The Fehmarn Cousins Newsletter
Issue #15, Feb, 2001
Hello again
I hope you have entered into this New Year
with a renewed energy for the history of your ancestors. I am so looking forward
to this year and being a part of something grandfather Schwartz may have
enjoyed. For you see Alan and I have the chance to go to Germany again this year
and participant in the Rap's ( Canola ) festival in Petersdorf on the Isle of
Fehmarn. Now how, you may ask, will we be able to do this? Well Dorothee Gossel
is organizing a tour to Germany of which the main goal will be to see the isle
of Fehmarn. Dorothee was born on the isle, as was her husband, and has arranged
for her tour group to be a part of the parade.
We will be going to Lübeck to sight see during the medieval festival. Lübeck
is an old seaport and has a lot to see and experience. She has set up a guided
tour of the church in Landkirchen with a dinner at the Aalhaus restaurant.
We will visit Burg to shop and stroll the streets in the morning then after
lunch we will be picked up to see farms of the island.
There will be a day trip to Hamburg with sight seeing and a visit to the
Emigration Port at the harbor. At the Emigration Port they have opened the ships
passenger manifests for those who emigrated through Hamburg from 1850 to 1934.
Some of them are now available for use, starting with the years 1890-1893. If
you wish to see more now you can go to their web site at: http://www.hamburg.de/LinkToYourRoots/english/welcome.htm
The thing I am most looking forward to is the trip to Neustadt to meet with Mrs.
Melitta Ehler. She is the archivist for the church books from Fehmarn. I think
this, by itself, is worth the price of the whole trip. There will be a day trip
to Copenhagen, Denmark with a visit to the two small towns of Stensby and
Kalvehave.
We will be meeting with John Kostick and his sister Judy Cummings after we have
been to the archives.
There will be time to relax and enjoy just being there. Dorothee has also
planned a train trip to Mainz with a cruise on the Rhine River from Ruedesheim
to St. Goar to help relax us before heading home. The Cruise is optional. If you
have ever wanted to visit you families’ homeland this is the best trip you
will find. If you would like to join us you can contact Dorothee Gossel by going
to: http://www.fehmarn-genealogy.com/y_2_germany_2001.htm
or you can E-Mail her at:
gossfarm@winco.net or at dorothee54@hotmail.com
or you may write or call at:
Dorothee Gossel
21300 E 1100th St.
Good Hope, IL 61438
Tel.: 309-456-3887
Fax: 309-456-3866
Member's area now Open
This last month I launched the members area of the Fehmarn
genealogy website. This area has
the entire database of over 61,000 individuals from Fehmarn in a searchable
format of family groups and pedigree charts.
This area is access thru the use of a Username and Password
and is reserved for those website users who were have sent in the information
they have on their Fehmarn families.
This is to encourage those who have not yet shared their
information will now do so, and to protect our information from the large
genealogical websites who extract the information and then sell it to our
cousins.
If you have already shared your information with the
database please e-mail me and request the Username and Password today.
The ancestor and descendant reports are still available in
the “search the index” area for all to use.
You are still expected to share your information if you use this area.
I have also opened the “Artikel auf Deutsch” area for
our German-speaking cousins. Here we will have much of the website information
available in German. This project
will take a while, as many of you know I do not speak or write German.
I will seek the help of translators and volunteers to help with this new
area. Else Bügge-Wood has already
encouraged and helped me start this area.
This year Dorothee is putting together a truly fantastic
trip for those of Fehmarn descent, including participation in the “Rapsblueten
Parade” in Petersdorf, and a full day at the archive in Neustadt to research
the Fehmarn church books. I will be
meeting with the group at the archive to assist them in their research during
their visit.
John Kostick
The Fehmarn Genealogy website owner
"Fehmarnsches Tageblatt: June 22, l990.
The countenance of architecture in the old BURG/Fehmarn.
TRANSLATION
from German into English.
English
translation by: Else Bügge-Wood,
Columbus, OH
Framed by the trees (w. green growth on the
stem) offer those 2 houses on the southern Bahnhofstrasse (Burg/Fehmarn,
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) a distinguished face. It leaves a stamp of approval
on the architecture in the old part of town.
The homes were built in the "Wilhelminean@ era, when architects were
still concerned to create cozy facades of beauty and grace. At present these
homes are still stylish and revered in it's art, pertaining to window- and
door-structure, albeit offering the admiring passerby a picturesque scene.
Communicating with Agencies and individuals in Europe
by
Roger P. Minert, Ph.D., A.G.
Determining When to Write for Assistance:
For a multitude of reasons, it is probably best to seek assistance in Europe only when the desired information is not available in the U.S.1 The prime motivations are likely the need to locate more records or to determine whether more records exist, especially when records were originally kept in places not (correctly) identified in gazetteers or have since been moved to other locations. Many researchers also find it necessary to find help in solving paleographic problems, identifying places too remote to be listed in gazetteers, to locate a qualified researcher, or to share research strategies or findings with others.
