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Wanda Karkucińska

The Kórnik Library of the Polish Academy of Science

The Olęder settlements in Kórnik estates of Teofilia Szołdrskiej Potulickiej, birth name Działyński

There are three maps of land granted to the Olęders in the Kórnik Library. They date from the 18th century. The fourth map, drawn by the same hand, is located in the Poznań Archive. The three maps, which in my opinion are quite rare, include the land granted to Olęders from Radzewa Hollendry (currently Radzewice) and Czmonia Hollendry (currently Czmoniec). They include very characteristic grants of land strips and larger areas of meadows signed by the settlers. There are several Polish names and a few names of assimilated and Polonized settlers whose families live in the district to the present day. The first one is:

Plan en brouillon von den zur Herrschaft Kornick gehorigen Zins Dorff Czmon, nebst dabay gelegenen Holländern aufgenommen im Jahr 1777 durch L. Grund. It is a colorful map made on hand made paper glued on canvas; the map is hand-drawn in ink, pencil, and painted in watercolor. Size: 75x136 cm. Old catalogue number: A I Radzewo Hauland N: 55. Scale: 200 pręts = 13 cm. The settlement was surrounded by the Czmoński forest. The map presents leased lands of Czmoń with marked three-field system (fields with spring and winter grain and follow fields). Embankments and mounds are marked on the map with dashes. Roads, windmills, ponds, lakes, and rivers with marshy areas are also shown.

The second one:

Plan en brouillon von den zur [...] Kornick gehörigen Zinsdorffe Radzewo [...] dabey gelegenen Holländern [...] im Jahr 1771 durch A. Grund. It is a colorful map made on hand made paper glued on canvas; the map has been drawn in ink, pencil, and painted in watercolor. Size: 103,5 x 102,5 cm. Old catalogue number: A II villge of Czmoń and Holendry N: 15. Scale: 200 pręts = 13 cm

The third one is actually a fragment of the Czmońskie Ollendry map.

The map from the Arvhives in Poznań includes Borówiec, which was established on the order of "rzędziocha (ruler)", Teofilia Szołdrskiej Potulickiej, birth name Działyński It is safe to assume that the no-longer existing archive included a full set of maps of Teofilia's estates and lands granted to the Olęders.

Teofila Działyńska, a daughter of Zygmunt (the owner of Kórnik) and Teresa Tarłówna, was an unusual person. The first Kórnik business woman owned the town of Kórnik with the castle and manors, Bnin with the outskirts, Czołowo, Kamionki, Mieczewo, Konarskie, Czmoń, Radzewo, Olędry Błażejewskie, Olędry Zwolskie, Olędry Borowskie, Czmońskie, Radzewskie, Dachowa, Kijewo, Żabikowo, Zimina, Januszewo, Pierzchno, Skrzynki, Szczo-drzykowo, Kromolice, Dziećmierowo, Runowo, Dźwierszno, Nowa Wieś, Wielowieś, Wito-goszczę, Borzyszkowo, Szczytniki, Prusinowo, Biernatki, Daszewice, Krzyżowniki, Robakowo, Rościane, and also large stretches of forest reaching all the way to southern Poznań. She was very wealthy, for Wielkopolska's economy.

She was also known as a promoter of crafts in Kórnik; she had her own "factories". We do not know exactly what kind of factories, but she certainly owned manufactories of cloth and silk. A sericulture manual "Opisanie robaczków jak konserwowane mają być (Description of warms and how to grow them)" have survived to the present day.

We have little information about her private life. She was born on December 28th, 1714 in Kórnik. Her father, Zygmunt passed away when she was 6 years old and she became an orphan at the age of 11. In 1732, Teofilia married the Łęczycki starost, Stefan Szołdrski, a son of Ludwik Szołdrski, who was a distinguished and well-known persona in Wielkopolska. According to written sources, he inherited his father's good character and intellect. Unfortunately, Stefan died quite early, in 1738 (or according to others, on February 2nd, 1737). The 24-year old widow was left on her own with a 2-year old son, Feliks. Despite the young age, she was able to manage the estate superbly. She raised Feliks very well. Like his mother, the son of Biała Dama (White Lady) was a solicitous manager. In 1778, he established a town of Nowy Tomyśl (still exists), where he founded a protestant church. Furthermore, he founded several villages in his estates under the Olęder law. He divorced Katarzyna Lipska quite early and died childless bequeathing his entire estate to his great nephew, Wiktor Szołdrski.

