Already towards the end of 19th century people were interested in Huguenot history. Dr. Ed. Muret, teacher at the Luisen-School in Berlin founded a monthly magazin: "Die Kolonie" to publish articles from different authors about the French-Reformed parishes in Berlin and Brandenburg.

Dr. Otto Tarnogrocki, der 24th pastor of the French-Reformed parish in Strasburg, started in 1881 to publish a history of this colony.  

In front of the local museum you can see a memorial stone for pastor Tarnogrocki.

My Grandfather Max Nolte was baptized in 1883 in the Lutheran Marien Church of Strasburg by pastor Tarnogrocki, who also was one of the godparents. May be the Lutheran pastor was ill at the time.

The following is a summarized translation of Tarnogrocki's 120 year old text
After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and the devastation of the Palatinate by troops of Louis XIV many French refugees had come to the town Hofgeismar. Some came from France, others from the Netherlands or Switzerland but most from the Palatinate and founded a reformed parish of over 50 families with the preacher Jaques Clement.
The refugees realized that they couldn't stay long in Hofgeismar and since they learned that Friedrich III of Brandenburg - as before his father - was taking good care of them, two well respected members, the merchants Pierre Letienne und Jean Jaques Tavernier went to look in Brandenburg countries for a suitable settling place. They came to the fertile but 1674 by the Swedes badly devastated Uckermark and decided to choose the town Strasburg for their settlement. ...They went to Cleve, where Friedrich III was residing at that time and received at Jan. 5, 1691 a privilege for 55 families (to found a colony). The original is still kept in a tin box in the church archive of Strasburg (in 1881). They didn't get as many rights as the colony of Magdeburg, but the same as the one in Prenzlau. 
Ten years freedom of taxes, an own judge, a kind of freedom of business, free entrance to the craftsmen guilds, freedom of customs for tobacco raised in the next ten years - but most of all the grant of more than 60 Hufen*) of acres for the - even for that time very low - price of 4.000 Thaler laid the basic for a flourishing colony.
*) Hufe is an old area measurement. 1 Hufe was about 17ha but varying in size, usually 1 Hufe of land was enough to feed one family.
For church house they got a part of the town hall, they got permission to bring the preacher Clement with them (who never came, first pastor was Henri de Baudan). The pastor got a yearly salary of 150 Thaler and free accommodation in the town hall above the church room, a lecteur et chantre (teacher and precentor) got got a yearly salary of 50 Thaler. The first French judge of Strasburg Dalencon also got 150 Thaler a year and free housing.

Strasburg in 17th century

Origin of Settlers