Stones or Głazy Sztynort is one of the biggest mysteries of Sztynort. This mysterious construction is located in Dargin Lake, and sometimes it is considered as a border separating waters of Dargin Lake from Kisajno Lake. On old maps this place was described as "Alt Steinort", meaning "Stary Sztynort".
The Sztynort Stones are a belt of stones lying under water at the length of about 200 m and the width of 20 m. At the shallowest point, they lie at a depth of about half a metre. They are an unquestionable obstacle for sailors. Many a yacht has lost a sword here, and the helmsman has learnt directly what the name Sztynort means (German: Steinort = a place of stone).
It is traditionally believed that the Sztynort Stones are a relict of the oldest castle in Sztynort. At the end of the last century, the underwater obstacle was penetrated by Andrzej "Balon" Tarasiewicz, a legendary diver from Giżycko, who cooperated, among others, with archaeologists from Toruń. Among the stones, he did not discover any wooden elements or movable relics (e.g. fragments of ceramic vessels), which would make it possible to establish the chronology of the construction.
The beginnings of early modern Sztynort are connected with the years 1552-1554, when Caspar, Fabian and Melchior von Lehndorff resumed settlement activities in the Sztynort Forest. These activities included renewal of the town of Sztynort. Would the brothers decide to build a "castle" on the lake? It must be remembered that it was in the 1660s that the water level in the northern part of the Great Masurian Lakes was dammed. The level was supposed to rise by the length of a lance. Historians argue about the type of lance in question, but the "Masurian flood" must have contributed to the flooding of the areas located at least 1.5 m below the present water level of the Mamry Lake complex. Before the water level was raised, the Sztynort Stones were an island! So did the 16th century flood force the Lehndorffs to abandon their "island" investment? Or maybe it is a trace of an unspecified investment from the Teutonic times? Maybe these are the relics of an artificial island, which was built and used by old fishermen or rafters? Anyone willing to solve the mystery?
Information about the Sztynort Stones and the beginnings of the Lehndorff settlement can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and shadows], on pages: 11, 162-163, 166-167.
The views from the Sztynort Bridge are considered to be among the most beautiful in Masuria. Looking south, you can see the vast surface of Dargin Lake, which is filled with hundreds of yachts in the summer. The view to the north, to Kirsajty Lake, which owes its name to ancient Prussians, has a different atmosphere. In their language it meant 'black lake'. Kirsajty is much smaller and shallower than Dargin. There are several islets and a lot of reed beds, which create mysterious bays, and the peat substrate contributes to the fact that the water really seems to be black...
The Sztynort Bridge, once also known as the Kamionkowski Bridge, is a matter of course for modern people, but in the past the isthmus of the lake was crossed differently. For centuries a ferry had operated here. It was operated by a ferryman, who took shelter or perhaps lived in a small house on the Sztynort bank. This is probably the origin of the local name of the place Buttke, which means simply "shed". At the end of the 19th century a small harbour was built here which was used by steamers to bring tourists. Here they disembarked and followed a path through the Karpiny moor to reach the park and the chateau. Today there is a small quay in this area.
The ferry crossing was probably removed during World War II, perhaps to facilitate communication between the Mazurian field quarters of dignitaries of the Third Reich. The ferry was replaced by a bridge with a movable span. The modern bridge was built around the 1960s. Together with the abutment embankments the structure is about 300 m long today. The actual lake isthmus is 100 m long.
The relatively low clearance under the bridge - about 4 m - makes it necessary for yachts to fold up their masts, and for large passenger ships to lower the roof of the upper deck! When passing under the bridge, a keen eye will notice two commemorative plaques. The first one is dedicated to Andrzej "Balon" Tarasiewicz (†1998), a diver from Giżycko, the second one to Piotr Woźniak-Starak (†2019), a film producer.
Information about Sztynort Bridge and, among others, about Dargin and Kirsjaty Lakes can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski io Cienie [Lights and shadows], on pages: 96, 124, 137-139.
It is worth noting the scenes of hunting on the Nile from the film Pharaoh (directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz) - they were recorded on Kirsajty. You can also read Wojciech Chmielewski's novel Lake Dargin (2021).
In the Masurian tradition cemeteries were arranged around churches. The mortal remains of the nobility were placed in church crypts. It was not until the beginning of the 19th century that non-church necropolises were established.
The cemetery in Sztynort was established around 1857. Lehndorffs, who were Lutherans, decided on a variant of necropolis where counts and their subjects were buried. Until now, the remains of Sztynort aristocrats were placed in the crypts of churches in Radziejach and Dobie.
In the years 1855-1857 in the highest part of the cemetery, located on the isthmus between the Sztynort Lake and Dargin Lake, a neo-gothic chapel was built according to the design of Berlin architect Friedrich August Stüler. The two-storey building was initially treated as a local church, which was a branch of the temple in Radziejach. The parish priest travelled from there to attend services. People prayed in the hall on the ground floor, where a modest altar, a tombstone of Meinhard von Lehndorff and an epitaph of the founders of Sztynort were placed. Coffins with the remains of the counts' ancestors were moved to the chapel's cellar. In the 20th century, the underground filled up and a new, external crypt was arranged in the corner of the cemetery. Several wedding ceremonies of the Lehndorffs took place in the chapel, but in the course of time more funeral ceremonies were held here.
