[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Language in Eastern Europe was: Records in Poland

[Krampetz at aol.com]

I've read speculation about the Germans in Eastern  Europe that
  initially traces back to the Teutonic Knights converting the  native Slavs
  and (Old) Prussians to Christianity in the 13th  century. 
  Along with their religion,  they spread their Germanic  language.   
  Add: that the concept of 'Nationality' not existing until  the 19th 
Century 
  then what you are left with before you have national  identity,  you have
language & religion which is what you  were.    This is a strong self
  identification that maintains one even  today.   
 
    
Bob K.
 
 
 
In a message dated 12/10/13 05:10:05 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
jsziske37 at gmail.com writes:

Sandy  Burke, the education of our ancestors has no effect on the church
records  except perhaps in spelling a name. The Pastor was an educated man
and he  kept the records. My dad only had a third grade education but was
able to  do all necessary to come to the USA as a 17 year-old. His copy of
his  Baptism record was signed by Pastor R. Gundlach of Plock, who wrote the
125  year history of the Plock parish.

They remained and spoke German  because they were Evangelicals (Lutheran is
a US term, not European) and  that was a German church at the time as
differing from the Catholic or  Eastern Orthodox. Even their schooling was
in German with their teachers  being German. My dad actually spoke more
Russian than Polish, as the  Russians were in charge of his area until he
was about 13 or 14 the end of  WWI.

Hope this helps,
John S Ziske
South Barre,  Vermont