Based on a research lead from a DNA match on Geneanet, I think one of my ancestors have been a descendant of a Swedish soldier in Vechta after the Thirty Years' War.
Johan Buske was born before 1675 in Lüsche-Vestrup in Amt. Vechta (and had two kids in the mid 1690s and died before 1700 when his widow married Theodor Arnold Buske, possibly his brother). According to a knowledgeable Swedish match, Buske was a Swedish name (according to DNA tests, I have some previously unidentified Swedish ancestry). The name was given to soldiers (based on the house they were given to occupy for the duration of their service sort of like how the Oldenburgers adopted the name of the farm while there).
Historical sources who that Swedish troops occupied Vechta from 1647-1654. The recreated star for there harks back to this time. The Swede says not all soldiers returned with some staying and raising families. He pointed me to the Swedish soldiers database which had several dozen Buske soldiers at that time (including many from the same parish as his ancestors!).
What resources exist for this period for this episode? Is there a list of Swedish soldiers in Vechta? A list of those returning after the occupation? A list of those who stayed? Some other substitute resources? Are there any online/digitalized histories of the Thirty Years' War in Oldenburger Munsterland? (Ideally in English, but I'll take what I can get).
Thanks in advance for any guidance or assistance.
This is a complicated subject with few answers. Millions of people lost
their lives during those 30 years. The pest was active too. Records for
ordinary people were not kept except for some Swedish military records. The
thing is, soldiers of the day came and went in relatively small groups to
marauder the land and get their food and pay. Sweden did not have the money
to pay their troops. They pretty much left them to fend for themselves and
did not stay very long in any one place. They were basically mercenaries
from all different religions and peoples. I have several books which treat
their nobel leaders as those were the only record keepers. Most of these
works are from doctoral theses and treat very local situations but they do
track the travels and locations of that particular band of troops. I've not
seen anything relative to Vechta itself. The town was small but had walls
to defend itself. Isolated farms were much easier targets to get what the
troops wanted. Once it was denuded, they would move on to another farm.
I have no doubt that individual soldiers dropped off the group and stayed
where they were especially if they had found a nice woman to stay with who
might offer him some sustenance. My wife's paternal name if Vogel but the
name is not native to the Oldenburger Münsterland. The first one appeared
on a farm in Dingel near Cappeln where he got a girl pregnant and then
became a Heuerman on a larger farm with her. Now he was listed as Dragoner
when his illegitimate son was born in 1695. In other words he was not part
of the 30 years war but was still a roaming soldier probably born around
1670 or so. As things were back then, sons usually took the occupation of
the fathers and he may well have been a son or grandson of one of the
roaming bands of the 30 years war. The Church decided to start keeping
records by decision of the Trentine Council on November 11, 1563 but it
took many years for this order to be implemented across the Roman church.
Many of the early priests were not very literate and other books were lost
in war and fires. So there are limited records available from the mid 17th
century and before: We will never know who lived where. DNA will never
point to exact matches that far back either.
The history book "Die Bauernhöfe im Amte Vechta" first printed in 1908, shows under Vestrup, farmgroup Lüsche,
the farm Bueske, 58 hectare (1908).
The owner before in 1568 was a Hermann Wichmann, 1558 Wobbeke Wichmann and Hermann Wichmann.
The oldest record show the taxregister of 1549 (Das Personenschatzungsregister von 1549 für das Amt Cloppenburg):
- under "Luissche" is listed: Johan Wichman, Wobbeke uxor(wife), son Hermann
Before 1856 was Lüsche a part of the parish Krapendorf (Amt Cloppenburg), then a part of Vestrup (Amt Vechta)
Maybe your Buske married a Wichmann girl and became the owner of the farm.
That's all what I could find.
Werner Honkomp
Werner,I am wondering if this Wichmann family was an ancestor of the Wichmann's who settled in New Vienna, IA? Don't do any research for me if you do not know. I was just curious. Thanks.
Kathy Casey
In a message dated 4/14/2020 5:29:27 AM Central Standard Time, werner@honkomp.de writes:
The history book "Die Bauernhöfe im Amte Vechta" first printed in 1908,
shows under Vestrup, farmgroup Lüsche,
the farm Bueske, 58 hectare (1908).
