A Homeland for Strangers: An Introduction to Mennonites in Poland and Russia. Revised Edition

From Reformation times in the 16th century until the end of World War 2 in 1945, the Vistula River basin provided a homeland for numerous Mennonite communities. Many of these people had their roots in the Low Countries and as persecution faced them, they took advantage of the religious toleration offered by the Polish kings and princes. The Mennonites from the Netherlands were also able use their technical skills in draining marshlands and reclaiming fertile agricultural land along the rivers. In the 18th century when Prussia gained control of these regions, Mennonite development continued despite the more restrictive regime which caused many Mennonites to accept the invitation from the Russian Tsarina Catherine II, to establish new homes in South Russia.

This book is an introduction about the people that once lived in this Vistula River Delta, and invites readers to visit contemporary Poland to see evidence of this history.

NOTE: This is a slightly expanded version of the original 1989 publication, incorporating additional pages on Kliningrad and Galicia (Russia/Ukraine).