Pomerania | historical region, Europe | Britannica.com historical region, Europe E. Georg von Kleist Pomerania, Polish Pomorze, German Pommern (from Slavic po, “along,” and morze, “sea”), historic region of northeastern Europe lying along the Baltic coastal plain between the Oder and the Vistula rivers. Politically, the name also came to include the area west of the Oder as far as Stralsund , including the island of Rügen (Rugia). Most of Pomerania is now part of Poland , but its westernmost section is in eastern Germany , as reflected in the name of Mecklenburg- West Pomerania Land (state). The region is generally flat, and there are numerous small rivers and, along the east coast, many lakes. Pomerania was inhabited successively by Celts, Germanic tribes, and, by the 5th century ad, the Slavic Pomeranians (Pomorzanie) and Polabs. Mieszko I , prince of Poland (d.

992), mastered it, and in 1000 his successor, Bolesław I the Brave, organized a diocese in Pomerania with its seat at Kołobrzeg . A local dynasty then ruled Pomerania and also the region to the west, later called Mecklenburg. German immigration into the western and central regions of Pomerania began in the late 12th century. This resulted in the Germanization of the towns and later of the nobility and the countryside. Until the 17th century, Polish dukes ruled western and central Pomerania (the duchies of Wolgast and Stettin) under the suzerainty of the Holy Roman Empire . The elector of Brandenburg acquired these duchies in 1637, when the last Polish duke, Bogusław XIV, who had united them, died without issue. Sweden received Western Pomerania by the Peace of Westphalia (1648); part of it was returned to Brandenburg- Prussia in 1720, and the remainder (Stralsund and Rügen) was recovered by Prussia in 1815.

Prussia united western and central Pomerania into one province called Pommern. Eastern Pomerania was held by the Teutonic Knights from 1308 to 1454, when it was reconquered by Poland. In 1772 it was annexed by Prussia and made into the province of West Prussia. A small part of it was restored to Poland after World War I; the remainder, together with part of Pomerania, became Polish in 1945. The German population of eastern and central Pomerania was expelled westward and replaced by Poles. Western Pomerania was incorporated into the German Democratic Republic . Learn More in these related articles: in Poland Pommern History A Brief History of Pomerania The earliest inhabitants of Pomerania were Germanic tribes that migrated southwards from Scandinavia prior to 100 B.C. By the fifth century A.D., these tribes, known as the Goths, Vandals, Germanii, and Teutoni, had migrated westward and the area was settled by Slavic tribes that entered from the east.

The Slavic tribes included the Pomerani and Polani, who settled in the areas that became Pomerania and Poland. The German name Pommern comes from the Slavonic word, Po more, meaning "along the sea". The Pomeranian Slavs were later referred to as the Wends. In about 995, Pomerania was conquered by Boleslaus I, the first King of Poland. However, wars between the Poles, Danes, and Germans for possession of the area were fought with varying results for more than a century. In 1122 the Poles were victorious over the pagan Wends and Duke Boleslaw III introduced Christianity to Pomerania. He also invited the first German settlers into the area. Pomerania became a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire in 1181 when Bogislaw I swore his allegiance to Frederick I (Barbarosa), the German King and Roman Emperor. Thus began a Greif dynasty that continued for the next four centuries, with the crown passed down from generation to generation through inheritance. The last Pomeranian Duke was Bogislaw XIV who reigned until his death in 1637.

With no one to inherit the crown, the electors of Brandenburg assumed control of Pomerania. During the 13th century, surnames began appearing and by 1400 they were in fairly common use throughout Germany. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, tens of thousands of immigrants from the Rhineland, Westfalen, Niedersachsen, Holstein, Mecklenburg and Holland colonized Pomerania, establishing German villages among the Wend inhabitants and introducing trade. The immigrants, who were welcomed by the Pomeranian Dukes, provided the necessary skills and tools needed to clear the forests, drain the marshes, build dikes and roads, and farm the land. They introduced the iron plow and the 3-field rotation system of farming. Eventually, the German language and culture dominated the country and by the 1400's the Wends of Pomerania disappeared completely as a result of intermarriage. The Church figured prominently in the early colonization with various ecclesiastical institutions receiving or buying vast areas. The Cistercians, the most prominent monastic order, established monasteries as early as the 1170's in Pomerania.

One, the monastery of Kolbatz, acquired huge land holdings in Hinterpommern and by 1313, owned 53 villages. Intermixed among these possessions were the large estates of the princes and nobles, including both the native Slavs and the German knights who began arriving about 1235. One of the most important noble Slavic families, the von Wedel, owned huge estates including many towns, villages, and castles in Brandenburg and Pomerania beginning as early as 1269. These estates remained in the family for centuries. One of the descendants, Hugo von Wedel, owned the estate at Braunsforth in the latter half of the 1800's when Julius Maass, my great grandfather, served as his head shepherd. Another large land holder was the von Borcke family who founded the towns of Regenwalde and Labes. Their holdings included the village of Ornshagen where David Maass, my great great grandfather lived prior to 1856. Pomerania, like the other German states, was greatly affected by the Reformation.

Lutheranism took root in Pomerania in 1525 when Stralsund adopted Martin Luther's teaching. Nine years later, the Lutheran Church of Pomerania was established when the Diet at Treptow on the Rega prepared the basis for its formation. A plattdeutsch (low German) version of the bible was printed the same year and in 1536, the dukes of Pommern accepted the Lutheran faith. However, the hostility between the Catholics and the Protestants continued unabated despite the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 which was intended to settle the religious issue in Germany. In 1618, the Thirty Years War began primarily as a civil war between the two religious factions. In the summer of 1630, the war took on a political objective when Sweden entered the war. King Gustavus Adolphus, a Protestant, was concerned about the growing power of the Roman Emperor Ferdinand. The war continued for another 18 years until 1648 when the Treaty of Westphalia was signed. As compensation for its role in the war, Sweden was awarded control over Stettin and Vorpommern.

Brandenburg retained control of Hinterpommern. The Thirty Years War took a heavy toll in Pomerania with possibly one-third of its people killed and whole villages and farms completely destroyed. In the early 1700's, Pomerania again became the battleground for conflicts between Russia and Sweden. It ended in 1720 with the Treaty of Stockholm, which ceded part of Hither Pomerania as far as the Peene to Brandenburg-Prussia. Following the defeat of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna gave the remaining part of Swedish Pomerania to Prussia in 1815. When King Wilhelm I became the first emperor of a united Germany in 1871, Prussia had become a powerful military nation that occupied the northern two thirds of Germany. It extended from the Netherlands and Belgium on the west to Russia on the east. In 1945, after World War II, Prussia ceased to exist as a German state and Pomerania was partitioned again at the Oder River. Hinterpommern and Stettin (now called Szczecin) became part of Poland and all of the Germans fled or were expelled from their country.