The owner before in 1568 was a Hermann Wichmann, 1558 Wobbeke Wichmann
and Hermann Wichmann.
The oldest record show the taxregister of 1549 (Das
Personenschatzungsregister von 1549 für das Amt Cloppenburg):
- under "Luissche" is listed: Johan Wichman, Wobbeke uxor(wife), son Hermann
Before 1856 was Lüsche a part of the parish Krapendorf (Amt
Cloppenburg), then a part of Vestrup (Amt Vechta)
Maybe your Buske married a Wichmann girl and became the owner of the farm.
That's all what I could find.
Werner Honkomp
We have a lot of Wichmann families in our area, I hink yours in an other one, maybe this is yours:
Best wishes,
Werner
Thanks Werner. You are correct.
Kathy Casey
In a message dated 4/14/2020 10:37:30 AM Central Standard Time, werner@honkomp.de writes:
We have a lot of Wichmann families in our area, I hink yours in an other
one, maybe this is yours:
Best wishes,
Werner
It may be important to point out that Swedish troops during the Thirty Years War only consisted of very few Swedish nationals. This applies to all armies fighting during that war (French, Spanish, Dutch, Scots etc.). The vast majority of the troops was formed by Germans and mercenaries from other countries. Following the device that "the war has to nourish the war" the troops were forced to raid the region they were fighting in, devasting the farms and towns. Regardless of the religion of the people.
After the war the armies were eventually demobilized. The foreign nationals mostly forming the higher ranks returned to their countries, the majority settled either where they happened to be at the end of the war or returned to their native towns or villages.
One of my ancestors born in a village in nowadays Lower Saxony fought in a Swedish regiment in Bohemia and Moravia. In 1649 he appeared back on his farm.
The above is a very rough and brief description of what happened during that time. As the "Thirty Years War" actually consisted of four individual wars a few differences may have to be noted.
Regards,
Jürgen
One should also recall that Swedish involvement in northern Germany did not end with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Swedes invaded Brandenburg from their possessions in Pomerania in 1675 and were defeated by the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm at the battle of Fehrbellin. Sweden held the bishoprics of Verden and Bremen until 1719, and parts of Pomerania, including Stralsund and the island of Rügen, were not surrendered to Prussia till after the Napoleonic wars. Of course, the rank and file of armies in those days was international, but a fair number of Swedes would have participated, given that Sweden itself was a poor mostly agricultural country. Swedish names turning up in Oldenburg or Hannover would not be too surprising.
--Jim Rader
Good, going right along. Bill is in Morgan City all this week. About a two hour drive. But, he can leave a little earlier for his return home. Yesterday he came here on the way home. He picked up some items at Breaux Mart and some hot lunches in the deli section. He just got here today. He will read a couple of scans back in Morgan City by the net, then get us some victuals.
The Wichmann, who settled at New Vienna, lived first in Minster, Ohio. He and other members of this Wichmann family came from Alfhausen.Fr. David HoyingSent from my Galaxy Tab A
Yes, Jim, you are right. But those are two chapters of the "story".
With the treaty of Westphalia (negotiated in Münster for the Catholic parties and Osnabrück for the Protestant ones) and the subsequent peace treaty in Nürnberg (Nuremberg) 1650 Sweden became for their possessions won (conquered) during the war the role of an fief-taker within the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation. This refers to the archdiocese Bremen and diocese Verden which became the duchies Bremen-Verden. All possessions of the former archbishops and bishops were transferred to the Swedish king, also including the cathedral districts within Bremen and Hamburg. This remained in force until 1714 when the Swedes sold their rights to the electorate of Hanover and remained in force until 1803 when the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" ( a terrible word) was implemented by Napoleon.
As far as the consequences of the Treaty of Westphalia are concerned, the same applies to large parts of Pomerania and the costal area of Mecklenburg, e.g. Stralsund, Wismar and even Danzig.
As liege of the Reich Sweden had voting rights in the Reichstag for Pomerania and Bremen-Verden.
The ambitions of increasing their influence in e.g. Brandenburg by invading that territory is another story and is no d i r e c t consequence out of the Treaty of Westphalia but an act of imperialism which later lead to the collapse of Sweden.
This clearly is only a very rough description of the historical facts. A detailed essay would cover pages.
Best regards,
Jürgen