[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] villages and houses in Volhynia

[Gilbert A Stelter]

- Gil Stelter in Guelph, Ontario

    I wonder if anyone in this group has studied, or knows of studies of village form and house architecture in the German colonies in Volhynia and Poland. My wife and I have just returned from a very enjoyable tour with the indomitable Don Miller, whom most of you know. We were also fortunate to have my cousin Jim and his wife Sandra as part of the group and their knowledge of the Volga Germans was really helpful.
    I was struck by the variable character of the village form in Volhynia. Some villages were of the old medieval, linear type, while others were quite scattered. Who made the decision about the land arrangment? Was it the Polish noblemen about which I know nothing?
    And the older houses were all of a particular type, perhaps based on the older forms of western Europe, with short, squared logs laid horizontally between vertical posts. This form was actually common in New France and was used by the fur traders in Western Canada. 
    Those of you who have been in Volhynia may have answers to my questions.



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From: Gilbert A Stelter <gstelter at uoguelph.ca>
Subject: village form and house architecture in Volhynia and Poland
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:31:25 -0400 (EDT)
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