3. The Mennonites

Mennonites were followers of the teachings of Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland, a northern province of Holland on the North Sea.  Mennonites held to the teachings of the Bible with emphasis on adult baptism and non resistance.  The Mennonites experienced much religious persecution because of their practice of adult baptism.  Military conscription was prevalent throughout Europe so the Mennonites moved as a group in search of places to live where they could practice their beliefs.  A strong emphasis on community was developed under these circumstances.

In the early 1500s, Mennonites from Holland, seeking religious freedom and exemption from military service, began a migration to the Vistula Delta region of present day Poland.

Map Courtesy "Heritage Remembered" p. 5

They were welcomed to the free city of Danzig (Gdansk, Poland today) where they were helpful in reclaiming land using dikes and windmills as they had in Holland.  For a period of more than 200 years (1540-1788), the Mennonites enjoyed the fruits of hard labor and a frugal and simple life under the protection of benevolent kings in this territory.  A census taken in 1774 revealed that the Mennonites owned at least 80,000 acres of rich farm land that had been reclaimed.

Map of Poland shows the Vistula River.  Used by Permission

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/lgcolor/plcolor.htm

Vistula Delta on the Baltic Sea.

More information about this period of Mennonite history can be found at Vistula Mennonite Studies Project https://mla.bethelks.edu/information/mpsa.php