FEHMARNSCHES TAGEBLATT
Date: June 7^th, 2000

Excerpt from a newspaper in Burg/Fehmarn
[translated by: E.Bügge-Wood]

 
At a visit to the “Amt Fehmarn”. During their visit the four Americans also contacted the ‘mayor Osterkamp’ on the weekend. It could soon be discovered: we share the same ancestors.......>  Photo by: Hilke Wolff

48000 names out of 5 centuries

Fehmarn (hi). In their luggage [data bank], they carried 48000 names of people with ancestors originating on the island Fehmarn during the last 5oo years. During the past week they visited the island in the “Baltic Sea”, in search of ancestors. Alan and Tressie Hughes, from Washington as well as siblings: Judy Cummings and John Kostick from Florida. All four, with ancestors from Fehmarn, came to search for their genealogic roots. They even brought their own “Fehmarn-genealogy” web site.

You find this site under: http://www.fehmarn-genealogy.com on the INTERNET. On this web site you find a global and highly active exchange of information, pertaining to the ancestors of the island Fehmarn, during the last five centuries. Themes are about the clans, “Vetternschaften” , the family history of the “Rauert kinship”, the Fehmarn flag, insignias of the city of Burg and West-Fehmarn, the churches, history of Lemkenhafen, and also about the transient laborers “Monarchen”, who came in search of work and many settled here.

Advise about the use of the ‘parking automat’.

Even idiomatic expressions in “Low-German” and text from Peter Wiepert, translated by: Else Bügge-Wood are among the many themes. With a notation: That only a few islanders understand the old expressions..... And old letters, written by the emigrants and sent back to relatives on the island, can be looked into. Even an article from the home newspaper “Heimatzeitung” is included.

Many useful tips are available, - for when Mr. Kostick visited the island last year [he admits with a grin ‘schmunzelnd’], he didn’t know how to utilize the parking ticket automat, ‘Park-schein-automaten’. - As he was promptly served a fine, ‘Knöllchen’. Therefore 

All German church books ‘Kirchenbücher’

Starting in the 14^th century, with documentation of the “Rauert” family genealogy, there came until 1876 about 48000 names and naturally those, connected to that name, adding other family trees.

In the year 1876, when the church history changed, there ends the micro filming, which are the main source of the genealogical research, with copies of all German church books.

Over 25 years ago they started with the research of genealogical records, so says John Kostick, and since then, this project is for the four Americans almost like a malady. “The name (sickness or malady), ‘Sucht in German’ is the right word to describe this hobby”, says John, smiling. “Each time you have succeeded in finding one record, you want to go on and on. It is like putting a large puzzle together, I have so many contacts and records of people interested in their roots.” In America there is so much curiosity and anxiety to learn about their forefathers and European roots.

“It is my Hobby”

Web site was clicked on 8000 times

8000 times was the web site clicked on in the last two years. Requests came as far away as Australia and Chile. In circles of experts, John is already called the “Mayor of Fehmarn” ‘Bürgermeister in German’.

 Lively interest and assistance comes from all

With their inquiries on the island Fehmarn the four Americans met with avid interest and spontaneous assistance. Alone Michael Mackeprang knew 5000 to 6000 names. John Kostick works closely together with the help of Melitta Ehler from Petersdorf.

During their last visit on the island the four of them contacted the mayor from West Fehmarn, Klaus Osterkamp.

We ran into the name “Osterkamp”, says Allen Hughes, “we have the same ancestors. “The 56-year old Farmer, Nicolaus Osterkamp from Niendorf,Fehmarn, arrived on the 10^th of August, anno 1885, with the ship “Suevia” in the New World, USA.

“Send me your information”, says John Kostick”, in the hopes of further assisting the people from Fehmarn, and he promises: “I’ll send you all the information I can find about your ancestors”. In principal I agree not to ask for any payment for my work, not even for the postage. That is how so much information was gathered in the last 25 years..... and that’s okay, he smiles and answers humbly “after all, this is my Hobby!”

The FEHMARN GENEALOGY Site
Created using Microsoft Frontpage and maintained by:
John Kostick, 131 NE 172nd Street, Miami, FL 33162