After a supposedly good marriage with wealthy Stefan Szołdrski, Teofila decided to marry again, this time Aleksander Hilary Potulicki. The date of the wedding is uncertain: either 1748 or 1743 (the first date seems more probable). Teofila was 8 years older than her husband. Aleksander was not as wealthy as Teofila and probably was a little spendthrift.

The marriage did not last long and the Potulickis were divorced in 1754. At the time, Teofila was 40 and remained unmarried to the end of her life.

We know very little about her as a person, that is, about her views or tastes. Teofila was a little "melancholic", as she put it. She traveled a lot similarly to the majority of people from her class. The vast estate required "the lord's attention".

Teofila converted her palace in Kórnik into a entre cour et jardin residence (outbuildings have survived from that period). A fountain in the form of lions stood in front of the palace. The back of the palace was decorated with a beautiful garden with an orangery. Teofila founded a church and a town hall in Bnin, a town hall in Kórnik, and contributed to erection of a synagogue in Kórnik. She maintained weirs and dams, improved roads, and erected windmills and watermills.

Her management skills were generally known and young people were being sent to receive their education from her. Her cousin, Augustyn Działyński, the Poznań voivode often asked her for advice in both economic and political matters.

With the help of her family connections, she arranged a tax exemption for the Kórnik burghers after the fire: "they could not pay taxes for a few years, and now, they cannot pay any tax either". She was not a ruthless landowner; many workers and runaway serfs tried to get admitted to her estates. A. Mieszkowski reported to Teofila that people "do not want to return to Prusssia, but want to stay and settle here in the Most Honorable lady's estates [...]". Her estate was inhabited by Poles, Germans, and Jews. In 1787, Rev. Józef Krygier from Środa complained to plenipotentiary Dembiński (the matter was related to a debt) that he already visited Kórnik 4 times: "thus, I always went to the Manor, and when the Jews' word carried more weight than mine even there [...]".

Teofila abandoned the peasant serfdom, at least partially. She made this bold decision to increase the revenue. Furthermore, Teofila decided to settle Germans in her estates, because they agreed to pay higher rent and guaranteed to develop the land by the Warta river, which was constantly flooding the area. They settled along the banks of that river. To carry out that project was very difficult. Everybody advised her against it: advisors doubted, subjects complained. Irreplaceable A. Zaleski, on May 19, 1741 wrote: "Germans and Poles settled under the, so called, Olęder law; the residents applied to the Poznań curia to prohibit Germans from settling because they celebrate public services". Supporting other denominations (majority of Germans were of different faith) was prohibited and one had to do a lot of maneuvering in order to succeed.

In Wielkopolska, leasing land to tenants was not a novelty and, for example, the Szołdrski family carried out very active colonization policies. Teofila began her colonization campaign when her husband was still alive, ca. 1737. But she founded majority of Olęder settlements after her husband's death. Generally, those were new settlements founded in the vicinity of old villages and often adopted their names. Majority of the settlements were established in the first half of the 18th century. Newly founded villages included:

Olędry Czmońskie currently Czmoniec
Olędry Radzewskie currently Radzewice
Olędry Błażejewskie currently Błażejewko
Olędry Zwolskie currently Zwola
Olędry Borowskie currently Borówiec
Olędry Kórnickie? - no longer exists

The colonization continued. The newcomers settled in inhabited villages. However, the process did not proceed without problems. On May 13th, 1741, Antoni Zaleski wrote: "Mr Szmekiel measured out the land according to the German custom (i.e. according to their units of measurement). The Poles escaped to other estates and were not allowed in other peoples' land; eight włókas in Kamionki, four in Daszewice, and two włókas in Krzyżewniki. What a nuisance and a lot of complaining from the serfs - Mr. Szmekiel will tell." And later: "the worst and most difficult thing was that we have no empty houses in which to locate the Poles. And if we settled them in villages without housing and seed grain, there would surely be some arguments and they would not manage and leave. If we could (Zaleski proposes later on) settle Germans in Zwola, in Borowieckie Olendry instead of those Gypsies (even Gypsies were in Kórnik?) or near Radzewskie Olendry". We may conclude that the land renting campaign was completed by 1783.

The activities of the White Lady were greatly admired by her contemporaries. Therefore it is not surprising, that after Teofilia's death on November 26th, 1790 her son requesting a mass for her soul wrote: "for the reason of son's duties and gratitude towards my Mother and remembering her services in Economic Matters, in managing her estates and establishing good order in the estates". Nota bene, Rev. Antoni Stawski from the parish church in Kórnik on every Friday offered choral Masses requested for her until his death in 1805. He kept the custom even though the Działyńskis no longer paid for the masses and in 1801 prohibited such services.

