Koschneiderei

The Koschneideri (in Polish "Kosznajderia") is a distinct area southeast of the city of Konitz, West Prussia, that was settled by ethnic Germans at the time of the Teutonic Knights (officially the "Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem," "Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Hierosolymitanorum," or "Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus St. Mariens in Jerusalem" Wikipedia article) at the of the 14th Century A.D.

The residents of this area retained a distinct language and culture for hundreds of years. While much of West Prussia became Lutheran, this area remained Catholic. Ethic Poles and ethnic Germans attended the same parishes, resulting in considerable intermarriage.

Some emigrants from the Koschneiderei regard themselves as ethnic Poles and others as ethnic Germans. In either case, descendants of the Koschneiderei settlers are working together to document its history and families.

The extant Catholic parish registers and civil records for the Koschneideri are being extracted and may be searched (pick your flag to change languages) at the Pomeranian Genealogical Association website.

Parishes of the Koschneiderei

• Damerau
• Frankenhagen
• Gersdorf
• Lichnau
• Osterwick

Additionally, there were five affiliated churches:

• Deutsch Cekzin
• Schlagenthin
• Obkaß
• Groß Zirkwitz
• Mosnitz