Presented to the Warsaw Evangelical Augsburg Consortium

January 1916

Acknowledgments

The International  Association of Germans from Lithuania (IAGL) would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the individuals who helped to make this publication possible: 

The Reverend Kristin-Luana Baumann, the great-granddaughter of Pastor August Gerhardt, for providing the original text and giving the IAGL permission to translate and publish it, in addition to helping with the translation. We are eternally grateful for this gift she has provided to the Deutsche aus Litauen community.

To Claas Jenderny, who helped with the transcription of the original handwritten German text and for his assistance with the translation.

To Grit Linster who also aided with the editing in the German language.

To Owen McCafferty II for his committed leadership and continued efforts to publicize all things Deutsche aus Litauen worldwide.

To Cynthia Spurgat Jacobson, the editor, whose efforts made Pastor Gerhardt’s text comprehensible for the modern English reader. 

To Randy Kulat, IAGL Board Member, for his expertise in proofreading the final report in English.

And lastly, our posthumous gratitude to Pastor August Gerhardt for creating this report and to the Gerhardt family for preserving it.

As an early researcher, I left my research in Lithuania at the same time my grandparents did  --about 1900. It was not until I actually visited all of my ancestral villages and manor farms, that I became more deeply aware of the plight of the people of Lithuania in the 20th century, the strength of the Lutheran church, and the perseverance that remains today. Pastor Gerhardt’s report details some of what I had left behind. He helps the reader understand the immense loss war can bring to humankind.

Early researchers also know that their go-to source for births, marriages, and deaths of the Deutsche aus Litauen are the civil registration records in paragraph format in Polish and Russian from about 1840 to WWI. During the first Lithuanian independence this information appears in a columned format in the Lithuanian language. Many researchers are also thankful that confirmation records, some with a great deal of information, were written in German because they were not part of the civil registration program which required that duplicate copies of records were provided to the Russian authorities annually. That information was recorded for the local geimende (congregation).

However, some researchers have come across records in the familiar columned format of East Prussian and other German records as required by the state church in Germany. Pastor Gerhardt’s report helps explain the appearance of German records during WWI.

Most researchers have also experienced gaps in the records “due to wars and fires.” Pastor Gerhardt’s January 1916 report also helps explain how so many records were lost “in wars and fires” in WWI.

Even though some records are “lost/status unknown” as the IAGL website reports, his report helps the researcher understand more than just the loss of records. It is the insight into the daily lives of families we have come to know through our research that touches our hearts as we read his report. Now I understand better a portion of a letter that has come through the generations of a collateral line of my research. A young woman in a family that did not emigrate wrote to her family in Michigan that “when they went to school one day, they were not sure which country they would be in when they came home. They could hear the roar of the cannons in World War I close to their home.” Imagine the terror this young woman felt. Pastor Gerhardt’s report brings credence to that experience.

And even though it was not ever his intent, his report only increases my appreciation of the sacrifice my grandparents made because they left. Because their father’s home from 1894 to 1941 was so close to the East Prussian border, they must have known some of the families, farmers, schools, and church properties discussed in his report. I am certain my grandmother would have thanked God for her survival and prayed for those who were lost.

Cynthia Spurgat Jacobson

International Association of Germans from Lithuania

Vice President and Editor in Chief of Die Weite.

January 30, 2024

Much has been written about the events of the Ober Ost, (Commander of the East), the Eastern Front, during World War I  as it was happening and after it ended over 100 years ago. Readers can find an endless amount of information on the war from nearly every aspect in almost any language. Yet for the genealogist or family historian researching their German roots in southwest Lithuania, very few first-hand accounts exist from the Deutsche aus Litauen(1) perspective. As Cynthia Spurgat Jacobson explained in the Preface of this work, the information contained within is invaluable to many, but specifically to those descended from the German minority who lived in these areas and who wish to know more of the community’s experience and the condition of their homeland during this desperate and dangerous chapter in European history. 

It is important to provide context to the lay reader who may not know who the Deutsche aus Litauen were and why this community was of interest to the Warsaw Evangelical Augsburg Consistory and to Pastor August Gerhardt who reported back to them. I have tried to summarize large swaths of the history of this region to give readers historical context to the material within, but far more intricacies, idiosyncrasies, and details are known. I encourage the reader to refer to the maps on pages xii and xiii to provide geographic context. 

Southwest Lithuania

Today, southwest Lithuania borders the Kaliningrad Oblast(2), Poland, and Belarus, However, the map of Europe has changed drastically over the centuries. In the past, Lithuania belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest empires in Europe. Through a series of partitions, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth became part of what were to be Europe’s three leading powers: Prussia (later the German Empire), Austria, and Russia. The area that comprises modern Lithuania was eventually split between two of these three empires. Between 1795 and 1807, what is now southwest Lithuania belonged to Prussia and was known as Neuostpreußen(3). By 1815, however, southwest Lithuania became controlled by Russia as part of Congress Poland(4) – the Russian-controlled partition of what was once known as Poland. By this Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in 1795, Poland and Lithuania ceased to exist. 

Southwest Lithuania was part of the Suwałki Gubernia(5) – a district that was part of the larger Congress Poland, ruled by the Russian Empire. It remained under Russian control from 1815 until the start of WWI. During WWI, various parts of what is now Lithuania were occupied by Russia and Germany, but for most of the conflict, Germany occupied it. See The Ober Ost -- German Occupation of Lithuania below.

After WWI, Lithuania gained independence, becoming the Republic of Lithuania. This freedom was short-lived, and following WWII it was controlled by the Soviet Union and would not regain its independence until 1991. 

The Germans from Lithuania

Before WWII, southwest Lithuania was home to a thriving German minority that lived in the areas near the border with East Prussia, today the Russian Oblast of Kaliningrad. Although scholars cannot pinpoint the exact date that Germanic people first came to what is today Lithuania, some of the earliest German communities began to thrive in larger cities like Kaunas and Vilnius in the 16th and 17th centuries. There were also the Prussian-Lithuanians who inhabited what was once known as the Memelland, the area surrounding the city of Klaipėda(6), Lithuania, that historically belonged to East Prussia. Finally, there were the Deutsche aus Litauen who have a more traceable origin in southwest Lithuania. 

The Deutsche aus Litauen began their first significant migration to southwest Lithuania, south of the Memel River, when the region belonged to New East Prussia (1795-1807). When the Kingdom of Prussia ruled what would become the Suwałki Gubernia in 1867, they encouraged Prussian settlers, mainly from East Prussia, to “Prussianize” this new territory. However, it wasn’t until the mid-19th century, after the area had been returned to the Russian Empire, that significant numbers of East Prussians began to emigrate to southwest Lithuania. This migration continued until the late 19th and early 20th century, tapering off significantly just before and after WWI. 

Most of the Deutsche aus Litauen were farmers and skilled tradesmen – carpenters, wheelwrights, butchers, blacksmiths, tailors, and brewers. They lived in the rural communities in southwest Lithuania and established Evangelical Lutheran churches in the surrounding cities --  Kalvarija, Marijampolė, Sakiai, Seirijai, Vilkaviškis, Virbalis, and Vištytis to name a few. As the population grew, many of the small villages surrounding these cities became almost entirely German. In addition to establishing Lutheran parishes in southwest Lithuania, the Germans established schools to perpetuate the Lutheran faith and to teach the German language. During Lithuanian independence they created various German social and welfare groups. 

