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Archiver > POSEN > 2003-03 > 1047114742


From: Gerd Schmerse <>
Subject: Re: [POSEN] Hauland
Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 10:12:22 +0100
References: <20030307.152538.12540.453130@webmail04.lax.untd.com>
In-Reply-To: <20030307.152538.12540.453130@webmail04.lax.untd.com>


Moin Marda,

zur Mail vom Fri, 7 Mar 2003 23:25:26 GMT:

>Further to this discussion, I see this sequence:
>First, just the name Borowo
>Later, there is the added town Borowo Hauland
>And later still, the added town of Borowo Vorwerk.
[...]
>Is this a progression of new areas or a change in use of an area?

In general, Vorwerk is a much older term - it has been in use since the
middle ages for an outlying part of a farm or an estate, but later also
an Abbau (or an Ausbau) could be called "Vorwerk".

Perhaps I should give these levels complete (at least I will try, hope
my English is good enough):

Development of a village started with the land taking of a farmer who
was called a Hufner, Höfner or Vollhöfner then. (This includes the word
Hufe for a certain amount of land, differing in size regionally.) This
refers to a time prior to the year 1000.
Second level was until about 1500 that of the Kötner (also called
Kätner, Kotsaß, Kossät...). They were in general in a small number in a
village. The name is from Kate, a small house compared to the house of
the Höfner. Sometimes Groß-Kötner and Klein-Kötner (big and small) were
distinguished.
Third level is the Brinksitzer or Brinkkötner. From 16th century on -
mainly after the 30years war - the community of the tenants was allowed
(with the consent of the Amt, the authorities) to decide to new
settlers. A good place for the Kate of a new settler was sometimes in
the middle of the village on common ground, but generally on the Brink
(quite self-explaining if one speaks English ;-)) which means a
protecting wood around the village. The Brinksitzer hat no or little
land and therefore helped on others farms or worked as messengers.
Fourth level is the Anbauer or Neubauer (after 1750). They often were
craftsmen and took part in special sharing of areas allotted to the
villagers from parcelling out common area (the Allmende), and therefore
owned small places.
The latter does not apply to the fifth level farmers, the Abbauer. (As I
wrote yesterday, and to give it complete here) They started after the
farmers the become owners of their land (by coupling the land and
redeeming) and were able to give parts of their land to younger sons or
as a dowry. These parts that have been paid off from the farm were
called Abbau and this is the last step of the development of the old
villages.
[My source for this is mainly Hans W. Meyer, who wrote about this in
another group]

To give you two more expression:
A Vorwerk that mainly deals with cattle-breeding is called Meierei
(which translates as dairy-farm), in Pomerania called Viehhof (pl.
Viehhöfe), with usual agricultural business Ackerhöfe.


Gruß
Gerd

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