A Dutch visitor to Poland 1

Historical research at its best relies more on primary sources than secondary resources. That is to say, although a historical investigator may learn from what others say about a given subject in secondary resources such as journal articles, textbooks, monographs, encyclopedias, and the like, the real work of historical discovery takes place when a researcher deals with realia, the records and papers and artifacts of the time under investigation.

For the past eighteen months this blog has relied on secondary sources when necessary (e.g., links to articles in the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online or quotations from relevant and reliable books), but we generally have found the greatest enlightenment by working with the primary sources themselves: the ship manifest from the S.S. Switzerland (see here), the Przechovka church book (first mentioned here), school records from Kleefeld and other villages (here), and a number of photographs of Bullers from years gone by.

With this post we encounter another type of primary source: a travel diary from the first half of the eighteenth century. But first, Nanne van der Zijpp provides background in a secondary resource: “Hendrik Hulshoff, usually called Hendrik Berents, was … an elder of the Groningen Old Flemish Mennonites. … As elder he made official trips to the Old Flemish congregations; in 1719 he made a journey all the way to Polish Prussia. On 22 May, accompanied by his brother Arent Berends, he started out on a trip via Groningen and Harlingen, to Vlieland, and from there by boat to Danzig, where they arrived on 28 June. Here he met with Mennonite leaders.… In Gruppe he visited Jacob Bertelt (Bartel), … for whom he had brought a letter and a ‘great basket full of books’ from Holland. On 5 July the travelers arrived at Przechovka or Przysierk, later called Wintersdorf, not far from Schwetz” (van der Zijpp 1956).

We pick up the story there, thanks to Glenn H Penner, who graciously gave this blog permission to reproduce a portion of his translation of the Berents diary. For Glenn’s introduction to the diary and the entire account of Berents’s time in Poland, see here.

At friends in Przysierk [Przechowka]. About 1 o’clock we came upon Pschighofke [Przysierk, later called Heinrichsdorf, in the neighbourhood of the city of Schwetz] at our friends, at uncle [oom, Aeltester in German] Benjamin Wedels’ house, who received us with uncommon love and affection; just as that afternoon came many friends, who welcomed us with tears and showed us such love, that it cannot be said or written well, and that furthermore, because we had traveled for so long; for which they had been so concerned, that we might have died accidentally, so that the joy was now uncommonly great for them; sang several welcoming songs for our diversion. Thursday the 6th we made plans to speak to brothers and sisters a bit to thank the Lord for showing us his goodness, that we arrived at our friends in good health and in good bodily state. With a hearty address and exhortation, that we may together pray to the attention of the Lord in celebration and strength of mind, that it may please his fatherly goodness to shine upon us with his strength of mind [fortitude], to first open my mouth; to be allowed to speak of the secret of the evangelism Jesus Christ and secondly to open the ears of the friends and to unify hearts, so to be allowed to hear and understand correctly, so that our work not become idle and poisoned, but that it may bring forth fruits; that thereby the name of the Lord be honoured and praised etc.

The Biestken’s Bible, one of the “most
wanted” books (Duerksen 1967, 108).

Friday the 7th we made some deliberations to ordain the most wanted books and then many friends have also visited us and showed us uncommonly great love, with whom we there spent the day. Saturday the 8th more friends again visited us, but, because I had to preach Sunday, so I needed time to practise, but would not leave me in peace; such love they showed us; yes they are so full of love, that they could not conceal. Sunday the 9th I preached about Heb: 1 etc. which the friends received with many tears. That afternoon the friends had a brotherly gathering to speak of the election and a few arrivals. Then came the women and many youths, such menfolk and womenfolk and spoke with us; showed us much love, which much diverted us, spent our time with singing and talking about what the blessed instruction came to.

Monday the 10th called upon me the prospects for school, which were 31 in number; to whom I then spoke of teaching and edification, so that they might think right, what they were about to embark upon. Tuesday we spoke to a few friends and the love, that they showed us can one in no measure describe well. Wednesday the 12th we held together a day of fasting and prayer to access the Lord; that He would allow our attempts to succeed and to go with us in work and labour and to steer us according to his Will etc. Thursday the 13th was then held the election of two preachers of the word and the most votes went to Jacob IJsaäks [Jacob Isaacs] residing across the Wijsel [Weichsel] and to Abraham Onrouw [Abraham Unrau], residing at Pschighofke [Przechowka]. Friday and Saturday the 14th and 15th I had to keep very quiet alone with the books in order to do the offering and investiture Sunday. Then it was very swoel hot weather, like it had been at departure and almost no rain.