The inhabitants of the estate and village were buried around the chapel. Crosses were often inscribed with information about the professions of the deceased and the functions they held in the county. Some families had their own cemetery alleys. In one of them, three more Sztynort teachers named Puschke were buried - grandfather, father and son.
After the war, the cemetery and chapel were abandoned and devastated. However, repairs to the chapel roof have recently been completed and the necropolis has been cleaned up and inventoried.
Information about the cemetery and chapel in Sztynort can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and shadows], on pages: 94-97, 117-119.
Results of the cemetery inventory in Sztynort (in German): https://forgotten-cemeteries.eu/friedhofsindex/friedhof-gross-steinort-sztynort/
For centuries, Sztynort has been associated with oaks. Among other things, in 1898, there was a letter about "giant oaks" growing in "the park of Steinort County, in the district of Węgobórsko". At the beginning of the 20th century, postcards appeared which dated the oldest trees here at a thousand years! In fact, the first oak trees in Sztynort were probably planted by Meihnard von Lehndorff (*1590, †1639), so they are now about 400 years old. Some of them form a majestic row at the main transverse avenue of the park.
The park with Baroque features was created at the end of the 17th century by order of countess Marie Eleonora. We do not know its exact layout, but we do know that a gardener's house and later a summerhouse were built there. The park flourished under Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff. In 1779, it was considered the largest in Prussia. It was divided into three longitudinal and two transverse alleys. On the extension of one of the alleys there was a canal with a small marina, leading directly to Kirsajty lake. In 1782, it was mentioned that Sztynort had "a pool paved with hewn stones, a fountain, a snail hill, stately hedges, regular, extensive herb and flower beds, wide alleys, arbours and rows, beautiful orchards with many strange plants". There was no shortage of sculptures either, and a particular highlight was the sundial, which showed the time in thirteen ways! The timepiece is now in Morąg.
Ernst Ahasverus also planned the construction of a park pavilion, but this was already built during the reign of his son Charles I - the so-called tea house, which may have been a wedding gift from her husband to Pauline von Lehndorff in 1823. Most probably in the 1860s the Jerusalem Chapel was built opposite this building. In 1881 it was written about "a huge park, carefully maintained", but its splendour was already a thing of the past. Work has now begun to give the park a proper shine.
Information about Sztynort park, sundial, tea house and Jerusalem Chapel can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows], on pages: 104-106, 116-117, 150-155, 193-194.
Sztynort park is a strange place. For some time now, some people have been swearing that they saw a huge statue of Buddha in it.
The palace in Sztynort, which we can see nowadays, is the fruit of efforts of several generations of the von Lehndorff family. The central part was built in years 1688-1691 and is a baroque palace, designed perhaps by Tylman of Gameren himself, a famous Dutch architect of that time. The building was to emphasise the rank of the family, which in 1687 received the title of count. The previous residence, which may have still resembled a late-medieval fortified manor, was outdated and out of fashion - the cellars in the central part of today's palace are a remnant of it.
In all probability, the newly crowned Count Ahasverus von Lehndorff did not manage to start the investment, as he died on 14 February 1688! Matters of construction fell to his wife Marie Eleonora née von Dönhoff, who became a mother on 4 January of the same year. The dowager countess proved to be an excellent organiser. For several years she concluded various investment contracts and enforced their execution. The Baroque palace in Sztynort with its two, two-bay outbuildings closing the courtyard of honour became an object of admiration and... envy of many contemporaries.
It was extended at the end of the 18th century and in the 19th century by adding side wings and a tower. During the reign of Karl II von Lehndorff (*1826, †1883) the building was gothicised and the term SchlossSteinort, or Sztynort Castle, was introduced. After the death of Charles II's wife Anna von Lehndorff in 1894 the whole estate began to deteriorate rapidly. The repair process started in 1936 by Heinrich von Lehndorff was interrupted by World War II. In 1941, part of the palace became the field headquarters of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Foreign Minister of the Third Reich.
Sztynort was taken away from the Lehndorffs in 1944 as a punishment for their participation in a plot to kill Adolf Hitler. After 1945 the palace housed offices, flats and a canteen for employees of the State Agricultural Farm, as well as a kindergarten for their children. In 1983 the Polish Sailing Association settled in Sztynort, and a year later the Interster company. A "Sailing Village" was established here. The legendary tourist Mecca collapsed after the transformation of the political system. The final touch was the closure of the sailing master's workshop located in the palace in 1990. The ideas of saving the palace were not implemented. Subsequent owners included the Węgorzewo Commune, Sztynort Foundation, "Revitalis" company and Towarzystwo Inwestycyjne Grupy Agros S.A. (TIGA). Since 2009, the host in the palace is the Polish-German Foundation for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, cooperating with its German counterpart. After the renovation is completed, the building will house, among others, a museum, a school of craftsmanship and monument protection, a restaurant.