Determining Where to Send the Inquiry One main challenge consists of locating the person or agency to which to send an inquiry. To locate vital records, one should write to a parish office or a church archive, whereby it is important to know which religion is involved and to identify the most likely location for such an archive, using available literature. For more recent records, the civil registrar can be helpful, although privacy laws restrict access to those records in most countries, especially if one is writing on behalf of another person. Other public institutions, such as city, county, state and national archives sometimes include vital records in their collections. There is often no rhyme or reason regarding the custodianship over vital records
To locate other historical documents (land records, census records, etc.), inquiries are best directed to public offices such as those listed above. Other possible repositories are town archives, university libraries, and historical museums. Again it is important to determine the most likely location for the documents sought. A review of city directories and telephone subscriber lists can reveal other promising offices.
Obtaining research assistance via correspondence should be done with caution. The best place to begin is the local parish office, because it seems that whereas most pastors have little time to search for data in their church books, many can forward a request to a competent local researcher. Governmental offices will often have to turn down research requests for many reasons, and can only rarely assist in finding somebody else to do the work. Members of family history agencies or societies can often conduct research, but usually restrict their activities to small geographic regions close to home. The Internet offers many new connections as well, but it is difficult to decide exactly who is truly qualified to help.
To establish connections with (distantly related) relatives or cooperative researchers (those working on the same families and thus not requiring payment), the parish office is again the best place to begin. The civil registrar will rarely be able (or willing) to mediate, but city administrations have proven helpful on many occasions; there is usually somebody in the town hall who knows where to look for the people we seek. Again the Internet may be a good place to check if one keeps the usual caveat in mind.
Formulating the Inquiry
After locating the person or office to write to, formulating the inquiry is the next crucial element in our communication. When writing to parish offices or civil registries, one needs to keep the inquiry short and concise. Extraneous details (such as the many reasons you have for wanting the information and the endless trials you have endured to get what little you have) will rarely help and should be avoided. In your first communication, ask for the answers to one or two specific questions at most. Offer to pay the customary fees in the requested manner.
When writing to a private individual, researcher, possible relative, etc., do not overwhelm her/him with a complex or lengthy request. Ask if the correspondent is qualified and willing to fulfill the request and when the work can be done. Ask about fees that might be required and conditions under which payments are to be made.
Its is the author's personal conviction that the language of communication should be that of the recipient. Avoid the Ugly American syndrome and write to Germany in German. This might mean a search for competent assistance in writing the letter. Mistakes can be costly in many ways. For example, the correspondent might misunderstand the request and do too little or too much (disastrous!) work--or no work at all. There is no truth to the suggestion that all Europeans know English, nor to the assumption that those who are competent in the use of English actually enjoy communicating in that language. Finally, computer translations are becoming increasingly popular, but are only rough equivalents of the language and should be reviewed by experts wherever possible.
Sending the Inquiry
In sending a letter to Europe, one should search diligently for the correct address. Writing to the Catholic parish in Town X does not guarantee delivery (but might be sufficient in a very small town with only one church). Use the address of previous communication if available, or search in a current CD ROM listing or via the Internet.
Write the country of destination in English on the envelope. Use enough postage to avoid returns and delays.
When using FAX communications, remember that your document may arrive in illegible condition, thus it is advisable to request confirmation of legible copies or to follow up the FAX with hard copies. Likewise, until E-mail messages can be transferred with perfect clarity, one would do well to ask for confirmation of the arrival of complete and legible message--especially if attachments are sent. The same caveat applies to Internet communications.
To save time and establish a more personal relationship with the intended recipient of the message, one might use a telephone contact. In such cases it is even more important to locate the correct number to dial. Sources include telephone books in U.S. libraries, CD ROM subscriber lists, international directory assistance, or the Internet. Remember to schedule your call according to the proper time zone differences (Middle European Time is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time). Be prepared to speak in the language of the person you are calling. Keep requests short and clear to avoid memory overload (some people take poor notes over the phone), and promise to follow up the conversation by sending documents, for which you may need the name and address of the person with whom you spoke.
Solving other Specific and Sporadic Problems
The following items apply to research communications on occasion and should be kept in mind:
A The civil registrar will usually require a power-of-attorney statement from you, if you are requesting data for persons to whom you are not related. That statement should have an official appearance (fancy stationery will often suffice), should bear the signature of the friend or client requesting the data, but need not be notarized unless so required. The author uses a statement written in both English and German on the same page.
B Unfortunately, experience has shown that no reference should be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or to any of its libraries), when one writes from the U.S. to Europe for family history data. In other words, reference to data found on LDS microfilms or mention of religious rites to be performed using genealogical data might hinder communications. For many reasons, one should also avoid encouraging records custodians to have their records microfilmed by the Family History Library.2
C One should not request large numbers of photocopies from original records. Even in offices where photocopy machines are available, regulations often prohibit the making of copies from old books. Feel free to make your request (and to offer payment), but be tolerant if your request is denied.
