Resources on Mennonites of the Vistula valley
Archival resources:
- Scanned versions of Vistula Mennonite church records. (Thanks to James Shaw of Hutchinson, Kansas, for major help with this scanning project.)
- Digitalisierte Kirchenbücher aus Preussen in der Mennonitischer Forschungsstelle Weierhof (in German) useful reference about church books, including some transcriptions
- Mennonite Documents from Prussia/Poland (MLA.V.18), a large collection of various Vistula Mennonite documents--some original, some photocopied. Many came from the "sea-going cowboys" who visited the Gdansk area right after World War 2
- Galician Mennonite church books (not Vistula Delta, but was part of Poland off and on over the years)
- Deutsch-Kazun records
- Deutsch-Wymysle records
- Links related to Low German Volhynians
- Vistula Mennonite history sources (includes archival guides, transcribed documents, and less common secondary sources) (compiled by John D. Thiesen)
- West Prussian Property Records from Polish Archives, compiled by Glenn Penner
- Graudenz and Schwetz land records
- Danzig 1806 Choralbuch (manuscript organ accompaniment book)
- Huldigungsliste: list of persons (including Mennonites) present in 1772 in Marienburg/Malbork at the ceremony formally recognizing the Prussian king's takeover of Royal Prussia (MS Word document)
- Namenliste der Danziger Mennoniten 1665; from the Gdansk archives, APG 300,10 nr. 37; microfilmed in 1963. There's another scan from a different copy of the microfilm, which may or may not be better quality. Someone ought to transcribe this whole thing sometime.
- Catalogus frembder Mennonisten, so allhie eigenen Rauch halten, 1650; from the Gdansk archives, APG 300,10 nr. 27; microfilmed in 1963. There's another scan from a different copy of the microfilm, which may or may not be better quality. Someone ought to transcribe this whole thing sometime. There is an article here by Horst Penner (originally from Mennonitische Geschichtsblätter 1967) about this document, including a list of names, but it appears there is a lot more text in the original document than is transcribed in the article. Penner dates the list to 1661, which seems more likely than 1650.
- Records of Kriegs- und Domänenkammer Marienwerder (Gdansk archives APG 8)
- file unit 403, "Abschriften von Privilegien und Verschreibungen über Ortschaften des Amtes Tiegenhof welche bei Aufstellung des Ertrages gebraucht werden"
- Records from the Deichverband des Grossen Werder (Gdansk archives APG17)
- Records of Königliches Domänenrentamt Oliva 1549-1821 (Gdansk archives APG 59)
- 2. Betr. Grundbuch von Oliva (ehemalige Intendatur Oliva) von Brentau bis Langfuhr, vol. 1, 1703-1784
- 5. Betr. Grundbuch von Oliva (ehemalige Intendatur Oliva), with index copies of documents, vol. 5, 1590-1786
- 6. Betr. Grundbuch von Oliva (ehemalige Intendatur Oliva), vol. 6, 1595-1802
- 7. Betr. Grundbuch von Langfuhr, vol. 1, 1703-1801
- 8. Betr. Grundbuch von Langfuhr, vol. 2, 1703-1790
- 9. Betr. Grundbuch von Langfuhr, vol. 3, 1725-1791
- "Mennonitische Besizzungen" 1802-1810 from the Royal Prussian domain office of Preußisch-Stargard; original in Gdansk archives APG 62/141; scans from Glenn Penner (This is an item that needs further investigation. Why was there Mennonite material in the Preussisch-Stargard region? Maybe someone could transcribe this and enlighten the rest of us.)