Information about the Sztynort palace can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and shadows], on pages: 16-34, 47, 140-150.
The Polish historian Wojciech Kętrzyński wrote in 1881 about the Sztynort Palace: "My nannies used to tell me about it, as if it were a miracle, that it has as many windows as many holes in a thimble".
Anna von Lehndorff was the last of the great women of the Sztynort family. A great and at the same time a very tragic figure.
Anna was born in 1830 as Countess von Hahn. At the age of 22 she became the wife of Charles II von Lehndorff, who was her cousin! Their mothers were sisters by birth. The marriage did not go well from the beginning. On their tenth wedding anniversary Anna wrote with regret about her husband's harshness and ruthlessness towards her, her children and the people of the estate. It was on Anne's head to run the county in the absence of Charles, who was pursuing a career in diplomacy. It was also her decisions after her husband's death in 1883 that kept Sztynort in good shape. Everything changed after her death in 1894, when her son Charles III "Carolus" von Lehndorff took over the property and began to rapidly squander the family legacy.
Anna von Lehndorff struggled for years with illness in her family. Her first two sons died in childhood. Constant worries were caused by "Carolus", who did not in any way garner to be a good farmer. Also on Anna's mind was her brother, who could not cope with the realities of everyday life. The hardships of family life in Sztynort were most probably borne by the countess's deep Lutheran religiousness. It is possible that the Jerusalem Chapel built in the palace park is associated with her.
The countess was involved in numerous philanthropic activities. She supported, among others, the evangelical missionary action in the Holy Land, founded and maintained orphanages in Radziejów, Srokowo and Węgorzewo. She established scholarships for indigent students gaining knowledge in Królewiec. On her recommendation, the Schtumann archive was cleaned and the 17th century Ahasverus memoirs and the 18th century Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff diaries were published. The latter were censored by the decision of the prudish countess.
Information about Anna von Lehndorff can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and shadows], on pages: 62-65.
Anna von Lehndorff's last words were to be addressed to the young doctor who wanted to give her another injection on her deathbed. They read: "You lamb...".
The hunter's mansion is one of the legends of Stary Sztynort. Unfortunately, the building is nowhere to be found in the former Lehndorff County. In 2004 the remains of the building were moved by Alexander Potocki to Gałków in the Poviat of Pisz. In the new place the manor was reconstructed. Today it houses a restaurant, a small cinema hall and the Marion Dönhoff Salon.
For years there have been discussions about the function of the building and whether it should rightly be called a manor or a mansion. New light on the history of the building has been shed by archaeological research, financed by King Cross, carried out on its foundations. They were carried out by the Folk Culture Museum in Węgorzewo in 2021.
In light of the results of excavations, we can speak of three buildings on the same site! The first one, which was slightly smaller in plan than the building moved to Gałków, was probably built in the second half of the 18th century. Around 1840, the overground part of the building was demolished and a new building with a larger area was constructed using part of the old foundations. Around 1895 the roof and walls were dismantled again. A part of the foundations was used to build a decent brick cellar and above it, a wooden body with a two-storey portico with four columns was built (its relics were moved to Gałków).
During the archaeological excavations in the layers related to the demolition of the first building, objects were discovered that can be associated with hunting. These include a fragment of a porcelain vessel with a hunting scene, a flint rifle rock, and post-mortem remains of birds. It is very probable that the first two buildings, most probably with features of manor houses, were connected with the hunter of the Sztynort county. After the death of Anna von Lehndorff (died 1894) the building was sold to the Poltzien family. The Poltzien family carried out a general reconstruction of the building, transforming it into a guest house with a tavern, a shop and a post office.
After World War II, the building was adapted for housing and a shop. In keeping with tradition, the name Hunter's Manor was retained.
Information about the hunter's court can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows], on pages: 99-100.
For centuries, Sztynort was identified with the count family of Lehndorff. However, the beginnings of medieval settlement of this Masurian region were connected with another family. Its head was a Lithuanian knight Surwiłło, who enlisted in the service of the Teutonic Knights. At his baptism he took the name Tomasz and in documents he was recorded as Thomas Surwille. In 1397, for his faithful service of more than thirty years, among other things, in diplomacy, he was granted by the Teutonic Knights the Surwilles' lands and the Sztynort Forest. The settlement action did not manage to develop - in 1399 Surwiłło was killed in the battle by the Vorskla river, in which the Tatars crushed the army of Lithuanian duke Vytautas, supported by the Teutonic Knights.
Surwille's legacy was taken over by his nephew Jan, who also served in Teutonic diplomacy. He did not manage to start with the development of the forest because he had to deal with accusations of betrayal to Poland in the war of 1410-1411. In 1423 Jan sold the regained estates to two knights. One of them was Jacob von Maulen, a Teutonic subject coming from the Old Prussian nobility. His son Fabian, who held the office of Pomeranian Voivode, married Margaret von Legendorf-Mgowska, whose ancestors also came from old Prussia. After the marriage Fabian stayed with his coat of arms, but took his wife's surname, which with time became Lehndorff.