Vorpommern, the area west of the Oder-Neisse Rivers, became part of East Germany. In 1990, Vorpommern became part of the reunified Germany and was included in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Life in 18th and 19th Century Pomerania During the centuries following the colonization of Pomerania, the life of the commoners depended upon the dictates of the noble lords and ruling class who were in power at the time. Much of the land was under the control of the Junkers, the landed gentry of Prussiaï¿½s eastern provinces. The Junkers, who lived on and farmed the Ritterguts with the help of peasants, exercised nearly absolute power on their lands. Moreover, they were a powerful political force who dominated both state and society. Originally, the Junkers (literally "young lord") were descendants of the medieval German Knights who established large feudal estates on the Slavic lands they had conquered in the Middle Ages. Over time many large estates were subdivided into smaller ones as a result of inheritance, partitioning, and sales.

By the year 1816 there were 1883 knightï¿½s estates (Ritterguts) in Pomerania. Beginning in the15th century, the peasantry, which had been relatively free up to then, progressively began to lose their rights and freedom. Peasants were evicted en masse from their land and were forced to provide services of labor, horses and tools to the noble landlords who extended their demesne farming. Their situation only became worse in the16th century when serfdom was imposed. In 1616, the Peasant Ordinance declared that all peasants in Pomerania-Stettin were serfs. They were no longer free to leave their masterï¿½s estate; their land became the sole property of their master, thus usurping their hereditary rights; and they were subject to unlimited labor services. Children had to serve the manor as menials. The plight of the peasants remained basically unchanged for the next 200 years. Peasants were provided housing, small garden plots, a few animals, and a share of the surrounding fields in return for their labors.

The commoners generally fell into one of three economic categories: 1) those who occupied enough land for their personal needs and supplied both horses and laborers to the landlord, 2) those whose land was insufficient to sustain them and were compelled to provide manual service, and 3) those without any land who served the manor lords directly and lived on his premises. Life was difficult for the peasants as they had no say in their destiny and were exploited by the nobles. Workers were required to work six days a week, basically from sunup to sundown. Conditions in Hinterpommern began to change for the better in the mid 18th century. Friedrich the Great, who reigned from 1740 to 1786, recognized the contribution of the peasantry and took steps that markedly affected their lives. He reduced the labor obligation of the peasant from six to three days a week. Peasants were allowed to voice complaints against the landlords and were given recourse against injustice. Education was made mandatory for all children between the ages of 5 and 14. In 1740, freedom of worship was decreed throughout Prussia.

However, these and later reforms did not become effective in Vorpommern until 1815 when Sweden relinquished control of the territory. Friedrich also actively promoted immigration into the less populated areas with the goal of increasing agricultural production. The population of Pomerania grew from 309,700 to 438,700 during his reign. He offered special privileges to the settlers and tried new methods of land sharing and distribution. In 1745, he introduced the potato and forced its production upon the farmers. Although it wasn't widely accepted until the 1800's, potatoes eventually became one of the major crops in Pomerania. Unfortunately, Friedrich the Great was succeeded in 1786 by his nephew, Friedrich Wilhelm II, a weak ruler who undid many of his good works. Friedrich Wilhelm opposed the agrarian reforms and nearly doubled the number of nobles who seized much of the peasant's land. At the beginning of the 19th century, the commoners owned less that 10% of the land and in most cases the amount of land owned by individual families was inadequate to support their family.

Moreover, the peasants could own land only during their lifetime, after which it reverted back to the state. The peasants fared better under the leadership of his son, Friedrich Wilhelm III, who became King in 1797. Between 1808 and 1816, agrarian reforms were once again instituted that provided even greater freedoms to the peasants. On September 14, 1811, serfdom in Pomerania was abolished and the serfs who had been under hereditary bondage to the estates were now free to move from village to village, choose their own trade, and marry a spouse of their choice. However, tenants were still responsible for rent or labor services to the estates. To become free owners of their land, they had to cede part of the land to their masters ï¿½ one-third in the case of hereditary holdings and one-half if they had no hereditary rights to the land. These changes were not without their downside, however. Many peasants were unable to survive after relinquishing part of their land and often were forced to sell the remaining land and/or become day laborers.

Futhermore, landlords were no longer obligated to support peasants who were no longer in their servitude and could evict them at will. Nevertheless, after the Prussian reforms, many knightï¿½s estates were acquired by commoners and by 1868 they owned nearly 40% of them. Although freedom of worship was decreed in Prussia in 1740, Friedrich Wilhelm III in 1817 ordered the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Calvinist Reformed Church to form a single State church, the Evangelische Kirche, and required every person to attend the church closest to him. Many staunch Lutherans revolted and formed their own churches. Consequently, when the states were given full power to enforce the union in 1830, many "Old Lutherans" chose to emigrate rather than comply.. In the rural countryside, everyone lived in small villages often centered around the landed estates (Guts). The Guts generally consisted of a large manor house, several huge barns and stables and often a flour mill or distillery. A majority of the villages had one church, the Evangelical Church, with an adjoining cemetery.

Most had less than a few hundred inhabitants living in a few dozen houses or households. In some villages, homes simply lined both sides of the road (a plan followed by the Wends); in others, homes were clustered around a central commons with the manor house at one end and the church at the other (Germanic plan). These communal villages not only provided protection for the residents but facilitated easy access to the fields that radiated outward from the village. In the 3-county area where our Maass ancestors lived, the villages were within walking distance of each other, no more than 3 or 4 miles apart. It is difficult to find much information describing what life was like for our ancestors in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the book, "Our Forgotten Past", Jerome Blum concludes that European villages must have had a familial quality considering the propinquity (in both space and kinship) of the residents. Their social activities centered around family, church and community. They worked, played, celebrated and worshiped together. There is little evidence that they ever ventured very far from their villages. Their daily activities were consumed by long hours of hard work.

Even children were required to work at an early age and after confirmation, the boys usually left their homesteads to work elsewhere, some even earlier (see box below). In 1839, the Prussian government set a minimum age of nine for working children. Houses were generally constructed of a framework of posts and beams that were filled in and plastered with a mixture of clay and straw. Roofs were thatched with a thick layer of reeds and floors were packed clay. Usually the house and barn were connected, with only a wall between them. The peasants homes were likely quite barren with few furnishings. Like today, farmers encountered the usual problems of bad weather, crop failures, and falling commodity prices. In 1825, crop failures caused such marked drops in land values that even manor houses on the estates were put up for sale. It is worth noting that the noble lords, though they had large land holdings, were often not much better off than the peasants. They were often cash poor, but they had the advantage of receiving the "first fruits" of the land. In the 1830's, grain prices fell when England placed high tariffs on imports causing economic distress for landlords and peasants alike.

