Regenwalde Village Descriptions

Alt Döberitz In 1655, the estate in Alt Döberitz was owned by Adrian von Borcke. There were about 279 residents in 1925. The Evangelical residents of the village attended church in Stargordt in the mid' 1800s.	Altenfleiss was located in the far southwestern area of Regenwalde. There were about 142 residents living in the village in 1925. The Evangelical residents belonged to the Mellen Parish during the mid 1800s.
Bandekow The estate was controlled by the van der Osten family from 1357 to 1807. The Evangelical residents belonged to the parish in Daber, Naugard during the mid' 1800s.	Birkhelde was very near the Stramehl estate. This village is seldom shown on maps, probably because it's closeness to Stramehl and also because it was a very small village.
Bonin The estate belonged to the von Borcke family from 1416 to 1903. There were 378 residents in 1925; the Evangelical residents attended church in Labes during the mid 1800s.	Dorow The owner of the estate in Dorow was Antonius von Borcke. During the 19th century, the Evangelical residents of the village belonged to the Obernhagen parish.
Dübzow was known as Dubbesow prior to 1348 and was named for the lake located nearby. The village was situated on a plateau and served as a train station for the Regenwalder Kleinbahn that traveled from Labes to Daber and to Regenwalde Stadt. Dübzow was both a church and an estate village. The estate was owned by Curt Jürgen and Andreas Adrian von Borcke in 1655. It was owned by Heinrich, Andreas Adrian, Franz Jochim and Kurt Georg von Borcke in 1666. The Pretzel family were the owners during the 1800s and until the Vertreibung. These "Gutsbesitzers" were Johann Christian Friedrich Pretzel in 1817, Eugen Pretzel in 1859, Richard Pretzel in 1898 and Helmut Pretzel in 1919. The Evangelical residents of Dübzow were affiliated with the Evangelical Church congregation in Stramehl prior to 1860. There were 216 residents in the village in 1932, and 215 of those residents were Evangelical Christians. In 1874, about half of the land in Dübzow was owned by the church and the other half belonged to the estate. There were 11 houses for the 72 workers of the church and an additional house for the pastor who also served as the teacher. There were 16 horses, 28 head of cattle and 370 sheep on the land within the estate. On the property outside of the estate, there were 148 people employed, for whom there were 23 houses. The tax records indicated there were also 27 horses, 59 head of cattle and 1580 sheep.	Elvershagen Andreas and Matz von Borcke from Zozenow were the owners of the estate before 1666. Then it was passed on to Adrian, Ulrich Felix's widow and Andreas Adrian von Borcke. The Evangelical residents of Elvershagen belonged to the Obernhagen parish.
Gardin In 1655, Jürgen Heinrich and Adrian von Borcke are recorded as the owners of the estate in Gardin. In 1666, the owners are Antonius, Adrian, Jürgen Matz, Marten von Borcke and Frau Drosedowsche von Flackenhagen. The Ev. residents of Gardin belonged to the Regenwalde church parish	Geiglitz The owners of the estate were Phillip von der Ostens' sons. The residents of Geiglitz included these surnames: Gandike, Zuer, Zirven, Gandike, Fritze, Gresekens, Krüger, Stechow, Carsten, Greseke, Pöereke, and Tetze. During the 1800s the Evangelical residents attended church in Labuhn.
Gerdshagen was owned by the von Borcke family in 1642, then Hermann Mueller, Eugene Possart, Max von Mannlich-Lehmann and then Max von Zitzewitz, Kratzig in 1929. There were 282 residents in 1925. The Evangelical residents belonged to the Klaushagen parish during the 1800s.	Gienow was owned by the von Dewitz family from 1830 to 1880 followed by Rudolf von Kyam and Werner Strauss. There were 377 residents in the village. The Evangelical residents attended the Schivelbein, Belgard church.
