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Preface
To a conscientious author
the writing of a Preface never will be an agreeable task. Now that the
work is finished, and no change of style or any additional subject matter
can be introduced, all the shortcomings of his book arise before him
enlarged and made painfully visible to the critical reader as if through
Röntgen rays.
Whilst this is an
experience common to all authors in a world where everything goes by
approximation only, my present case is worse. I have not only to
acknowledge the general human frailty, but to begin with special
apologies. First, concerning the title. I am aware that the title of this
volume is too narrow, but it could not very well be made longer, knowing
that long titles, once essential to a book, are now a fatal dowry on its
way. I have therefore availed myself of the very modern and highly
diplomatic method of making excursions into the "Hinterland," that is, to
Poland proper, to Pomerania and Mecklenburg. A second apology is due to
the reader on account of the portraits, which, with one or two exceptions,
ought to have had their places in the Scots in Germany. The
difficulty of procuring them, and the fact that both my volumes are really
one, may serve as an excuse.
A much more grateful task
remains: that of placing on record the very kind help received in Germany
and elsewhere during the time of collecting materials for this volume. My
best thanks are due to the Rev. F. Milne, M.A., minister of
Newlands Parish, Peeblesshire, who not only granted me the free use of his
excellent polyglot library, but also looked over my proofs; to Archivrath
Dr Joachim and staff at the Royal Archives, Königsberg, in Prussia;
to Archivrath Dr Bar and staff at the Royal Archives, Danzig; to
the Director of the Episcopal Archives at Frauenburg; to Archivrath
Dr Warschauer at Posen; to Geheimrath John Gibsone, and the
elders the Presbyterian Church at Danzig; to the Rev. Ladislas Sarna,
Szebnie near Moderowka in Galicia;—for the kind assistance given me in
my researches; to the Director of the Hohenzollern Museum at
Berlin, to the Provost and Bailies of Stonehaven, to the
Historical Society at Wurzburg, to the Lord Abbot of Fort
Augustus, to the Directors of the Picture Gallery at
Danzig, and of the Royal Bavarian Observatory at Bogenhausen
near Munich;—for their permission to reproduce paintings or sketches
in their possession.
The original of
Field-marshal Keith, painted by Ramsay, adorns the walls of Town-hall at
Stonehaven; the small sketch of his aged brother, the last Earl Marischal,
is taken from the original in possession of Prince Eulenburg at Berlin.
Abbot Arbuthnot’s portrait is in the library of the Abbey at Fort
Augustus, Abbot Asloan’s in Wurzburg. The portraits of the two Danzig
celebrities are gratefully preserved in the museum of their adopted home,
whilst the Observatory at Bogenhausen harbours the original likeness of
its famous astronomer Lamont.
I have also to thank Herrn
Eugen Jantzen at Stettin, who has made most diligent researches into the
genealogy of the families of foreign settlers at Danzig, for the
permission of using his sketches of Scottish coats-of-arms.
The map, I hope, will be useful not
only as proving the decreasing density of Scottish emigration as it
advanced towards the West, but also as a companion and guide for those
Scottish travellers who may wish to visit these far-off scenes of the
labours and sufferings of their countrymen.
THE AUTHOR.
EDINBURGH, April 21, 1903.
INTRODUCTORY
NOTABLE PERIODS IN THE HISTORY OF
DANZIG AND KONIGSBERG.
DANZIG, now the Capital of the
Province of Western Prussia, was, in the years 1200-1310 capital of
Pomerellen. During 1310-1454 it was ruled by the Teutonic Order of
Knights; Since 1360 it joined the Hanseatic League. From 1454-1793 it
belonged to Poland, though retaining many privileges. In 1793 it
ceded to Prussia. 1807-1814 French Government. 1814 Finally ceded to
Prussia.
Danzig’s internal affairs were ruled
over by the so-called three Orders besides the "Burggraf" as
representative of the King of Poland; four burgomasters and councillors;
bailles elected by the council from the citizens; and the so-called "Hundertmannen"
= hundred men, representing the trades.
Konigsberg,
now the capital of Eastern Prussia, consists of the
three old towns of Altstadt, Kneiphof and Löbenicht. It owes its existence
to the Teutonic Order. This famous and valiant body of knights erected a
castle on the river Pregel in 1255, which was called in honour perhaps of
Ottokar II., King of Bohemia, who had supported the cause of the knights
in one of their crusades, Königsburg or -berg. Soon after the Altstadt
arose round the castle (1256). The so-called Lobenicht, or New Town, was
founded as a separate township about 1300, and the town of Kneiphof on an
island of the river Pregel about the same time. Hence the denomination of
the "three towned" Königsberg. After the fall of the Marienburg, the old
residence of the Hochmeister of the Teutonic Knights during a disastrous
war with Poland in 1457, Königsberg became the seat of the Grand
Master of the Order. The last of them was Markgraf Albrecht of
Brandenburg, a scion of the House of Hohenzollern, who resided here as
Duke of Prussia. He converted the possessions of the Order into a
hereditary secular Protestant Duchy. After the demise of the ducal line,
the Duchy passed to the Kurbrandenburg line of Hohenzollern, and the
famous "Great Elector" received homage at the Castle of Königsberg as
Sovereign Duke of Prussia in 1663. Here also Frederick III.,
Elector of Brandenburg, crowned himself with the royal crown, and raised
Brandenburg-Prussia to a kingdom (1701). During the Napoleonic tyranny,
King Frederick William III. and his Queen Luise resided in Königsberg in
1807-8. Konigsberg has a university. It is the native place of the great
philosopher Kant, whose grandfather was of humble Scotch origin. [See
Scots in Germany, pp. 231 ff., 317.] |