Potato blight in 1845 caused widespread famine. This was followed by disastrous weather conditions in the mid 1850's. Steep declines in grain prices in the years 1880-1886, caused by imports of cheap cereals from America and Russia, and an accompanying drop in wool prices severely reduced farm revenue. A first hand account by Charles John Ludwig Karnopp who was born in 1842 (published in Die Pommerschen Leute, 1991) "At the age of nine years I was obliged to leave home to herd cattle in the wilderness for four families. I became very homesick and prayed to God that I might find a way to get home to see my folks. One evening I went home but my father, not knowing the intensity of my homesickness, sent me back the same evening. My wages were five dollars for the summer. That fall my father bought my first boots. The next summer my father had me work for a butcher, watching cows and sheep; this was five miles from our village. My wages were a complete outfit consisting of coat, vest, trousers, two shirts, cap, stockings and one pair of boots.

The next summer I did the same work for which I received the same wages. I was now twelve years old. At this age all children were required to go to the pastor for religious instruction. Our pastor lived five miles away from our village where I hired out to watch cows and went to the pastor for religious instruction. My wages were the same as before. During the winter I was at home, but in the spring I went back to the same place. At this time I was fourteen years of age and was confirmed. The pastor made a great impression upon my young mind; I thought I could stay with him and it would be easy to live a Christian life. Then I hired out to another farmer for one year. During the winter I had to feed the cattle and sheep and during the summer watch the sheep. I had a little hut to sleep in at night and how frightened I was at times. I had a sheep dog and a bayonet for a weapon. One night the dog barked fearfully. I sat up in my bed with fright and in my great fear, I imagined I saw a man near the sheep fold. I was too frightened to investigate, but in the morning I found all of my sheep there.

I arose at four in the morning without being called to move the sheep to another place so that the land might be evenly fertilized. ........while tending sheep I knit mittens and stockings, which I sold; this gave me a little spending money. I could knit as fast as any woman. Then came a change in my life. My father was a laborer in Koldemanz, Greifenberg who had to provide for a helper. My oldest sister did this work for my father for two years. Then I took her place. I was now seventeen years of age; then I hired out to work for Herr Gloxin to work on his farm. I was young but almost full grown: we were obliged to carry sacks of grain containing 160 to 200 pounds up to the second story which made me tremble so that I could not sit still. This work I did for three years receiving $28 per year. At the end of three years, I had saved $75 of my earnings.

At this time I was called to be examined for the military service found to be sound and chosen for the heavy cavalry class." =================================================== Sources: material for this page was drawn from: 1) two books by the late Myron E. Gruenwald, "Two Worlds for our Children" (1985) and "Pomeranians - The Persistent Pioneers" (1987) and from articles published in Die Pommerschen Leute, a quarterly publication originally published by Myron E. Gruenwald, Oshkosh, WI (currently published by the Immigrant Genealogical Society , Burbank, CA); 2) two books by F.L Carsten, "The Origins of Prussia" (1954) and "A History of the Prussian Junkers" (1989); 3) H. W. Koch's book, "A History of Prussia" (1978); 4) "Our Forgotten Past" (1982) ed. Jerome Blum; 5) an English translation of K.

Saysse-Tobiczyk's book, "In Western Pomerania" (1963); 6) The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XII, Robert Appleton Company, Online Edition Copyright ï¿½ 1999; 7) World Book Encyclopedia, 1978. 8) Deutsches Geschlechterbuch Band 134: Fï¿½nfter Ostfriesenband 1963. Genealogisches Handbuch bï¿½rgerlicher Familien. Herausgeber: Regierungs-Vizeprï¿½sident a. D. Dr. jur. Edmund Sturtz. Wermelskirchen/Rheinland, Friedhofstr. 6. Bearbeitet von Carl Maï¿½, Oberstleutnant a. D., Aurich (Ostfriesland), Esenerstr. 10. Verlag von C.A. Starke /Limburg an der Lahn. ï¿½--Gene Maas.

Mecklenburg Vorpommern GenWebsite - The History of Pomerania The History of Pomerania Links to Pommern Sites These World GenWeb pages include only West Pomerania-that part known as Vorpommern-that is west of the Oder-Neisse Rivers (shown on the map as East Germany 1945 and separated from Poland 1945 by a line along the Oder River). Genealogists with ancestors in Hinterpommern, those lands east of the Oder-Neisse Rivers, must look to the country of Poland for their genealogical records and help. In 1938 all of this territory was German Pomerania. Pomerania was originally a land in northeast Germany. It stretched along the Baltic Sea from Mecklenburg on the west to almost Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland) on the east. Pomerania was divided into two sections: Vorpommern which was west of the Oder River, and Hinterpommern which was east of the Oder River.

At the end of World War II in 1945, the two sections of Pomerania, Vorpommern west of the Oder-Neisse Rivers, and Hinterpommern, the lands east of the Oder-Neisse Rivers, were divided by the powers who won the 2nd World War. Vorpommern became part of East Germany at the end of World War II and then, in 1990, part of the combined Germany. It was included in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Hinterpommern became part of Poland at the end of WW II and remains part of Poland today. The Goth's, a Germanic tribe, were living in what was to be Pomerania during the time of Christ. Other Teutonic tribes also lived in the area. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Slavic tribes of Pomerani and Kasubi moved westward into this sparsely populated area on the shores of the Baltic Sea. The name of this area became known as Pomerania from the Pomerani word "Ponorze" - land by the sea.

The history of Pomerania in the 11th and 12th centuries is quite complicated. The Bogislaw family ruled Pomerania at the time, but sometimes there were 2 or 3 dukes of the Bogislaw family ruling different parts of Pomerania as the land was divided by inheritance. To the south of Pomerania were another Slavic people called Polini. The Polini tribes were consolidated under King Mieszko during the years 962 to 992, and they became known as Poland. During the reign of King Mieszko and his son, Poland attacked and captured part of Pomerania. Although by 1025, the Pomeranians were free of Polish control, Poland continued attacking Pomerania. Control of the land went back and forth between the tribes several times. By 1158 the Pomerani and Kashubi tribes defended themselves and they were free again. Their land continued to be under attack, however. The main reason? Their territory contained Stettin, one of the great ports from the Baltic Sea to the lands of northern Europe.

The port of Stettin was something both the Danes and Swedes and also the land- locked Polish empire really wanted. (The other two ports on the Baltic Sea were at Danzig and Koenigsberg, both farther to the east.) To the east were the Teutonic Knights. In 1147 Henry the Lion, the Duke of Saxony, mounted a crusade to fight the Wends to the east of Pomerania. Then the Teutonic Knights took over the area east of Danzig calling it East Prussia, and they were soon pushing westward for land. In addition, the Danes expanded and captured part of western Pomerania. The Pomeranians were besieged on all sides. The Bogislaw family dukes were concerned that they would not be able to sustain themselves and their lands for much longer against these forces. Since 1108, Lothar, the duke of Saxony, had been sending some German settlers into their land. But at least the Germans were not aggressively pushing against them, threatening to destroy them for possession of the port and lands. Emmisaries were sent to Germany and arrangements were made.

