My great grandfather Paul Hesch arrived in Buckman Minnesota around 1873. He found a lovely Polish girl named Mary Otremba and they were married 10 November 1874. Paul was born in Bohemia, and Mary was born in Silesia, below. See the east section there, and the part labeled Niesse? Just NE of Niesse is Falkenberg, where Mary was born in the village of Guschwitz. (Niesse, BTW, is where Frank Hortsch owned a gasthaus in...Larzensdorf.
Thanks to Larry for remembering that.).
You can see where the above map fits on the one below--just under the word 'Prussia' on the larger yellow section. The country we know as Germany didn't exist till much later. All these little kingdoms and empires wanted more of their neighbors, and were willing to fight for them. In the meantime, our folks LEFT.
(Note: If you came here to research Otrembas, see the left side of the page--and click the name).
Note: I've turned off comments for this post because of automated spam being left here.
ReplyDeleteIf you have pertinent comments or additions about Otrembas or Prussia, email me instead, ok?