Gross Borckenhagen was owned by the von Borcke family from 1678 to 1883. There were 403 residents in the village in 1925. The Gross Borckenhagen church was also attended by the residents of Reckow and Klein Borckenhagen.	Heydebreck - The earliest history of Heydebreck dates back to about 1367 and the estate as early as 1577 was owned by the von der Osten family. It continued to be owned by the Von de sostens to 1888. In 1895, Karl Graf von Bismarck-Osten was identified as the Eientümer. In the mid 1800s the residents belonged to the Kirchhagen Church parish
Hoffelde General Lieutenant and Governor Jakob Friedrich von Rüchel-Kliest occupied the Hoffelde estate prior to 1836. Ownership was transferred to the von Bülow family at that time and they owned it until 1899 when it was passed on to Bernd von Lettow-Vorbeck. The Evangelical residents were a part of the Maldewin church parish.	Horst There were 373 residents in Horst in 1925. The Evangelical residents of the village of Horst were a part of the Mellen parish in the mid 1800s.
Justin was originally owned by Hans von Bülow in 1865; it was passed on to von Perponcher in 1871. The Evangelical residents attended church in Woldenburg in the mid 1800s.	Karnitz was owned by Konrath in 1818 and passed on to Kgl. Kammerherr Hugo Friedrich Erdmann von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf in 1835; Friedrich von Bülow family in 1844, Georg von Bülow in 1875, von Bülow'sche Erben in 1891 and Hans von Diest in 1901. There were 396 residents living in the village; all were Evangelicals except for one Jew; and they attended church in Karow during the mid 1800's.
Klein Raddow was owned by Ulrich Felix Borcke's widow. 1629 residents: Raddyge, Lüdeke, Niemar, Bölicke, Ties Zül, Jandrew, Jandrey, Willer, Niemar, and Züele. In 1666, the residents included: Hannß Niemar, Christian Koch, Drews Niemar, Jacob Niemar, Vrban Jandrey (mayor), Heinrich Miltprat, Old Märten Niemar and Young Märten Niemar. During the mid 1800s, the Evangelical residents belonged to the Gross Raddow parish.	Kratzig The estate was owned by von Dewitz before 1842. It was then passed on to Sell, then Gackbjusch, then Possart, and then Max von Mannlich-Lehmann. There were 286 residents, and the Evangelicals were part of the Kankelfitz parish during the mid 1800s.
Labes The history of Labes is closely tied to the Borcke family and can be traced back to the 14th century. Knight Wolf Borcke, originally from the Kolberg area, settled near a Wend settlement that had existed from around 1193, known as Lobese. This fishing and farming settlement was located close to a shallow area of the Rega River and was protected by a castle wall behind dense bushes and bogs. Borko built a wooden fortress, surrounded by an embankment and moat, on top of a mountain several kilometers down river. This fortress was later replaced with a more stately building, but the old fortress remained. There is an elevation of the embankment and traces of moats and the last house of the town, where the castle was situated. The real estate of the Borcks expanded and finally the entire district was named after the Borcks, with Labes as the district town. They blended with the later immigrated German nobility, like the Ostens, Wedels, Flemmings and adopted German customs. They founded so-called Hagen villages in the area, usually areas that were previously cultivated and surrounded by natural barriers. Among these villages were Borckenhagen (named after Wolf Borck), Klaushagen, (after Klause Borck), and Gerdshagen (after Gert Borck), Henkenhagen. The settlers included Wendish followers of the Borcks and by immigrant merchants and workmen, who were tempted by the prospect of living securely under the shelter of a castle. Labes was organized with a marketplace and city hall in its center, with a church near by. A strong wall was constructed, with an eastern gate named the Rega Gate, and at the northern exit toward Regenwalde was another gate named the Greifenberg Gate. A framework building stood in front of the gates where bridge tolls and excise taxes were charged. When the weather was bad, the carriages sank down to the axles and pedestrians walked knee deep in mud and mire. The earliest construction of pavements can be found in a recorded contract of 1566, between the Borcks and the city. The village was famous for its thoroughbred horses, even as it does today under Polish domain. One of the outer beams on a very old house, at the corner house of Baustrasse and Marktstrasse, owner townsman: Hermann Pieper, bears the following inscription: "Who trusts in God has built well in Heaven and on Earth. Who depends on Jesus Christ, he will inherit Heaven." Otto Theodor Heros von Borcke owned Labes in 1828, Constantine Felix von Borcke in 1836, Max Coste in 1877 and Stephan Christlieb Heros von Borcke in 1887. There were 6,088 residents in 1925; 5982 were Evangelical, 42 reformed, 43 Jewish, and the rest non-religious. The city covered 560 hectare. There most likely were more churches in this city.	Labuhn 1020 hectare. The village was owned by the Ernst von Bülow in 1827, Hans von Bülow in 1851, Graf Louis von Perponcher in 1877, Graf Wilhelm von Perponcher in 1915 and Eva Gräfin von Wilamnowitz-Moellendorff in 1931. There were 427 residents in 1925. They had their own Evangelical church and the villages of Fier, Flackenhagen, Höfchen, Neuhof, and Neu Labuhn also were a part of the parish.