In 1181, the German nations put Pomerania under their protection in exchange for allowing Germany to send more settlers into the sparsely settled land. What the Poles and others could not do with force, the Germans did by mutual agreement. Tens of thousands of German people came to Pomerania. Most came from the northern part of Germany. At that time there was a lot of fighting between the tribes of northern Germany, and many settlers were willing to leave to get out of that situation. Also the population in Germany had increased and the farms had been subdivided to the point where it was getting difficult to survive. The German immigration was welcomed by the Pomeranians because the German people had the iron plow and other tools while the Slavic people had only primitive tools. This meant the German farmers could cut down the forest and farm much more of the land which greatly increased the food supply. The Dutch and Frisians were skilled at building dikes and draining lands. The soil was good for grains, especially rye. The Bogislaw family needed protection, so they gave German knights, called ritters, tracts of land where they and their tenants could live.

The knights could be called into battle when the dukes needed them. Estates grew and control over the peasants increased. The Catholic church was also given land. It invited peasants from other parts of Germany to farm the land. The Catholic church founded cloisters in places such as Belbuck, Buchow, Kammin, Piritz, Stolp, Treptow, Kozlin, and Wollin. While most of the population of Pomerania lived on the land, there were those who lived in the towns. These were the craftsmen who made articles for sale and the people involved in the trading association called the Hanseatic League. This was a league of northern European cities that banded together to promote and protect trade. Among the cities of Pomerania involved during the 1200's and 1300's were Stettin, Treptow , Demmin, Stargard, Griefenburg, Pyritz, Koslin, Kammin, Belgard, Stolp, and Buelow. German towns were built up beside the Slavic towns and farms owed their allegiance to the ruling Duke of the Bogislaw family.

Grain was being exported to northern Germany, the Netherlands, and England as early as the 13th century. There was something that was not forseen by the Pomeranian rulers when they made their agreement with Germany in 1181. The Germans coming in to build their villages next to the Pomeranian villages already in existence caused the melding of the nationalities. The German language and culture dominated the country within 200 years and the Pommern language died out in the 18th century. The writings of Martin Luther started the Reformation, and in 1534 Pomerania became Lutheran. In 1618 a war broke out which pitted the Lutherans against the Catholics. The Catholics were more powerful until King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden joined the war in 1620. This produced a stalemate. The war lasted until 1648 and so became known as the Thirty Years' War. The armies at that time lived off the land, and for a time, Pomerania had to support a Catholic army and later a Swedish army. The friendly and the enemy armies both caused great damage.

It has been estimated that two-thirds of the Pomeranian people were killed or moved out. Large areas were burned to the ground. In 1637 the Duke of Pomerania died without heir. Pomerania then came under control of the Elector of Brandenburg through marriage to the Bogislaw family. The Elector of Brandenburg also inherited the lands of the Teutonic Knights (East Prussia). The Elector assumed the title of King of Prussia, and Pomerania becaue part of Prussia. Then Vorpommern went to Sweden by the Treaty of Westphalia. It was not until 1815 that Sweden finally gave up all of Vorpommern. During the Thirty Years' War, more of the land fell into the hands of the upper class, and their control was solidified. The tenants were given housing, some garden space, and payment in kind. There were restrictions on emigration, and the tenants were serfs. They were required to work on the estates three to four days a week. The political rights of the landowners, later called Junkers, allowed exploitation of the peasants.

Agrarian reforms of 1808-16 changed life on the landed estates. Peasants could now marry without the permission of the landowner. Peasants could move to another Junker estate or work in town as day workers. However, life was no better than before. The estate owner no longer had to care for his tenants and could evict them. If the farm worker moved to town, the pay for his labor was small. The peasant could own land but only for as long as he lived. Then it would revert to the state. There were a few landowners who treated their tenants with respect, but there was mostly a tendency for the German upper class to be authoritarian and regard the peasants as their personal property. In 1817 a consolidation of the Lutheran churches to a State church began. By 1837 Friedrich Wilhelm III had combined the Lutheran and Calvinist churches. Many of the Old Lutherans of Pomerania objected and emigrated to America and other countries in the years of 1837, 1839, and 1843. There were many disasters in the 19th century in Pomerania.

The great estates of Pomerania always produced an abundance of grain, especially rye. In the 1830s, England exacted a high tariff on this grain; the price of grain fell, and this hurt the estates and therefore the workers on the estates. There was a potato blight in the 1840s. The sandy soil of Pomerania was good for growing potatoes, and they were the main staple of the Pomeranian table. Many poor people went hungry. There were disastrous weather conditions in the years from 1853 until 1856. There was rapid industrialization from 1850 until 1857 and many workers left the farms and the price of land fell. Many Pomeranians emigrated to the United States in the second half of the 19th century. This peaked around 1880. Most of these Pomeranians were Lutherans who lived in the Midwest. The largest percentage went to Wisconsin. Pomerania was devasted by World War II. At the end of the war, Pomerania and other German lands were given to Poland. Russia took much of eastern Poland. The estate owners had to flee.

All Pomeranians were evicted and most left with what they could carry. Most went to the British zone of Germany. Later they were absorbed into West Germany or emigrated to Brazil, Australia, the United States, and other places. This history was compiled from the writings of LeRoy Boehlke, President of Pommerscher Verein Freistadt, from the writings of Myron Gruenwald, who wrote several books on Pomerania and from the writings of Larry Jensen in the "German Genealogical Digest." Design & Production: Carol Goshman Bowen, Dieter G. H. Garling info@eMecklenburg.de History of Pomerania History of Pomerania Former Prussia province, 38 401 km2, Pomerania had 2.4 million inhabitants in 1939. The state capital is Stettin. Pomerania covers the Baltic Sea coast with its area between Darß and Rixhöft. Pomerania is divided by the river "Oder" into West Pomerania and Eastern Pomerania.

Pomerania was originally inhabited by the Germanic trunk of the Rugier The Slaves (Wenden) followed them, which the country Pomorje ("coastal country") called and already 600 A. D. important commercial centres at the Baltic Sea possessed (Julin-Wollin). In the lower area of the River Oder the Luitizen became accepted mainly, on the East the Pomoranen. Since approximately 1100 native princes prevails over Slavia (Pomerania-Stettin) and Pomerania (the later Pommerellen with Danzig). The Christianisation took place under bishop Otto of Bamberg, who created 1140 the diocese Wollin (later shifted according to Cammin). At 1128 the Germanisation of Pomerania began. Noble ones, monks, craftsmen and farmers were got by the Pomeranian princes in the country. The Pomeranian princes (lines Demmin and Stettin) received the acknowledgement to 1181 as nobility of the German empire.