By the end of WWII and the beginning of the Soviet occupation, nearly all the Germans fled west, ending over 150 years of German communities in Lithuania. 

Nationality and Military Service

Because southwest Lithuania was part of the Russian Empire during WWI, the Deutsche aus Litauen were Russian subjects and (like all other male Russian subjects) were required to serve under mandatory conscription. Although this regulation did apply during WWI, many Germans were suspected of being spies by the Russian authorities. Some of the Deutsche aus Litauen, who mainly lived along the border region near East Prussia, were deported into the interior of Russia. Others were shot, hanged, tortured, or sent to Siberia for suspected collaboration with the Germans. The prospect of a German conscripted into the Russian army fighting the “enemy” where one might be pointing a gun at a cousin, brother, father, or uncle fighting on the German side of the trench, was a harrowing thought. 

The Ober Ost - German Occupation of Lithuania

The German army first invaded the Suwałki and Kaunas areas in the fall of 1914. By late spring of 1915, the Russians had pushed them back in bitter fights throughout southwest Lithuania and northeast Poland. A counteroffensive by the Germans in May of 1915 helped to seal their victory. The city of Vilnius surrendered to Germany on 18 September 1915. At that point the German Empire controlled all of what would become Lithuania. 

The German Empire created an administrative division within the German armed forces to manage the territory. It was named Oberbefehlshaber der gesamten Deutschen Streitkräfte im Osten(7) which was shortened to Ober Ost .This new administration consisted of what is today Lithuania, northeast Poland, and Kurland(8). The Lithuanian division included all of southwest Lithuania as well as what is today northeast Poland – Suwałki, Sejny, and Wiżajny. 

Pastor Gerhardt describes several instances in 1914-1915 where local Protestants were “saved” by German victories. This result is, in part, due to the fact that the local Protestant population was categorized as “German” by the Russian government, even though the Lutherans in southwest Lithuania and northeast Poland included individuals who were ethnically Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian. As a result, the Russian army constantly berated the Protestant population, hanging, deporting, or jailing those they suspected of collaborating with the Germans. The German occupation of the area meant that the Deutsche aus Litauen were safe from deportation or worse. 

Although the Deutsche aus Litauen could communicate better with the German Army in Lithuania, more than the Lithuanian and Polish population, German soldiers did not trust them. They were quite surprised to find a significant German community in Lithuania. Most “Reich Germans”(9) had only vague ideas and stereotypes about Russia, which included  Lithuania. Germans viewed inhabitants of  Russian territories as backward, rural, poor, and alien. Many German soldiers came from as far away as Bavaria. Most did not expect to find German-speaking people in Lithuania – let alone, those who themselves identified as German. Because so many of the Deutsche aus Litauen were at the very least bi-lingual(10) (many were tri- or quad lingual), they often assisted Germans in communicating with the local Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, and Jews. 

Conclusion 

The whereabouts of Pastor Gerhardt’s final report is unknown. I placed an inquiry with the Evangelical-Augsburg Church of Poland. A staff member confirmed that most of the Central Archive of the Lutheran Church in Poland was destroyed during WWII, and very little survived. Indeed, this copy of the report is likely the only copy in existence.

The insight into the experience of the German communities in southwest Lithuania that Pastor Gerhardt provides is especially poignant to the modern reader, given the atrocities that befell Europe a generation later. The years between WWI and WWII were for the most part peaceful for the Deutsche aus Litauen who embraced their new Lithuanian citizenship -- many even volunteering to serve in the newly-formed Lithuanian armed forces. That loyalty all came to an end when the Deutsche aus Litauen were relocated to Nazi Germany when the Soviet Union invaded Lithuania in 1941, and nearly all the Germans in Lithuania participated in the Nazi Heim ins Reich(11) policy. Most would never see their beloved Lithuania again. 

Owen McCafferty, II

International Association of Germans from Lithuania (IAGL)

Founder and President 

January 31, 2024, Cleveland, Ohio

1 ‘Germans from Lithuania’
2 A territory of the Russian Federation
3 ‘New East Prussia’
4 Also known as ‘Russia-Poland’ or ‘Russian Poland’
5 A sort of district within the Russian Empire; translates to ‘governorate’ in English
6 Formerly the city of Memel
7 ‘The Supreme Commander of All German Forces in the East’
8 Currently parts of Latvia
9 Germans who lived within the borders of the German Empire
10 For example, my own great-great-grandparents from this region spoke German, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, and some Yiddish. This was not uncommon.
11 Literally ‘home to the Reich’ a voluntary relocation program created by Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler to relocate Germans living outside of the Third Reich.

Maps

The following map shows the modern European borders along Lithuania’s southwest border. 

The cities in Lithuania show the location of most of the Lutheran churches about which Pastor Gerhardt reported. Four cities in modern Poland that were once part of the Suwałki Gubernia are also included. The two locations in what is now in the eastern part the Kaliningrad Oblast are examples of locations in East Prussia where many Deutsche aus Litauen originated.

A Closer Look

A closer look at many of the congregations in southwest Lithuania and northeast Poland included in Pastor Gerhardt’s report. The larger text features the modern Lithuanian spelling while the smaller text is the German spelling.

Introduction

Contributed by Pastor Kristin-Luana Baumann, Great-granddaughter 

Port Angeles, Washington

Editor’s Note: August Gerhardt’s Report and Notes on the Condition of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in the Suwałki District 1915-1916 was transcribed from his original 109-year-old hand-written German manuscript. Then it was translated from German to English. Gerhardt’s original text remains intact with only changes in formatting and minor editing for the benefit of the 21st century reader. A copy of his original manuscript is in Appendix B.

Pastor Gerhardt’s Note: All are viable. Despite all the war damage, they can pay the church contribution and partially compensate for the losses incurred if they have good will.

The male Protestants – in the Suwałki area, along the German border – remained in their residence although they were already forced to leave their place of residence in November 1914 and move to the Swienzian(23) district of the Government Wilna(24) to live there for 4-7 weeks. This forced resettlement affected all males from the age of 14 onwards, including the elderly and the sick.

At the beginning of February, a second deportation order was issued on the basis of the order of the High Command(25) to deport all German colonists to the interior of the Russian Empire, “which obliged those affected to report to the district police in Kharkov(26) (or resp.(27) Poltava,(28) Orel,(29) etc.) within five days.”

The German colonists also included those who spoke Lithuanian and Polish (& Masurian), i.e. all Protestants. The Protestants were miraculously saved from this draconian measure: 2-3 days before the departure, the German troops moved into the Suwałki governorate, and the Protestants were saved!

Editor’s Note: On December 23, 1915, it appears that Pastor Gerhardt prepared three drafts of his forthcoming report to the Warsaw Evangelical-Augsburg Consistory. In the first draft (pages 4-7) the reader may notice that the content of the first two sections is very similar to the two sections in the second draft (page 8) as if Pastor Gerhardt was considering the best way to convey his findings to the governing body in Warsaw. His third and final report was written after the completion of his trip on January 12, 1916 (pages 9-13).