Lasbeck had a population of 457 in 1925, of which 453 were Evangelicals. The village was established in 1508 by the Dewitz family. They were members of the Grünhof Evangelical Church parish at least until the mid' 1800s. D. Herbert von Bismark owned the estate from 1854 to 1894.	Lessenthin encompassed 982 hectar. The estate was owned by Major Andreas Matz von Borcke in 1720, by Landrat Wilhelm Friedrich Leopold von Borcke in 1766, by Landrat Ernst August Philipp von Borcke in 1810, by Louis von Borcke in 1850, by Richard von Borcke in 1877 and by Elisabeth von Borcke, geb. von Kaene in 1919. There were 309 residents in the village and they were all Evangelical Christians; they attended church in Kankelfitz.
Ludwigshorst in 1818 was one of the 32 villages belonging to the Dewitz Circle in Regenwalde Kreis. In 1821/1822, it was founded as a colony by Carl Friedrich Ludwig von Dewitz under the patronage of Maldewin. Dewitz had inherited it along with the village of Maldewin in 1794. He settled 27 colonists into homes and built 4 barns and cleared 220 Morgan of woodlands for farming. Two fireplaces were provided, which allowed the families to bake about 10 loaves of bread every 2 weeks. The fireplaces were made of slate, had a large iron door, and were heated with kindling wood. In 1866, Ludwigshorst consisted of 30 tax paying property owners with 27 tax free buildings, including one that was the schoolhouse that also contained a large room for prayer services. There were 42 families that included 247 people. The farm contained 44 cows and 77 sheep at that time. The land was not very productive and there were no gardens; the total income from the farm land was very low. Although the owner, von Dewitz, requested that Ludwigshorst receive the status of an autonomous community, the colonists strongly objected. The village had grown considerably, but it remained a "wohnplatz" (living place) of Maldewin until after 1904. Some of the families of Ludwigshorst were Dumrese, Zahn and Roloff. During the 1800s, the Evangelical residents of Ludwigsdorf belonged to the parish at Maldewin.	Meesow was one of 32 villages that belonged to the Dewitz family prior to 1900s. From 1804 to 1869 Lieutenant Leopold Ludwig Dewitz owned the estate. The village was both an estate and a church village. According to a report, dated 1868, the Rittergut included 14 farm houses, 2 industrial buildings and 20 tax free buildings. There were 238 people within the 39 families. The livestock included 33 horses, 95 head of cattle and 1928 sheep. The Kirchdorf was made up of 29 farm houses, a church and a Brigadier General's home. There were 306 people within the 50 families. They owned 61 horses, 182 head of cattle and a herd of 1001 sheep. The Meesow Evangelical Church records, which are held in the Landeskirche Archives at Greifswald, Germany, contain many soldier statistics. Also, this report of 20 tax free buildings and the Brigadier General's home indicates that Meesow may have been a base for army training. Surnames found in the Meesow Evangelical Church records include Buss, Kressin, Wiencke, Zahn, Borchardt, Luskow, Pommersten, Pommerecke, Steffen, Krüger, Binnkin, Ackermann, Degener, Pieper and Haege. During the mid 1800s the Evangelical residents of Meesow were a part of the congregation at Roggow-A, that was located a few miles north of Meesow.
Maldewin 517 hectare. The village was owned by the Wilhelm Dewitz in 1934. At that time the population count was 838. That count included 798 Evangelicals, 16 Jews, and 6 Reforms. The Evangelical residents had their own church within the village, that was shared with Kurtshagen, Ludwigshorst, Friedrichswalde, Kurlsddorf, Lasbeck, Neu Maldewin, and Lüssow.	Mellen 701 hectare. Was owned by Märk Brandenburgischer Haptmann Wedigo von Wedel in 1321, Kursächsischer Hauptmann Siegesmund Konrad von Wedel in 1682, Pr. Hofgerichtspräsident Ewald Joachim von Wedel in 1721, Ltn. Kaspar Otto von Wedel in 1750, Ltn. Karl Anton von Wedel in 1804, Edmund Otto von Wedel in 1853, and Erns von Wedel in 1893. The Evangelical residents had their own church.
