Count Karl Joseph Matthias Grudzinski, owner of the city of Chodziez, issued a privilege in 1730 to divide a portion of his forest in the southwest of his estate to German farmers to create Strozewo Hauland, later Hermstal. This portion of the Grudzinski estate had a fragmented history dating to the 15th century. As early as 1436 the village of Kalawa, which is thought to have been in this future Hauland, is mentioned in records. A document from 1564 states that Kalawa was a desolate land of approximately 24 morgens. The land had to lay fallow for as long as four years to be able to harvest 40 sheaves. In a church visit of 1696, it was reported that the village was totally abandoned.
On May 4, 1730, Grzegorz (Gregor) Hanelt, Marcin Kulisz (Martin Kulisch), Efraim Rodocki, Jerzy Tanelo (Georg Tanzeloh), Jerzy Bihse (Georg Biese), Krystyan Gole (Christian Golz) and others received the privilege of a full farm of 30 Morgens from the Count. After seven years of freedom each settler was to pay 40 tinfe of rent annually for each full farm, but they were not required to perform any services. The Krüger (innkeeper) and the schoolmaster were to each receive a half farm, from which they did not have to pay taxes or perform services. The innkeeper was required to serve only the landlord’s beer and brandy.
During the construction of their houses each farmer received one barrel of beer. If they finished the work quickly, they received three barrels as a bonus. The hauländers were free to use the wood on their land for building except for the beech and oak trees. They could graze as many cattle as they wanted on the landlord’s estate, but they could only keep 50 sheep. For each sheep greater than 50 they had to pay 6 groschen annually.
Following the granting of the privilege the land change hands regularly. The early village record book was available in1938 when Werner Schulz wrote his book. The following transactions are recorded:
- Confirmed by the Schulze Martin Strauch
- July 7, 1732. Johan Georg Schmidt sold his land to Georg Bachert for 32 Thaler.
- October 9, 1732. Paul Scholley sold his land to Martin Schallert for 12 Thaler.
- November 12, 1732. Martin Kulisch sold his land to Christian Binnau for 23 Thaler.
- Confirmed by the Schulze Christian Golz
- February 1, 1735. Gottfried Stabnau sells his land to Johann Becker for 26 ½ Thaler.
- April 14, 1736? Martin Täschner and Christoph Pahl sell their land to Johann Grüneberg for 32 and 18 Thaler respectively.
- March 13, 1736. Christian Hühn sold his land to Michael Heinze for 40 Thaler.
- July 9, 1736. Michael Tanseloh sold his land to Andreas Kreusel for 300 tinfe.
- Confirmed by Schulze Christian Binnau
- July 24, 1736. Gürgen Böse sold his land to Johann Stolze from Morischen Holländer (?) for 165 Thaler.
- Confirmed by the Schulze Andreas Kreusel
- October 28, 1738. Widow Tanzeloh sold her quarter of a full farm to Ephraim Radacki for 13 Thaler.
- July 22, 1738. Gottfried Assman sells his land to Christian Schaeler for 25 Thalers.
- Confirmed by the Schulze Johann Dreher
- May 4, 1740. Martin Döberich exchanges his farm for half of his son-in-law Johann Hannelt’s farmstead in Hütte.
- Confirmed by the Schulze Daniel Seydel
- October 16, 1740. Martin Strauch sold a piece of land to his son-in-law Johann Nikolaus for 29 Thaler.
- November 19, 1740. Christoph Hoffmann sells his land to master clothmaker Mathias Kelm from Kolmar for 31 Thaler.
- April 29, 1746. Eva Seydel, Martin Seydel’s wife, sold her land to Georg Schulze for 41 Thaler and 2 Tinfe.
- April 29, 1746. Heinrich Schiebelbein sold 5 Morgen of land to Georg Schulz for 3 ½ Thaler.
- August 5, 1746. Johann Hannelt from Hütte exchanges his land with Erdmann Golz.
- April 23, 1747. Erdmann Piez sold half of his land to David Kürstgen for 19 Thaler.
- May 3, 1747. Johann Steinicke had run away. The landlord gave a half farm to his sister’s daughter as a gift. Following her marriage, he granted a privilege to her new husband, Michael Rosenau.
- May 4, 1747. Michael Schultze sold his land to Martin Dyrling for 78 Thaler.
- May 4, 1747. Johann Preusse sold his land to Michael Schulze for 41 Thaler.
- May 7, 1747. Martin Büttner sold his land to Michael Döberich for 150 Thaler.
- June 22, 1747. Martin Böse and his wife Marie sold their only son Paul one farm of 13 ½ Morgen for 200 thalers. As his parents they waived 100 thaler of the sum.
- Confirmed by the Schulze Martin Döberich
- March 25, 1748. Bartholomäus Steinhoff sells his land to Daniel Siemon for 75 thaler.
- May 4, 1748. Erdmann Pietz sold his son Johann Pietz a piece of land for 12 thaler.
In 1773, at the time of the first partition of Poland, Strozewo Hauland became part of Prussia. In that year the community’s population was 371, all but two of whom were Lutheran. There were 47 free people including a blacksmith, a wheelwright and a schoolteacher. In addition, there were 15 Instleute (serfs or day laborers) living in the community. The free people owned a total of 25 full farms averaging 30 Morgen each. In “Verzeichnis aller Ortschaften des Bromberger Regierungs-Bezirks; mit einer geographisch-statisctischen Uebersicht derselben“(Directory of all localities of the Bromberg administrative district; with a geographical and statistical overview of them) published in 1833 Strozewo Hauland is recorded as having 45 houses in which 357 people lived. There were 319 Lutherans and 38 Catholics.
History of the School and Church
A Bohlenhaus (in America a log cabin) and farm buildings were built in 1733 on the ½ farm reserved for the school. The first schoolhouse had a classroom, prayer room and an apartment for the teacher who was appointed by the community.
One of the duties of the schoolteacher was to be a cantor for the Lutheran congregation. In addition to teaching the children he held Sunday reading services as the Lutheran pastor came only every four weeks to conduct a service.
Sometimes that appointment was controversial. In 1797 the teacher was dismissed after one year for “paying too much homage to drinking and other vices.” The first school was used until 1833 when it was torn down, and a new school was built.
As the community grew the building was added onto, eventually becoming a three-class building. The second school lasted until 1910 when it closed because the mudbrick was crumbling. On March 4, 1911, a fire, suspected to have been caused by arson, destroyed the building along with the neighboring half-timbered church built in 1797 and the church’s hearse stored in one of the school’s buildings.
Following the fire the church was not rebuilt due to the lack of funds. Services for the community were moved to neighboring Strozewo (Kirchdorf).
Sources
Quellenband zur Geschichte der zweiten deutschen Ostssiedlung im westlichen Netzegau, Werner Schulz, 1938
Geschichte der evangelischen Parochieen in der Provinz Posen, Albert Werner, 1898
Seidlungsgeschichte eines Hauländerdorfes Hermstal, Artur Müller, Juli 1970