Unfortunately, Fabian Maulen von Legendorf died in 1483 and the development of the Sztynort Forest did not start again. It was not until 1551 that his descendant Caspar von Lehndorf started to put the Surwil and neighbouring Tarlawki estates in order. In 1554, three brothers Caspar, Fabian and Melchior von Lehndorf (Lehndorff) received the privilege for Sztynort. Their descendants also bought the nearby estates, which in the 15th century were in the hands of a partner, Jacob von Maulen. From 1554 to 1944, Sztynort remained in the hands of the Lehndorffs, who from 1687 boasted the title of count.
Information about the history of the Lehndorff family can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows], on pages: 9-22, 37-65, 68-77, 80-83.
The life of Ahasverus von Lehndorff (*1637, †1688) proves that travel educates, and consequently brings money!
Ahasverus - one of the six sons of Meinhard von Lehndorff - owed his name to the legendary "eternal wanderer", who is supposed to wander the world until the second coming of Christ (this name entered into the family tradition of the Counts of Sztynort). Already in his youth he began his great peregrinations. As a nineteen-year-old, together with his cousin Count Georg zuEulenburg, he was sent on an educational journey across Europe, which lasted... nine years. The route led through Denmark, the Netherlands, England, France, Italy, Sicily, Malta and Spain. The young people were supervised by teacher Seger, who made sure that they acquired a wide range of knowledge. The journey was conducive to meeting many people, including Queen Christina of Sweden and the Dukes of Lorraine and Orleans. In Malta, the young noblemen, after an audience with the Master of the Order of St John, took part in a naval expedition against the Turks and later chased pirates!
The experience gained during his educational journey did not immediately start to pay off. Upon his return, Ahasverus was offered the position of chamberlain at the Prussian ducal court. However, this was not enough for the ambitious nobleman. He was helped by Prince Bogusław Radziwiłł, who recommended him for service at the court of the Polish King Jan Kazimierz. With time, Ahasverus became the king's trusted aide, who entrusted him with various diplomatic missions. Lehndorff became court chamberlain and lieutenant-colonel of the guard. At one point he held the position of commander-in-chief of the German troops serving the Republic. At the same time Ahasverus was gaining importance in the eyes of the Prince of Prussia, becoming his court councillor in 1668. From 1671 he took part in the formation of the army in Prussia. He set off again on his "travels", this time as a warrior. He fought in the Netherlands, Skåne, and on the island of Rügen, among other places.
Ahasverus von Lehndorff's political and social importance and experience, as well as his growing wealth, led him to apply for the title of Count. This was successfully concluded in 1687. In one of the fields of the Count's Coat of Arms, there was a Maltese Cross, which emphasised Lehndorff's affiliation to the Order of St John and his merits in its service.
Unfortunately, the newly minted count did not get to enjoy his new situation and development prospects for long. He unexpectedly died in Królewiec on 14 February 1688 and was buried in the crypt of the local church in Lipnik, far from the Masurian town of Sztynort.
Information about Ahasverus von Lehndorff can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Ciewnie [Lights and Shadows ] on pages: 41-45.
When Heinrich von Lehndorff (*1909, †1944) was young, he did not expect to be a great landowner. He came from a side branch of the family connected with the village Preyl near Konigsberg. It was started by his grandfather Heinrich Ahasverus, who was the son of the famous Napoleonic soldier Charles I of Sztynort.
The Lehndorffs from Preyl were involved in horse breeding. Little Heinrich, called Heini, was more often seen in the stables of racehorses than at home. In subsequent schools the young man did not do so well. He himself was to recall: "there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't play some stupid trick". The sobering up came when he failed his maturity exam and had to repeat it. Soon afterwards it turned out that Heini will become the master of Sztynort!
According to the legal and organisational changes introduced at the end of the 19th century by Anna von Lehndorff, the Sztynort estate could not be divided, and the oldest male member of the family became its head. At the beginning of 1930s it was known that Charles III "Carolus" was at the end of his life and had no children. Sztynort was to fall to Heinrich's father Meinhard of Preyl, but he did not intend to abandon the stud. The next in line was Heini... He did not say no and started preparing to manage the key of Sztynort estates. He was given Tarlawki, where he gained his first land experience. In 1936 Carolus died and Heini started to put the estate in order. He settled down, did his military service in the cavalry and in 1937 married Gottliebe von Kalnein, with whom he had four daughters. Even before 1939, he became involved in the anti-Hitler landowning movement and the Evangelical confessional church.