Obtained 1317 Slavia the formerly pommerellian areas of the River Leba up to the "Gollenberg" during the city of Köslin; from here the name "Pomerania" was transferred also to the western areas. The realm immediacy was lost at the Grimnitzer contract in the meantime through Brandenburgish or Polish sovereignty, however 1529 through renouncement of the leaning sovereignty through Brandenburg, as well as 1530 through acknowledgement of the emperor Karl V. was re-created. 1534 at Pomerania the reformation was introduced. At the Westphalian Peace 1648 Eastern Pomerania came at Brandenburg, while East Pomerania, Rügen, Stettin, Gollnow and the delta of the River Oder to Sweden. They surrendered 1720 East Pomerania between the River Oder and the River Peene and 1815 also the rest to Prussia. The Prussian province Pomerania consisted of the governmental districts Köslin, Stettin and Stralsund (until 1932).

1938 were the northern part of the "Grenzmark" Posen and West Prussia attached as governmental district Schneidemühl. In the conclusion phase of the second World, war fled many inhabitants of Pomerania to the West. The remaining (approximately 1 million) was driven out by Poland (obligation evacuation since 1946); about 500,000 humans died or remained missing. Eastern Pomerania and Stettin were subordinated 1945 of Polish administration (East Areas); Western Pomerania (without Stettin) was combined with Mecklenburg to the country "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" of the GDR. Time board to the history Pomeranias 4000 Sweden: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities 2014 General Election Leads to Historic December Agreement Geography Sweden, which occupies the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, is the fourth-largest country in Europe and is one-tenth larger than California.

The country slopes eastward and southward from the Kjólen Mountains along the Norwegian border, where the peak elevation is Kebnekaise at 6,965 ft (2,123 m) in Lapland. In the north are mountains and many lakes. To the south and east are central lowlands and south of them are fertile areas of forest, valley, and plain. Along Sweden's rocky coast, chopped up by bays and inlets, are many islands, the largest of which are Gotland and Öland. Government Constitutional monarchy. History The earliest historical mention of Sweden is found in Tacitus's Germania, where reference is made to the powerful king and strong fleet of the Sviones. In the 11th century, Olaf Sköttkonung became the first Swedish king to be baptized as a Christian. Around 1400, an attempt was made to unite Sweden, Norway, and Denmark into one kingdom, but this led to bitter strife between the Danes and the Swedes. In 1520, the Danish king Christian II conquered Sweden and in the “Stockholm Bloodbath” put leading Swedish personages to death.

Gustavus Vasa (1523–1560) broke away from Denmark and fashioned the modern Swedish state. He also confiscated property from the Roman Catholic Church in Sweden to pay Sweden's war debts. The king justified his actions on the basis of Martin Luther's doctrines, which were being accepted nationwide with royal encouragement. The Lutheran Swedish church was eventually adopted as the state church. Sweden played a leading role in the second phase (1630–1635) of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). By the Treaty of Westphalia (1648), Sweden obtained western Pomerania and some neighboring territory on the Baltic. In 1700, a coalition of Russia, Poland, and Denmark united against Sweden and by the Peace of Nystad (1721) forced it to relinquish Livonia, Ingria, Estonia, and parts of Finland. Sweden emerged from the Napoleonic Wars with the acquisition of Norway from Denmark and with a new royal dynasty stemming from Marshal Jean Bernadotte of France, who became King Charles XIV (1818–1844).

The artificial union between Sweden and Norway led to an uneasy relationship, and the union was finally dissolved in 1905. Sweden maintained a position of neutrality in both world wars. The Pomeranian People - Die Pommerschen Leute For a more detailed map, go to Federation of East European Family History Societies Map Room The German Empire: From 1871 to 1918 The map above shows the provinces or states that made up Germany during the latter half of the period when the most Pomeranians were immigrating to America. The provinces that came from the former Prussia are colored. Click on the map to enlarge it. Pomerania between World War I and World War II Several counties were added to Pomerania between WWI and WWII. Before WWI Arnswalde and Friedeberg were part of the province of Brandenburg, Netzekreis and Schneidemï¿½hl were part of the province of Posen, and Deutsch-Krone, Flatow and Schlochau were part of the province of West Prussia. After WWI these areas were given over to Poland.

A few years later Netzekreis and Schneidemï¿½hl, having mostly German populatons, were allowed to rejoin Germany and were made part of the province of Pomerania. In 1938, after Germany invaded Poland, the remaining areas given to Poland were incorporated into Germany and made part of Pomerania as well. In the place index for Die Vorfahren, we do not list the counties added to Pomerania after WWI with Pomerania. Instead we associated them with the provinces to which they belonged before WWI to keep place name references consistant. Click on the map to enlarge it. How Big Was Pomerania? Myron published this map July 1983 in the fifth issue of his second volume (Band). I have seen similar versions of this map in other publications but this may have been the first. Pomerania had an area about one fifth of the area of Wisconsin. It greatest length in the north-south direction is about a 50 miles. From east to west Pomerania stretches about 175 miles..

You can find more information on Pomerania in Die Pommerschen Leute (The Pomeranian People), a quarterly newsletter designed for people who have an interest in Pomeranian ancestry. Click here for more information. Introduction (Einleitung) The former Pr ussian/German province of Pomerania (from Slavic po, "along" and morze, "sea") was situated on the southern Baltic Coast, on both sides of the River Oder, stretching from Stralsund on the west to Lauenburg on the east.. The Slavic tribes Pomorzanie and Polabs settled the area in the 5th century. German migration into the western and central regions of Pomerania began in the late 12th century. Western Pomerania (Vorpommern) was acquired by the Swedes through the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. Part of this area was returned to Brandenburg in 1720. Prussia combined this area and the other areas of western Pomerania in 1815 as one province and called it Pommern. Prussia annexed Eastern Pomerania (Hinterpommern) in 1772.

The far eastern district, called Pomerelia or Pomerellen, eventually became what was known as West Prussia after 1772 After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles created the Polish Corridor in part of Hinterpommern. The Polish part formed the province of Pomerelia (German Pommerellen; Polish Pomorze)(6,335 sq. mi. / 16,408 sq. km.), with Bydgoszcz as its capital. The German province had 14,380 sq. mi. / 38,410 sq. km.), with Stettin (Szczecin) as its capital. After World War II, the Potsdam Conference in 1945 transferred to Polish jurisdiction the area east of the Oder River (former Hinterpommern), and a small part west of the Oder including the former Pomeranian capital city Stettin (Szczecin), the peninsula Wollin, and the eastern part of the peninsula Usedom with the city of Swinemünde.

The former Hinterpommern today forms two of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) of Poland: Zachodnio-Omorskie (province of West Pomerania) with Szczecin (formerly Stettin) as its capital city and Pomorskie (Pomerania) with Gdansk (formerly Danzig) as its capital. The balance of the Pommern area west of the Oder was designated as part of Mecklenburg and thus a part of the Soviet zone of occupation. The area became part of the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik), also known as East Germany. Today most of this area is part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Basic Facts About Pomerania/Pommern -- (from Uncapher, Wendy K. and Linda M. Herrick. German Maps & Facts for Genealogy. Janesville, Wisconsin: Origins Books, 2002) Size: 11,621 sq.

miles (20% the size of Wisconsin); 14,3890 square miles after Grenzmark Posen-Westpreussen was added to Pomerania in 1938.

