Namensverzeichnis der sämtlichen remonstrantischen Gemeinden in und ausserhalb der Batavischen Republik. Veränderte Ausgabe vom Jahre 1802 (Danzig) is the German edition of the Dutch Naamlijst of 1802. A corrected edition with the same title appeared in 1805. In spite of imperfections, this book has value even today. The appendix has a brief biography of Menno Simons. It closes with an index of places.

In 1823 an entirely new list was published in Danzig, Namensverzeichnis der Aeltesten und Lehrer der mennonitischen Gemeinen in Süd-, Ost-, Westpreussen, Lithauen und Polen, nebst derjenigen in Russland und in den neu angesiedelten Kolonien (1823 Danzig), reprinted in 1835 with a changed title, by Agathon Wernich in Elbing. The preface states, "This edition contains, in accord with the decision adopted at Marienburg on 18 September 1834, the names of the congregations found in East and West Prussia, Lithuania, Poland, and in the German settlements of the Russian Empire; and the names of the elders, preachers, and deacons, with the towns or districts where they reside, in order that this book may if necessary be used as an address book." It is a very valuable list.

A new edition of this list was issued in 1843; the fourth edition followed in 1857 in Danzig with the altered title, Namensverzeichniss der in Deutschland, Ost- und Westpreussen, Galizien, Polen und Russland befindlichen Mennoniten-Gemeinden sowie ihrer Aeltesten, Lehrer und Vorsteher (1857, Danzig). It contains a preface signed by J. Mannhardt in the name of the elders and preachers of the West Prussian congregations, which expresses regret for the incompleteness of the list; the congregations in Alsace and Krefeld had not sent the requested information. Hence blank spaces were left in the book for the insertion of entries. This register contains the names of the elders, preachers, and deacons of Prussia, Hesse, Bavaria, Baden, Galicia, Poland, and Russia. A fifth edition appeared in 1881.

The Jahrbuch der altevangelischen taufgesinnten Mennoniten-Gemeinden of 1883 and 1888, published by H. G. Mannhardt, does not contain a register of congregations in West Prussia nor those in Switzerland, France, and Poland. A list of preachers and congregations in Holland is contained in the Jaarboekje. The Mennonitischer Gemeinde-Kalender (1892-   ) publishes a list of ministers in Germany, Switzerland, and France. A list of preachers and congregations in Russia appeared in 1905 with the title, Statistic der Mennonitengemeinden in Russland (Appendix to the Mennonitisches Jahrbuch 1904-5). The Mennonite Yearbook and Directory published an annual list of all the Mennonite ministers in North America, including Europe and South America. The Meeting Calendar of All the Mennonite Churches in Eastern Pennsylvania, appearing annually since at least 1880, contained a complete directory of all ordained men in the three easternmost conferences of the Mennonite Church (MC). All individual denominational or conference yearbooks contain a directory of ministers and congregations.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 808. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.