Natelfitz was owned by the Redes family from as early as 1821. The population of the village was 414 in 1925, of which 396 were Evangelicals. The village parcel's area was 1415 hectare. The photo of the church includes part of a small lake in the foreground. The Evangelical residents attended church in Grünhoff in the mid 1800s.	Obernhagen The Obernhagen estate, in 1666, was owned by Adrian von Borcke, the widow of Ulrich Felix von Borcke's and Lorenz von Wedel (von Jost von Borcke). The owner in 1864 was Otto von Graevenitz, in 1876 it was Paul Klettner and in 1895 it was Paul Protzen. The population of the village was 245, including 233 Evangelical and 11 Reformed Christians. The village encompassed 612 hectare.
Ornshagen 830 hecktar. The owner of the estate in Ornshagen in 1666 was Antonius von Borcke, Lorenz von Wedels and Christoph Henning von Wedels' wife. Irmgard Gräfin von Perponcher-Sedlnitzki, geb von Helldorf-Scherine, owned the estate in 1930. Residents included: Baltzer Knurre, Peter and Jochim Albrecht, Hans Albrecht, Christian Netzele, Michel Grosskreutz, Drewes Lafrentz and Marten Taleman. The population in 1939 was 250 within 56 households. Ornshagen was a forest ranger station and had a railroad station.	Plathe The population of Plathe was 3315 in 1925, including 3191 Evangelicals, 27 Reformed and 27 Jews. This was the estate of the von Osten family and existed from the year of 1577. The church existed already in the 1800s and was shared with Lietzow, Neuenhagen, Altenhagen, Johannesburg, Piepenburg and its suburbs: Mackfitz, Hermannsthal, and Karolinehof.
Pinnow This beautiful village was located on the northern border near Kreis Kolberg-Korlin. The estate was owned by the van der Osten family from as early as 30 November 1372. Evidence of its existence is also found in a charter enumerating castles and locks in the year of 1248. The population was 605 in 1939 and the village covered about 676 acres of land, which supported 44 horses, 193 head of cattle, 74 sheep and 120 pigs. There was a small chapel to service the elderly and handicapped that was greatly enlarged in 1874. The Evangelical residents belonged to the church in Kölpin, Kreis Kolberg- Korlin. A lovely brick church, built in 1905 was badly damaged during World War II and demolished in 1956. Most of the church records, which began in 1682, have been lost since the expulsion of the German people after World War II.	Reckow 524 hectar. Was owned by the following von Borckes: 1668 Franz Joachim von Borcke, 1692 Geheimrat Franz Heinrich von Borcke, 1744, Georg Philipp von Borcke, 1771 Georg Friedrich von Borcke, 1789 Generallandschraftsrat Johann Georg von Loeper, 1793, Landrat Ernst August Phillipp von Borcke-Kankelfitz, 1798 Philipp Johann Georg, 1803 Oberstleutnant Christian Friedrich von Schmude, 1828 Major Georg Friedrich Ludwig von Borcke, 1837 Leutnant Ludwig Albert von Borcke-Bonin, 1854 Erben des Ludwig Albert von Borcke-Bonin, 1871 Georg von Borcke, 1883 Major Erich von Borcke. The Evangelical residents of Reckow were a part of the Gross Borckenhagen parish in the mid 1800s.
Roggow A The Evangelical Church of Roggow was the home church for several villages in the area,i ncluding Meesow, Hoffelde, Sallmow and Margrethenhof. In 1932 there were 546 residents, of which 539 were members of the Evangelical Church. The estate owners in 1666 were Stephan von Dewitz, widow of Sel Georg Heinrich von Dewitz, Christoph Friedrich von Borcke and Tittmeister Conrad.	Sallmow encompassed 749 hectar. The village estate was owned by Viktor Peßin in 1865, Rudolf Schulz in 1881, Dr. Jur. Gebhard Schulz in 1891 and Willibald Mach in 1907. There were 354 residents living in the village in 1931 of which 350 were Evangelical Christians and 4 were Jews. These Evangelicals were a part of the Roggow A church parish.