Although some of the information in each section is repetitive, Pastor Gerhardt’s text is left intact to preserve the authenticity of his words. For example, on page 4, in the section titled “Church Services” he records conducting six services from December 26, 1915, to January 9, 1916. In his second draft on page 8 he adds the sermon texts, number of parishioners, and communicants in some parishes. In his “final” report on page 9 he repeats the date, parish, sermon text, and summarizes the number of parishioners and communicants in the “Services” section.

In his first draft on pages 4-7 Pastor Gerhardt reviews his instructions and lists the Church Services at which he officiates. Then he summarizes the damages in three sub-sections: “War Damage to the Community,” “Devastation and Deportations,” and “Damages in the Suwałki  Governorate.” Finally, he explains the January 16, 1915, Suwalki’s Governor’s Decree that almost resulted in “the resettlement of all German colonists into the interior of the Reich” and “God’s Intervention” a month later in February 1915.

12 Lithuanian: Virbalis; Polish: Wierzbołów
13 Lithuanian: Kudirkos Naumiestis; German: Neustadt
14 German: Wischainy
15 Lithuanian: Vištytis; Polish: Wisztyniec; German: Wischtiten, Wystiten.
16 Lithuanian: Marijampolė; German: Mariampol
17 Lithuanian: Kalvarija; German: Kalwaria;
18 Lithuanian: Vilkaviškis; German: Wilkowischken
19 Lithuanian: Šakiai; German: Schaken
20 Lithuanian: Sudargi; German: Sudargen
21 Lithuanian: Garliava; German: Goddlau
22 Lithuanian: Prienai; German: Pren, Prenen
23 German:  Kreis Swenziany; Polish: Powiat Święciany; Lithuanian: Švenčionių rajono
24 Lithuanian: Vilnius
25 German: Höchstkommandierenden
26 Kharkiv, Ukraine
27 Respectively
28 Located in Central Ukraine
29 There are several places named „Orel“ this could refer to, including three in Russia, one in the Czech Republic and one in Macedonia.

Report from Pastor August Gerhardt, Łódż(30) about the Visit of the Evangelical Municipalities of the Suwałki Governorate on Behalf of the Warsaw Evangelical Augsburg Consistory December 23, 1915

My stay in the Suwałki Governorate area with the instructions “to cover for missing pastors and to obtain detailed information about the war damage in these communities and any help required” lasted from December 25th, 1915, to January 12th, 1916.

During this time, I visited the following churches and branches(31):

1. Wirballen - Kibarty(32), Waldyslawow

2. Wiżajny - Wistieten

3. Suwałki 

4. Maryampol - Kalwarya, Wiłkowyszki

5. Szaky

I made inquiries about Sudargi, Godlewo and Preny through third parties.

Four church services with the celebration of Holy Communion and two services without Communion were conducted by me. I preached:

on December 26, 1915 in the church in Wirballen

“ “         31   “ “ “  Wiżajny

“   January        1, 1916   ” “ ”

“ “            2    “               “ “ “  Wistieten

“ “            6    “   “ “       Wilkowyszki

“ “            9    “                in a private house in Mattlauken(33)

The church services were attended by over 3,000 people, and the Lord's Supper was enjoyed by over 700 people. Three communions for the sick, nine baptisms, four weddings, one funeral, 32 thanksgivings, 16 intercessions, a series of morning and evening devotions. Visits to civilians and military people and negotiations with church councils and individual parishioners filled free time.

The following damage can be identified in detail in the community:

Completely burned down: around 600 farms, or possessions
Partly     “  “ “       75    “ “
Forced to relocate: around 450 families
Arrested and deported:  “     50 people
Hanged or shot:         “         33 men, 5 women
Have fled:                  “        300 families

The towns are completely devastated and the people have been deported.

Godlewo - Alexoten(34) near the Kowno(35) Fortress [and] the northern and eastern part of Preny was subject to forced deportation right at the beginning of the war.

The provinces:

Jaworow(36), Ludwinow(37), Krasno(38), Podariny(39) in the municipality of Maryampol 

Andrzejewo(40) and Mackow(41) in the Kalwarya branch 

Editor’s Note: On January 16, 1915, the Suwałki Governor’s Decree No. 580 was issued, affecting the future of the Protestant parishes in Suwałki Province. This decree required an immediate departure of the German population. The decree stated:

“The owner of this, the resident of the village and the Wiżajny Wojtschaft(50), the Suwałki district, Julian Renkis, son of Karl, goes, after having been informed of the Suwałki Governor's decree of January 16th under No. 580, which is based on the order of the highest commander about the resettlement of all German colonists into the interior of the Reich(51), has chosen the Kharkov district as his place of residence - and is obliged to appear at the Kharkov district police administration within 5 days with this pass. This pass is handed over to Renkis with a signature and seal for unhindered travel to the city of Kharkov,

(Illegible) for the district chief (signed).

Head of the office (signed) Gajewski.”

The German colonists, who included the Lithuanians and the Masurians, also included the landowners, craftsmen, and the residents of the cities, thus all Protestants.

The fate of the Evangelicals seemed to be sealed, and salvation was impossible. Then God intervened, and the impossible happened:

Through the personal efforts of Pastors Eichelberger, Loppe, and Superintendent Sroka, through requests from many individual Protestants, and through other means, an extension of the resettlement date to 8 days was achieved. 3-4 days before the new date, the Germans carried out their rapid flank movements (in the winter battle at the beginning of February 1915) and the Protestants remained in their place of residence!

Editor’s note: An additional phrase “where the trench warfare raged….” was on a torn page of Pastor Gerhardt’s handwritten original German manuscript and was most likely a reference to the winter battle in February 1915.

Editor’s Note: The short one page second draft (page 8) only contains two sections: “Travel Details and Purpose” and “December-January Report of Findings.”  Both sections partially repeat information in the first draft (pages 4-7).

30 German: Litzmannstadt
31 German: Filial
32 Lithuanian: Kybartai; German: Kibarten
33 Lithuanian: Matlaukys
34 Lithuanian: Aleksotas
35 Lithuanian: Kaunas; German: Kauen
36 Lithuanian: Javaravas
37 Lithuanian: Liudvinavas
38 There are several places in Lithuania this could refer to. Likely, it is Krosna, east of Kalvarija and west of Simnas.
39 This could be „Podawinie“, the Polish name of the village of Padovinys located southeast of Marijampolė.
40 Located just over the Lithuanian border in Poland, south of the Lithuanian village of Reketija
41 Probably the Lithuanian city of Mockai, south of Kalvarija
42 Northwest of  Suwałki
43 Current place-name could not be identified
44 Lithuanian: Rūdelė
45 Current spelling is: Szurpiły. Located north of Jeleniewo in Poland
46 Located northeast of Suwałki
47 Located northeast of Suwałki
48 Located northeast of Suwałki
49 German: Seine
50 Locality
51 Here meaning the Russian Empire

Report by Pastor August Gerhardt from Łódż on the Protestant Communities of the Suwałki Governorate on Behalf of the Warsaw Evangelical-Augsburg Consistory

On behalf of the High Consistory, I traveled from Warsaw via Illawo-Eydtkuhnen(52) to Kibarty (Wirballen). Purpose of the trip - 1) “to represent missing pastors,” 2) “to find out about the war damage in these communities” and 3) “to obtain detailed information about any help required.”

My stay in the Suwałki area from December 25, 1915 - January 12, 1916.