She was buried in the Kórnik church; her son funded a gravestone. During the funeral ceremony, the body remained on a catafalque. Upholstery with braids, vases, and columns served as decoration.

According to later documents, the Olęders maintained weirs and transport across the Warta river. The rent system was abolished by Tytus Działyński in 1852 and these farms became independent from the Kórnik manor. Some families were Polonized and other emigrated to Germany after the WWI. Their successors were not as skillful as their predecessors in managing these unique lands. The areas of Czmoniec are flooded as early as October. Scattered remains and the landscape have survived: stone road to a no-longer existing bridge or a ferry, a ferryman hut, and a devastated old cemetery.

The comparison of the 18th century maps with aerial maps (made available by GEOPOZ in Poznań) demonstrated that the areas that were surrounded by the Działyński estates for extended period of time (and thus without the possibility to expand) remained basically unchanged. But, for example, the traditional landscape in Borówiec has not survived; during the past dozen or so years, it has been transformed into an exclusive residential development. Those settlements are arranged in a clearly visible strip of land located by the Warta. This strip was developed in the 18th century and is visible even on a general map.

Copy of the Holędry Radzewskie charter c. 49-52

In the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
Stefan Szołdrski, the Łęczycki starost in Kornikki, Trzciel, Bnin, Mieczewo, Konarski, etc. Hereditary lord.

The human memory is fallible and unstable, therefore for the reasons of certainty and condition, our elders established eternal things that need to be imitated and preserved, especially those that contain grain of eternity; considering all this, I settle Dutch colonists, who are to belong to Kórnik estates and what I lease them I also lease their descendants indefinitely.
They are granted privileges and land by the honorable man according to Prussian and Chełmiński measure. The land is to be measured by pręts and each settler receives 330 pręts per płoza (?) One. Additionally, they are granted a 7 year period free of all fees and taxes, whatever they are called. When that period expires, each of them should pay a yearly rent to the Kórnik castle of 12 trojaks or 2 tynfs per morga of ploughland or meadow on February 2nd, that is, on the parchialionis B.V. Martin day.
The forest located on the said land is to be used for their own benefit. The settlers are to pay for the farmland 15 thalers in hard currency, not at once but in installments as long as the rent-free period lasts. I confirm the privilege described below with articles that they and their descendants are to remain free and untroubled indefinitely. 1. They are allowed to elect a village leader and jurors and are to elect different leader and jurors every year on the Pentecost day. I allow a village leader to choose a vice-leader.
2. I also allow the village leader and jurors to examine cases and disputes that arise between them with an exception of criminal cases that are to be referred to the lord.
3. After the 7-year rent-free period, each Dutch farmer will pay two czwiertciens of barley to the Kórnik castle; the grain is to be paid yearly on the St. Martin, the bishop day. In exchange for this, they are allowed to take firewood from my forest; however, not for sale. And they are not to cause losses to the Lord.
4. I also allow them to get involved in crafts and trade, that is, to sale and purchase.
5. They are also allowed to sell, trade, or give away their property to their best advantage provided that the Lord will not suffer losses.
1. I also allow them to have craftsmen in the village, such as: a tailor, a shoemaker, a smith, a wheelwright, and a cooper.
2. These Dutch are of the Evangelical faith, therefore, I allow them to establish a school, for which I allocate half a płoza of land, which is to be exempt from all fees and rents.
3. I also allow them to choose a teacher of their own faith; they are also allow to bring in a priest for ? of a year, according to the Olęders' custom, who is allowed to conduct all religious observances, such as: hearing confessions, baptizing, marrying, visiting the sick, etc.
4. I allow them to establish an inn in a site pointed out by the Lord; they are to serve Lord's beer; however, the inn owner will keep every 20th barrel. I allocated half a płoza of land for this inn; the land is to be exempt from all fees and rents. Also, the inn owner is allowed to take firewood from my forest; but not for sale.
5. There is also a custom that when the Dutch found a settlement, they are granted a plot of land that is exempt from all rents and taxes indefinitely; therefore, I grant them one płoza of such land, which they are to divide among themselves.
6. I will also section off a piece of my forest for their pasture, where they can graze their animals; I also allow them to keep bees.
7. Also, my subjects are not allowed to disturb them or act to their detriment as far as the border of their land is marked out and under a penalty.
8. They are allowed to use wood and stones for buildings and fences at the beginning of construction.
9. If there is a war in our land (God forbid) and they have to leave their property for that reason, upon return they are to be exempt from rent for an entire year.
10. If their property is burned down (God forbids) because of carelessness or lightning strike then I declare to help them out of Christian mercy.
11. If it is the case that the original of this document is lost because of fire, war or other misfortunes, the Dutch are to receive the same privileges and rights from me or my successors.