- Records of Danziger Nehrung and Scharpau (Gdansk archives APG 300,2)
- "Acta betreffend die Ausrüstung und Equipirung der preuss. Landwehr 1813", microfilmed by Mark Jantzen from the Gdansk archives APG 300,18
- Elbinger Handschriften (Gdansk archives APG 492)
- Miscellaneous from Gdansk archives
- Czattkau records: Mennonite pasture lease 1774, 1830 court case of Gdansk against village, 1839 court case about dike break (APG 574, Nr. 4)
- Wladyslaw IV, king of Poland, confirms the decree of the city council of Neuteich confirming the arrangement of Melchior Wejher, castellan of Elbing, with villages Petershagen, Rückenau, and Orloff, 25 Sep 1622, 30 Apr 1635 (APG 779, Nr. D/137)
- Reichfelde purchase contract 1768 (APG 802, Nr. 1)
- Schönsee village records; Hendrik Donner diary (APG 836, 1)
- Wernersdorf, Consignation aller Nachbaren, ihrer Frauen, Söhne und Tochter in Wernersdorf 1772 (APG 907, Nr. 26)
- Wengelswalde Erbpachtsverschreibung 1793 (APG 910, Nr. 1)
- Records from Elblag/Malbork archives:
- Records from Toruń archives:
- Records from the manuscript collection of the library of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdansk--Biblioteka Gdanska PAN
- Ortmann folio 9, Danzig edicts about foreigners, 1573, 1721
- Uphagen folio 136: has to do with a Mennonite Lenert Jantzen converting to Lutheranism in 1730
- Brandordnung für das Tiegenhöfische Gebiet des Grossen Werders in der Redaktion des Jahres 1727 ("Ms. Uph.q.1"); scanned from microfilm, date of filming unknown, probably filmed by or for the LDS
- Uphagen quarto 1 (includes 1727 Brandordnung and other materials)
- Ms. 157, Behrend Momber account of siege of Danzig 1807
- Ms. 291, 1. Vorschlag des Herren Deputirten . . . zur Revision der Willkuhr der Frembden eigen Rauch Halter Anno 1641 den 4. September. 2. Vereinbarung des Danziger Raths mit den Brauern d. d. 16. Juni 1638. 3. Edikt (des Danziger Raths) belangende die fremden so nicht Bürger seyn publiciret den 26. Aprilis Anno 1573.
- Ms. 397, Mennonites and inheritance 1633-1684
- Ms. 494, doctrinal interrogations of Mennonites 1678; rebaptisms 1686, 1741
- Ms. 495, mixed marriages 1684-1742; brief note on early Mennonites 1573
- Ms. 499 Arriani, Mennonistae, Quaeckeri, Enthusiastae. Zusammenstellung einzelner Notizen über die gen. Sekten aus den Jahren 1534-1670.
- Ms. 657, Michael Hancke. "In diesem Buche sein Vorzeichenet der Werderischen Regierendenn Herren nahmen, wan sie zur Regierunge gekomen, unde wie lange ein ieder darbey gewesen ist, Alle Dörffern so im Stüblawischen Werder gelegen, Ihre Handfesten, auch nahmen der einwohnern, unde wo viel ein ieder hüfen Landes besitzet, auch wo viel Gärtnere sie nach Hufen Zahl halten sollen, undt wo viel deroselben ietzo sein. Die Teichgrafen, Teichgeschworenen, Schlickgeschworenen, des Legenn, Mittel undt hohen Quartiers, wo viel ihrer sein, und was ihr Ambt ist; Die Schultzen, Schöppen, Rahtleute, und deroselben Eide, Kirchen, undt was bei einer iedern Kirchenn von alters vorhanden gewesen, der Kirchen undt Capellen Vorstehere und ihren Eidt, die Pfarherren einer iederen Kirchen, wan sie introduciret sein worden. Item allerleie Contracte undt vortrege; die auslottunge der Modtlawe undt Cladawe, die grabunge der Cladaw, Wan der grabe umb das haus Grebin, die Maur, das Thoer, wie auch drey Zugk Brücken gemacht, auch der Gardte einen halben man hoch vorhöget, unde alles darein ist angeleget worden, Woviel wassergenge, Mühlen und Brücken im Werder sein, Wer sie Zu repariren auch Zu unterhalten schuldigk. Alles mit vleiss durch autorem, Bürgern in Dantzigk, Bürgermeisterlichen undt Werderischen Ambtschreibern, welcher das Werdersche Ambt 28 Jahr bedienet, Zusammen getragen am Tage Petri Stuelfewers oder 22. Februarii. Im 1619. Jahr." (listed in Katalog der Danziger Standtbibliothek (Danzig: A. Schroth, 1892), Band I, p. 370)
- Ms. 680, Danzig Mennonites 1670, 1672
- Ms. 685. Miscellaneous legal documents of Danzig, mostly 17th century. Nothing directly to do with Mennonites, but probably things that indirectly have to do with them, such as clashes with the guilds. List of individual documents
- Ms. 694, 1628 school taxes; 1678 doctrinal interrogation
- Ms. 736, Mennonites and lace makers (Bortenmacher), 17th-18th centuries
- Ms. 740, various Mennonite-related documents 1628-1703
- Ms. 871, confessions of faith 1591-1630
- Ms. 973, 1678 doctrinal interrogation
- Ms. 1251, "Urkunden und Notizen zur Geschichte der Mannoniten in Westpreussen; darunter Bl. 11 ein Erlass Johann Kasimirs von Polen vom 27. Aug. 1650 im Original."