1) On December 26, 1915, I preached about Luke 2:10-11(53) in Wirballen. There were around 700 people in the church and around 30 parishioners took part in the Lord's Supper.

2) December 31, 1915, 6 p.m. New Year's Eve service in Wiżajny. Sermon text Genesis 49:2-10.(54) 

3) January 1, 1916 - service with communion in Wiżajny, sermon text 1 Peter 4:12-19.(55) The service on New Year's Eve had an attendance of around 700.

4) The one on New Year's Day had around 800-900 people, including around 350 communicants. 5) January 2nd - church service with communion celebration in Wistieten. Sermon text: 
Matthew 2:13-23.(56) The number of visitors - 600 people, including over 300.(57)

[Signed] Pastor August Gerhardt, Lodz.

Editor’s Note: Several sections in the final report appeared in the first and second drafts: The first section “Three Trips,” summarizes Gerhardt’s travels within the Suwałki Governorate. The next two sections “The Purpose of the Trip” and “Services” repeat information from the first two drafts as explained above. “Status of the Communities” echoes “Damages in the Suwałki  Governorate” in the first draft. “The Fate of the Evangelical Areas of Suwałki ” and “God’s Intervention” provide new information about the first expulsion order of Germans in November 1914 and then detail the February 1915 second expulsion order in his first draft (pages 4-7).

52 The Prussian Eastern Railway connected at the Polish town of Iłowo-Osada which took Gerhardt to Eydtkuhen in East Prussia (today Chernyshevskoe, Kaliningrad Oblast); this was one of the train lines that passed through Kybartai.
53 Known in German as “Weihachtsgeschichte” (English: The Christmas Story) “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
54 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel…”
55 “Suffering for Being a Christian…”
56 “The Escape to Egypt…”
57 Pastor Gerhardt doesn’t say who this 300 is, but based on similar sentences later on in his report, he probably means 300 of the 600 took communion.

Report about the Trip to the Suwałki  Governorate on behalf of the Warsaw Evangelical Augsburg Consistory

Three Trips

On behalf of the High Consistory of December 23, 1915, I traveled from Warsaw via Illowo-Eydtkuhnen to Kibarty (Wirballen) on December 24, 1915.

From Kibarty I made three trips:

1) December 27, 1915 - January 3, 1916, in a southerly direction: Wistieten, Wiżajny-Suwałki. 

2) January 4th - January 8th, 1916, to the east: Wolkowishki, Maryampol, Kalwarya.

3) The 10th-12th, 1916, January to the north: Wladyslawow, Shaki. 

4) On January 12, 1916 I [also] traveled to Lodz via Eydtkuhnen-Thorn (58).

1) “To represent missing pastors;” 
2) “About the war damage” and 
3)  To “inform yourself in detail” about “any help required” in the Protestant communities.

On December 27th I had a sick communion in Mattlauken (typhus), Wirball[en] parish. 
On December 31st I had two visits to the sick in the Wiżajny parish.
9 baptisms, 4 weddings, 1 funeral, 32 thanksgivings, 16 intercessions. 
A number of morning and evening devotions in the family circle. 
Visits to civilian and military people. 
Negotiations with the Superintendent Sroka with the military chaplains in Suwałki and Maryampol.

The church councils and individual parishioners took up my time and belong in this category.

Pastor K. Moczulski from Wirballen (Wladislowow and Wistieten).
Pastor S. Loppe from Suwałki  (Augustow, Sejny, Wiżajny). 
Pastor E. Eichelberger from Maryampol (Kalwarya, Wolkowischki, Preny, Sereje).

The cantors from Wirballen, Wistieten, Suwałki, Kalwarya, Sejny, Preny, Godlewo, Maryampol, Wolkowischki, and Wiżajny. 

Since the cantors' wives stayed behind in Maryampol and some of them also try to fulfill the cantor's duties, these positions are considered to be filled and the cantors' wives are paid salaries.

Present is the superintendent of the diocese, Pastor H. Sroka from Shaki (Sudargi, Godlewo), who was separated from his diocese for a long time by the barrier line running from north to south with barbed wire, and the cantors from Wladyslawow, Shaki, Sudargi.

Due to the uncertain, often dangerous situation during the passage of the military and the lack of pastors and cantors, the Protestant population has found itself in a desolate condition. The church members were sheep without a shepherd.

During this sad time, military chaplains came to the aid of the communities.

I'll name them here

Hospital priests Palmer, Becker, Lomke, Teichgräber. 
Pastors Chun from Suwałki and Meyer from Maryampol, who are still in office. 
Parish priests Gerst from Eydtkuhnen, Schmöckel from Bilderweitschen(65), Färber from Schirwindt(66), Schulze from Pillupönen(67), Kunert from Groß Czymochen(68).

These pastors deserve the thanks of the church. I am enclosing a copy of a letter from Superintendent Getzuhn from Stallupönen.

Editor’s Note: The letter was likely included in the original report or is otherwise  missing.  

After consultation with the aforementioned, I advised church council members and military chaplains Chun and Meyer the following:

In the community of Wirballen, Mr. Schlüter, teacher, in Kibarty, Mr. Georg Wiemer, and in Wistieten, the sexton Matthäus Jodlauk will hold the Sunday reading service and children's teaching and carry out emergency baptisms and funerals. 

In Wiżajny, Suwałki , Maryampol, Kalwarya, Wolkowischki, the teacher in question (Feldgrauer(69)) was to lead the reading service with the consent of the advising military chaplain. The hospital pastors Chun and Meyer explained that they would continue to do so until the regulation was reached. They want to look after the community.

Pastor Chun in Suwałki, Wiżajny, Sereje, Augustow.
Pastor Meyer from Maryampol Wilkowschken, Kalwaria, and Preny. 
Wladislawow will be looked after from Schirwindt until further notice. 
Superintendent Sroka promised to take care of the Godlewo community. 
The priest from Gross-Czymochen holds a service once a month for Polish-speaking Evangelicals - Masurians.

1) For the communities of Wirballen, Waldislawow

2) For Wiżajny - Wistieten is an urgent need.

3) Maryampol with the branches.

4) Suwałki with its branches could initially be looked after by the hospital chaplains Chun and Meyer.

Most of the civil records have been preserved. But the last years have not been fully enrolled, and many files have not been signed. In the community of Maryampol, for example, the last act of baptism was dated April 4, 1914, the [last] act of death was dated January 25, 1914, and the [last] act of marriage was dated August 30, 1914. 

There is no duplicate for the year 1915. 

Since the registry office seems to have already been introduced in the Suwałki area and every case must first be registered with the district office, I have recommended that short notes be made in the individual communities about the actions in question and that pastors, who will check their own, send one to interested parties to obtain a certificate of this.

I was unable to eliminate a problem in the community of Shaki - Sudgari. This is the relationship of the Sudargi community to the pastor, Superintendent Sroka. Many complaints against the pastor (and recently also against the cantor of Sudargi) have been addressed in writing and orally to the Wladislawow district office! In September 1915, Pastor Sroka was forbidden by the District Captain “to go to Sudargi for church services until the end of the war!” This ban (3 days before the children's scheduled confirmation!) was lifted after 2 months! The superintendent, for his part, complains about individual agitators, including some church leaders from the Sudargi community, and is very depressed and discouraged. The friendliness of the authorities…………..(70) and interest in church affairs……..(71) Suwałki , Maryampol. Wizayny and Kibarty.

