Vistula River Lowlands: Świecie/Chełmno/Grudziądz (Schwetz/Kulm/Graudenz)

 Mennonites lived in a great number of the villages in the Vistula River valley lowlands - specifically those villages located in the river floodplain.  The map below shows the outline of many of the villages in the lowlands between Świecie, Chełmno, and Grudziądz (marked on the map by their German name equivalents, Schwetz, Kulm, and Graudenz).

The Vistula on this map is flowing towards the north east, thus the northwest (top left) side of the map shows the Left Bank while the southeast (bottom right) shows the Right Bank.

This map is from 1893 but the villages and their boundaries would have been practically the same a century earlier when Mennonites lived here.  Typically, villages were simply a collection of houses with a border drawn around them.  Borders may be based on waterways or other natural boundaries, but villages generally simply adjoined another.  For instance, Przechowko (here marked Wintersdorf) adjoined Klein Deutsch Konopat.  The border between the two villages was naturally marked by the low point between two gentle hills.

Mennonites inhabited most of the villages marked on the map and these were congregants at either Przechowko or one of the churches at Schoensee (two churches existed in Schoensee; one Frisian and one Old Flemish, which was associated with Przechowko).  Some of the Mennonites toward the northeast corner of the map could have also been congregants at Montau (Frisian) and we can even see Gruppe, directly across the river from Grudziądz - this village was very closely associated with Montau.

Based on the 1772-3 Prussian census, Przechowko was the only village marked that was exclusively inhabited by Mennonites.  In the other villages, Mennonites cohabitated with Lutherans or Catholics.  Even in Przechowko, the Mennonites could have employed Lutheran or Catholic farmhands so in that sense, the village was not exclusively Mennonite.  But the leaseholders in Przechowko were all Mennonite.

On this map, Przechowko is marked by its German name, Wintersdorf.  Certainly, the Mennonites would have never used this name.  This name came into use after 1871 and by that point all the Mennonites were gone from this area.

Also on this map we have the dikes marked in green.  Quite a network of dikes exist on the Right Bank.  On the Left Bank, southwest of Schwetz, the dike is quite rudimentary.  We can also see that no dike existed along the Schwartzwasser (Wda) River which basically bordered Przechowko to the northeast.  Thus the Przechowko villagers were always in danger of flooding from the northeast.  There are also canals or ditches cut through the area in various places.  For instance, an important ditch borders Przechowko/Deutsch Konopat/Wilhelmsmark (Dworzisko) to the south and this helped drain the meadows of these villages.

The cemeteries at Przechowko/Deutsch Konopat/Wilhelmsmark (Dworzisko) and Schoensee (Sosnowka) are marked with purple dots.  The Mennonite Cottage in Chrystkowo (Christfelde) is marked by a dark blue dot.

A Night of Mennonite Music in Chełmno, Poland

On the night of 8 June 2025, Donna Ratzlaff Hetrick was given a special and unique opportunity to present a Mennonite-related pipe organ concert at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Chełmno, Poland.  Most of our Mennonite ancestors in Polish-Prussia did sing songs but probably did not use pipe organs; the earliest Mennonite pipe organ in Polish-Prussia was used in the United Danzig church during the 19th century.  Largely, Mennonites adopted songs from other denominations such as the Lutherans.  The purpose of Donna’s concert was to bring attention to local Polish folks of Mennonite culture.

Donna’s concert included the following: Concerto for Organ in G Major by Johann Sebastian Bach, Lobt Gott, ihr Christen by Johann Gottfried Walther, O Gott du frommer Gott also by Bach (Both of these chorales are found in the Danzig Choral Buch.  The text for O Gott du frommer Gott is included in the 18th century Jacob Thomas Liede Buch from the community of Brenkenhofswalde).  Three hymn preludes by J. Harold Moyer were also included: I Sought the Lord; O Thou, In Whose Presence; and On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand.  Closing the concert was Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flow.

These links include just a few short highlights of the concert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4btzIEn772k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hAo7o7FVU8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWANNI6tS3k

Chełmno (Culm or Kulm) was a particularly important city during the Mennonite era of Polish history.  The Bishop of Culm was one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom.  The city became the namesake for Culm Law and for standards of early-modern measurement.  Jagiellonian University established a branch in the city which was also home to numerous churches and monasteries.  

