Koenigsberg, the capital of East Prussia was destroyed during two days on August 26 and 29, 1944 by two British air raids which I witnessed from about 20 km outside the city. I remember Koenigsberg as my high school town where I attended the Friedrichs-Kollegium, 1939-1944, a classic school where Latin, Greek and English was taught.
The Russians closed the grip around the city on January 26, 1945. The majority of the population was able to escape by boat passing Pillau by night into the Baltic Sea during the early months of 1945. My turn to leave was during the night of February 28,1945.(1)
Two church books of the Koenigsberg Mennonite Church have survived WWII:
1. Births, marriages, deaths 1766-1858 with baptisms 1797 - 1858 (LDS Film #071785)
2. Loose pages containing older baptisms prior to 1800, (LDS Film #477311) (2).
These records are on deposit in the Prussian State Archives in Berlin-Dahlem today. The records 1859-1944 perished during the senseless Western air raids on my highschool town of Koenigsberg.
The pre-1797 baptism records are scattered and apparently incomplete.
End notes:
(1) From my autobiographical chronicle deposited at AMC Goshen IN, MLA North Newton KS, and MHC Winnipeg.
(2) see also Goertz,Adalbert. "Trauungen 1821-1847 in der Mennonitengemeinde Koenigsberg." Altpreussische Geschlechterkunde 7 (1974): 103-104.
Mennonite Encyclopedia vol. III: 221-222;
Goertz, Adalbert. "Die Mennoniten Ostpreussens im Jahre 1777." Ostdeutsche Familienkunde (1979): 364-369.
Kauenhoven, K. "Die Koenigsberger Mennoniten 1732-1809." Mennonitische Geschichtsblaetter 13 (1956): 20-30.
Berg 6.Jacob Barg 1774 Bergen 4.Anna Barchen aus dem Werder 1770 Bergen 5.Regina Barchen aus Danzig 1770 Bergen 4/5.Jacob & Johann Bargen,s.of Isaac B. in Kreutzburg 1801 Bergen 7.Franz Bargen,s.of Isaac B. (b.March 26,1793) 1810 Bruen 3.Sara Bruenen aus dem Werder 1770 Claassen 5.Abraham Claassen,son of Abr.C. aus Zandersdorf 1799 Claassen 7.Elisabeth Claassen, dau. of Peter C. in Koenigsberg 1799 Claassen 2.Abraham Claassen, son of Peter C. 1805 Claassen 2.Joh.Peter Claassen, surv.son of Peter C. 1808 Claassen 12.Elisabewth Claassen, surv.dau.of Julius C. in Elbing 1810 Claassen 15.Anna Maria Claassen, surv.dau.of Peter C. 1812 Claassen 1.Jacob Claassen, son of Peter C. 1816 Claassen 5.Dittrich Claasen bei Peter Harder aus dem Werder 1817 Dircksen 6.Johann Dircksen, son of Heinr.D. vom Wehrdamm 1799 Dircksen 9.Magdalena Dircksen, dau. of Heinr. D. aufm Wehrdamm 1805 Dyck 6.Maria Dyck, dau. of Peter D. in Pr.Eylau (b.Oct.17,1791) 1806 Dyck 6.Margaretha Dyck, dau. of Peter D. in Pr.Eylau 1808 Dyck 6.Peter Dyck, son of Peter D. in Pr.Eylau 1814 Dyck 2.Johann Dyck,son of Peter D. of Pr.Eylau 1817 Dyck 1.Bernhard Dyck,s.of Peter D.& Anna Maria Wiehler of Pr.Eylau 1819 Entz 2.Elisabeth Entz aus dem Werder 1770 Entz 4.Anna Ensz,stepsister of P.Matthies,Labiau &of Frau Joh.Reincke in Koenigsberg 1820 Fast 1.Heinrich Fast' son Hein of Rastenburg 1774 Fast 5.Hein Fast' dau.Maria 1774 Fast 2.Johann Fast, son of Heinrich F. in Rastenburg 1799 Fast 8.Susanna Fast, dau. of Heinr.F. in Rastenburg 1801 Fast 5.Abraham Fast, son of Heinr.F. in Rastenburg 1805 Fast 7.Maria Fast, dau. of Heinr.F. 1806 Fast 5.Sara Fast, dau. of Heinr.F. (b.Oct 11,1790) 1808 Fast 8.Joh.Fast,surv.s.of Peter F.