On this page, we aim to collect information about Vistula Germans, focusing on two families: Jobs and Liedke. There is another writing of this surname in different documents that refer to the same person or family members. Examples of names that were found are Lidtke, Liedkie, Liedke, Liedka, Lytke, Litke, Lidka, and Litka. Also, there is a need to find old villages around the old parish of Wistka Szlachecka on today's maps. The names of villages that consistently appear in marriage and birth documents are: Dąb, Dąb Stary, Dąb Niemiecki.

From Wikipedia: "Vistula Germans (German: Weichseldeutsche) are ethnic Germans who had settled in what became known after the 1863 Polish rebellion as the Vistula Territory. This territory, so designated by the ruling Russians of the time, encompassed most of the Vistula River (Weichsel in German, Wisła in Polish) watershed of central Poland up to just east of Toruń (Thorn)." Source: [1]

It is important to recall the history of the "Olenders" because the German settlers followed the Dutch settlers and in some cases both Dutch and German colonists were called "Olenders" mainly based on the system of farming.

"The land settled by the colonists was located along the main rivers - Vistula (from Kozienice to Żuławy Wiślane), Warta (Poznański province), Bzura (around Łęczyca), and Bug. The first settlements were founded in Royal and Ducal Prussia, then in Kujawy, Wielkopolska, and Mazowsze. The Dutch were the first colonists. In the 18th century, they were followed by German farmers from Lower Germany as well as Polish peasants. The Dutch settlers were nicknamed Olęder, which was the Polonized version of the noun "Dutchman" ("Holender" in Polish). Olęder signified not only the nationality of the settlers but also the system of farming that originated in Holland. The system, which granted considerable freedom to the colonists, was based on the perpetual lease of land, with only cash rent payable to the landowner." Source: Catalogue of monuments of Dutch colonization in Poland [2]

The Olęders wandered along large rivers. They developed riverside meadows - something the local Polish peasants did not undertake. Kępa Podwierzbiańska was founded in the first years of the 19th century by Stanisław Zamoyski. Map: [3]

A valuable map and description of the situation from 1811 on the section of the Vistula from Kochów to the mouth of the Wilga. Here, the Vistula has created a very winding riverbed with branches - Łachy. There were often iceberg floods that destroyed nearby towns. The town of Ryczywół suffered the most - in 1808, the brick church was damaged and the vault threatened to collapse. Soon, in August 1813, the flood of the millennium occurred, which finally ruined the town of Ryczywół - it was forced to move to a safe place - 2 kilometers to the west. There was a major change in the Vistula riverbed - the river created a new main riverbed following the former Łacha river between Świerże and Antoniówka, and right next to Ryczywół. The island "Kępa Ordynacka" is marked on the plan - today's Kępa Podwierzbiańska - then inhabited by the Hollanders brought by Stanisław Ordynat Zamoyski. The village of Kraski is also visible. The author of the map - Józef Sadkowski, describes the methods of strengthening the river banks - some of these methods are still used today. The map of the course of the Vistula from 1811 was valid only for two years - until the flood of 1813. The map of the course of the Vistula from 1811.The central part of the map: - a small island - Kępa Ordynacka and a large island with the villages of Kraski, Budy Podłęskie, Podwierzbie and Ostrów.

The map of the course of the Vistula from 1811 by Józef Sadkowski (enlarged): [4]

Map by Józef Sadkowski (with original) [5]

Interesting in further research:

Dutch settlement in Mazowsze [6]

Wojciech Marchlewski "Olędrzy podczas II wojny światowej i ich powojenna sytuacja - zagadnienia społeczne, polityczne i gospodarcze. Mennonici na Mazowszu 1939 - 1948" [7]

Wojciech Marchlewski "Different neighbours. Everyday life of Hollander colonists in Powisle in the 19th century". [8]