Includes Biesiada, Dudziak, Jezierski, Kolędowicz, Mielcarek, Ryszewski, Stachowiak and related families. Includes bibliographical references (pages 264-271) and index.
Contents:
The Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania to 1795 -- The beginnings of the Prussian occupation and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Grand Duchy of Posen and its resistance to Germanization -- The province of Posen and the continued rise of nationalism -- The promised land -- A Polish immigrant family -- Laying down roots in Indiana
Summary:
Prussia was once a German kingdom whose capital was the city of Berlin. In 1793 with the Second Partition of Poland, Prussia annexed Wielkolpolska (Greater Poland). The Polish families who lived in this region now became Prussian citizens. Almost all of these families were of simple peasant birth and the routine of their days was dictated by the changes in the seasons, the influence of the Catholic Church, and the demands of the government that held sway over their existence. Theirs was not an easy life as they were often times exposed to war, disease, cultural restraints, linguistic suppression, and the ravages of poverty. This book centers on the ancestors of Antoni Biesiada and Katarzyna Dudziak, who married in 1872 and migrated to America in 1889. Examined are the lives of their forbearers and the events that led up to the familys subsequent migration. In conjunction with this examination, the folkways, culture, and customs of the people are analyzed. The story is written in historical terms, but also with an anthropological and social perspective. As these events unfold chronologically in Prussian-occupied Poland, their repercussions are considered in terms of their influence and impact on the family. There were many factors that dictated the familys move to America: oppression, discrimination, hunger, economics, and murder.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.