The process of repairing Sztynort was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, and from 1940 the construction of a large complex of shelters began in the forests known as Sztynort Forest. Heinrich and his wife, despite living under the same palace roof with Third Reich Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, became involved in the conspiracy movement. During the assassination attempt on Hitler, Lehndorff was entrusted with the duties of liaison officer. The Führer survived and Heini managed to escape. However, he turned himself in to the SS out of fear for the lives of his wife and daughters. On 4 September 1944, after a quick trial before the People's Tribunal, he was hanged in prison in Berlin. His body was burnt and his ashes scattered in an unknown location.
In 2009, a boulder dedicated to Heinrich von Lehndorff was unveiled in front of the palace in Sztynort, which can be regarded as his tombstone.
Information about Heinrich von Lehndorff can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Bl;aski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 20-22, 72-77.
Sztynort has several "dark spots" in its history. One of them is connected with Joachim von Ribbentrop. It was thanks to him that a forgotten and neglected palace in Masuria became one of the places where decisions were made about the fate of the world and lives of tens of thousands of people. What is worse, many of these decisions were criminal in nature.
Joachim, or rather Ulrich Friedrich Willy Joachim, von Ribbentrop was one of the most important politicians of the Third Reich, a member of the SS and a war criminal. He owed his career to his stubbornness and loyal devotion to Adolf Hitler. Some claimed that Ribbentrop would carry out whatever the leader thought of in a flash. He began his career as a wine merchant enamoured of Britain, which he later detested and sought to destroy. He bought his knighthood, which - in his view - emphasised his social and political standing, from a distant cousin. Already as German Foreign Minister he was, among other things, one of the most fervent advocates of war with Poland in 1939.
Ribbentrop came to Sztynort in June 1941. At that time, Masuria became the great field headquarters of the Third Reich, which started the war with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Lehndorff Palace became the seat of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was not far from here to Hitler's quarters in Gierłoż, Himmler's in Żabinka and later in Pozezdrze, the command of the land forces in Mamerki, the Reich Chancellery in Radzieje, etc. The Lehndorffs had to accept a new "tenant", who, with his entourage and furniture from the German embassy in Warsaw, occupied the left wing of the palace. Ribbentrop's train "Westfalen" was stationed at nearby Kamionek Wielki.
Ribbentrop's international contacts were "translated" into Sztynort. Politicians collaborating with the Third Reich appeared here, including Father Józef Tiso from Slovakia, Count Galeazzo Ciano from Italy, and Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Oshima. There were frequent meetings with Heinrich Himmler, who was for a long time Ribbentrop's supporter. After the talks in the palace, the minister would invite his guests for a stroll in the park and refreshments in the tea room.
Contacts between the Lehndorffs and Ribbentrop were officially correct. The Counts were not particularly keen on making closer contact with the Minister, especially as the attempt on Adolf Hitler's life was discussed at the palace in 1944. Ribbentrop defended himself against accusations that he had failed to notice the actions of the conspirators.
After the failed assassination attempt on Hitler, imprisonment of the conspirator Heinrich von Lehndorff, and expulsion of his family from Sztynort, Ribbentrop became the only master in the palace. Leaving it in October 1944, he took with him the most valuable elements of the furnishings, which were found after the war in the castle of Kriebstein.
Joachim von Ribbentrop was sentenced to death as a war criminal after the Nuremberg Trials.
Information about Joachim von Ribbentrop and his relationship with Sztynort can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 21-22, 71.
Usually men are mentioned when talking about history, but it was also created by women. Several countesses also contributed to the power of Sztynort. Marie Eleonore nee von Dönhoff (*1664, †1723) after the death of her husband Ahasverus managed for a few years to build a new baroque palace with great success. Marie Louise nee von Wallenrodt (*1697, †1775) managed the estate perfectly after the death of her husband Ernst Ahasverus I in 1727. Moreover, until the end of her days she managed Sztynort on behalf of her son Ernst Ahasverus II, who made a career in the capital Berlin. Anna née Hahn (*1830, †1894) successfully combined running an estate with philanthropic activities and support for scientific research. She was the last countess with whom the economic power of Sztynort was connected.
Economic success or architectural achievements did not always go hand in hand with family happiness. Anna von Lehndorff wrote in 1863 to her husband Charles II, who was her cousin(!): "I have already belonged to you for thirteen years in faithful and tested love... Would you not be willing to become more patient with me, and if I should fail you in something, could you not rebuke me more gently, less angrily?". Charles I von Lehndorff - the father of Charles II - was surprised that he decided to settle down and marry at the age of ... 53. The bride was the 18-year-old Pauline von Schlippenbach, a beautiful but poor woman. The union, to which five children were born, was very unhappy. Among other things, the husband did not want to acknowledge the youngest daughter and led to his separation from his wife, driving her out of Sztynort. Several times Prussian aristocrats tried, unfortunately unsuccessfully, to bring about a reconciliation between the spouses. Pauline only returned to Stettinort after the death of Charles I.
Aristocratic roots and wealth were not always conducive to family happiness, although of course not all relationships of the Lehndorffs were unsuccessful. Among others, the marriage of Heinrich and Gottliebe nee von Kalnein was regarded as a happy couple.
Information about the Lehndorff family life can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i cienie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 37-83.
