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Online Resources: Prussian, Ukrainian, and Russian Mennonite Records

This guide provides direct links to essential online resources for researchers tracing Mennonite ancestors across West Prussia (modern-day Poland), Ukraine, and Russia.

Johann Wieler and family- 1889

Johann Wieler and family (Russian Mennonites)- 1889 | Public domain - eirenicon & GIMP & photostyle from the wikimedia original found on Picryl

1. West Prussian Property Records (Polish Archives)

The following records are courtesy of the Mennonite Library and Archives (MLA) at Bethel College in Kansas. Please adhere to their use rules and guidance when utilizing these resources.

It is important to understand that not all ancestors will appear in property records. The MLA provides crucial context on common search challenges:

  1. Non-Property Owners: Your ancestor may not have been a property owner. By 1783, a large percentage of Mennonite families in West Prussia were landless, which was a major catalyst for emigration to Russia.
  2. Tip: Check the complementary lists of known landowners and land transactions:
  3. Village Name Confusion: You may have confused two villages with the same name (e.g., Rosenort in Gross Werder vs. Rosenort in Klein Werder).
  4. Similar Village Names: You may have confused villages with similar names (e.g., Montau vs. Klein Muntau, or Muensterberg vs. Alt Muensterberg). Consult this comprehensive Prussian Village List (PDF) for clarification.
  5. Lost Records: The particular record mentioning your person may have been lost. Many early records, especially those from the end of World War 2, are no longer extant.
Former German Name Polish Name Archival Link
Marienburg Malbork Marienburg-Malbork Records
Bromberg Bydgoszcz Bromberg-Bydgoszcz Records
Thorn Toruń Thorn-Toruń Records
Danzig Gdańsk Danzig-Gdańsk Records
Gdingen Gdynia Gdingen-Gdynia Records

2. Additional West Prussian Information

These resources supplement property records with critical census and village data.

3. Ukraine and Russian Mennonite Information

This section provides comprehensive resources for research in the Russian Empire colonies.

Various Church Record Books (Russian-Ukrainian)

4. Holocaust Context

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by: Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.