The situation is unbearable and annoying! The matter must be investigated as quickly as possible!

Ticket, luggage, and porter = 87 marks 30 pfennigs

Food, apartment, ... = 142 marks 50 pfennigs

Car for the trips = 135 marks

_____
In total 364.80 marks

52 The Prussian Eastern Railway connected at the Polish town of Iłowo-Osada which took Gerhardt to Eydtkuhen in East Prussia (today Chernyshevskoe, Kaliningrad Oblast); this was one of the train lines that passed through Kybartai.
53  Known in German as “Weihachtsgeschichte” (English: The Christmas Story) “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
54 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel…”
55 “Suffering for Being a Christian…”
56 “The Escape to Egypt…”
57 Pastor Gerhardt doesn’t say who this 300 is, but based on similar sentences later on in his report, he probably means 300 of the 600 took communion.
58 Toruń, Poland.
59 Lithuanian: Seirijai; German: Serey
60 Lithuanian: Švenčionys
61 Lithuanian: Alytus
62 Possibly means he lived on or near the market center.
63 Here meaning the Russian Empire
64 Pastor Gerhardt is referring to the ethnic Polish-speaking population from Masuria -- an ethnographic region of Poland that is today northern Poland and was once part of East Prussia. 
65 Formerly in Kreis Stallupönen, East Prussia. Today the Russian town of Lugovoe in the Kaliningrad Oblast.
66 Formerly in Kreis Stallupönen, East Prussia. Today the deserted Russian village of Kutuzovo in the Kaliningrad Oblast.
67 Formerly in Kreis Stallupönen, East Prussia. Today the Russian town of Nevskoe in the Kaliningrad Oblast.
68 Formerly in Kreis Oletzko, East Prussia. Today the Polish town of Cimochy.
69 A German nickname for a soldier (literally “Field Grey” so-named after the grey colored uniforms worn.)
70  Illegible sentence
71 Illegible sentence

Report of the Wirballen Community, Wilkowischken District

1) Pastors and Hospital Chaplains 

Pastor K. Moczulski: Last service on February 7, 1915, combined with confirmation.

In September 1914, regular church services stopped. The pastor lived in Maryampol. Fled February 8, 1915.

Pastor Gerst from Eydtkuhnen represented 2-3 times, Pastor Schmöckel from Bilderweitschen represented the absent Pastor Moczulski, once.

Hospital Chaplain Palmer, Kibarty, stopped many times at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Military services are held on Sundays, initially separately, later jointly, also for the civilian population. The same person also confirmed children twice.

Hospital Pastor Meyer, Maryampol, has been traveling to the community of Wirballen lately and also held a service on January 2, 1916.

2) Cantors and Teachers

Cantor Braun and teacher Hoffmann from Wirballen were taken into military service.

Teacher Schlüter, Wirballen, regularly holds reading services, but no children's services. He also promises to introduce children's services.

Teacher George Wiemer, Kibarty, plays the organ in Wirballen at the pastor's services and promises to continue to do so; also promises to resume the reading service for adults and children in the Kibarty prayer hall.

3) Church Council 

1) Leopold Weiss, for 15 years, from Wirballen.
2) Josef Lottermoser, for 4 years, from Wirballen.
3) Karl Büchner, for 4 years, from Wirballen.
4) August Grubert, for 7 years, from Mazinczy(72).
Edmund Torkler, Kibarty, fled.
Adolf Wagner official from Kibarty, forced to flee.
Karl Weis official from Kibarty, forced to flee.

4) Property

Church building: The church in Wirballen was slightly damaged. The church fence was partially stolen. Damage approximately 200 rubles (Rbl.)

Pastorate: suffered from billeting. The fences disappeared. The local pastor's furniture was badly damaged. Among other things, a Jewish family also lives in the pastorate! The repair costs required to be around 800 rubles.

Churchyard: The fence was completely stolen, many crosses and monuments were damaged, around 4,000 rubles.

Prayer house in Kibarty (school) with the farmhouse buildings burned down, the garden fence was stolen about 10,000 rubles.

The school in Pojewon(73) burned down, around 4,000 rubles.

Editor’s Note: The German word “gemeinde” translates as “community” and includes the concept of belonging to a parish or congregation. The use of the word community is intended to reflect the religious cohesion of the German people in the Suwałki Governorate.

5) Community

The community had 750 families = 4,500 souls. 

Around 200 families are missing.

89 innkeepers and 4 landowners in the villages were completely burned down. 

In Kibarty, around 100 Protestant houses were destroyed and burned out.

Mainly civil servant families fled - 200,

14 men and 3 women were hanged or shot.

Everyone suffered, some very badly, from looting.

5b) All male Protestants from the age of 14 onwards, including old people and sick people excepted, were expelled at the beginning of November 1914. Place of residence: Swienciany, Vilnius Governorate; Most people stayed there for 4-5 weeks. Despite many requests, no one was given permission to return. When the Russians advanced into East Prussia, the refugees were able to return with the exception of those who had fled to Russia to live with their relatives and those who had since died, almost all of the residents returned unharmed. 

At the beginning of February 1915 there was again an order to expel “all German colonists into the interior of the Reich(74).” The rapid, unexpected advance of the Germans in February 1915 thwarted the forced expulsion, and the Protestants were saved.

6) Civil Status Books 

Unique items: 
Baptism record: N. 76 from 12 Jul 1914    Duplicates: No. 76-      1914
Death file:                        “           76    ”     25 Jul    “            “       “     44-28 Apr 1914
Wedding act:                    “           21     “     6 Sep   “             “      “     15-7   Apr 1914

Since 18 Feb. 1915, military chaplains have entered 6 files in an abbreviated form in German.

The duplicates from the years 1912 and 1913 have not been delivered.

7) Church Contributions 

927 rubles. 85 kopecks according to the reparation.

In 1914 and 1915 the church contribution was not paid. The cantor and sexton have not received a salary since January 1915.

8) Church Utensils

The church utensils(75), candlesticks and altar clothing are present.

9) School System

The school in Wirballen. Language of instruction: German. 430 students, including 170 Lithuanian. 2 male and 2 female teachers.
In Kibarty: German. 250 students, 54 Lithuanian; 1 local and 2 Feldgrauer teachers(76).
In Kibiejky(77): German. 50 students, mostly Lithuanian children, 1 teacher
In Pojewon(78): German. 50 students, a Landsturm man as a teacher.
In Karklupiany(80) and Propolany(81) the school system does not seem to be regulated yet.

72 Lithuanian: Mažučiai
73 Lithuanian: Pajevonys
74 Here meaning the Russian Empire
75 It is very likely „utensils“ is in reference to the sacramental vessels made of silver that were secured by the Unterberger family when they fled West in 1945. These vessels were returned to the Wirballen Evangelical Lutheran Church in 2023.
76 Teachers from the German army. (See footnote 53.)
77 Lithuanian: Kybeikiai
78 Lithuanian: Pajevonys
79 The Landstrum were regiments made up of older citizenry or less skilled recruits in the German and Prussian army. The practice was also used in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 
80 Lithuanian: Karklupėnai
81 Lithuanian: Prapuoleniai

Report of the Wladyslawow Branch, Wladyslawow District

1) Pastors

Pastor Moczulski held the last service on July 14, 1914.