This Mennonite concert was held at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a gothic church first constructed by the early years of the 14th century.  It’s a particularly grand church which would be right at home in the larger cities of Krakow or Warsaw.  In the 17th and 18th centuries, our Mennonite ancestors living at Przechowko or other nearby villages would have known the tower of this church as the tallest structure for miles around.  Indeed, this church tower could have easily been seen by Przechowko villagers working in their fields or gardens.

The concert in this church was particularly significant for Mennonite history.  Never before had Mennonite songs been played by a Mennonite artist in this church.  During centuries past, the sitting bishops of Culm sometimes protected the Mennonites while at other times contributed to their persecution.  Plaques adorn the walls of the church, honoring powerful landowners of Culm, who once were the overlords to the Mennonites.  Just outside the church, about a block to the northeast, is a large military academy building that was built on the support of taxation drawn from 18th century Mennonites.

Vistula River Lowlands: Świecie/Chełmno

 Low German Mennonites began moving into the Świecie/Chełmno lowlands by the very last years of the 16th century.  This map, from 1893, shows the Vistula River floodplain in exaggerated 3-D.  The Village of Przechowko, here marked with its German name Wintersdorf, is outlined in red.

Przechowko sits on the left bank of the Vistula, on an ancient sandbar.  The land slopes gently downhill from the northern parts of the village to the south.  The houses and church were located centrally, along the roughly east-west road through the village.  

Przechowko Village

 

At the time of the First Partition, the population of Mennonites in Polish lands was between 10-12,000 persons and in 1772, 25% of agricultural land of the Vistula delta was in Mennonite hands.[1]  Przechówko village was enumerated for taxation purposes in March 1773.  By the date of this census the village had grown to a total population of 95 persons.[2]  Cultivated land equaled 13 Hufen.[3]  The 12 wirtschaften divided 10 Hufen averaging .8 Hufe individually.  Together they shared an additional 3 Hufen.  The villagers kept horses and a small number of livestock (primarily dairy cattle) and collected hay from the southern half of the village lands; the meadow stretched toward the canal about ½ mile (0.8 km) south of the main village road.  The hay fed the dairy cattle which were the primary source of income.  The villagers also grew rye in fields stretching out to the north of the farmyards.  By the late 18^th century, the Mennonites also leased the folwark[4] (Vorwerk) immediately east of Przechówko which was owned by the village of Przechowo.  On the fields of the 6-Hufen folwark (≈8.2 Hufen after 1774) the Mennonites primarily grew rye but also a small amount of wheat, barley, oats, and peas.  Hay was also gathered here.[5]

---

[1] Shapansky, Henry. The Mennonite Migrations, pp 97, 109.

[2] Przechowka Village, 4 March 1773. Extracted by Glenn H. Penner, Translated by Sabine Akabayov.

[3] According to Adelbert Goertz, 1 Culmisch Hufe = 30 Morgen (=16.8 ha = ca 41.5 acres).  Goertz, Adalbert. FAQ: Preußen (Prussia).

[4] Folwark was also known as Przechowski Folwark and later called Marienhöhe.  Sulimierski, Chlebowski, Walewski, Et al. Geographical Dictionary, Volume IX, p127.

[5] Przechowka Village, 4 March 1773. Extracted by Glenn H. Penner, Translated by Sabine Akabayov.  Until 1774 the Mennonites lease 6 Hufen of the folwark, after 1774 they leased the entire folwark which amounted to approximately 8.2 Hufen according to Przechowo: Act of Granting the Hereditary Possession…1774.

Update on Alex in Ukraine

 I have been asked by several people to provide an update regarding my friend Alex who I wrote about several days ago.  Alex took his wife and daughters to the Polish border last Saturday (Feb 26).  The wife and daughters went to Łódź, Poland, while Alex then returned to Zhytomyr, Ukraine.  Since then, I’ve talked to them numerous times and I’d just like to provide an update.

Alex’s wife and daughters returned to Alex’s brother’s house in Łódź, Poland (I’m not going to use anyone’s name except Alex’s in order to protect their privacy).  There are a large number of Ukrainian refugees in Łódź and Alex’s wife is networking with them.  She’s a clinical psychologist so, as time allows, she’s using her skills to counsel some of these refugees.  As we can imagine, there’s a very high level of stress and anxiety among these folks.  They’ve suddenly been displaced to a foreign land, and they have no idea what the future holds.  Alex’s wife is cheerfully putting her talents to work to help them.

