[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Origin of Germans in the Sompolno

[William Remus]

> From: "Christian Lucht" <christianlucht at googlemail.com>
> Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Orgin of Germans in the Sompolno,
> 	Chodecz area
> To: ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org
> Message-ID: <be19f8f60603081721u6a09a5d7x at mail.gmail.com>
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> 
> I was wondering if someone would know where the German settlers 
> in the
> Sompolno and Chodecz area originally came from (which part or cities
> of Germany) as well as when they settled there.
> Thank you, Christian Lucht
> 
For many settlers, there is a long story here - so here is a quick and simple general  answer. 

It starts with the three partitions of Poland. After the first partition in 1772, it was clear to the Prussians that the newly acquired land would be more manageable with there were additional German settlers there. So settlers were recruited from areas of war and famine like Wurtemburg ins SW Germany (a frequent site of French occupation); others came in from nearby Neumark and Saxony/Silesia. Since the area near Poznan which was gained in the first partition was suitable for clothmaking (flax farming in sandy soil, linen and lace making), many of these people were clothmakers and weavers. For example, my Bidermanns now located near LeDuc AB, were from Brittheim just south of Stuttgart. My Hoffmanns and Lehmanns were also from that region. These groups ended up in places like Skokken and Kolmar north of Poznan and Labischen east of Poznan (and generally all around Poznan).

The second and third partitions led to more land for Prussia and more movement out of first partition land to the new land plus more inflow from Germany proper.

Napolean occupied the whole area from about 1806 to 1814 and set up a Duchy of Warsaw to administer a chunk of central Poland (the head of the Duchy was from Saxony). Then when Napolean was beaten, Poland was redivided giving Russia more of Poland. These changes led both to opportunities for better land but sometimes caused the German settlers to be suddenly in Russian territory.

So on Sampolno I think I recall movement into that area starting just prior to Napolean with continued German populations until the first Volhynia migration of 1833 (prompted by a Polish uprising in Russian Poland and economic opportunity in Volhynia) and greater migrations in the 1860's (prompted by another uprising in Russian Poland and even greater economic opportunity). For those in the Rawa area of Poland administered by Prussia after the third partition, they found themselves suddenly in Russian Poland.

So I would try to find them around Poznan like Labischen and Kolmar - and see then if you can get them back to likely Wurtemburg, Neumark, and Saxony/Silesia. The family names will give you a clue. Look for the region associated with your family names.

Regards bill remus
Remus from Saxony via Volhynia and West Prussia
Lehmann, Hoffmann, and Bidermann from southern Germany like Wurtemburg via Volhynia 
Radkes from northern Germany (note the -ke ending) via Volhynia 
Poll from Vorpommern (this is said to be a Scottish name) direct to the US
Lieverenz from Vorpommern direct to the US
Holzhauer from Hesse direct to the US
Haarwardt from unknown parts (any guesses?)