Koschneiderei
(Kosznajderia)
Koschneiderei (also called Koschnäwjer Dörfer, Polish: Kosznajderia) was a colloquial name for a former distinct cultural area in Pomerelia southeast of the city Konitz (Polish: Chojnice). It had been settled by ethnic Germans at the time of the Teutonic Knights during the 14th century. It was inhabited from a German population until the end of World War II largely (also see History of Pomeralia).
The residents of the Koschneiderei retained Plattdeutsch (Low German) as their language as well as a distinct culture for hundreds of years. While much of West Prussia
became Lutheran, this area remained Catholic. Ethnic Poles and ethnic
Germans attended the same parishes, resulting in considerable
intermarriage.
In the 19th century the Koschneiderei villages were part of the following three West Prussian counties in the administrative district Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder: Kreis Flatow (Damerau, Groß Zirkwitz and Obkaß since 1818), Kreis Konitz (all the other 16 villages since 1818; two of these villages belonging to Kreis Tuchel since 1872), and Kreis Tuchel (Abrau and Petztin since 1872).
These
were the 19 Koschnajäwer Dörfer (villages) which constituted the
Koschneiderei (former German names; today's Polish names in brackets):
- Abrau (Obrowo)
Annafeld (Nowa Wieś)
Blumfelde (Niwy)
Damerau (Dąbrówka)
Deutsch Cekzin (Ciechocin)
Döringsdorf (Doręgowice)
Frankenhagen (Silno)
Gersdorf (Ogorzelny)
Granau (Granowo)
Groß Zirkwitz (Duża Cerkwica)
Harmsdorf (Jerzmionki)
Henningsdorf (Angowice)
Jakobsdorf (Zamarte)
Lichnau (Lichnowy)
Mosnitz (Moszczenica)
Obkaß (Obkas)
Osterwick (Ostrowite)
Petztin (Piastoszyn)
Schlagenthin (Sławęcin)
Literature
- Paul Panske: Handfesten der Komturei Schlochau. Nebst einigen verwandten Urkunden (Quellen und Darstellungen zur Geschichte Westpreußens; Bd. 10). Kafemann Verlag, Danzig 1921.
- Paul Panske: Personennachweis für die Koschnaewjerdörfer von 1651-1702 (Schriftenreihe deutsche Sippenforschung in Polen/N.F.; Heft 3). Historische Gesellschaft, Posen 1938.
- Paul Panske: Personennachweis für die Koschnaewjerdörfer von 1651-1702 (Schriftenreihe deutsche Sippenforschung in Polen/N.F.; Heft 3). Historische Gesellschaft, Posen 1938
- Paul Panske: Zur Familienkunde der sogenannten Koschneiderei. 1. Die Schulzen- und Lehnmannsfamilie Stolpman (Stoltmann) zu Deutsch-Zekzin. In: Mitteilungen des Coppernicus-Vereins fuer Wissenschaft und Kunst zu Thorn, Heft 18 (1910), S. 43-57; Heft 19 (1911), S. 64-75.
- Joseph Rink: Koschneidersöhne (Koschneider-Bücherei; Bd. 3). Verlag Boenig, Danzig 1924.
- Joseph Rink: Die Seele des Koschneiders (Koschneider-Bücherei; Bd. 12). Westpreußen-Verlag, Danzig 1932.
- Joseph Rink: Die im Weltkriege 1914-1918 aus den Koschneiderdörfern Gefallenen (Koschneider-Bücherei; Bd. 13). Formell-Verlag, Danzig 1940.
- Maria Semrau: Die Mundart der Koschneiderei. In: Zeitschrift für Deutsche Mundarten, Jg. 10 (1915), Heft 2, ISSN 0932-1314 (zugl. Dissertation, Universität Breslau 1915).
Slide show: Koschneiderei villages (just click on a photo)
Map of Koschneiderei villages
(marked in light blue)
by Joseph Rink 1926