Carolus was one of the most original members of the von Lehndorff family. Unfortunately, in his life comic moments were intertwined with tragic events. He was also the last male descendant from the noble Lehndorff line. Who went by the names of Carolus or Charles? It was Charles III von Lenhdorff.
He was born in 1860 as the third child of Charles II and Anna, née Hahn. Significantly, his parents were cousins - their mothers were sisters! Little Carolus was sickly and not particularly keen on learning, although he was extremely intelligent and brilliant. Despite his mother's efforts to give him a good education at the cavalry cadet school, and later at the civilian knights' academy, he did not follow in the footsteps of his ancestors who were distinguished in diplomacy and the military. This is not to say that Carolus was unlearned. At the end of his life he was one of Germany's best numismatists. What is more, his capital collection of coins from all over the world numbered 280,000 specimens.
However, Charles III von Lehndorff was known above all for his very profligate lifestyle. Already at the age of 23 he signed a contract with his mother, which limited his rights to manage the whole Sztynort. Under the document, the mother was obliged to pay her son 6000 marks of "pocket money" and cover his debts for over 100 thousand marks a year! In the family archives there were summonses to pay outstanding bills to the detriment of exclusive hotels or shops, and even "ordinary" waiters who had let themselves be cheated of a few or a dozen marks. The Count's life generally consisted of amusing himself and stringing along more and more gullible people, and then deceiving them as to when their debts would be repaid. This lifestyle led to a series of auctions, which intensified after the death of Charles' mother. Twentieth-century Sztynort was associated with a gloomy, sleazy "castle" with an increasingly elderly grizzled count who presided over great hunts, only to then retreat for a fortnight to his bedroom which was also a numismatic study.
Charles III von Lehndorff died in 1936.
Information about Charles III "Carolus" von Lehndorff can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows], on pages: 20, 68-70.
Charles III von Lenhdorff (*1860, †1936), called Carl or Carolus, was one of the most colourful members of the count family from Sztynort. He "became famous" for his constant financial troubles and for many anecdotes connected with his life.
Carolus was extremely intelligent and already at the age of five he demonstrated his satirical talents. In 1865, the Prince of Prussia Frederick William von Hohenzollern, later German Emperor Frederick III, paid a visit to Sztynort. In his entourage there was an assistant, who was delighted with the palace and wanted to see the small count's collection of white weapons. Carolus showed his guest around almost all the rooms. At the end they found themselves in the children's room, where the "armoury" was located. In it one could see many types of white weapons, only that they were wooden toys.
In the old days in Węgorzewo there were stories about the Count's visits to local restaurants. He was able to personally check if the cutlets were not made of horse meat. Carolus would bring a whip from the carriage and crack it over the plate to the horror of the other diners. Then he would say: this is beef indeed, if the cutlets were made of horse meat they would jump off the plate like horses at the sound of the whip, or they would snort.
Once, during his stay in Królewiec, Carolus asked a taxi driver to take him home to one of the local hotels. The driver tried to ask for a specific address. The passenger replied that he was Count Lehndorff and it was obvious where he lived. So they set off and the taxi arrived in Sztynort. The driver then spent a few days in Mazury before collecting the money to pay for the journey.
Carolus was assisted in tuning out the jokes by two companions. The first was the Count's chauffeur Achenbach, called "Etschenbetsch" by Lehndorff, and the second was the old Colonel Engel, known as "Kiste" ("Box"). One of their favourite "games" was to watch guests who came to the palace for the first time and tripped over the last step of the staircase, which was a different height from the others.
Information about Charles III "Carolus" von Lehndorff can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows], on pages: 20, 68-70, 154.
The park in Sztynort was the centre of attention of many countesses and counts of the Lehndorff family. It flourished under Ernst Ahasverus (*1727, †1811). In 1779 the park was the largest park in Prussia.
The park area filled with numerous alleys, trees, bushes, flowerbeds, sculptures, was a refuge for Count Ernst Ahasverus. In his native Sztynort, he sought respite from the bustle of the royal court in Berlin. But it was not always blissful with birdsong and the sound of the wind. From time to time the park became an arena for lavish and sophisticated events. Many of them were connected with birthdays of members of the family and visits of distinguished guests, among whom was the bishop Ignacy Krasicki. In his honour, in 1773 illuminations or fireworks were organised. On another occasion, the bishop was greeted by "ladies in white" dressed as nymphs, who sang and burned incense at the altar bearing Krasicki's name. In 1779, before his next visit to Sztynort, the clergyman stipulated with courtesy: "If you will do ceremonies, undertake me solemnly, if it comes to you to arrange an illumination (a farce like for a sultan), I will break your lamps and say goodbye".
On 7 May 1783 the Count's 56th birthday was celebrated. The fireworks that were set off then were to thunder like "from a cannon". Three years earlier, Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff's birthday had lasted four days! Several plays, including Shakespeare's Hamlet, were performed on an open-air stage in the park! The actors were members of the count's family as well as employees of the estate.
