Meeting new people and guiding them around Poland is what we obviously love. But seeing returning clients – that really brings joy to our hearts. That was the case when Linda from Australia came to Poland to Poland again in mid-September.

We had a pleasure to guide her around over 5 years ago. This time we covered a different part of Poland and guided Linda and her friend for a few days in the area of Zielona Gora. When their ancestors lived there, the place was a part of Prussia and was called Grünberg in Schlesien.

The history of our Australian client ancestors’ emigration was really interesting. That family left their homeland for Australia in 1838-1844 due to the religious purposes. So called ‘Old Lutherans’ refused to join the Prussian Union of churches in the 1830s and 1840s. As some of the prosecutions started. Two Lutheran missionaries arrived in Adelaide being followed by hundreds of Germans in the next several years.

During our tour, we visited the local museum in Zielona Gora that hosts an exhibition about German’s emigration to Australia. It was a great surprise for Gayle to see the name of her great grandfather (Eichner) and even his immigration records on the display!

Being in small towns like Pürben (Polish: Pierzwin), Langhermsdorf (Polish: Urzuty) and Niebusch (Polish: Niwiska) in Freystadt (Polish: Kożuchów) where their families originated from we visited the remaining of the old Lutheran/Protestant churches and cemeteries.

In one of the small towns we even found an original house from 1876 that still has the name ofits German owner written on a stone above the entrance.