Today about 2,800 square miles of Vorpommern remain in Germany, with the balance in Poland) Prussian: 1701-1947 Dominant religion: Protestant (1871: Evangelical - 1,397,467; Catholic - 16,858; Other - 4,266; Jewish - 13,036; and Non-Christian -6) Population: 1855 - 1,289,134; 1871 - 1,431,796 Land ownership: 1860s: 0-3.1 acres (cottagers) - 80; 3.2-18.9 acres - 400; 19.0-189 acres - 2,863; 190-378 acres - 572; and over 378 acres - 6,979 (total: 10,484 landowners) Principal crops: potatoes, rye, oats, wheat, barley, tobacco, flax, hops,

 beetroot Livestock: horses, sheep, cattle, pigs, geese Industry: fishing, linen weaving, shipbuilding, distilleries, sugar refineries, peat, woodworking Minerals: chalk Rivers: Oder, Peene, Ücker, Ihna, Persante Ports: Stettin was the third largest German port, but numbers of emigrant ships was small when compared to Hamburg and Bremen.

Geography -- (from Herrick, Linda M. and Wendy K. Uncapher. Pomerania: Atlantic Bridge to Germany. Janesville, Wisconsin: Origins Books, 2005) Pomerania stretched along the Ostsee (Baltic Sea) bordering on Mecklenburg, Brandenburg and West Prussia. The province was part of the North German Plain and was considered the flattest area of Germany. East of the Oder Rive lay a range of low hills and forests. The soil was thin and sandy and not very good for farming. In spite of this, Pomerania ranked as one of the largest producers of crops. The province had numerous lakes and marshes. The largest rivers were the Oder, Peene, Ücker, Ihna, Rega, Persante, Wipper, Stolpe, Lupow and the Leba, which all flowed to the north. In Southern Pomerania the small streams connected to the Netze River. The western coastline was very irregular; the eastern coast was more regular and bordered with sand dunes, and was famous for its seaside resorts since the 1930s.

Fishing was popular, especially for lampreys and herring. Fishing centers thrived in Stralsund and Sassnitz. The marshes were sources for peat. The province had three large islands: Rügen, Usedom and Wollin. Rügen was separated from the main land by a narrow channel called the Strela Sund. Usedom and Wollin were located between the Stettiner Haff (Stettin Lagoon) and the Pommersche Bucht (Pomeranian Bay) in the Baltic. Through the years, alternate names were used for the western and eastern parts of Pomerania. East and west were divided by the Oder River. Western: Westpommern; Vorpommern; Fore Pomerania; Near Pomerania; Hither Pomerania; and Swedish Pomerania. Eastern: Ostpommern; Hinterpommern; Further Pomerania; Far Pomerania; Farther Pomerania; and Prussian Pomerania. Districts and counties (Kreise) in Pomerania. The names in bold are the three administrative districts (Regierusngsbezirke) in Pomerania.

Names in parentheses are current Polish names. Stargard, Stettin and Stralsund were Stadtkreise (city counties). Kreis Fürstentum was divided in 1872 to make Kreise Bublitz, Köslin and Kolberg-Körlin. See Governmental Districts for additional information. Köslin This is what Frederick the Great had to say about the character of the Pomeranians: "Die pommern sin von natürlicher Offenheit. Verschmitzheit und Gerissenheit liegt ihen nich. Der kleine Mann is mißtrauisch und dickköpig, auch wohl selbstsüchtig aber weder grausam noch heftig, und die Sitten sind sanft, so daß hier keine Strenge am Platze ist. Die Pommern haben einen geraden und schlichten Sinn. Unter allen provinzen hat Pommern die besten Untertanen für kriegsdienste wie für alle Ämter gern betrauen, weil ihr Freimut sich nicht für Geschäfte eignet.

Manche leisten im Finanzfach ziemluch gute Dienste, sie geben gute Offiziere, werläßliche Soldaten ab." "The Pomeranians are of a natural openness. Craftiness and cunning are not in them. The ordinary man is suspicious and thick-headed, even selfish, but neither cruel nor violent, and their customs are mild so that here there is no striving for position. The Pomeranians have a direct and modest consciousness. Of all the provinces (in Prussia), Pomerania has the best subjects for war service as well as for any office to which they are appointed. Only I would not like to trust them with diplomatic negotiations because their candor does not fit them for this business. Many give good service in finance, they make good officers and dependable soldiers." Cammin, Pomerania, Prussia - A Family Heritage Resource A Family Heritage Resource Journey through Mecklenburg- West Pomerania Pomerania is an area that curves along the Baltic Sea in far northern Europe. Ruled by or part of different countries or kingdoms, including Prussia, over the centuries, it was Germanic in culture at one time, due to settlement by German farmers.

Today it is split along the Oder River, the west part now in Mecklenburg, Germany, the east in Poland. From Cammin in Pomerania and other areas of Prussia came a unique migration of "Old Lutherans" to America in 1839, searching for religious freedom. Many settled in and around Buffalo, New York, while about 60 families came on to Milwaukee , Wisconsin, and surrounding areas. Among them were several Bruss families from Cammin. Here's more on Cammin, Pomerania, and the Old Lutheran migration. Pomerania, or Pommern: its geography, subdivisions, peoples, and an historical timeline Pomerania: introduction and color map, with key cities including Stralsund, Greifswald, Stettin, Cammin and more Pomerania: description and history of this land along the Baltic Sea to the east of Mecklenburg, divided by the Oder River Pomerania: basic facts, genealogy, geography, history, more, and the griffin insignia, logos and maps of Pomerania .

Pomerania Maps for mid-19th century, 1871 to 1918, and 1938. One shows it is 1/5th the area of Wisconsin. Pomerania stretches 175 miles east to west and 50 miles north to south. Since 1945, western Pomerania joined Mecklenburg, Germany. Pomerania: its geography, agriculture and history as written in 1911 ORDER Western Pomerania Pomerania FAQ: information helpful to genealogists including history, legal and governmental structures, archives and more Pommern Resources organized by kreis or county, and a guide to a listing of and descriptions of Pommern's villages Hinterpommern or Farther Pomerania east of the Oder River Vorpommern or Hither Pomerania west of the Oder River History of Pomerania [ Top ] History of Pomerania: a region alternatively Germanic and Slavic, fought over by Denmark, Sweden, Vikings, Poland, the Holy Roman Empire, the Teutonic Order, Brandenburg, Prussia and Germany.