After the death of Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff no more such events were organised in the park.
Information about social life in Sztynort park can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Ciewnie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 50-51, 54, 153.
Contemporary Sztynort is one of the largest and most charming ports in Masuria. Sztynort Lake was for centuries an economic reservoir, connected with Dargin Lake by a small natural watercourse. It was not until the end of the 18th century that a 3-4 metre wide canal was dug. However, it did not meet the conditions for navigation for vessels larger than fishing boats. The first sailing enthusiasts who appeared in Sztynort in the early 1970s recalled that a "rambler" had to be pulled through the overgrown channel "like bargemen".
The old canal was regulated and widened to 17 m in the second half of the 1970s. The initiator of the hydrotechnical investment was Jan Heigelmann, the then general manager of "Agrokomplex". He also decided to establish the Water Sports Centre in Sztynort. On the lake, the first sailing port was created and a hotel in the palace. The Sztynort fleet in 1980 consisted of twelve "Omegas", one "Beryl", three "Ramblers", one "Nephrite", four "Orions", an "Alga" and an "Alga" Super, nine "Wands", one "Mira" and a floating car.
In 1982, the Polish Yachting Association settled in Sztynort, and from 1984 "Interster". A "Sailing Village" was established, where camps were organized by many clubs from all over Poland. It was a place for training and relaxation for state farm residents, tourists and party notables. The canteen in the palace, bar "Zęza" and "Sklep u Marii" became cult places. The political changes of 1989 did not help sailing in Sztynort. Although the port continued to function, even the local legends began to fade.
In 2018, with the purchase of Sztynort by King Cross Shopping Warsaw, a new time began for the town and the local "Osada Dla Wolności [Settlement for Freedom]". Respecting the local cultural heritage and traditions, the new owners aim to "put Sztynort in the hands of sailors as a beautiful, renovated and thriving largest port in Masuria".
Information about Sztynort's sailing traditions can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski io Cienie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 26-33, 160-161, 182-184.
The most important investment in the history of Sztynort was construction of a baroque palace. On 30 September 1687, Ahasverus von Lehndorff (*1637) received a diploma which gave him and all his descendants the title of Reich Count (Reichsgraf). The newly minted aristocrat paid the chancellery of Emperor Leopold 6015 florins and 30 krajcars and the Roman curia 46 ducats (for issuing a golden bull). One hundred ducats for the approval of the title was paid to the Prince of Prussia, and another 11 thalers to the Prince's Chancellery in Berlin. Granting the title of Count to the Lehndorffs emphasised the wealth and importance of the family in the Prussian Principality at that time.
The Count could not live in an unfashionable palace. The Sztynort building of that time probably referred architecturally to late-medieval fortified manors. So the architects started with their projects and the woodcutters started to cut the oaks in the Sztynort Forest. There were at least two plans of building a magnificent palace in Baroque style. Perhaps, the author of the projects was Tylman van Gameren.
The investment started, but in the meantime Ahasverus died unexpectedly in Królewiec on 14 February 1688. Management of the whole Sztynort and numerous estates fell on the head of his widow Maria Eleonora von Lehndorff nee von Dönhoff. The countess was then 24 years old and for a month she was the mother of Ernst Ahasverus. She decided to continue with the investment - the main construction works of the palace were carried out in 1689-1691. The countess signed contracts with master masons, carpenters, roofers, stonemasons, blacksmiths, stove makers, locksmiths, painters etc. Only the cellars and part of the ground floor walls remained of the old residence. The result was a large two-storey palace with a high roof "on the Dutch model". A courtyard was arranged in front of the building, on the sides of which a brewery, stables and a gate complex were built. The great investment was finally finished in 1699. Many Prussian aristocrats envied the Lehndorffs the chateau in Sztynort.
Information about the construction of the baroque palace can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 45-47, 141-144.
Ernst Ahasverus II Henry von Lehndorff (*1727, †1811) "earned" his nickname during his service at the court of the Prussian Queen Elisabeth Christine von Preussen. Between 1747 and 1775, while holding the office of chamberlain to the queen, he proved to be a great compliment. He was given a mischievous nickname by his "colleagues" at the Berlin court.
Ernst Ahasverus did not have an easy childhood. His father died two days after he was born. At the age of four he had an accident which left him with a limp for the rest of his life. He believed that this disability caused his mother to "love" his older, non-disabled brother more. Ernst Ahasverus spent only six years of his childhood and youth in Sztynort, being brought up among others by his grandmother in Landkeim and the Benedictines in Magdeburg. At the age of 19, thanks to his family connections, he found his way to the Berlin royal court. Soon he was one of the best informed people in the whole of Prussia. He diligently followed the everyday (and unusual) life of the state elite, domestic and foreign politics, capital city customs, etc. Importantly, for several decades he kept diaries, which are regarded as one of the most important sources for learning about the Frederician era in Prussia. Lehndorff's observations were comprehensive, and his comments were often characterised by intelligent malice. The Count was knowledgeable about art and literature.
