Von Loppenow
New article name is Von Loppenow
The village of Loppenow, also known as Loppnow, and its surrounding lands were once the ancestral home of the Von Loppenow family. [1] Joachim Von Loppenow was seated in the year 1463 over the Loppenow estates. In 1665 his descendent, Jacob Von Loppenow and his male descendents were given feudal rights by Elector Friedrich Wilhelm, adopted at Cologne on the Spree on November 21, 1666 over the Loppenow estate lands. The rights were to end upon the death of the last male heir of this line.
The last male heirs of this line were the sons of Claus Von Loppenow, namely, Councilor Adam Bernhardt v. Loppenow who died 1726, with no sons, and the Royal Swedish Oberstlientenant and Adjutant-General, afterwards preuss. police captain, Johann Karl von Loppenow who died March 5, 1729 with no sons. On July 20, 1730 the feudal holding was granted to Hans Gebhard Elder Von Plotho, by King Friedrich Wilhelm I. At that time Hans Gebhard Elder Von Plotho was a Major in the Regiment Von Grumkow, afterwards he was the Colonel Leiutenant and Commandant von Freidrichstadt. [1]
After the expulsion of the Pommeranian Germans following World War II the town of Loppenow/Loppnow was renamed Lopianow. The village still contains the brick church building, now called the Immaculate Heart of Mary which was erected in the 17th century. The church once held the "carved wood and polychrome coats of arms " of the family Von Loppenow, though they are no longer there. [2]
Etymology There is no German word corresponding to Loppnow. As -ow is a suffix often given a place name of Slavic origin a possible translation might be found in Polish. The town is now called Lopianow [see Lopianow], which translates to burdock, a thistle plant.
References
1. p. 301
Neues preussisches Adels-Lexicon: oder genealogische und diplomatische Nachrichten Vol. 3 by Leopold Zedlitz-Neukirch (Frieherr von) 1839
Url: http://books.google.com/books?id=HNkEAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false
2.
Development Plan, Public Information Bulletin Town Office, Gryfice, December 17, 2004
Url: http://www.bip.gryfice.alfatv.pl/unzip/1526.dhtml