Pastor Färber from Schirwindt travels to Wladyslawow every three weeks,

2) Cantors

The cantor Friedrich Fröhlich is present although he has already been arrested twice by the Russians. He holds a reading service every Sunday; no children's service.

3) Church Leaders 

1) Karl Walinski from Storuki(82).
2) Gustav Achenbach, Wladyslawow, sick.
3) Gustav Kalweit, died.
4) Matthäus Wiemer, died.

4) Property

Church badly damaged (roof, plaster ceiling, windowpanes, shell holes in the walls); the churchyard fence has been destroyed. Around 9,000 marks [for repairs].

5) Community 

Wladyslawow counted 203 families or around 1,200 souls. There are around 20 families missing or 120 souls.

The villages on the border suffered greatly from the war. 30 farms burned down completely and 15 partially. About 20 families were deported and 3 men died in prison.

The fate of the community is largely similar to that of the Wirballen community. See. 5 b above.

6) Civil Status Books 

The cantor keeps the marital status books like he used to.

All files are unique, but many are also signed from 1914. There is no duplicate 1915 at all.

7) Church Contributions 

292 rubles. 25 kopecks was paid for the year 1914 by about 25 people (out of 203) or 30 rubles, for the year 1915 - not paid at all.

8) Church Equipment, etc. 

Church equipment, etc. available.

9) The School System

Regulated by the district office: 11 Protestant teachers are to be employed in the Wladyslawow district. School fees are collected through general taxes.

Pastor Gerhardt’s Note: The community of Wirballen and the Wladyslowo branch are viable. The church contribution is possible; some burned-out and impoverished families are excluded. A pastor based in Wirballen is an urgent need. A new election or supplementing the church faculty is desirable.

82 Lithuanian: Storiūkai

Report of Suwałki(83) Municipality, Suwałki  County

1) Pastors

At the beginning of February 1915, the pastor of the parish, Siegfried Loppe, went to Lutsk(84) to his brother to get married there. He wanted to return as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Suwałki was occupied by German troops. 

The Suwałki community is provided with pastoral care by Mr. Chun, the hospital pastor, and his assistants. Pastor Chun gives confirmation lessons and carries out the necessary church activities.

Pastor Kuhnert from Groß Czymochen (Germany) holds the service in Polish once a month and carries out the necessary actions.

It is desirable to regulate the travel compensation to be paid, etc.

In the Suwałki administrative region, the district registry office has been established almost everywhere. The clergy in question also keep their private books to control church actions.

2) Cantor

The cantor Riedel was arrested in September 1914 and is said to be in Tomsk(85). Family is also in Russia.

3) Church Council 

1. Karl Wegner from Suwałki  present.

2. Adolf Schramm from Suwałki  present.

3. Jakob Gerntsch, present from the countryside.

4. Adam Reirat, present from the countryside.

5. Maciej Kaleida, present from the countryside.

6. Leopold Gene, present from the countryside.

7. Johann Nitschmann, a city official, had to leave.

4) Property

 The church, the pastorate, and the farm buildings suffered little external damage; the parish fence was stolen. The total damage is about 2,000-3,000 rubles. 

The Chmielowski church property, which belongs to the parish and is 150 acres in size, was also completely burned out. The damage could be about 5,000-6,000 rubles.

5) Community

The community had 540 families = around 3,000 souls. Due to the war, the number of souls probably fell to 2,000. More than 120 businesses have [been] burned out completely and almost all have been looted. The Protestants were saved from expulsion by the rapid advance of the Germans.

The persons arrested were: 

Mr. Riedel, a teacher from Suwałki.
Mr. Meier, citizen of Suwałki.*
Mr. Klemm, from Uzdziejki.*
Pastor of Reformed community in Sereje - Tosio.*
Cantor Johann Gustav Mittag from Sejny.*and some others.*

*Their fate is unknown.

6) Civil Status Books

The civil status books are available and in good order until Pastor Loppe's departure: baptisms 12 NN, deaths 11 NN

Editor’s Note: NN refers to names unknown, Nomen Nescio, literally, “I do not know” in Latin.

The duplicate for 1914 leaves a lot to be desired:

Baptisms: Of 148 files, 104 are registered and only 77 are signed

Weddings: “   13  “       12   ”            “       ”    “       8          ”

Dead: “          105 ”        63    ”            “       ”    “     46          ”

7) School System

The school question settled in Suwałki. The Protestant community has only had a 3 - class normal school with a German elementary school teacher and 2 local teachers since November 1, 1915. In Suwałki, 65 Protestant, 800 Catholic and 25 Greek-Catholic children attend the school

In Filipowo(86) (part of Suwałki) the school opened on August 10, 1915, with 191 students

8) Church Contribution

The church contribution is not paid in Suwałki and can hardly be collected given the fairly high poverty of the community. The community cannot become viable without support.

Pastor Gerhardt’s Note: I could not visit Sejny with around 70 families = 400 souls and Augustowo, with around 50 families = 300 souls. Pastor Chun agreed to take a look at Augustow and, regarding Sejny and Sereje, to speak with the relevant military chaplain from Olita, respectively and to contact Grodno and report the result to the High Consistory.

83 In Poland
84 In Ukraine
85 In Siberia, Russia
86 In Poland

Report of Wiżajny(87) Municipality, Suwałki  County

1) Pastors

Wiżajny was toured from Suwałki last year. Pastor Loppe held the last service in January 1915. Since Pentecost 1915, military chaplains have taken care of the orphaned Protestants. Lastly, Pastor Chun, Suwałki. On September 12, 1915, 144 children were confirmed. Every Sunday the Wiżajny teacher, a Feldgrauer, holds a reading service in the church.

2) Cantor

The cantor Jakob Wiemer fled on February 12, 1915; his family is present and lives in the cantor's house.

3) Church Council

The church council: There are 5 church wardens. The 6th, Heinrich Schiller, died.

4) Property

The church shows no damage from the outside; the interior is badly damaged. The church interior, the gates, and the fence around the pastor and cantor's house were stolen.

The pastorate and cantorate were robbed, and the farm buildings were badly damaged; the damage is approximately 3,500 rubles.

School is held in the pastorate, quarters are held in the cantorate.

5) Community

The community had 557 families = 3,300 souls; almost everyone is present:

100 farm operations burned down.

1 community member was hanged and 1 was deported.

The Wiżajny residents were also supposed to be resettled in Russia. They were saved from this by the rapid advance of the Germans.

6) Civil Status Books

Civil status books: Unique: the baptisms for 1914 are registered, but 7 files have not been completed, none have been signed.

11 marriages are registered, 4 are missing, no act is signed.

88 death files have been entered, 5 files have not been completed, and no file has been signed.

The same applies to the 1914 duplicate.

7) Church Contributions

The church fee is not paid. However, it can be confiscated since most of the community members are able to pay.

8) School System

The school system: the school is in the Wiżajny pastorate. The teacher, a Feldgrauer, has a local assistant. Language of instruction German. Number of students 260.

 Georg Graban teaches 30 students in Rakowka.

 Mrs. Auguste Wiemer teaches 30-40 students in Okliny.

 There are no classes in Wartellen. The teacher Kibarty has fled.