History of Pomerania , including the section west of the Oder River called Vorpommern now joined with Mecklenburg, and part east of the river called Hinterpommern. Mentions the Old Lutheran emigration. History of Pomerania , including original peoples, settlement after 1181 by German farmers with new farming technology, trade and the Hanseatic League of cities, including Stettin, Stargard, Kammin, more Short History of Pomerania , with 8 chapters, with one on Pomerania as a Province of Prussia , 1815-1945. Old Lutherans are mentioned.

Province of Pomerania: a part of Prussia starting in 1815 Pomeranian History: varied informational resources, and glimpses of a museum exhibit that show Pomerania's History Duchy of Pomerania: history of Pomerania, 12th to 17th centuries Bishopric of Cammin: this Catholic bishopric was established in Cammin in 1176 just Pomerania came under early Germany rule History of Pomerania , its Christian churches and its church organs, including the one built in Cammin, 1669-1672. In 1945 at the end of World War II, Pomerania was split between East Germany and Poland ORDER Genealogy of Pomerania [ Top ] Die Pommerschen Leute or The Pomeranian People: a newsletter, an online surname index of Pomeranian people who came to America with many Bruss individuals, a place name index , maps , links , more Pommern Genealogy: records, societies, maps, more, and more detail on where to find church records from areas of old Pomerania Family Research in Pommern , genealogy resources in English translation.

Original in German is Familienforschung in Pommern . Kreis Cammin genealogy resources including Web pages, books, genealogy e-mail lists, more. And contact details for Prof. Dr. Hans-Dieter Wallschlï¿½ger, noted author about Kreis Cammin . Pommerndatenbank: search genealogy database for Pommern Pommernkontakte: database of Pomerania family researchers Kartenmeister: database of places, surnames, researchers for Eastprussia, Westprussia, Brandenburg, Posen, Pomerania, Silesia. Pomeranian Family Histories: links to Web sites, many in English Pommern-L is a genealogy mailing list for Pommern, messages in English or German. Pomeranian surnames and their researchers. Pomeranian Genealogy, Culture, and History , a book by Paul Sternberg, Janice and Jerry Savage ORDER Cammin, Pomerania [ Top ] Cammin , also spelled Kammin, overlooks the Dievenow River, a branch of the Oder River near its mouth at the Baltic Sea.

It is or was the seat of the bishopric, the site of a cathedral built in 1175, a Hanseatic trading and shipbuilding city, and a health spa. See city photo and a city panorama . Cammin or Kammin [1911]: a port city in Kreis Cammin near the Baltic Sea with four Lutheran churches including a Dom or cathedral . Map of Pomerania , large. See Kammin just inland from Mth. or Mouth of the Dievenow River where it enters the Baltic Sea. Also a map with the city of Cammin in Kreis Kammin and large map of Kreis Cammin . Map of Pomerania , 1871, with Kreis Cammin highlighted in blue, and a map of Land Kreis Cammin showing the city, the river, more. Modern map with Kreis Cammin outlined, city of Cammin shown, and a map showing Cammin/Kamien Pomorski and Insel Gristow to the west, and maps of Land-Kreis Cammin and of Pomerania with Cammin to the far right, with Gristow Island with Gristow and Bunnewitz on it.

Cammin , once a Hanseatic League trading city, with photo . Kammin listed as a Hansa town on page x in the book The German Hansa by Phillipe Dollinger, D. S. Ault, H. Steinberg. View it on Google Books . Hanseatic towns in Poland, some formerly in Pomerania, with history and description in words and photos, including Stettin/Szczecin, Cammin/Kamien Pomorski, Danzig/Gdansk, more. Another look . About Cammin in the story of the Bruss family who came to Milwaukee Dom or Cammin Cathedral . Dom exterior, altar and organ. Kammin, Pomerania: once part of Prussia, Cammin or Kammin has been part of Poland, in its far northwest corner, since the end of World War II. It is now called Kamien Pomorski. A visit to Cammin today . Search via Google Books for Heinz Chinnow's Pomerania: A Teenager's Diary of Peace, War, Flight and Expulsion. See p. 131 for a brief description of Cammin today and author's genealogy research.

Cammin today is Kamien Pomorski , known for its Gothic cathedral, spa, music festival, Gothic town hall and ancient city gate. See photos . Kamien Pomorski , in English, with description of historic churches, the 1669 organ, Wolin Gate and Tower, St. John the Baptist Cathedral . Plus a sideview of the cathedral. Map of the city of Kamien Pomorski today, with a photo gallery . Photos: Wolin Gate and Piast Tower from the old medieval walls,, the Cathedral , the Cathedral's organ , another Cathedral view, a side view of the Cathedral , historic Rathaus or Town Hall, Staromiejski Hotel in the Old Town, views of St. Nicolai's Church [see bottom], and several Cammin photos including the Rathaus or town hall..

About the Old Lutherans in Germany and America, and more resources about Old Lutherans Old Lutheran Fever: a look at development of the passionate desire to emigrate from Prussia to America, Australia in the 1830s and 1840s for religious freedom A total of 1,084 Old Lutherans arrived in America in the fall of 1839 on seven ships: Franklin, Caroline, Alfred, Britannia, Republic, Georgiana and Echo. Links to passenger lists included. Emigration Index to Wilhelm Iwan's 1943 book "The Old Lutheran Emigration at the Middle of the 19th Century." Search here . Martin Friedrich Bruss family from Cammin on page 250 here .

Old Lutherans: description and historical resources [Note that the first migration to America was in 1839, followed by others] Pomeranian Genealogy Governmental Districts [Landkreis/Kreis: Landkreis, short just "Kreis," is the administrative body one notch above "village" or "town." From the top to the bottom the government was organized on these levels: Country, like "Kingdom of Prussia" State or province, like "Provinz Pommern" or older "Departement Pommern" Gubernatorial (or Administrative) District, like "Regierungsbezirk Stettin" County, like "Landkreis Randow" or just "Kreis Randow" Town, Township, or Village, like Blumberg Background and history of Pomeranian Governmental Districts In 1325, the Rügen family line died out, and this caused the War of Succession between Pomerania and Mecklenburg. Pomerania won the war and added the island of Rügen and its land on the mainland.

From 1354 to 1420, Ückermark was part of Pomerania until Brandenburg acquired it. In 1541, Pomerania was divided, and the Oder River became the dividing line. Pomerania-Wolgast was west of the river and Pomerania-Stettin to the east. It was from this point in time that the use of the names Vorpommern and Hinterpommern started. In the 17th century, Pomerania was divided between the royal family, nobles, church lands (e.g., Fürstentum Cammin and Domkapitel Cammin) and independent cities. In 1637, Brandenburg inherited all of Pomerania when the last Duke died (Thirty Years' War was in progress, and Sweden was in possession of most of Pomerania at the time. The 1648 peace agreement upheld Brandenburg's right to inherit, but it took until 1653 for all Swedish troops to leave Hinterpommern). In 1648, Fürstentum Cammin was granted to Brandenburg. In 1668, Draheim was added from Poland.

