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From J.Totoraitis, ”The History of Sudovia Suvalkia”, Kaunas 1938, Marijampole 2003
Chapter XV. The Origin of The New Sudovian Population
(Free shortened translation of excerpts p. 260-264.)
In 1685, Friedrich Wilhelm invited supressed Huguenots from France to Prussia. Also, he took his revenge on the French king, by suppressing his own subordinates Catholics. Because of these suppressions, some Catholic Lithuanians flew from Prussia to Lithuania, mainly to the northern Sudovia.
The second reason was the plague of 1709-1710. In the beginning, the colonists from Germany, Switzerland and Salzburg (in districts of Insterburg and Gumbine) were free of serfdom. Also, some 100 old owners [Lithuanians] were forced to give up their farms in favour of the colonists. Moreover, in 1732 the Prussian king ordered to kick out bad farmers Lithuanians and to give their farms to the Salzburgers. Soon even the newcomers were put under serfdom. However, the serfdom was much harsher for the Lithuanians. They were also requested to provide housing for the Salzburgers till they would get own property. Therefore, some of the suppressed Prussians- Lithuanians, Swiss and Salzburgers- escaped to Sudovia.
Some of them can be traced through the church records. Here are some examples:
Around 1690, Mykolas Strimaitis with his wife Marijona and five children left Königsberg and settled in Naumiestis parish (Lithuania).
Another newcomer with a French surname (?), Christopher Kuderka, from Lindikai near Stalupenai (Prussia), settled in Sapalai village (Lithuania). His son was born there in 1692. His descendants got a wood called Nemirine, hewed it out and established a village Nemirai. A descendant of this family is also Vincas Kudirka, the author of the Lithuanian National Anthem.
Also from Lindikai originated one or several Staugaitis families. Among them there’s been still spread a story about the reason for the escape from Prussia: the Prussian government forbid the [Catholic] faith. Therefore, many flew to Lithuania, including the Staugaitis family. In Naumiestis parish they hewed out a strip of forest, cultivated the land and started a new life. Indeed, Naumiestis church records confirm that in 1699 Jonas Staugaitis was already in Tupikai village.
Later on, from Naujiena village (Prussia) arrived Antanaitis. In the second half of the XVIIIth century from Geldape arrived Norkaitis with his wife, born in Natkiskes (also Prussia).
Of course, there must have been more newcomers of Prussian origin than those mentioned above. Among them were also the ones of non-Lithuanian origin, and they later became Lithuanized. These are Kunca (Kuncatitis), Liorantas, Gliosas families. Likely, they can be traced in the names of villages: Bizieriai, Ropydai, Urbantai, Zambrai ( a nickname of Salzburgers). Moreover, in the north of Sudovia, many villages have the same names as the ones beyond the Prussian border.
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Lenkomanai