She’s also helping to evacuate more people from Zhytomyr into Poland.  Yesterday she spent a great deal of time trying to find ways to evacuate an elderly couple from Zhytomyr.

The Polish government is providing a certain amount of support to these refugees.  The wife and daughters went to the store yesterday to buy a few clothing items.  They were forced to leave Ukraine with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs.  While they were going to a relative’s house, they’re still struggling to gather all the supplies they’ll need.

Alex’s wife is acutely aware of the destruction that’s going on back in Ukraine.  She mentions that it’s very quiet and peaceful in Łódź and she feels a little guilty that she’s in such an environment when Alex is back in Ukraine right in the middle of the danger.

Alex is back in Zhytomyr and he’s pretty busy right now.  He wrote me yesterday saying that he’s very busy making sandbags and then stacking the sandbags into walls and other defensive-type structures.  He’s been surprised at how quickly he learned how to do this efficiently.  A sandbag wall has to be built just so, with holes at just the right height so a rifle can have a place to shoot through.  He’s quickly become proficient with this.  Alex has joked that he’s stunned how fast a truckload of sand can be emptied into sandbags when the situation is so desperate!

Crews of Zhytomyr men are going through the city making sandbag defenses in this way.  They are already accustomed to the sound of the air raid sirens and don’t let them slow their work.  Alex, as well as the other men, have learned that it is absolutely critical to complete this work with a smile!  They have to do everything they can to keep their spirits up, otherwise they will crumble.  The camaraderie that is growing among these men is incredible and strong bonds are being forged.

They are well aware that the outskirts of Kyiv are only 70 miles to the east.  Of course, Kyiv is one of the locations that the Russians are heavily targeting, and the city is slowly being encircled.  2 days ago, on the east edge of Zhytomyr on the road to Kyiv, a bridge was blown up.  The Ukrainians were at that point still in control of this highway but I don’t know what the situation is by now.

Supplies on the shelves at the stores are dwindling; bread is already all gone.  Fuel and diesel are all gone.  Some people had been stockpiling food because they suspected this was coming.  For now, Alex is OK as far as food goes.

Last night, (for us in USA the night, in Ukraine it was daytime on Wednesday, 2 March) missiles hit an area on the east side of Zhytomyr.  We don’t know exactly what the missiles were targeting but extensive damage was done to a hospital.  I don’t know exactly what to call it – it’s not a hospital exactly, it’s a birth center – a facility that just provides care and services for birthing mothers.  The missiles were perhaps targeting an area across the street from this facility, but everything’s gone now.  Early estimates are that 2 are dead and 16 wounded.  Among these casualties are several children.

Each minute, Alex’s situation becomes more precarious.  The Russian army continues to advance and even though the Ukrainians are putting up a heroic stand, they are severely underpowered.  Please contact your congressional representatives right now and put pressure on them.  Please consider donating to a reputable charity like the MCC, Catholic Charities, or Heart to Heart International.  Also, please see this list of charities for more options.

How to Donate to Help Ukraine

 If you are looking for good places to donate to help the situation in Ukraine, please consider this information:

War on the Horizon

 Volhynia is a region of northwestern Ukraine.  Most Americans aren’t familiar with it, but it’s been around in various forms since the 10th century or so.  Some cities in Volhynia have celebrated 1,000-year anniversaries.  It’s an out-of-the-way place in more ways than one; the people in Volhynia are genuine, hard-working, and free. 

Over the past year I’ve come to know several people in Volhynia, mostly living in the area surrounding the ancient city of Ostrog.  This is a little-known area, and it doesn’t play into modern politics much.  It’s not rich in resources like the Donbas, it’s not consequential in the way Kyiv or Odessa are.  But this is the heart of Ukraine like few other places in the country.  People here still wear the Vyshyvanka (just Google it), they worship God in traditional wooden churches with onion domes, they appreciate the sunrise.

