End of the 16th Century until the 18th Century, Poland and in particular the Province of Posen, experienced a wave of immigration from western territories. The first new settlers were Dutch (‚Holländer‘), Polish ‚Olendry‘ or ‚Olendrowie‘, in latin documents referred to as ‚Hollandones‘, expelled from their home country due to religious persecution, wages and taxes and warlike conflicts (for example Alba‘s war in the Netherlands in 1620), who wanted to start another life in this region. The stream of immigrants moved from the lowlands of the river Weichsel upstream to the river Netze, from there into the lowlands of river Warthe, the rivers Obra and Warthe upstream to Wolhynien. One settled, applying Dutch standards, in long stretched marsh- and woodland like villages, but also on stand-alone farms. 400 such villages, led by elected mayors (‚Schulzen‘), did exist at that time in the Province of Posen. Swamplands were drained and forest hills cleared in order to gain fertile acres and meadows. The leased property, usually approximately one ‚Hufe‘ (16.8 hectares), according to the origin of the settlers, was called ‚‚Holländer‘ or ‚Holland‘, later also ‚Hauland‘. In cities and on the countryside, many schools were erected, directed by German teachers from Slesia and Saxonia.