Schmelzdorf encompasses 540 hectar. The estate owner before 1814 was Frau von Bismarck, geb. von Papstein, it was then passed to Aurel von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, in 1881 to Franz von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, and in 1886 to Ww. Hedwig von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, geb. von Plessen. There were 304 residents in the village and they were all Evangelical Christians. They were a part of the Maldewin Evangelical Church parish in the mid 1800s.	Schwerin This village history goes back to the 1500s and from that time, the estate was owned by the von Wedel family. In 1500 Vivigens, 1540 Hans, 1551 Wulf, 1573 Sigismund, 1615 Sebastian, 1623 Georg, 1631 Joachim Bernd, 1674 Sebastian Georg, 1699 Matthias, 1738 Friedrich Lupold, 1760 Sebastian Georg, 1808 Ferdinand, 1834, Generalin von Phuell (born von Wedel), 1857 Bernhard Gabriel, and in 1897 Elisabeth von Wedel, born von Arnim. The village covered an area of 1221 hectar. There were 303 residents living in Schwerin in 1932. The Evangelical residents belonged to the Silligsdorf parish.
Silligsdorf in 1868 was both a church and an estate village. It included 22 farms, consisting of 17 large farms (Vollbauer), 3 small farms (Halbbauer), and 2 industrial buildings. There were 42 families in 35 households and the population was 242. Personal property included 40 horses, 107 head of cattle and 521 sheep. The estate was owned by brothers: Lanbrathe Heinrich Joachim, Bastian Georg and Phillip Daniel von Wedel in 1687. It was inherited by the widow of Friedrich Wilhelm von Wedel, Anna Barbara nee Schneider, and passed on to her daughter, Anna Barbara who married Johann Friedrich Schaper in 1721.	Stargordt The estate owners included Jürgen Heinrich, Adrian and Matz von Borcke; and Christoph Henning von Wedels widow, Sabina von Borcke. The van Borcke family owned one of the oldest manor houses, which was situated on the banks of the Rega River. Prussian Field Marshall built a magnificent baroque styled mansion between 1717 and 1720. The building was designed in the traditional style of Holland. Heinrich von Borcke, the son of Graf von Borcke, constructed additions in 1743. The courtyard and garden additions of the main building were arranged in a three-part formation with the original house, balanced on one wing by an ornamental baroque gable, and on the other wing by a simple decorative roof. Windows set with the mansard roof on the upper story gave warmth and welcome to the house. Stargordt's design embodied the classical style of its day and age. With this structure, Borcke, a loyal and respected officer of Friedrich Wilhelm I, demonstrated the idea that simplicity in a house of this size is quite graceful and elegant. A valuable collection of 18th century Gobelius art, representing ancient mythology, adorned the grand house. The last owner was Henning Graf von Borcke-Stargordt. When the government collapsed in 1945 and the Russians invaded, some of the German staff still occupied the mansion. This historical and architectural landmark, surrounded by its grand park, was burnt down by the Russians. At the last moment, Graf Henning and his wife saved themselves by fleeing in a hunting wagon.