87 In Poland

Report of the Wistieten Branch - Wisztyniec, Wilkowischken District

1. Pastor and Hospital Pastor

Report from Pastor Moczulski from Wirballen, who preached for the last time in Wistieten on July 26, 1914.

Hospital Pastor Palmer preached 6-7 times and confirmed the children prepared by military teacher Schmiedel on September 19th. The last time he preached was on November 15, 1915.

2. Cantor

Enclosed is a letter from Superintendent Getzuhn.

Editor’s Note: The letter was likely included in the original report or is otherwise missing. 

The cantor position in Wistieten is vacant. Teacher L. Wiemer was transferred to Warsaw shortly before the outbreak of war. Reading services were not held. After consulting with the church council, I commissioned the sexton Mathaus Jodlauk to hold regular church services, carry out emergency baptisms, and escort the deceased parishioners.

3. Church Council 

1. Gustav Beyer, Wistieten, since 1909.
2. Matthäus Brink                     “      “
3. Gottlieb Abrameit                 “      “
4. Ferdinand Detschun(88) - missing.
5. August Moritz - died.
6. Karl Günther - murdered.

4. Property

Church, church buildings, church, and churchyard fence [were] not badly damaged. Damage [estimated to be] around 1,400 rubles.

5. Community

The community had 400 families = 2,400 souls.

37 farms burned down completely and 3 partially.

7 people were deported, and 2 people were hanged.

The expulsion order was not carried out as the Germans advanced.

6. Civil Status Books 

Baptisms, unique: last act no. 40 - from July 28, 1914, around 15 files not registered, from No. 17 unsigned. Behind No. 40 are 2 notes in an abbreviated form from September 19, 1915.

88 Also Diszun or Didzun

Report on the Maryampol Municipality, Maryampol County (Including Kalwaria, Wilkowischken, Preny, and  Godlewo)

1) Pastors and Military Chaplains

The pastor of the community Emil Eichelberger left on February 10, 1915, after the compulsory relocation order was postponed for 8 days through his advocacy but was not repealed. The last service on Sunday February 6th. In the fall of 1914, the pastor is said to have received an order to leave the congregation.

The Maryampol community was served by military chaplains: Pastors Becker, Lemke and Meyer. Pastor Lemke confirmed around 30 children on November 14, 1915. Pastor Meyer also travels to the branch communities of Wilkowschken, Kalwaria and Preny, and the community of Wirballen. He is also prepared to travel to the sick and to undertake funerals as long as time allows.

2) Cantors and Teachers

The cantor of the community Karl Gral(89) fled on February 11, 1915; his wife and daughter live in the cantorate. 

Mrs. Teacher Gral promises to keep the civil notes as before.

The teacher in Luckshof(90) went to war.

The Protestant teachers Martinkat and Gerulat also fled.

Pastor Meyer promised to ensure that there would be regular reading services on Sundays. Children's services would also be held.

3) Church Leaders

1) Gustav Treinis from Maryampol - present
2) Ludwig Klemm    “ “  present
3) Gerulat from the country  present
4) Kvitschau “   “      present
5) Kossmann “ “      present
6) Perlebach 
7) Butschat  expelled
8) Tonn  died

4) Property

The church, the pastorate, the cantor's house, and the school building are badly damaged due to billeting and use for hospital purposes; the fences and the pastor's and school gardens have been torn apart. The total damage is around 3,000 rubles.

5) Community

The community had 484 families = around 3,000 souls; through expulsion. Due to flight and other departures, the community has shrunk to ⅔.

The districts of Jaworow(91), Luckshof, Krasno(92) and Podaziny(93) suffered particularly badly as a result of the months of trench warfare.

The following people or families have suffered violent deaths as Protestants:

Mrs. Garbužis from Marczukiny(94), hanged, the husband deported.
Mrs. Anhold from Tupiki(95), shot, the husband deported.
The mother of Anhold from Tupiki, shot.
Wilhelm Hirsch, from Awikele(96), hanged.
His two sons, from Awikele, hanged.
The farmer Negrazus, from Giwishken(97), hanged.
The farmer Peters, from Seile, hanged.
The farmer Karubkat, from Dembowa, expelled with the whole family.
The farmers Basenau and the lay preacher(98) expelled with the whole Schwarz family.

6) Church Contribution

The reparation has 484 numbers and the total is 748 rubles. 70 kopecks.

For the year 1914, 195 Rbl. 50 kopecks deposited.

Nothing has been paid for 1915.

Apart from the severely afflicted parishioners, the church membership fee still has to be paid.

7) Civil Status Records

Last year's civil status files are in a dismal state:

Unique items: Births. No. 31 of April 4, 1914 (the previous year there were 137 files)

Weddings not found.

Deaths no. 4 of January 25, 1914.

Duplicate: Births 31 NN -, some not signed.

Weddings 9 NN - August 30, 1914 not signed.

Deaths: no act recorded.

Civil registry notes for 1915 are very sparse.

89 Also spelled Grall.
90 A German name presumably for a town or village in the Mariampol area.
91 Lithuanian: Javaravas
92 Lithuanian: Krosna
93 Lithuanian: likely Podovinys
94 Lithuanian: Marčiukinis
95 Lithuanian: Tupikai
96 Lithuanian: Avikilai
97 Lithuanian: likely Gyviškiai
98 German: Stundenhalter

Kalwarya Branch, Kalwarya District

1) Pastor

Pastor Emil Eichelberger held the service for the last time on Advent 1, 1914. Since then, military chaplains have taken care of the community. In December 1915, 18 children were confirmed.

2) Cantor

The cantor of the community, teacher Scheidis, was arrested and his family fled.

3) Church Leaders

1) Matthäus Schukschdat, was expelled, [but] came back after 3 weeks.
2) Karl Wirbaleit, present from Kamienie.
3) Michael Lottermoser from Małoposudonie present.
4) Eduard Pfeiffer(99) in the war.
5) August Seelewinter(100) arrested and deported.
6) Bolt arrested and deported.

Pastor Meyer wants to organize a regular reading service.

4) Property

The church was slightly damaged by a shell, the windowpanes were broken, the organ was out of tune and in need of repair.

The cantorate was converted into a horse stable: it is badly ruined. There is no trace of the farm buildings: stables and barns. The fencing around the church and school has completely disappeared. The damage to the community is: approximately 2,250 rubles.

5) Community

The community has 276 families. At least 100 families have been affected by total expulsion. The Wojtschafts: Andrzejewo and Mackow suffered the most. Many farms are empty, others have been occupied by the Catholic neighbors. I drew the attention of the district captain and the mayor of Kalwarya to this circumstance, who promised to take the matter further.

The following died:
The tenant farmer Felgenträger from Bulakowo, hanged or shot.
The farmer Weiss from Bartniki(101) was hanged or shot.

6. Church Contributions

The reparation has 276 numbers, the total - 400 rubles. Nothing was paid for the years 1914 and 1915. If there is goodwill, at least half of the church contribution must be paid.

7. Civil Status Books

The civil registers are available thanks to the quick intervention of the sexton Emil Glitz and a churchwarden.

Unique baptism: No. 59 - November 5, 1914 -   Duplicate No. 57 - 1914

Cannot find weddings; - duplicate      No. February 4-25, 1914

Deaths: No. 52 - November 15, 1914 - Duplicate No. 45 1914

Duplicate 1913 fine.

