I am finding John's historic information most interesting. I would
appreciate receiving a bibliography of sources to read about the social, economic and
political history of the West Prussia-East Prussia border areas. Family came
from Kreis Rosenberg. Frederick Piellusch
Yes, I agree that John has done a fine job of locating and sharing interesting historical
information. It helps to put many things into perspective for those of us not aware of
the history. Many thanks John.
Ervin Schieman
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
FPiellusch@aol.com wrote:
Thank you Ervin and Frederick, for your very kind words.
For an outline of Prussian history, I would recommend, "The Rise of
Brandenburg-Prussia", by Margaret Shennan (ISBN 0-415-129389).
For an outline of history as a whole, I would always recommend:
The Penguin Atlas of World History: From Prehistory to the Eve of the
French Revolution
Hermann Kinder, Werner Hilgemann, Harald Bukor (Illustrator), Ruth
Bukor (Illustrator).
It was first published in German but I don't have it to hand to find
it's German title - it's on loan at present). It consists of colour
maps each with a facing page of notes. You won't get a connected
narrative from it but you will be able to look things up and gradually
form a picture. It is quite inexpensive and readily available. It
makes an excellent "bathroom book". I think that it a new English
edition has just been published.
For an example of historical argument at its best and most
accessable, I would recommend, How Wars Begin, by A. J. P. Taylor
(ISBN 0-689-10982-2). Taylor began his professional life as a raging
Germanophobe but by the time of these essays had taken an independent
and controversial position. More to the point, my father is the boy
nearest the binding in the photograph of the entry into Danzig
(01/09/1939). Taylor's analysis of the origins of the two World Wars
is particularly refreshing now that a particularly popular school of
history writing is trying to resuscitate the old propagandistic,
anglo-saxon certainties about the 20th Century events that dominate
our views on the Prussian Question.
For the history of Poland, which is especially relevant for West
Prussians, a long but engrossing read is, God's Playground: a History
of Poland: I, The Origins to 1795, and God's Playground: a History
of Poland: II: 1795 to the Present, both by Norman Davies, published
by Oxford University Press. A shorter history of poland is Adam
Zamoyski's, The Polish Way, (ISBN 0-7195-4283-9), which was published
in 1987 but may still be available 2nd hand or through libraries.
For Cashubia, I would recommend, The Cassubian Civilization, by F.
R. Lorentz, Adam Fischer and Tadeusz Lehr-Splawinski, published by
the Baltic Institute (1935).
For an insight into the Prussia of the Teutonic Order, "Prussian
Society and the German Order", by Michael Burleigh (ISBN
0-521-26104-x), is a scholarly but fascinating look below the
stereotypes of Medieval history.
For the those ready to face harsh realities, James Bacque's, "Other
Losses" (ISBN 0-356-19136-2), and "Crimes and Mercies" (ISBN
0-7515-2277-5)deal with the fate of German POWs and civilians
respectively, in the aftermath of WW2. These two volumes undermine
many of our comfortable assumptions about what, "people like us" can
let happen.
I hope that you find something of interest on this list.
Thank you again for your kindness.
Cordially,
John (Rohde).