Handling Financial Matters
Many of the communications made by U.S. researchers to European offices and individuals will involve financial transactions.3 No standard fee schedule fits all situations, but the following generalities can be used as guidelines:
A Each parish office may request its own fees, but some can refer to regional church guidelines. Many pastors will do small research projects gratis or will request a donation in exchange (sometimes leaving the requester to determine the amount).
B The civil registrar is officially to provide the information without charge, but some will require minimal fees for photocopies and postage ($5-$15).
C There is no standard charge by government or public archives; fees range from $0 to $40 per hour.
D Societies, libraries, universities, city offices etc.: again no standards apply across the board, but fees tend to be less than $30 per hour.
E Church archives are becoming very expensive, some charging up to $80 per hour for research services.
F Private individuals are of course free to establish research rates, and some will ask as much as $50 per hour.
G Family history agencies are becoming very expensive; the average charge is currently nearing $55 per hour.
There is an ongoing debate about when to pay fees, but the author's experience overwhelmingly favors not sending money in advance unless one knows that such is required. All inquiries to new correspondents should include a sincere offer to pay the "customary fees and expenses" associated with the fulfillment of the research request.
When dealing with individual researchers or family history research agencies, fees should always be negotiated in advance. Otherwise, one leaves oneself open to abuse and even fraud (though fortunately very rare).4 In the author's opinion, the payment of a fee of more than $200 in advance to an unknown researcher or agency should be avoided, unless a third party can attest to the integrity of the researcher.
Fortunately, archives and other offices will often request specific payments after the work is done‑‑but before the data are mailed. In any case, one should send payment immediately for data already received and as soon as possible for all other projects. Any delay might damage relations with the correspondent and cause subsequent requests (even by other researchers) to go unheeded. In general, one should pay via the requested or required medium, but this is not always possible. The following payment options have been used successfully:
A Small amounts of cash are almost always safe in the mail to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (the risk is yours); U.S. bills are welcome everywhere in Europe. Registered mail is a good option here.
B Checks: send only bank checks or cashier's checks; personal checks are almost never acceptable.
C International money orders are available from the post office, from New York City bank via local banks, or from agencies such as Ruesch; such money orders can be purchased in Deutschmark, Schilling etc.; they usually cost no more than $10 and take about three days to procure.
D If sending U.S. funds, add $5-$10 to allow for the exchange fee at the bank of the payee.
E Transferring from one German account to another is the most efficient and least expensive way to pay. To do so, one must provide the payee's account number (Kontonummer), the name of the bank, and the bank identification number (Bankleitzahl or BLZ). These numbers are usually found on the payee's stationery or can be requested from the payee.
F If the payee sends a bank transfer slip (in duplicate), return both copies with your check or only the top copy with your bank transfer request.
G Keep a copy of each document dealing with payments or payment requests, should it be necessary to trace or prove payments.
Summary
The majority of the author's most gratifying experiences in family history research have come as a result of communications with persons and offices in Europe. Many a letter has led to the successful conclusion of a research project and a friendship lasting years. If conducted correctly, international communications can be mutually beneficial and indispensable in this field of endeavor.
Notes:
1 The basis for the following comments is the fact that the author has written 300-400 letters to Europe annually since 1993, with a response rate of over 90%.
2 The official policy of the Evangelical Church in Germany is to deny access to vital records to anyone associated with the LDS Church. Fortunately, the only place the policy is strictly enforced on a general basis is in the state of Sachsen (capital: Dresden).
3 The following comments are based on the experience of the author in making over 100 payments to Europe via various modes in the 18 months prior to this writing.
4 The author recently wrote to a large German genealogical society to locate a researcher and to negotiate rates for the work. The response was no report on findings but an invoice for 12 hours of research, which the client was not willing to fund. Negotiations are ongoing, but the process is embarrassing, even though the researcher has admitted acting without express authorization.
Dr. Minert offers a variety of German research and translation services, including translations, letter writing, identification of area of origin from style of writing and surnames, and research in archives including eastern European archives with holdings that have not been microfilmed. He has delivered lectures at Pal-Am National and Chapter meetings, and is an associate editor of German Genealogical Digest.
Forgotten and Forsaken
By E. Bügge-Wood
‘Tween hawthorn and ‘tween savory
There lies a marker, - halve in view
In weedy meadow stands the stone.
A desolated field, - so all alone, -
Forgotten and forsaken
You yank the weeds away and then….
You read eighteen-and hundred-ten.
And further down, dried out as bone,
You see two names upon the stone, -
Forgotten and forsaken.
They were two people, man and wife,
Were young, so strong and full of life.
What they have seen, what they have done
Is in the past and long, long gone. –
Forgotten and forsaken.
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or mail to:
Tressie Hughes
PO Box 770
Puyallup WA 98371