Turmoil and Famine in Prussia: 1861-1868
After the Napoleonic Wars had ended, Prussia was subject to revolutions, wars, famine, and political turmoil that lasted for decades. The Prussian citizens quickly grew tired of the unrest within the country, and only wanted peace after Napoleon's departure. Unfortunately the Prussian Leaders continued to fight for power and control and marked the slow decline of the Prussian Kingdom. The turmoil that gripped the country could have served as a powerful motivator for the Pankenier family to immigrate to America, but this is based on conjecture and speculation.
The Austro-Prussian War or the War of 1866, was a war fought between the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia.
While it's unknown exactly when Gottfried Panknier Sr. died, I was able to find a burial document for Gottfried Panknier Jr. who died in Finckenstein, on Jan 19, 1842. After the death of Gottfried Panknier Sr., it's presumed that Anna Zinalin and Gottfried Jr. remained in Finckenstein; working and living within the small community.
The next recorded event, was the birth of Gottfried Panknier III who was born in Finckenstein on June 11, 1804.
Gottfried Panknier III married Anna Zinalin on the 19th of June in 1825. The marriage took place at the Finckenstein Church, presumably with the family in attendance.
On the right side of this image Gottfried Panknier III is clearly underlined.
Records indicate that Gottfried III had four children - Caroline Panknier (1825-1826), Anna Dorothea Panknier (1826-1886), Luise Panknier (1831), and Gottfried Panknier IV (1834-1899).
I have not found any additional information on Gottfried Panknier III and his family, and provided what I could find below:
The first child was Caroline Panknier (1825-1826) who had died when she was just an infant. Caroline might have contracted Smallpox, Measles, or a similar virus that would have been fatal.
The second child was Anna Panknier (1826-1886), who had died when she was 60, but it is unknown if she ever married or had children of her own.
The third child was Luise (1831), and all that I could confirm was a baptism, and there are some indications that he or she never reached adulthood.
The forth child was Gottfried Panknier IV, and his life was documented in the Lutheran Churches surrounding Finckenstein. Gottfried Panknier IV, is my great, great, great grandfather, and would eventually make the long journey to America in the years to come.
The first document I found was the birth of Frederick William Pankenier to Gottfried Panknier IV and Anna Maria Pankenier (Vogtin), in October 29th, 1852. The baptism of Frederick Pankenier was recorded in the records at the Lutheran Church in Finckenstein. There is evidence that Gottfried IV and Anna had more children - Auguste Panknier (1855- 1865), and possibly an older sister - named Charlotte Panknier. I have only found one document that refers to Charlotte which is included below. It's anyone's guess how Charlotte was connected to Gottfried's family.
In the upper right of this image Frederick's name is recorded, while in the lower right corner Gottfried and Caroline are listed as the father an mother.
There are a few interesting about this birth; the most significant fact is Gottfried and Caroline were not married when Frederick was born, and would not marry for another eight years. As mentioned in my previous post, couples having children out of wedlock was not that uncommon; especially in small rural communities.
If the Lutheran church in the village was aware of the Pankeniers having a child out of wedlock, they would have strongly advised the couple marry as soon as possible but would take no further action. As customary in most German communities, one does not ask about someone’s personal affairs unless prompted; and it’s unlikely anyone would have confronted the couple with their suspicions.
The other interesting fact about the entry is regarding one of the names listed in Frederick’s baptism. While the cursive writing is somewhat difficult to read, there appears to be the name “Charlotte Pankenier” at the bottom of the entry.
This is an enlargement of the baptism record above, apparently showing the name "Charlotte Pankenier" directly under the mother's name.
Assuming that this observation is correct, it gives some credence to the theory that Frederick had an older sister named Charlotte. I was unable to find any additional information on Charlotte, and the is currently no documents to support this theory.
Also found within the records was the birth of Auguste Panknier, who was born in 1855 and presumably in the village of Finckenstein. There is nothing known about Auguste, save for the fact that her life was very brief; as she had died late in the year 1865.
An entry within the records of the Lutheran Church with the name 'Auguste', born on the 8th of August 1855. Included below is the father, Gottfried Pankenier, the mother Caroline Pankenier (nee' 'Gall), and Auguste. There is one more entry worth noting, a 'William Gall', but its unknown how he is related to the Pankenier's.
What is interesting about the life and death of Auguste, is that while Auguste was born in Finckenstein, her burial was in a small village named Belschwitz (now Bałoszyce Poland), just outside of the city of Marienwerder. The village of Belschwitz is about 21 miles to the north of Finckenstein. I can confirm that Frederick parents had baptized Frederick in Finckenstein, and Auguste's burial was in Belschwitz two years later. Lastly, Gottfried IV and his wife Caroline were married in the village of Ilawa u Rodowo, 18 miles south of the village of Finckenstein. Travelling the distance between the villages would have been no easy task in 1855, and I am at a loss as to why the family relocated so often.
After the Napoleonic War from 1808-1815, the Kingdom of Prussia had devolved into several city states locked in a power struggle, each determined to have complete control of the country.
During this time, there was various conflicts culminated in the German War of 1866. By this time, many of the former citizens of the Prussian Kingdom had become weary of the constant wars and conflicts that had continued long after Napoleon's Grand Armiee had departed. Another notable event was the European Famine from 1840-1860. The famine was a blight that severely impacted Potato, Rye, Wheat, and Oat crops, and persisted for nearly a decade. Areas where the famine had the greatest impact was in Ireland and the Scottish highlands, where deaths due to starvation were well over one million people.
The image above depicts Europeans being forced to abandon their village due to the famine and lack of food.
Many people starved due to lack of access to other staple food sources, and it believed that Belgium and Prussia accounted for most of the deaths in northern Europe, with about 42,000 estimated to have perished in Prussia.
These two events alone would have been powerful motivators for the Pankenier's leave Finckenstein and head to the nearest city, in hopes of finding more food and a stable local government. Could this be the reason that the family relocated so often?
In February of 1865, tragedy struck the Pankenier family with the passing of Auguste Panknier; Gottfried's youngest child.The death of Auguste closed a very difficult and painful chapter for the Panknier family; with some of the worst hardships that Gottfried and Anna Maria would face in their lifetime.
