Boulay-Moselle (German: Bolchen), a town in Lorraine (pop. 4,173 in 1910; pop. 5,043 in 2007), 15 miles (25 km) northeast of Metz. Amish Mennonites of Swiss descent settled around the town in the early 18th century, organizing themselves into a congregation known as Deutsch-Lothringen, which later, as the group grew and scattered, formed four congregations—Bolchen, Mörchingen, Luxembourg, and Saar. The group around Bolchen at first held its religious services in private homes, but about the middle of the 19th century two congregations were formed, the one meeting in Mörchingen (Morhange), the other near Bolchen. Since the latter met in Diesen near Porzelat (district of Forbach), it became known for a time as Bolchen-Diesen. In 1916 it numbered 134 souls, including 58 children, its members mostly farmers, some miners. From the middle of the 19th century the congregation had two cemeteries, in Dalem and Diesen. The Diesen congregation was organized in 1875, but was always closely related to Bolchen, and in the mid-20th century absorbed Bolchen altogether, so that the latter has been dissolved.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 383. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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