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"Edict of Potsdam," issued by Frederick William ("the Great Elector") (October 29, 1685)

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7. As soon as these Our French co-religionists of the Evangelical-Reformed faith have settled in any town or village, they shall be admitted to the domiciliary rights and craft freedoms customary there, gratis and without payment of any fee; and shall be entitled to the benefits, rights, and privileges enjoyed by Our other, native, subjects, residing there. We also declare them totally exempt from the so-called droit d’aubaine and other similar charges commonly imposed on foreigners in other Kingdoms, Lands, and Republics and, in general, wish them to be regarded and treated on the same footing as Our own native subjects.

8. Not only are those who wish to establish manufacture of cloth, stuffs, hats, or other objects in which they are skilled to enjoy all necessary freedoms, privileges and facilities, but also provision is to be made for them to be assisted and helped as far as possible with money and anything else which they need to realize their intention.

9. Those who settle in the country and wish to maintain themselves by agriculture are to be given a certain plot of land to bring under cultivation and provided with whatever they need to establish themselves initially, and in other respects helped as has previously been done with sundry Swiss families who have entered Our Land and settled there.

10. In respect of jurisdiction and settlement of suits and disputes arising between the said French families, We graciously consent and hereby concede that in towns where there are several French families they shall elect one of their own number who shall be competent to bring about amicable settlements of such differences, in summary fashion. But should such disputes arise between Germans on the one side and Frenchmen on the other, they shall be investigated jointly and in common by the magistrate of each locality and by the person chosen by the French to be their spokesman, and a summary judgment delivered, which shall also be done when the differences arising between Frenchmen among themselves cannot be settled by the above procedure of conciliation.

11. Our said French co-religionists in each town shall be provided with their own pastor, and Divine Service shall be conducted in the French language with the same rites and ceremonies as have hitherto been customary in the Evangelical-Reformed Churches in France.

12. And just as those French nobles who have previously sought admission to Our protection and Our service enjoy the same honors, dignities, and prerogatives as Our other noble subjects, and We have also in fact employed sundry of them in the highest offices and posts of honor at Our Court, and also in Our armed forces, so We graciously consent to confer the same grace and promotion on French noblemen settling in Our Land in the future, and to admit them to all charges, services, and dignities for which they are qualified; similarly, if they buy and acquire fiefs and other noble estates in Our Lands, they shall also in like manner enjoy the rights, privileges, freedoms and immunities enjoyed by Our subjects born.

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