Ostpreußen

Family lore tells us that the Pittelkau's originally came from East Prussia. No direct ties have been made to East Prussia at this time. Our direct lineage to the 1600's places our ancestors in the east of Landkreis Bromberg, Posen, Preussen on the banks of the Weichsel river, which is a place located some kilometers from the Southwest border of East Prussia. It is actually bordered to the North and Northeast by Westpreussen and to the East and Southeast by Poland.

A village lies in Kreis Braunsburg a few miles South of Braunsberg Stadt named Pettelkau. The coordinates of the village are 54.18 latitude, 19.51 longitude. This village is very likely the ancestral home of the Pittelkau name and family. Hans Pettelkau of Brüggen, Germany has posted a description of the village in English as well as German for all to read. Please click on "From Mecklenburg to Prussia: The Pettelkaus" at http://www.pettelkau.de/

Although the numbers may be small, we expect that many Pettelkau families live east of the village of Pettelkau. This means that they may live in Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Russia. In addition, we expect that there are Pettelkau’s, Pittelkau’s and Pettelkowski’s residing at all points of the compass in the country of Poland.

East Prussian (Ostpreußen) Pettelkau People

Places in East Prussia where Pettelkau’s Lived

· Pettelkau, Kreis Braunsberg, Ostpreussen. Pettelkau is now in Poland and has been renamed Pierzchaly. It can be found at coordinates 54.18'.00" N Lat. and 19.51'.00" E Long. The village is 149.3 miles NNW of Warsaw. Meyers Orts- & Verkehrs - Lexicon des Deutschen Reich - 1912, Pettelkau, Village of 369 residents, Kreis Braunsberg, Ostpreussen, Civil Reg. office was in Tromp. It had its own Catholic Church.

· Die Kartei Quassowski: Quellen, Materialien und Semmlungenzur altpreussischen Famielienforchung (QMS) Ost- und Westpreussen

· Frauenburg [Is West of Braunsberg and Northwest of Pettelkau about 12 kilometers]

· Hirschfeld, Preussich Holland. [Is South-Southwest of Pettelkau about 60 kilometers]

· Goetzendorf [Unknown location at this time. It could be Göttchendf. which is East-Northeast of Pr. Holland about 10 Kilometers]

Use this map to find Ort Pettelkau. It is located a few kilometers south of the city of Braunsberg:

Document Research at the Archive of Berlin by Kurt Pittelkau, Berlin