Rogozno Part 2: From Curt Wolf

Why would this group of Germans move east? (George Eiffler was Curt Wolf’s 5x great grandfather) At the time of George Eiflers arrival to Poland in 1784, both the land in Germany and Poland was ruled by the Hapsburg Dynasty of the Austrian Empire. To extend their wealth, the Hapsburgs wanted people to settle these empty lands to the east. There was a notable nobleman in Poland’s history named Andrzej Zamoyst who worked a deal with the Hapsburgs to have these families come live on his estate. The Emperor paid for their travel, new housing, livestock, and many other things. George Eifler, who lived on less and poorer land in the foothills than the offer in Poland figured this was a much better situation so he went for it. None of the “colonists”, as they were called, were forced to go but went freely for their own economic advantage. Each colonist family signed the contract along with Zamoyst and a representative from the Hapsburg family. According to the contract, George received 40 acres to lease with his family The actual contract . . . is a fascinating read of a “do it yourself commune of the 18th century”! Andrzej Zamoyst was well respected, holding one of the highest positions in Poland. He was considered a great man of integrity, was influenced by the enlightened principles that gave birth to America, and was the first of the large landowners in Poland to create positive reforms in the abusive Serfdom system. It is nice to know that our ancestors enjoyed some of these reforms. This contract was for the most part honored by many families until the early 1900s although some released themselves from the contract over time. The Russians honored it when they took over the area from the Hapsburgs in 1815 but it was totally disregarded when Russia turned communist. Finally, to keep these “family writings” within reasonable length, I will end with a paragraph summarizing the contract done by a descendant of the Thor colonist family. More on the Eiflers next time before we get to the Niedzwiedzki side. Curt Contract Summary: It was December 1784, when the Thors came to Zamość with representatives of, among others of the Klaudel families (Claudel spelled at the time), Gryn, Sprenger, Belz, Müller, Albinger, Pfeiffer, Lambert, Szmidt, Tur, Altmajer, Eifler, Bender and others. Among hundreds of colonist families, 90 were farmers, the rest were craft families. Among them was a blacksmith, carpenter, carpenter, miller, tailor, shoemaker, fisherman, beekeeper, stonemason, and nail builder. Settlers were settled in various places of the Zamość Ordinance. Eight families in each of the following colonies: Białobrzegi, Huszczka, Płoskie, and Zamch. Six in the Brody Stare colony, five in the Rosary colony, nine in the Korchów colony, 10 in the Rogóźno colony and 12 in the Sitaniec colony. On February 28, 1785, at the Zamoyski estate office in Zamość, the ordinate Andrzej Zamoyski signed a contract with German settlers. Zamość contract. 100 colonists (including four illiterates) and a representative of the Austrian authorities signed it. The contract concluded for eternal times, precisely defined rights and obligations in 44 points. He normalized that every farming family would receive from the ordinance in a designated colony 30 morgas (40 acres) of land for development, including the arrangement of an orchard, vegetable garden and meadow. He warned that artisans could not have more than 15 morgas so that they would not neglect their profession. Within 2 years, the ordinate undertook to build a residential house for the colonists, consisting of a large room, a chamber and a kitchen with a brick oven and a chimney, which led to the roof. Covered with straw and a wooden floor in living quarters. Each farm was to have a wooden stable for 8 cattle and a granary for grain at the cost of the ordinate. Each settled family was to receive, in proportion to its land, in the first spring of settlement 2 horses, one gelding and one mare, 2 draft oxen, 2 cows and 1 sow, all of the best species. And also 1 iron forged wagon, iron plow, 2 wooden harrows with iron teeth and an iron shovel. The value of dead and livestock was to be returned in six installments over a period of six years, starting from January 1791. The contract regulated the issues of farm inheritance, compensation, obtaining wood for fuel from ordinance forests, courts, rents, taxes, settlements, and fortunes. He stipulated that in the event of neglect, rascality, bad will, destruction of the farm by the settler or rent debts, the ordinate may remove the colonist without compensation.