To confirm the document I personally sign it and stamp it with the seal with a coat of arms.
Prepared in Kórnik (cor. in Kórniki) on December 26, 1737.
Stefan Szołdrski
I, a hereditary Lady confirm this deed with my personal signature.
Teofila Szołdrska, birth name Działyński

On July 8th, 1742 the Dutch permanently bought for themselves and their heirs 65 morgas of meadows for 32 Reichstalers; I personally and permanently received these 32 Reichstalers from the Dutch, which I confirm with this document. They are to be exempt from any payments for 4 years in order to allow them to develop the mentioned meadows; after this period, they are to pay 2 tynfs per morga per year; the amount is payable on the Candlemas day; I confirm this document by a personal signature. Done as above in Kórnik

Teofila Szołdrska, birth name Działyński

Because the contract does not provide for plots for their homesteads; therefore, according to he Olęders' custom, I grant them indefinitely half a morga for each homestead, and I personally sign this amendment.

Teofila Szołdrska, birth name Działyński

BK 2707 Documents regarding privileges and general provisions for Hollędry (skr. Borowieckie) Błażejewskie founded on February 10, 1783.
k. 1-9

"Olędry Błażejewskie"

All permanent provisions are to be confirmed by legal deeds and contracts so that they are evident to all in the future. Therefore I, bearing in mind Hollędry Błażejewskie, which I founded so that it indefinitely belongs to the Kórnik estate and what I sold to the Olęders and their descendants, confirm the rights granted to them. Also, the granted land, which was surveyed according to the Prussian and Chełmiński measure by a qualified man and comprises one morga and 300 krzyżowych prętów, that is, 300 morgas per head? or one huba. Additionally, they are to be exempt from all taxes and rents for 7 years, and when this period expires, they are to pay twelve trojaki or two tynfs per morga of ploughland or meadow and one tynf per morga of sandy soils per year; the amount is payable on the St. Martin's day. They each paid 15 thalers for the land. I confirm that the settlers and their descendants are to remain free and untroubled indefinitely; this right, I confirm with articles.
1. They are allowed to elect a village leader and a juror and are to elect different leader and a juror every year on the Pentecost day. I allow a village leader to choose a vice-leader.
2. I also allow the village leader and jurors to examine cases and disputes that arise between them with an exception of criminal cases that are to be referred to the Lord.
3. Instead of 2 cztwiertni of barley, each Olęder farmer is to pay to the Kórnik castle 16 Polish złoty from huba per year on the St. Martin, the bishop day. And in return for that they are allowed to bring in firewood (as much as they need), but not for sale. And they are not to cause losses to the Lord.
4. They are also allowed to get involved in crafts and trade, that is, selling and purchasing.
5. They are also allowed to sell, trade, or give away their property to their best advantage provided that the Lord will not suffer losses.
6. I also allow them to have in the village craftsmen, such as: a tailor, a shoemaker, a smith, a wheelwright, and a cooper.
7. As their superior, I allow them to bring in a minister of their faith from Bnin (that is the parish to which they belong), who is allowed to conduct all religious observances, such as: hearing confessions, baptizing, marrying, visiting the sick, etc.
8. I will also section off a piece of my forest for their pasture, where they can graze their animals; I also allow them to keep bees, but not in trees.
9. Also, my subjects are not allowed to disturb them or act to their detriment as far as the borders of their land are marked out and under a penalty.
10. I also let them mark off a piece of a meadow located by the lake, near the forest, and behind the settlement, which has 3 morga in area, for which they paid 100 [...]; thus, they are to pay rent of 6 tynfs per year, payable on the St. Martin's day.
11. If there is a war in our land (God forbid) and they have to leave their property for that reason; upon return in peaceful times, they are to be exempt from rent for entire year.
12. If their property burns down because of carelessness or lightning strike (God forbid), I declare to help them out of my Christian mercy.
13. If it is the case that the original of this document is lost because of fire, war or other misfortunes, the Dutch are to receive the same privileges and rights from me or my successors.
14. Because all the Olęders were granted plots for homes and outbuildings, each farmer from Olędry Błażejewskie is to receive 1/2 morga and so I confirm signing personally and stamping the deed with a seal with a coat of arms for grater importance.