& widow Margaretha Harder of Rickenau 1819 Goosen 6.Aganetha Goosen, sister's dau. of widow(?) Kroekerin 1803 Goosen 13.Anna Goosen aus dem Werder, sister of Frau Jacob Fast 1814 Hamm 8.Johann Hamm aus dem Werder, now with Rev.Joh.Penner 1814 Hamm 9.Lisette Hamm bey Hermann Wiehler aus Danzig 1817 Harder 8.Martha Harder,sister of Peter H. 1817 Howenehr 3.Heinrich Howenehr, son of Isaac H. 1805 Jantzen 7.Bernhard Jantzen,s.of Joh.J.and Maria Siemens of Danzig(b.Nov 24,1802 Alt Schottland) 1819 Kauenhoven 1.Arndt Kauenhoven, son of Arndt K. in Koenigsberg 1801 Kauenhoven 1.Arend Kauenhoven 1804 Kauenhoven 4.Catharina Kauenhoven, dau. of Arndt K. 1808 Kauenhoven 11.Barbara Kauenhoven, dau. of Anton K. 1810 Kauenhoven 4.Abraham Kauenhoven, son of Joh.K. 1812 Kauenhoven 8.Maria Kauenhoven, dau. of Joh.K. 1812 Kauenhoven 1.Heinrich Kauenhoven, son of Joh.K. 1814 Kauenhoven 12.Wilhelmina Kauenhoven, dau. of Joh.K. 1814 Kauenhoven 9.Friedrich Wm.Kauenhoven, son of Anton K. 1814 Kauenhoven 6.Carl Kauenhowen,son of Anton K. 1817 Kroecker 3.Rev.Is.Kroecker' dau.Gerd. 1774 Kroecker 1.Anna Justina Kroeker of Koenigsberg 1797 Kroecker 8.Maria Kroecker, dau. of widow(?) K. 1799 Kroecker 3.Christine Kroecker aus dem Werder, with Rev. Heinr. Penner 1816 Matthiess 7.Christina Matthiessin, sister's dau. of Joh.Fast in Labiau 1801 Mirau 10.Johanna Mirau, dau. of abgeschieden M. 1810 Mirau 17.Christine Mirau, dau. of Mich.M. 1814 Mirau 4.Heinrich Mirau, son of Franz M. 1816 Momber 5.Johanna Momber, surv.dau. of Herm. M. 1806 Momber 14.Anna Friderica Momber, dau. of Frau M. in Labiau 1812 Neubur 7.Maria Neuburin 1774 Olfert 6.Johann(?) Olfert 1784 Olfert 3.David Olfert, son of Platenschlaeger O. 1801 Olfert 6.Agatha Olfert, surv. dau. of O. 1801 Olfert 3.David Olfert 1804 Olfert 4.Agatha Olfert 1804 Olfert 8.Wilhelmina Olfert, dau.of Platenschlaeger O. 1806 Olfert 6.Heinrich Olfert, son of Platenschlaeger O. 1810 Penner 1.Herrmann Penner, son of Rev. Heinrich P. 1799 Penner 2.Abraham Penner, son of Rev. Heinr.P. 1801 Penner 1.Peter Penner, son of Rev. Heinr.P. 1803 Penner 5.Maria Penner,adopted dau.of Abraham de Ver 1803 Penner 2.Abraham Penner 1804 Penner 1.David Penner, son of Rev. Heinr. P. 1805 Penner 3.Catharina Penner, dau. of Rev. Heinr. P. 1806 Penner 11/12.Agatha & Magdalene Penner, dau. of Frau P. in Memel 1812 Penner 2.Martin Penner, son of Wm. P. in Memel (b.Oct 6,1799) 1816 Penner 8.Johanne Penner aus Elbing, with Joh. Jac. Kroecker 1816 Penner 2./3.Eduard &Elise Penner,surv.childr of Joh.P.& widow Maria v.d.Mersch of Memel 1819 Reimer 1.Peter Reimer aus dem Werder 1770 Reincke 2.Johann Reincke 1784 Reincke 2.Magdalena Reincke of Tilse 1797 Reincke 3.Elisabeth Reincke of Tilse 1797 Reincke 2.Joh.Wm.Reincke, son of Joh. R. 1810 Reincke 8.Maria Wilhelmina Reincke, dau. of Joh. R. 1810 Reincke 13.Amalia Charlotte Reincke, dau. of Joh. R. 1812 Reincke 2/3.Carl Heinrich and Jacob Friedrich Reincke, son of Joh. R. 1812 Reincke 11.Anna Dorothea Reincke, dau. of Joh. R. 1814 Reincke 2.August Wm.Reincke, son of Joh. R. 1814 Reincke 6.Johanna Reincke, dau. of Joh. R. 1816 Reincke 3.Heinrich Ludwick Reincke, son of Joh. R. 1817 Roy 1.George Angus von Roy, son of Jacob v. R. 1812 Schultz 6.Anna Schultz, surv.dau. of Gerhard S. 1805 Schultz 7.Magdalena Schultz, surv.dau. of Gerh. S. 1808 Schultz 15.Wilhelmine Schultz, surv.dau. of Gerhard S. 1814 Sprunck 9.Maria Sprunck, dau. of Wm. S. in Memel 1810 Sprunck 6.Joh. Nicolaus Sprunck, son of S. aus Marienburg 1812 Sprunck 9/10.Wilhelmine and Dorothea Sprunck,daus. of Wm. S. in Memel 1812 Sprunck 5.Johann Sprunck, son of Wm.S. in Memel 1814 Sprunck 7.Elisabeth Sprunck, dau. of Wm.S. in Memel 1816 Sprunck 4.Wilhelm Sprunck,surv.s.of Wilhelm S.