Stramehl was one of the most historic places in Kreis Regenwalde. It was here they came to the area from the south. There is evidence that they occupied Stramehl as early as the 14th century. They built a large imposing castle in Stramehl, which was circled with a moat and from which they ruled the area before moving to Stargordt. In 1666 the owners of the estate were Andreas Adrian, Adrian, Ulrich Felix, Georg, Heinrich, and Jost von Borcke. In about 1700 the ownership of the village was taken over by the Loeper family. The Pomeranian Dukes and the hierarchy of the church from Stettin were frequent visitors at the castle. The entrance hall of the castle was said to be large enough so that the Knights could ride their horses into it. This is where Sidonia Borck, known as the "Cloister Witch" was born in 1547. Her life, activities, her death by hanging, and the quest for her guilt or innocence are documented in the book, Sidonia. Every year the nobles, including those from the surrounding areas would have a hunt. The local villagers would also be involved and were known as "beaters." Apparently bear and deer, as well as small game, abounded in the area during the 1600-1700s. After the hunt they would divide and share the game with everyone, including the villagers. The Evangelical Church in Stramehl was the home church for several surrounding villages, including Dübzow, Zachow, Löpersdorf, and Wedderwill. In 1990, the church was badly deteriorated and there was a birch tree, measuring about 40 feet tall, was growing from the rain gutters. The church was in the process of being repaired in 1992. According to a resident in the area, some Germans were doing the restoration of the church and the castle. In old documents, Stramehl was recorded as Stramyl, Stramele, Stramel, Strammeyl, which means "old stream"; or place in the lowland. Surnames found in the Stramehl church records included: Pieper, Buss, Borchardt, Affeldt, Zietlow, Fritz, Brunn, Liegeman, Utech, Dumann, Schröder, Malckowsky, Plautz, Rathke, Lüdtke, Voeltz, Nießeler, Schild, Raatz, Behnke, Matke, Plack, Raddant, Bredow, Urban, Schünke, Schlüter, Kaske, Ebel, Behn, Pikonsky and Wienke. There were 419 residents in the village of Stramehl in 1932. Of these residents, 411 were Evangelical and 8 were Catholic. The Evangelical Church of Stramehl congregation also included the Evangelical residents of Dubzow, Zeitlitz, Wedderwill, Birkhelde, Schmorrow, and Löpersdorf. There were 503 Evangelical residents in Zeitlitz and 6 were Catholics. In Dübzow, there were 215 Evangelical residents and 1 Catholic.	Unheim was located a few miles southwest of Labes. The estate wss owned by the von Borck family in 1793, but the ownership changed hands many times in the 1800s. In 1796, it was owned by Ernst Schmeling and then in 1960 by Richard Pretzell. Of the 152 residents in Unheim, 145 were Catholic and 79 wre Evangelical. The Catholic residents were members of the Schivelbein Catholic parish and the Evangelical residents attended church in Labes.
Vogelsang The estate owner, in 1666, was Ulrich Felix von Borcke, Andreas Adrian von Borcke, Ewald von Kleist and Lorenz von Wedel. The residents included Jochim Vmbland, Gürgen Moyde, Hannss Gudes, Christophel Reinicke, Ernst Efert and Christophel Utech. Evangelical residents of Vogelsang were part of the Gross Raddow parish.	Wedderwill was a very small village and was located east of Labes and south of Stramehl. The Evangelical residents attended church in Stramehl.
Wolkow The estate was owned by the von Bücher family from the mid 1800s. It consisted of 53 ha. In 1939 the 203 Evangelical residents attended church in Maldewin. The 20 Catholic residents went to church in Grünhoff. The Wolkow church was built after the mid 1800s.	Woldenburg The estate owner in 1655 were Valentin Anders Henning and Balzer von der Osten. There were 150 Evangelical residents and they had their own church. The residents of Justin and Wisbu also were a part of the Woldenburg Evangelical Church parish.
Zietlitz There were 104 households which included 668 residents in 1938. In 1723, part of the village was owned by Johann Jakob von Wedelm, in 1743 byJohann Weichbrodt, in 1795 by Christian Gottfried Wille, in 1852 by Claus Heinrich der Decker, and in 1888 by Hans von Diest.	Zimmerhausen In 1801 the owners of the estate were: Henning Dionys von Blanckenburg in 1801; Eduard von Blanckenburg in 1813; Moritz von Blanckenburg in 1865; Theresa von Blanckenburg in 1888; Walter von Blanckenburg in 1892; Günther von Blanckenburg in 1899; and Jürgen von Blanckenburg in about 1922. The Evangelical residents of Zimmerhausen were part of the Grünhoff parish.
Zachow was located west of Stramehl. There were 285 Evangelical and 3 Catholic residents in the village. The Evangelical residents were members of the Stramehl Church.	Zozenow Jürgen Heinrich von Borcke and Matz von Borcke were owners of the Zozenow estate in 1655. There were 61 households within the village in 1939; this included 255 men and 133 women.
Zowen The residents of Zowen went to church in G?????.	Zilzefitz covered 801 hektar. The estate was owned by the Podewils family until 1912 when it was purchased by Hans von Dirst. There were 568 residents living in the village in 1939.