Chelmno (khlm´nô), Ger. Kulm, city (1993 est. pop. 21,600), N central Poland. Its industries manufacture iron goods and beer. It was founded by Teutonic Knights in 1231, passed to Poland in 1466, and was included in Prussia in 1772. It reverted to Poland in 1919. Among its historic buildings are two Gothic churches and a 16th-century town hall. Possibly the starting point for my ancestors.

It is found south of Gdansk and to the west of the Vistula River.

In the late 18th century, Poland went through a series of “partitions,” which caused the Kingdom of Poland to be divided up between the super powers of that time – Austria, Prussia, and Russia. These partitions existed until 1806.

The first partition occurred in 1772 – a large area south of the Gulf of Gdansk and north of Posen was annexed to Prussia, and became West Prussia. This included an area called the Netze River District (including Bromberg, Kulm, Graudenz). Friedrich the Great promptly called for Germans to come set-tle this area.

The second partition occurred in 1793 – an area known as South Prussia was created south of the Netze District, extending south to Silesia and east to the Vistula.

The third partition occurred in 1795 – this partition wiped the Polish state off the map. The Lodz and Kalisch areas were annexed to South Prussia. An area called New East Prussia was created north of the Vistula River.

As of 1806, South Prussia included the Posen, Kalisch, and Warsaw districts. After 1815, the Posen District became the Prussian province of Posen. The Kalisch and Warsaw districts became part of “Russian Poland.” The area of South Prussia had a high concentration of German settlers who later immigrated to Bessarabia.

As of 1806, New East Prussia included the Bialystok and Plozk districts.

As of 1806, West Prussia included the Netze District, as well as the Kreise of Marienwerder, Marien-burg, Kulm, Michelau, Dirschau, Danzig, Stargard, Konitz. The population of the Netze District was about 50% German – many of whom later immigrated to Bessarabia.

1700s
Poland's three powerful neighbors, Russia, Prussia and Austria, each want to own Poland. This was all but impossible without risking war with each other. They finally settled their dispute by dividing Poland among themselves in a series of agreements called the Three Partitions of Poland.

1791
After the First Partition leads to some reforms, a constitution is passed, called the Constitution of the Third of May. It is the second written document that outlines the responsibilities of the Government (the U.S. Constitution is the first). Catherine the Great of Russia invades Poland to break up the newfound democracy.

1793
During the Second Partition, Russia and Prussia take over half of what was left of Poland.

1794
Tadeusz Kosciuszko, the famous general who helped win the American Revolution, starts a rebellion for Polish independence, but it is not strong enough to defeat the Russians.

1795
The Third Partition divides the rest of Poland. Poland is "officially" non-existent for the next 123 years.

1870s
Russia attempts to eradicate Polish culture, making Russian the official language of the Russian partition. Prussia does the same in their portion of Poland, attempting to Germanicize Poles. Under the Austrian partition, Galician Poles are allowed to retain some autonomy.

KULM / BESSARABIA (Podgornoye, Podgornoje)
Founded in 1815.
1711 People (when)
7057 x 2.48 = 17,501 Acres.

C-8 on map A01.
6 km SSE of Leipzig.

POLAND (Polish Polska, Ger. Polen) till the end of the 18th century was a kingdom extending (with Lithuania) over the basins of the Warta, Vistula, Dwina, Dnieper and upper Dniester, and had under its dominions, besides the Poles proper and the Baltic Slavs, the Lithuanians, the White Russians and the Little Russians or Ruthenians.

1772
The first partition of Poland (Polish-Lithuanian state) between Prussia and Austria: the Varmian Bishopric together with "West Prussia" are ceded to Prussia; the Baltic part of the state geographically unites with Brandenburg again after 1457 (Prussia also gets Western Poland with Gniezno and Poznan; Russia gets Livonia, i.e. Estonia and Eastern part of Latvia up to the gulf with the port of Riga; Austria gets the so-called "West Ukraine" with Lemberg/ Lwow/ Lviv)

1793
the second partition of Poland between Prussia and Russia: Prussia gets Central Poland with Plotsk and Kalish, Russia gets Central Belarus, Central and Eastern Ukraine

1795
the third partition of Poland between Prussia and Russia: Prussia gets all remaining part of Poland, Russia gets Courland and Lithuania Proper

Great Poland (Wielkopolska)
The Warta River basin (the area from the Notec River to the Barycz River) is known as Great Poland. It contains the oldest towns in Poland. Great Poland was the home of the Polanie, an ancient Slavic tribe that dwelled in the heart of Poland. Gniezno, an ancient castle town built in the eighth century, was the ancestral seat of the Polish people and the first Polish capital.

When the First Patition of Poland occurred in 1772, Prussia claimed both sides of the Notec River, including western Kuyavia, as well as Gdansk and Chelmno. During the Second Partition in 1793, Torun and Plock and most of the remaining areas of Great Poland were taken by Prussia. In 1807 the Grand Duchy of Warsaw was formed. It was a French protectorate under Napoleon Bonaparte and included Bydgoszcz, Kalisz, Lomza, Plock, Poznan, and Warszawa. In 1809 Krakow, Lublin, Radom, and Siedlce were added. The Congress of Vienna gave control of most of this area to Russia in 1815, and the area was renamed the Congress Kingdom of Poland. The area surrounding Poznan (Poznania) and Torun and Chelmno were returned to Prussia.

In Chelmno, 40 km. east from Konin, there is the site of the former Nazi concentration camp. The mausoleum monument stands on the site of mass graves. About 300,000 people perished here in the years 1941-1945.

Chelmno is probably 60Km directly south of Gdansk and 20Km north of Torun.