Sunday the 16th I served the offering; were 31 persons and the investiture etc. Monday the 17th we spoke a bit with the friends. Tuesday the 18th we drove to ‘t Wolt [Wolz] and further to Schoonzee [Schönsee] in order to also visit some friends there, lodged with Hans Voet [Hans Voth] in Schoonzee. Wednesday the 19th I preached [served] there, about the fruits of the mind, and in the afternoon spoke to the friends. Thursday the 20th we visited some more friends there and then we attended Hans Voet [Hans Voth] and his wife and ate lunch at Jacob IJsaäks’ [Jacob Isaacs] and then visited other friends in ‘t Wolt and travelled further with uncle Benjamin and Pieter Dekker [Peter Decker] back to their house. Friday and Saturday the 21st and the 22nd, I had to once again remain with the books, in order to serve the offering and washing of feet on Sunday, although Saturday afternoon we had business of the circumstance of Hans Voet [Hans Voth]; brought it to the satisfaction of the friends in the end. Sunday the 23rd we held unity [service] and the washing of feet which occurred with the shedding of many tears.

Area of Schönsee, which is known as Sosnówka today.

After that exhortation, I made it known to the brothers and sisters that we were of the intention to again leave the friends on the Wednesday the 26th, to again turn back to ours and that with permission of the Lord I was of the intention to take leave of the friends with the serving of a last meal on Tuesday the 25th, which caused almost all friends to shed tears (but not so with everyone of them); because their love is so great, that they could not conceal it. Have received many more visitors that afternoon and when one speaks of leaving, then run forthwith the eyes of many friends. Monday the 24th I kept myself again with the books, but then came several friends and complained, that they would gladly travel with us to Dansig, but because it was the middle of harvest, that very time it would be necessary to take in the rye; so they could not venture it and almost none of the friends could travel with us; arranged therefore with tears, that we really should stay until Saturday the 29th, because to just let us drive on like that, they would not forget in a lifetime. Something which we could not resolve to do, since we had been so long away from home; so that in the end we resolve to stay until Saturday; which brought such gladness to the friends, that it was shortly known to the friends in ‘t Koepat [Konopat in the environs of Schwetz] and also across the Wijsel [Weichsel].

Tuesday the 25th have I then preached about Efe: 6 [Paul to the Ephesians, Chapter 6, verse 11 and 13.]; of God’s weapons rest etc. There had come many friends from the other side of the Wijsel and also two servers of the word from the other Mennonites, named Derk Wiggerts and IJsaäk Geerts and several more of their friends. Afternoon we had so much talk with the friends, that it was so uncomfortable due to heat in the house, that one could not comfortably remain. …

Farewell. Saturday the 29th most of the friends visited us at the house of uncle Benjamin to say their last good-byes, to which end we first said good-bye at half past ten, with an uncommonly great sadness due to leaving each other. Then the friends saw us off as long as they could. Then drove with us four wagons full of our friends for close to three hours in order to keep us company, which after we said good-byes with great sadness to separate from each other.

Like most diaries, travel or otherwise, a significant amount of minutiae is included, as the key events of each day are recounted. One’s mind can easily wander with the repetitiveness of the day-by-day narration. Looking more closely, paying attention to details, however, one can also see glimpses of our ancestors’ daily lives.

For example, we see that our forebears in Poland grew rye, which had to be harvested mid-July. We notice also a school with thirty-one students in the community. Berents mentions several times the washing of feet, which was part of the worship practices of some Mennonites of that time. Mention is also made of books that were wanted. Here a secondary resource can help us understand more. Jacob A. Duerksen explains that Hendrik Berents “brought a large basketful of Dutch books with him from the Netherlands which had been requested by members of the Old Flemish Mennonite Church in Przekhovka and by members of the Frisian churches in Montau and Schönsee” (Duerksen 1967, 108, emphasis added). In Poland, at least at this time, these Mennonites still relied on Dutch materials. Of course, this raises the question of what language they used in their worship services.

So many more observations could be made, but these few will have to do for now, since there is other material in the Hendrik Berents travel diary that demands our attention. The next post will reproduce another part of Glenn Penner’s translation of the diary, the part that lists the names of the Mennonites whom Hendrik Berents (and others) encountered during their time in the Przechovka area. Needless to say, we will see a Buller or two recorded there.

Sources

Duerksen, Jacob A. 1967. Transition from Dutch to German in West Prussia. Mennonite Life 22:107–9. Available online here.

Penner, Glenn H. Przechowka, West Prussia, Memberships lists for 1715 and 1733 from the Travel Diary of Hendrik Berents Hulshoff. Available online here.

Zijpp, Nanne van der. 1956. Hulshoff, Hendrik (1664–1745). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Available online here.