In 1679, land that Sweden held east of the Oder River was won by Brandenburg. It included the towns of Greifenhagen, Bahn, Cammin and others. In 1720, Brandenburg won land from Sweden, west to the Peene River including the islands of Usedom and Wollin. In 1720, Alt-Vorpommern included the Ämter (governmental districts) of Anklam, Demmin, Randow and Usedom-Wollin. Neu-Vorpommern was divided into seven districts: Franzburg-Barth, Tribsees, Grimmen, Loitz, Greifswald, Wolgast and Rügen. (Biewer, Ludwig. Pomerania under Prussian and Swedish Rule, 1648-1815). In 1724, Pomerania, minus the Neu-Vorpommern, was divided into 17 districts and four city districts. (Biewer, Ludwig. Pomerania under Prussian and Swedish Rule, 1648-1815).

Around 1780, the Duke's domains, which covered about 1/4 of Pomerania, were divided into Ämter (governmental districts), and the roughly 400 noble estates were divided into districts. In spite of the large number of nobles, 2/3 of the population was serfs. A 1780 map shows the 47 Ämter listed below. Barth In 1804, Lauenburg and Bütow districts were added from West Prussia. In 1806, Neu-Vorpommern was divided into Härad (Swedish districts) Bergen, Franzburg, Grimmen, Greifswald. In 1810, the term Kreis started to be used to describe the governmental districts or counties. In 1814, Sweden traded Neu-vorpommern to Prussia. In exchange Sweden received the Duchy of Lauenburg. Land from Brandenburg became Schivelbein, Dramburg and part of Saatzig.

In 1815, land from Brandenburg's Neumark was added on 30 April 1815 to Pomerania and divided into Kreis Dramburg and Kreis Schivelbein. Part was added to eastern Kreis Saatzig. In 1816, a small area around Löcknitz was added to Kreis Randow. Kreis Pyritz gained Brederlow, Naulin and Groß Möllen. That same year Bernstein went to Brandenburg. In 1818, the areas around Heinrichsdorf and Groß Poplow were added to Kreis Neustettin from West Prussia. In 1818, Pomerania was divided into three Regierusngsbezirke (administrative districts): Stralsund, Stettin, and Köslin. The existing Kreise were divided between the three administrative districts: Stralsund: Franzburg, Greifswald, Grimmen, and Rügen.

Stettin: Anklam, Cammin, Demmin, Greifenberg, Greifenhagen, Naugard, Pyritz, Randow, Regenwalde, Saatzig, Stettin (Stadt), Ückermünde, Usedom-Wollin Köslin: Belgard, Dramburg, Fürstentum, Lauenburg-Bütow, Neustettin, Rummelsburg, Schivelbein, Schlawe, and Stolp. Each Kreis included one to five cities, a few dozen towns, and numerous hamlets, farms, estates, forest houses, etc. In 1845, Kreis Lauenburg-Bütow was divided into two separate Kreise, Lauenburg and Bütow. In 1872, Kreis Fürstentum was divided among the following Kreise: Bublitz, Köslin, and Kolberg-Körlin. In 1918, after World War I, land from West Prussia and Posen was combined to recreate the country of Poland which had not existed since 1795. This land was referred to as the Polish Corridor.

In 1920, minor changes were made along the Pomeranian-Polish border. The villages of Zukowsken, Occalitz, and Knivenbruch were added to West Prussia. In 1922, a non-militarized zone called "Grenzmark Posen-Westpreußen" under the authority of Brandenburg was established. It was made up of western parts of former West Prussia and Posen. This was a mainly German populated area. In 1932, the administrative district of Stralsund was dissolved and added to the administrative district of Stettin. In 1932, Kreis Bublitz was parceled out to Köslin, Rummelsburg, Belgard, and Neustettin. In 1932. Schivelbein was parceled out mainly to Kreis Belgard and and a small part to Kreis Dramburg. In 1937, the Pomeranian enclave, with the town of Rottmannshagen and Duckow, was added to Mecklenburg.

In 1938, parts of the Province of Grenzmark Posen-Westpreußen plus Kreis Dramburg & Kreis Neustettin from the administrative district of Köslin and Kreis Arnswalde and Kreis Friedeberg from the administrative district of Frankfurt, Brandenburg, formed Grenzmark Posen-Westpreußen. This Prussian province became a new administrative district in Pomerania. In 1939, Kreis Randow was divided among the following Kreise: Stettin, Ückermünde, Naugard, and the most going to Greifenhagen. In 1945, the Russian army swept across Pomerania burning and killing as they went. In March 1945 Hinterpommern was invaded and destroyed. About 1,884,000 Pomeranians were forced to leave or be brutalized. An estimated 10% of them were killed. In 1945, Hinterpommern and a small amount of land west of the Oder River, including Stettin, were made part of Poland at the Potsdam Conference. Vorpommern went to the Soviet occupation zone.

Poles from White Russia were pushed out by the Russians, and they settled in the deserted parts of Hinterpommern. In 1946, the new German-Polish border ran west of the Oder River. The German Kreise now in Poland were renamed with Polish names and were no longer Kreise but powiaty (counties). These were grouped into fourteen large provinces called wojewodztw (voivodships). In 1949, the Soviet zone dissolved and became the Deutsche Demokratische Republik with five Lander (states): Pomerania, Mecklenburg, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia. In 1952, the five states in East Germany were divided into fourteen with Vorpommern included in Neubrandenburg, Rostock and Frankfurt. Pomerania's name was gone. In 1990, East and West Germany were reunited as the Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of German). Pomerania was now back on the map, but as part of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The above information is from Herrick, Linda M. and Wendy K. Uncapher.

Pomerania: Atlantic Bridge to Germany. Janesville, Wisconsin: Origins Books, 2005. Kreise / Counties Individual Counties / Einzelne Kreise Haus-ostpommern.de . Die Internetseite des Vereins Ostpommern e. V. - Verein für Familienforschung und Heimatkunde. Click on the Kreis site on the map and it will list all of the villages for the Kreis, including population 1905, the village where they attended church, the name of the town for civil registration and the name of the town where the district court (like our courthouse) was located. Kreisbücher . A partial listing of books on various Kreise (counties) of Pomerania. These offer a variety of information on the Pomeranian Kreise, home towns and the people who lived there. Information included will vary from book to book. (In German) Kreise Presidents and Researchers . Contact these individuals for information on individual counties. Pomeranian County (Kreis) Index. It contains seven separate files listing all counties from A to Z. (In German) Pommern Regional Group of Minnesota.

Pomeranian Genealogy, Culture, and History. The Group, 2007. Every Pomeranian Kreis/County has a complete description with many photos. Forty-three topics include stories of home life, seasons, and holidays, as well as useful tips for travel in Poland and the use of the archives.

Question: The historical area of Pomerania is in which country?
Answer: Poland