From: Ron & Pat Nuske [mailto:patron@lm.net.au]

Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 4:28 PM

To: POSEN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [POSEN] New page for Nekla

Have found this web page on Nekla and surrounding areas, includes Nekla Hauland, Braunsdorf and Siedlec Hauland. It gives a brief account of the history of these places. It lists many of the names of people who immigrated to Australia. The address of the page is,

Apparently a group are running a project to tidy up cemeteries in these places which have been untouched for about 60 years and some have been partly destroyed by the war. They want to put new markers on the graves. The page is in Polish so I e-mailed them and asked if I could get a copy of it in English. I received a reply that told me about the project. They are looking for any information on the people who emigrated from these areas, especially a large group from Nekla Hauland who came to Australia from 1847 on.

They hope to have the project finished by June 2005 and are asking for any descendants to attend a function there on 25th and 26th June 2005. Listed below is a copy of the reply.

Nekla, 2.10.2004

Dear Sir/ Madam,

We are inhabitants of Nekla in the Major Poland Province in Poland. In the vicinity of Nekla in the XVIII century settled people of evangelical religion. They came to this region in search for better life conditions. They were settled in Nekielka (Nekla Hauland), Barczyzna (Braunsdorf), Siedlec (Siedlec Hauland). In 1846 a great group of Nekielka (Nekla Hauland) inhabitants immigrated to South Australia. The evangelicals here of the German nationality were called "The Oledrzy", because they were settled on the basis of so called oleder right. "Oleder" it is an abbreviation of a word: Holender, which is characterized by paying a rent from a given ground. The ground should have been developed what meant to dry or grub out a forest, build a house and other buildings, create good conditions to cultivate a soil. "The Oledrzy" have been farming on this area for about 170 years. Before the II World War has ended, before The Red Army has marched in, all evangelicals were forced by the Hitlerite occupying authorities to evacuate far into Germany. As a legacy after evangelical settlers the homesteads, arable fields and cemeteries remain. Since the beginning of their settlement their ancestors have been resting in peace in the cemeteries. In the first years after the war, cemeteries were left without a protection of co-believers and as a result eight of them were devastated. Nobody has paid attention on them for about 60 years.

From the initiative of The Priesthood and Economical Council of parish of St. Andrew Apostle in Nekla we are making an effort tidying up places of an eternal sleep of evangelicals brothers in former oleder settlements. The tidying up of cemeteries, their marking, setting of new crosses, taking care of these places will be a sign of our Christian solidarity. As an aim of taking an organized action The Committee of Oleder Cemetery Renovation in the Commune of Nekla was appointed on 24 August 2004. The specific plan of action heading for a realization of this undertaking was established. One of the points wants establishing contacts with families of the oleder ancestors in Australia and Germany. That is why we turn to You, Ladies and Gentlemen, the request for sending copies of souvenirs such as documents, photographs, monographic studies such as books, which would help us in getting know further lots of people, who emigrated from area of Nekla. These souvenirs would help us also in creating an exhibition depicting lots of oleder settlers in our surrounding. We would like to prepare properly our area for the celebration, which would end the action of tidying up the cemeteries in June2005.

We would be honored if we could be your host during the celebration, which would take action on 25 and 26 of June 2005. On aim to realize the project we strive for winning sponsors, whose help would allow for financing a purchase of materials for execution of crosses and covering every price connected with the execution of the entire project. You can find the history of oleder settlement in our commune on the website: www.nekla.pl in the section - history. There are given the surnames of inhabitants of Nekla - Hauland and Braunsdorf. We are looking forward possibly the fastest response from you! With best regards!

Jerzy Osypiuk Chairman of the Committee of Oleder Cemetery Renovation

My address: Jerzy Osypiuk ul. Dworcowa 5 62 - 330 Nekla Poland e - mail: oledrzy_nekla@wp.pl