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> Garnsee's Role in the Corridor Propaganda Puzzle

the posted signs were in Polish.

5) Purchase one’s train ticket from a German railwa’ representative who had all his materials in a suitcase on a card table.

Later in 1921, the German Empire Railways built a small train station where the tracks crossed the 1907 road from Garnsee to Rundwiese. It was called Haltestelle (stopping place) Dianenberg, since the train only stopped to pick up and leave off passengers, and the station was located in the Dianenberg Forest. It offered the passengers German cleanliness and order. The station wasn’t convenient for residents of the Garnsee nucleus since it was 2-1/2 miles (4 1cm) west of town. It was, however, very convenient for the residents of Schwarzhof, since it was only a mile southwest of their home.

By 1921, the German-Polish relations at the Gardeja train staion were continually deteriorating. Therefore, on 1 July 1927, the German Empire Railways opened a new full-service train station halfway between the 1892 Gardeja station and the 1921 Dianenberg station, where the tracks crossed the road to Herminendorf. The Dianenberg Highway received the name Bahnhofstrasse (Train Station Street). As the original 1892 station, it too was about 1-1/2 miles from town. The residents of Garnsee now had officially three train stations: 1) 1892 Gardeja, 2) 1921 Dianenberg, 3) 1927 Garnsee (West Prussia).

In 1939, when Germany took back the Corridor, the Gardeja station received the name Garnsee-Sud (South), the Garnsee (West Prussia) station was called Garnsee-West, and the mini station of 1921 kept its name Dianenberg.

After World War II, the Poles renamed Garnsee-Sud to Gardeja, Garnsee-West was discontinued and became a residence, and Dianenberg was renamed Dziwno. The accompanying map illustrates in detail the difficult situation the residents of Garnsee encountered from 1920 until 1939.

Bibliography:
1) Kleine Weichsel Zeitung, 1969—1989, informational periodical of the Marienwerder/Wpr. Homeland Association, Hamburger Str. 74, 2060 Bad Oldesloe, Germany
2) Stadt Garnsee und Umgebung by Hans Schachschneider, 1970, Verlag Wendt Groll GMBH, 4900 Herford, Germany
3) Personal interview with Heinz Sass, 2370 Rendsburg, Germany, former resident of Garnsee.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 71 - April - May - June - 1991, Page 19.