Ernst Ahasverus did not return to "his dear Sztynort" for a longer period of time until 1775, which was connected with the death of his mother Maria Luisa, who had managed the estate in the absence of her son. The count carried out an expansion of the palace, created a collection of works of art with a library, revitalised the park, managed hydrotechnical works, including the construction of a canal between the Sztynort and Dargin Lakes, etc. He had long contacts with bishop of Warmia Ignacy Krasicki, based on common interests and views. In 1784, Sztynort became the first place in Masuria where "montgolfieryzing", i.e. hot air balloon flying, took place. Those were beautiful times...
Information about Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff can be found in Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows] on pages: 48-52, 151-153.
The history of Sztynort is connected with the development of the area located at the meeting point of big waters and forests. These two ecumeny with their wild inhabitants gave a specific natural and cultural colour to the area. Fishing was an important, but still not well-known branch of the county's economy. The Lehndorffs owned and leased several lakes in the area. Fishing took place almost all year round, including winter - then a seine (a large net) was "put up" from the ice. Lucky people can still find clay weights for nets on the shores of the lakes.
Over time, hunting became more of a "pastime" than a means of obtaining food. In 1790, the Bishop of Warmia Ignacy Krasicki thanked his friend Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff (*1727, †1811) for a consignment that arrived from Sztynort to Lidzbark Warmiński: "The ducks were received with shouts of joy, shared, devoured with the greatest possible haste". During the reign of Charles III von Lehndorff (*1860, †1936), Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays were reserved for hunting. At that time, mainly waterfowl were shot, but also wild boars, foxes, badgers, roe deer, deer and elk. At the end of the 19th century, a heron hunt was organised in Upałty. Thirty of these birds were killed. Why? Because they were pests? No, for the feathers that adorned the hats of the herons. The oldest inhabitants of Sztynort remember that behind the Hunter's Court there was a count's kennel.
The presence of particular animal species in Sztynort and its surroundings was evidenced by local names, such as: Lisia Góra, Łosiowy Róg, Wydrze Kępy, and also... Świńska Droga. The latter name was connected with a dirt road, which ran behind the buildings of the village and was used to chase livestock away (today it is an asphalted section bypassing the village). The Ludzka Droga [Human Road] ran through the middle of Sztynort. Animal husbandry was also an important field of the count's economy. Cowsheds and pigsties were located in Sztynort itself, but mainly in the neighbouring manors. In the second half of the 19th century, a full-blood stud was established by Charles II von Lehndorff. Even in the eighties of the 20th century, riding courses and camps were organized in Sztynort.
Nowadays, Sztynort is still a good place for observing wild animals and conducting photographic "bloodless hunts". Eagles often appear in the sky. From early spring to autumn you can hear the cranes' clangor. Be careful on the roads - moose are usually not afraid of cars and leave the roadway unhurriedly. Fallow deer, some of which are leucistic (almost white), are seen again and again in the palace park...
Information about the animal world of Sztynort can be found in various parts of Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows].
The curious will certainly find relics of a sculpture depicting a horse's head that once adorned the Count's stables.
When you say Sztynort - you see oak trees. These noble trees dominate the local flora. Many roads and alleys were planted with oaks, but also lime trees. The oak trees in the Sztynort park are considered to be the oldest. They were supposedly planted by Meinhard von Lehndorff about 400 years ago. Next to these oaks, a beech avenue has been preserved, which gives an idea about the layout of the main part of the park from the 18th century. Unfortunately, age has taken its toll and in many cases individual trees are reaching the end of their lives. The King Cross company has resumed professional care of the historical tree stand and a concept is now being developed to restore the entire park.
In 1781, Ignacy Krasicki, Bishop of Warmia, wrote to his friend Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff: 'Having cursed, and that well, I begin by telling you, Count, that you are boasting what 16 peaches are! Six years later the clergyman could not wait for the tree seedlings that the owner of Sztynort had promised him. In 1790 the bishop sent Lehndorff Tyrolean apples and instructed: "when you sow seeds, perhaps in time these apples will be born in your gardens". Alongside the orchards, there were also flowerbeds. From the correspondence between Krasicki and Lehndorff, it is known that in 1779, 1200 hyacinths were blooming in Sztynort!
Ernst Ahasverus' great-grandfather Charles III "Carolus" von Lehndorff (*1860, †1936) continued his passion for dendrology. He received seeds of various exotic trees and shrubs from his colleagues, which he sowed among other things during horse rides with guests in various corners of his estate. Perhaps it was Carolus who planted the various species of trees by the Jerusalem Chapel.
Sztynort is not only trees and flowers, but above all fields, meadows, pastures and home gardens. Once the potatoes of the teacher Richard Franz Puschke (*1852, †1937) grew near the school. He taught the children that there were good and bad potatoes. Good potatoes were those that appeared on plates. The bad ones were the ones used to make booze...
Information about the plant world of Sztynort can be found in various parts of Jerzy Łapo's book, Sztynort. Blaski i Cienie [Lights and Shadows].
