Marienwerder (Polish, Kwidzyn), a town (1939 pop. 20,484), East Prussia, Germany (Polish since 1945), founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1233. In 1720 the Mennonites began to appear in the city as quietly naturalized citizens, whereas there had been scattered Mennonites in the Marienwerder Upper Lowland since 1650, and in the Lower Lowland in a closed group, which was later known as the Tragheimerweide congregation, after 1550. In 1937 there were 78 Mennonites living in Marienwerder, including 18 unbaptized children. Services were held every fourth week in the Protestant church. In 1945, in the final stages of World War II, most of the Mennonite families were evacuated to West Germany or Denmark.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 483. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2009 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.