- Ms. 1252, "Schriftstücke zur Geschichte der Mennonitischen Gemeinden besonders in Westpreussen, Ostpreussen und Litthauen; meist Originale; 1747-1847."
- Ms. 1676, memoir of Charles Ogier, secretary to the French ambassador to Poland, 1636
- Records from the Geheime Staatsarchiv, Berlin:
- "Digitalisierte Archivalien über Mennoniten"
- Grunderwerb, Reg. Bez. Marienwerder, Kauf-Consense 1847-1864 (I. Haputabteilung, Rep. 77, Titel 31, Nr. 22)
- Kontributionskataster (II. Hauptabteilung, Abt. 9, 02 Polizeiverwaltung (Materien), 1716-1810, 02.077 Kontributionskataster Westpreußen)
- Auswanderung nach Russland 1802-1803 (II. Hauptabteilung, Abt 9, b. Materien, Titel 109, Nr. 1 Mennonitensachen)
- 1776 census (II. Hauptabteilung, Abt. 9, b. Materien, Titel 109, No. 1, vol. 1)
- 1789 census (II. Hauptabteilung, Generaldirektorium, Abt. 9 Westpreußen, b. Materien, Tit. 109 Mennonitensachen, Ad Nr. 1 Bd. 2)
- 1803 Mennonite emigration records from West Prussia; "Acta betref. die Emigration verschiedenen mennonistischen Familien aus West-Preussen"; also a spreadsheet listing names of adults; scanned by Glenn Penner; originals are in the Geheime Staatsarchiv in Berlin II. Hauptabteilung, Abt. 9.b Titel 109, Nr. 17; also on LDS microfilm 1056559
- Mennonite church books (Königsberg, Markushof, Montau-Gruppe, Thiensdorf) (VIII. Hauptabteilung, HA EKB/M) (link is very slow)
- Anna Andres papers. Anna Andres was an active genealogist of the Vistula Delta Mennonites in the mid-20th century. The MLA has a set of photocopies of her papers, from which these scans were made. Many of the copies are of low quality and we do not know if the photocopies are complete.
- Zimmermann-Kartei. This is a genealogical card file compiled by a Werner Zimmermann of Danzig, probably starting in the 1930s. It is probably strongly tainted by his Nazi beliefs. The MLA has a microfilm of the card file and the scans were done from the microfilms.
- Ulrich Dueck West Prussian genealogy charts
- Tobias Unruh baptism book 1854-1874 (Volhynia), plus a transcription (incomplete); original is at Heritage Hall Archives, Freeman, South Dakota
- Microfilm MF MSS 115 in the MLA has several items of Vistula interest: a printed sermon from 1618 in Danzig against adult baptism and the Anabaptists; documents from 1730 related to the conversion of a Lehnert Jantzen from Mennonite to Lutheran; a wine and brandy price list from 1768 of Isaak Wedling and Dirck Hekker; a set of documents from 1869 that seems to be related to Mennonite church taxes.
- Aeconomiae Mariemburgensis Revisio 1590. This document was an audit of the Polish king's estates in the Marienburg Werder for the year 1590. It was taken as war booty by a Swedish general during one of the many Polish-Swedish wars and currently is in the National Library of Sweden (shelf mark D1475:3). The MLA got a copy of it in 2014 (SA.I.370 and elecrec/acc531).
- Neumark maps 1805 (annotations by John D. Richert) (Franzthal, Neudessau, Brenkenhoffswalde)
- Mennonite Settlers in the Neumark 1765 (Excel file by John D. Richert)
Books and articles:
Other resources:
Contact the Mennonite Library and Archives
Mennonite Library and Archives
Bethel College
300 East 27th Street
North Newton, KS 67117-1716
Phone: (316) 284-5304
Fax: (316) 284-5843
mla@bethelks.edu