& widow Catharina Jacobsen of Memel 1819 Sprunck 2.Friedrich Christian Sprunck,surv.s.of Wm. S. & Catharine Jacobsen Memel(b.Dec 25,1804) 1820 Steffen 2.Hans Steffen' son Hans of Holstein 1774 Steffen 8.N. Steffen 1774 Steffen 4.Johann Steffen, son of Joh. S. in Margen 1799 Steffen 8.Susanne Steffen, dau. of Joh. S. in Margen 1803 Steffen 8.Catharina Steffen, dau. of Joh. S. in Margen 1805 Steffen 9.Anna Steffen,dau. of Wm. S. and Maria Rempel of Petershagen 1819 Sudermann 4.Hermann Sudermann of Marienburg 1797 Sudermann 4.Dirck Sudermann, son of Abr.S. in Schaacken 1805 Sudermann 9.Liscke Sudermann aus Elbing, with Joh.Kauenhoven 1816 Sudermann 10.Maria Sudermann bey Heinr. Howenehr, of Elbing 1817 Thielmann 5.Thielmann of Danzig 1797 Tiessen 3.Abr.Tyssen 1784 Tiessen 4.Jacob Tyssen 1784 Tiessen 4.Aganetha Tiessen, dau. of Jac. T. 1806 Tiessen 1.Jacob Tiessen, son of Jacob T. 1808 Tiessen 3/4.Abraham and Jacob Tiessen, sons of Abrah.T. 1810 Tiessen 5.Heinrich Tiessen, son of Jacob T. 1812 Tiessen 3/4.Bernhard and Hans Tiessen, son of Jacob T. 1814 Tiessen 5.Maria Tiessen, dau. of Peter T. of Stadtfeld 1820 Veer, de 5.Wilm de Veer 1784 Veer, de 3.Johann de Ver, surv. son of de Ver in Bromberg 1803 Veer, de 7.Magdalena de Ver, surv. dau. of de Ver in Bromberg 1805 Veer, de 5.Wilhelm de Ver, surv. son of de Ver in Bromberg 1810 Wiebe 9.Margaretha Wiebe, dau. of Peter W. bey Labiau 1799 Wiebe 7.Maria Wiebe, dau. of Wiebe in Labiau 1803 Wiehler 1.Johann Wiehler, son of the Rev. Aeltesten 1784 Wiehler 9.Elisabeth Wiehler, stepdau.of Heinr. Enss in Muehlhausen 1801 Wiehler 1.Herrmann Wiehler, son of Joh. W. senior 1806 Wiehler 2.Johann Wiehler, surv. son of Isbrand W. 1806 Wiehler 1.Joh. Simon Wiehler, son of Joh. W. senior 1810 Wiehler 10.Anna Wiehler, dau. of Joh. W. senior 1814 Wiehler 7.Joh.Wiehler, surv. son of Herrmann W. in Elbing 1814 Wiehler 1.Abraham Wiehler, son of Joh. W. sen. Aeleft 1835) 1817 Wiehler 4.David Wiehler, surv. son of David W. in Russland 1817 Wiehler 7.Maria Magdalena Wiehler, surv. dau. of David W. 1817 Wiehler 6.Johann Wiehler, surv. son of David W. and Maria Roosen 1819 Wiehler 3.Mariana Wiehler, surv. dau. of David W.and Maria Roosin (b.Jan 1,1804) 1820 Wieler 4.Gerd Wielerin T. d. Joh. W. 1774 Wiens 3.Johann Wiens, brother of Paul W. 1799 Wiens 2.Dan. Wiens, son of Paul W. 1803 Wiens 4.Maria Wiens, step dau. of Mich.Mirau 1803 Wiens 3.Herrmann Wiens, surv.son of Herrm. W. 1808 Wiens 16.Maria Wiens, sister's dau. of Franz Wiebe 1812 Wiens 14.Susanne Wiens aus dem Werder, now with Heinrich Dyck 1814 Zacharias 16.Elisabeth Zacharias aus Danzig, now with Joh. Kauenhoven 1814 Zimmermann 7.Emilia Zimmermann, dau. of Jacob Z. 1812 Zimmermann 5.Johanna Maria Zimmermann, dau. of Rev. Jac. Z. 1816 Zimmermann 5.George Phillip Zimmermann, s.of Jacob Z.& Aganetha Kroecker 1819 Zimmermann 1.Carl Eduard Zimmermann, surv. s.of Jacob Z.& Aganetha Kroecker (b.March 16,1804) 1820
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