Origin of the settlers

The Niedrunger

The Central Polish part of the Vistula valley shows two modern settlement waves: The first between 1600 and 1650 and another one after 1750. The gap after 1650 has to be explained by the Nordic Wars and their consequences.

The colonists who settled at the Central Polish parts of the Vistula between 1600 and 1650 mainly originated from the neighboring areas downstream Vistula around Thorn, Bromberg, Kulm and Schwetz. But they came also from the more distant areas of the Vistula valley around Graudenz, Neuenburg, Marienwerder, Dirschau and from the Danzig Großes and Kleines Werder. These areas had been settled in the 16^th century by Dutch and Friesian Mennonites.

These settlers were usually called the "Niedrunger" (from the German word Niederung = depression area).

The settlers who arrived after 1750 mainly originated from the areas north of Thorn and Włocławek.

For the Dobriner Land the first German settlements are mentioned for the beginning of the 18th century.

Albert Breyer ascertained the fact that in the villages around Lipno and Rypin the mainly used dialect is the one from West or East Prussia. This is also confirmed by the place names mentioned in the Marriage and Death entries of the Church books.

The Swabians

During the period of the Prussian Administration after the 3rd Partition of Poland (1795-1807) a systematic founding of new settlements was started by the Prussian Authorities. The new settlements were called "Schwabendörfer" (Swabian villages) because the new settlers were preferably recruited from the Pfalz, Hessen, Lothringen and Württemberg.

The government supported the settlers with the supply of land, travel expenses, building of the new houses and farming tools.

In 1797 the colony Schröttersdorf near Płock was founded. Later it was divided into the villages Maszewo, Chełpowo, Powsino and Biala. In 1803 the place Leonberg (Lwówek) was founded Southeast of Gąbin. More Swabian villages developed in the area of Łódz.

There were no  Prussians foundings in the Dobriner Land.

Sources:

Breyer, Albert - Deutsche Gaue in Mittelpolen

Schmidt, Arthur - Deutsches Schicksal in Polen. Ein Rückblick auf das kirchliche, völkische und wirtschaftliche Schaffen der Deutschen aus Mittel- und Ostpolen

Heike, Otto - 150 Jahre Schwabensiedlungen in Polen 1795-1945