99 Also "Pfeifer
100 Also Selwinter
101 Lithuanian: Bartninkiai

Wilkowischky Branch, Wilkowischky District

1) Pastors and Military Chaplains

Pastor E. Eichelberger for the last time on January 1st. Epih. 1915(102).

Then military chaplains: Lemke, Teichgräber, and Meyer.

Pastor Lemke confirmed 40 children.

2) Cantor and Military Pastors

Cantor Johann Kehler, for 6 years. Refuged February 8, 1915. His wife returned from Germany at the beginning of December 1915 and lives in the Cantorate; keeps the civil notes, and plays the organ during the service.

Military Pastor Meyer wants to ensure that reading services are introduced regularly.

3) Church Leaders

The churchwardens, 6 in number, are present.

4) Property

The church and schoolhouse remained intact. The fence around the church and churchyard, window frames, school desks, doors and walls are badly damaged.

The damage is approximately 4,000 rubles.

The school in Giestoryszki(103) was robbed, the windows were ripped out and so on. Damage around 400 rubles.

5) Community

The community had 257 families = 1,650 souls. The population has declined to ⅔ due to resettlement, departures, and escapes. 

The following were expelled or hanged: 

Eduard Hoffmann, expelled from Wilkowischky.
Nisleit and son expelled from Smilge.
’Friedrich Kubat expelled from Obschruten(104).
Friedrich Welke with 2 sons from Wizajdy(105), expelled.
Proprietor Brün(106) with 2 sons expelled from Kisinischky(107).
Proprietor  De-la-Brier(108) from Gudele(109) expelled with wife and brothers.
Proprietor Kühn from Pogcznowo(110) hanged.
Proprietor Gliet(111) and father-in-law Leisegang from Giestoryszki hanged.
Proprietor Bartel from Giestoryszki hanged.
Proprietor Kehlert from Giestoryszki hanged.
Proprietor Atrat from Giestoryszki hanged.
Proprietor Matthäus Wiemer from Giestoryszki hanged.
Proprietor Strömer from Giestoryszki hanged.
Proprietor Lackner deported from Zelenki

6) Civil Status Books

The registry books are not available in Wilkowischky; they are said to have been brought to Maryampol. There are notes about actions that took place:

Death file 38 numbers from 1914 - last file August 27, 1914. Numbers 39-46 from 1914 and 6 numbers from 1915 do not appear to have been entered in unique pieces.

Baptism notes: 59 numbers from 1914; 5 issues from 1915. Then some notes about baptisms carried out by military chaplains.

7) Church Equipment

Official seal and church seal - present.

102 The first Sunday after Epiphany was 10 January 1915.
103 Lithuanian: Geisteriškiai
104 Lithuanian: Obšrutai
105 Lithuanian: Vižaidai
106 Also Brin
107 Lithuanian: Kisiniškiai
108 Also de la Bruyere
109 Lithuanian: Gudeliai
110 Probably Lithuanian: Pagerniavė
111 Also Gliedt

Report of Godlewo and Preny 

Pastor Gerhardt’s Note: I couldn't see them, as both towns belong to the Kowno fortress district. I received information about Godlewo through hearsay, and I was able to find out a lot about Preny over the phone from Mrs. Kantor.

Editor’s Note: The information on Godlewo and Preny has been reordered to be consistent with the categories in the previous parishes.

1) Pastors:

Godlewo can be served from Kowno.

Preny is traveled from Maryampol once a month.

2.)Property

In Preny the church, organ and new school building were slightly damaged and the fence, like everywhere else, was destroyed.

The damage in Godlewo – unknown.

The damage in Preny was around 1,500 rubles.

3) Communities 

Result: It is clear that the community of Godlewo and the branch community of Preny were forcibly relocated right at the beginning of the war because they were part of the fortress area, namely half of 189 families in Preny, and probably the larger part of around 380 families in Godlewo. The church, pastorate and cantor's house in Godlewo is badly damaged.

4) Church Equipment

I couldn't find out what happened to the church equipment and so on, who manages the 40-60 acres of parish and school land

Appendix

Biography of August Gerhardt by Eduard Kneifel

August Gerhardt was born in the village of Kopsodzie(112), Wiłkowyszki district, Gouv. Suwalki, on December 9, 1875, the son of the farmer August Gerhardt and Elisabeth, née Wiemer; he studied theology in Dorpat(113) from 1894 to 1898 and was ordained on May 21, 1899. Vicar at the St. Trinity Church in Lodz 1899-1900. From December 1, 1900 to May 28, 1901 he administered Stawiszyn and then went to Leipzig to train as a Jewish missionary at the Delitzschianum institution. He studied there until the end September 1902. Assigned to the St. Trinity Parish in Łódż, he led as an adjunct from October 1, 1902, to January 6, 1905, the Jewish Mission in the area of ​​the Augsburg church.

Pastor in Prażuchy 1905-1911, religion teacher at the German high school in Łódż, and assistant clergyman at the St. Trinity Church there 1911-1921. He left the Warsaw Consistorial district on February 1, 1922 and entered the service of the Basel(114) Jewish Mission with residence in Stuttgart.

Pastor Gerhardt was a leading representative of the German trend in the Augsburg church. He was also elected as a German city councilor in the Łódż city parliament. After leaving Poland, he and his relatives took on German citizenship. Pastor Gerhardt told me   that he explained to General Superintendent Bursche, on the occasion of a visit to Warsaw after 1923, that during the Constituent Synod in 1922/23 that had he remained in the Warsaw consistory district, he would have advocated for the separation of the German Protestants and the Polish Protestants with all his strength and determination. He was an opponent of Bursche and his ideology. Died on September 3, 1947 in Riehen Basel, and was buried there. His widow Wanda, née Hampf, passed away in Basel on November 4, 1948.

Children: 

Elisabeth Juchum-Gerhardt (doctor’s widow).

Karl Heinrich Gerhardt-Mayer and Paul Gerhardt.

Pastor Gerhardt wrote:

One Hundred Years of the Association of Friends of Israel in Basel, 1931.

“The Jewish Mission in Poland”, pp. 196-211, in Ekklesia V, The Evangelical Churches in Poland(115).

Source:

Eduard Kniefel, Die Pastoren der Evangelisch-Augsburgischen Kirche in Polen (Eging: Selbstverlag des Verfassers,) 91.

112 Lithuanian: Kaupiškiai; German: Kaupischken
113 Today Tartu, Estonia.
114 Basel, Switzerland
115 “The Pastors of the Evangelical Augsburg Church in Poland”

I held 4 services with the celebration of Holy Communion and 2 services without communion, namely:

December 26th: Wirballen Sermon text Luke 2:10-11
December 31st:  New Year's Eve service in Wiżajny Genesis 49:2-10
January 1, 1916: New Year's service in Wiżajny Sermon text 1 Peter 4:12-19
January 2, 1916: Service in Wistiten Sermon text Matthew 2:13-23
January 6, 1916: Service in Wolkowyski Sermon text: Ezekiel 37:1-10
January 9, 1916: Private service in Mattlauken community of Wirballen about 1 Peter 4:12-19

Summary: These services were attended by over 3,000 people. The sacrament was enjoyed by over 700 communicants.