[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Free English language book on German villages in Mazovia

[Worth Anderson]

In 2004, Polish historian Jerzy Szalygin published in Polish, "Catalogue of monuments of Dutch Colonization in Mazovia."  This book lists alphabetically each German village, usually with a map excerpt to show the location, and information (often with pictures) on any surviving pre-War German buildings.  The excerpt for Rakowo appears at the bottom of this e-mail, to give a flavor of the information.

I thought this was an amazing source when I first learned about it, but it gets better.  Szalygin's book has been translated into English, and is available as a free download at: <http://holland.org.pl/art.php?kat=art&dzial=ogolne&id=ebook&lang=en>.  While you're at the website, poke around; it is full of interesting information.

Worth

RAKOWO, gm. Mala Wies, pow. plocki, woj. mazowieckie Rakowo - Mapa Gilly-Crona - 1796, Mapa Gilly - 1803, Mapa Kwatermistrzostwa - 1830, Mapa Chrzanowskiego - 1848)
The village was mentioned for the first time in 1426. It was settled by the Dutch colonists at the end of the 18th century. In 1888, it had 25 houses, 311 residents, and 701 morga of land (including 107 morga of wasteland). It also had a watermill.  Rakowo is a linear village located on the northern side of the Vistula, to the south of the Zakroczym - Plock road, along an east-west line, and to the west of the village of Drwaly. The homesteds are built on a rectangular plan with the longer side adjoining the village road on both southern and northern sides.
The cultural landscape is very well preserved with a detectable field layout and willows planted on balks.  Majority of homesteads are situated on man-made hillocks with driveways running perpendicularly to the main road. Trees and bushes are still present on the eastern side. Several examples of traditional Dutch buildings have survived including the cemetery.