The Russian Mennonites that earlier
came from the Vistula Delta spoke
Plautdietsch a Mennonite variant of
one of the many typical North Sea
dialects called Niederdeutsch or Low
German. Various dialects of Low
German were, and are, in use from
present day central Netherlands to
northern Poland. The language was
called “Low German” because the
dialect was in use at or near sea
level. High German (today's
standard German) was in use in the
southern mountains, particularly in
Bavaria and therefore “high.”
Similarly, Plautdietsch literally means
“flat German,” again a reference to
the lowland location of the
Mennonites in the Vistula Delta.
In 1762, the first German sermon was
preached in the Danzig Mennonite
Church. By 1777 the change from
Dutch to German was almost
complete. At this time the Dutch
hymnbook was replaced by a
German hymnal entitled:
Geistreiches Gesangbuch, worinn
nebst denen 150 Psalmen Davids,
eine Sammlung auserlesener alter
und neuer Lieder zu finden ist, zur
allgemeinen Erbauung
herausgegeben (Königsberg: Daniel
Christoph Kanter, 1767).
came from the Vistula Delta spoke
Plautdietsch a Mennonite variant of
one of the many typical North Sea
dialects called Niederdeutsch or Low
German. Various dialects of Low
German were, and are, in use from
present day central Netherlands to
northern Poland. The language was
called “Low German” because the
dialect was in use at or near sea
level. High German (today's
standard German) was in use in the
southern mountains, particularly in
Bavaria and therefore “high.”
Similarly, Plautdietsch literally means
“flat German,” again a reference to
the lowland location of the
Mennonites in the Vistula Delta.
In 1762, the first German sermon was
preached in the Danzig Mennonite
Church. By 1777 the change from
Dutch to German was almost
complete. At this time the Dutch
hymnbook was replaced by a
German hymnal entitled:
Geistreiches Gesangbuch, worinn
nebst denen 150 Psalmen Davids,
eine Sammlung auserlesener alter
und neuer Lieder zu finden ist, zur
allgemeinen Erbauung
herausgegeben (Königsberg: Daniel
Christoph Kanter, 1767).
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Above is the second title page in the Geistreiches Gesangbuch. It was
one of the first books used by the Mennonites in Prussia to be printed
in German rather then Dutch.
one of the first books used by the Mennonites in Prussia to be printed
in German rather then Dutch.
Private collection
Dutch, Low German, and High German
Until recently the Mennonite form of Low German was an unwritten
language. It was the language of home, market, neighborhood
gossip, and story telling. High German, especially because it was
written, was the language of legal transactions, church, literature,
education, and correspondence. For Mennonites High German written
script was also an art form called Schönschreiben.
language. It was the language of home, market, neighborhood
gossip, and story telling. High German, especially because it was
written, was the language of legal transactions, church, literature,
education, and correspondence. For Mennonites High German written
script was also an art form called Schönschreiben.
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