The Jameńska Farm Open-Air Museum

Following the migration of the Goths (1st–3rd centuries CE), the entire region of Pomerania—beginning with the Parsęta River basin and extending all the way to the mouths of the Vistula and Oder rivers—was settled by Slavic tribes who, from the 12th century onward, were known as the Kashubians. Initially, the term “Kashub” referred to a knight—a warrior bearing the griffin as his emblem. This was the lineage claimed by the founder of the House of Griffins, Prince Warcisław I, who was born near Kołobrzeg. Later, the rulers of the Duchy of Pomerania adopted the title “Duke of the Kashubians.” The Germanization of Pomerania began with the founding of medieval towns by German settlers brought in for this purpose by Bishop Herman von Gleichen. Slavic traditions survived until 1945 in only two places—in the area around the villages of Jamno and Łabusz, north of Koszalin, and in the area around the village of Kluki, on Lake Łebsko. The influx of German and, later, Dutch settlers (who built flood barriers along Lakes Jamno, Dzierżęcinki, and Unieści) did not result in the complete eradication of Kashubian culture, as evidenced by the artifacts on display at the museum in Koszalin. The paintings on the dowry chest resemble, in both color scheme and ornamentation, those on display at the Kashubian Ethnographic Park in Wdzydze Kiszewskie.
The embroidery motifs and the backrests of the chairs also feature similar decorative forms, rich in lilies, tulips, stylized hearts, and other motifs. The wedding attire also had a rather unique look. All of this can be seen at an exhibition at the museum in Koszalin. The late editor Eugeniusz Buczak tracked down villagers from Jamno who had been resettled to Germany after 1945 and asked them, “Who are you?” The answer was, “We are neither Germans nor Slavs, but Venedi.” In commenting on this statement, it is worth noting that “Weneda” means “Slav” in Latin.