The culture in Ostrog, and Volhynia, and Ukraine, owes not a jot to Russia.  It may be true that modern-day Ukraine’s borders were to an extent drawn by the Soviets, but Ukraine has its own distinctive language, cuisine, literature, architecture, and folklore, all of which pre-dates Russia.  If Moscow is first mentioned in the 12th century, Kyiv can be traced back to the 5th century.  Ostrog itself pre-dates Moscow and is home to one of the oldest academies of higher learning in the Slavic world – much older than any university in Russia.  It was also here that the first Bible was printed in a Slavic language.  If you’re trying to claim that Ukraine or Volhynia owe anything of their culture to Russia or Moscow, you’re straight up wrong and you can just go jump in a lake.

Today, Ostrog is not an important center in Ukraine in any way (except, arguably, culturally).  The invading Russian army is probably not too interested in the place except for the presence of the nearby nuclear power plant, which is one of four such power plants in Ukraine.  Although it lacks importance, the Russians will still need to consolidate their presence in the country by securing places like Ostrog and so Russian soldiers are beginning to make appearances.  A small battle has been fought already at nearby Slavuta and the occasional Russian helicopter flies overhead.

Yuri is one of my best friends in the area.  He’s a schoolteacher at the lyceum a dozen miles south of Ostrog in the large village of Pluzhne and be likes to hunt mushrooms and hike in the woods in his spare time.  He lives with his wife and their Siberian Husky in a small, simple house.  Just he and his wife – the first one home from work gets to light the wood stove to heat the house for the evening.  Even in this out-of-the-way village, Yuri has several times already visited a local bomb shelter when the sirens in Pluzhne sounded.  Yuri’s two grown children live in Kyiv, 4 hours to the east by car.  Yuri’s son is an active-duty soldier in the capital and will fight to the death to protect his homeland.  He is right now active in the battle for Kyiv.  His daughter may be a little less robust.  On Thursday, Yuri drove to Kyiv to fetch her back to Pluzhne.  She was frazzled after the last few days in the city – she hadn’t slept and was extremely anxious if any loud noise sounded.  Hopefully she’s safe now in the village.

Sergey is another friend, also living in Pluzhne.  He’s a lecturer at the ancient academy in Ostrog specializing in criminal law.  Sergey is a scholar and an intellectual and has a great interest in the history of the local area.  He has also visited bomb shelters in the past days and is now active spreading information using tools such as Facebook.  Sergey warns of saboteurs in the area who leave marks indicating rendezvous locations for Russian military.  He has also pointed out that clerics in churches of the Moscow Patriarchate may not be totally on the level right now.  The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is currently split, one patriarchate based in Moscow and one in Kyiv.  Be wary of those from Moscow.  Sergey can also tell you exactly how to make a Molotov Cocktail and precisely where to aim it to inflict the most damage as you hurl it towards a Russian tank.  

Alexander is a very interesting man living on a farm just outside Ostrog.  His day job is farming but he spends an inordinate amount of time promoting tourism in Ostrog.  The town is the Youth Capital of Ukraine for the year 2022 and it was Alexander’s dream to establish several different programs locally which would spur tourism and help grow the economy.  Since mid-day on Thursday the 25th, Alexander has been helping to patrol the local roads near Ostrog.  He served in active-duty military for many years and experienced combat during the 2014 Russian incursion which saw the annexation of Crimea.  Alexander is happy to help patrol Ostrog but bemoans the lack of effective weaponry.  He is currently patrolling with a hunting rifle, stopping suspicious vehicles on the roads outside Ostrog; one of many local men keeping the town safe. 

Alexander took this photo this morning.  It depicts a beautiful sunrise in Ostrog, but just beyond that horizon, lies battle and destruction in the form of the Russian military.  It’s coming.

The lives of these three friends are hanging from threads right now.  They may not be involved in heavy battle, like Yuri’s son is in Kyiv.  But they hear the rumbling and they can feel it coming.  It won’t be long now.

These are real people who just a week ago were living their simple, small-town lives.  Now their worlds have been turned upside down and they honestly don’t know if they’ll survive another week.  They are all fiercely proud of their country – they have every right to be – and they will fight tooth and nail to save it.  We in the West might have a hard time envisioning what’s going on in Ukraine right now but the fact is that ordinary people, just like us, are suffering and that’s only going to get worse.  Our government leaders are not doing enough yet to stop this evil invasion.  Please contact your congressional leaders right now and demand action.