America to 
make a more  prosperous life.  
 
I think my great-grandfather Samuel spoke some Russian as he had to deal  
with the Russian government officials.  My grandmother had a dislike for  the 
Russians because of the corrupt nature of the Czarist government.  She  said she 
felt the Poles would be better off if they were not under Russian  control.  
Grandmother came to America in 1887 but wrote letters home all  through the 
years.  After 1918 she found out the Russians had taken  the male villagers deep 
into Russia.  This was very hard on her father  Samuel although he survived 
and returned to his home where he died.   Grandmother told us that he lost most 
of his money as the result of the war  (1914-1918), but I don't know more than 
that.
 
So I had 2 grandparents born in Russian-Poland, and 1 grandfather born in  
Russia.  My maternal grandmother born in America had parents from  Russia.  My 
maternal grandfather was a German Mennonite in South Russia  (now called 
Ukraine), he could speak read and write both German and Russian  because they had to 
learn this in school.  He left Russia in 1902.   Yes even though they lived 
in isolated colonies they had contacts with certain  Russians and Ukrainians.  
My grandfather David died in 1976 at age  98.  So he remembered the old times 
in Russia.  He said he knew of a  German man who had an affair with a 
Ukrainian.  When she became  pregnant the fellow had to go to her family with a large 
wagon full of  gifts to buy them off because he did not want to marry her.  
Normally,  though they did not have close relationships with the non-German  
population.  Especially, for my grandfather as his religion was very  important 
to him.  Even in Canada and America he lived in communities where  there was a 
Mennonite church and people of his own background.  Up until  about 1960 in 
our little town I used to hear Low German dialect spoken.   Unfortunately, I 
never spoke it myself, but I recognized it as different from  the High German.  
My mother died when I was young, and father never spoke  German at home, 
because he wanted me to be completely American.  Although  he told me over and over 
again that I was German.
 
Well I hope I answered a couple of questions,
Al.