Datt. in the Castle, February 10, 1783
Teofila Potulicka, birth name Działyński

Simon Hoppe 50
Martin Hoppe 50
Johann Gottlieb Pokrant 66 16
Michael Busse 50
Jan Gottlieb Lindner 50
Martin Hoppe 50
Michael Busse 50
Simon Hoppe 50
Johann Gottlieb Lindner 50
Gottlieb Pokrant 66 16
Georg Műller 100 6
[total] 650

Conditions of the contract for Olędry Błażejewskie for sale of 21 morgas of farmland located on the Błażejewski side

1. The manor sells 21 morgas according to the law granted to the Dutch long time ago and they are to pay the same rent as they usually pay per morga.
2. The Dutch undertake to pay 300 zł per Chełmiński morga (300 square pręt in one morga; each pręt includes 71/2 ells).
3. A receipt will be added to the book of every farmer, that is
4. Jan Gottlib Pokratan 4 morgas
5. Jan Gottlieb Lindner 4 morgas
6. Jan Gottlib Myller 4 morgas
7. Marcin Choppe 3 morgas
8. Szymon Choppe 3 morgas
9. Michał Busse 3 morgas, who are to pay the rent in hard currency on the St. Martin's day every year.
10. The Dutch undertake to assist the Lord's logger to cut trees and bring in 2 fathoms for each morga. Bark, branches, and tops are to be cut off; obtaperze (?) are to be put up, and for that they will receive a barrel of beer and a pot of vodka [...].
11. The payment is to be made in hard currency - two thirds on next Sunday (if this is approved by the Lord [crossed off] by the WMJX estate manager), the remaining third is to be paid ten days before the St. Jan day. These conditions will serve as a contract, which is to be obeyed indefinitely by both sides, which the manor from its side and the Dutch for themselves and their successors are to observe and obey.
This took place in Prowent on May 18, 1808.
[signatures and a note] I gave out a barrel of beer on July 2.

this was some fraud because in December 1808, they requested new conditions

c. 10-12 The documents refer to the Błażejewski inn established on November 11th, 1742.

Innkeeper's contract

All permanent provisions are to be confirmed by deeds and contractss so that they are evident to all in the future. Therefore, I state that I have sold the inn located in my inherited estate Błażejewo to Wojciech Pieczyński and his future successors; the inn was sold for 50 tynfs, which I personally received; I present this receipt to the above mentioned Wojciech Pieczyński and his successors. I or my successors do not request anything from the inn with an exception of the below conditions.
1. The reason why Wojciech Pieczyński bought the inn only for 50 tynfs is that the inn possesses only foundation, and he is to erect the buildings with no contributions from the manor. Regarding the inn, the manor will make no claims in addition to the received payment.
2. The innkeeper receives a włóka of land with gardens, meadows, old buildings that belonged to the said inn. First, he receives nine morgas of developed land; therefore, each 5 morga field will be exempt from rent (in exchange for sale of Lord's liquors). He will pay rent of twenty four tynfs from four morgas; it is to be payable yearly to the Kórnik castle on the St. Martin's day. He is to clear a section of forest to supplement the włóka of ploughland; in order to develop the land he is exempt from any payments for 7 years, which begins in the current year of 1742 and ends, God willing, in 1749. When the rent-free period expires, he is to pay rent and fulfill duties from the entire włóka with an exception of 5 morgas for sale of liquor indefinitely to the Kórnik castle on the St. Martin's day like other tenants in the Kórnik estate.
3. He should pay poll tax - to the state, rent in grain - to the parish church according to the custom without the castle's involvement.
4. He is to select and sell the liquors of the Kórnik castle, such as: beer and vodka. He is not allowed to sell other producers' liquors under the penalty of 60 grzywnas.
5. He is to erect buildings from timber that is to be taken from the forest plot allocated to him; and if this is not enough, he is allowed to take timber from the Lord's forest, but upon the castle's approval and in the presence of foresters.
6. Wojciech Pieczyński is allowed to burn or sell (to his best advantage) the wood taken from the section of forest that was included in the said włóka. The inn with the above described additions can be sold, given away, transferred to his successor (upon informing the manor) for higher price than the price paid providing that the buyer resides locally, so that I do not lose the revenues.
7. He is allowed to keep as many cattle, sheep, horses, and other animals as he is able to maintain.
8. He is allowed to graze 2 pigs in the Lord's forests when acorns are plentiful, without any contributions to the castle.
All this is to be observed indefinitely by my successors. I personally sign and stamp the document.
Datt. In the Kórnik castle, November 11th, 1742

Teofila Szołdrska, birth name Działyński


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