Marilyn's Quest for her Ancestral Roots

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Marilyn's sister, Cheryl, researched and found out that their family, the Engelhardts, came from a small town near Crailsheim called Onolzheim. So, on Sunday, we decided to split up; Dan & Marilyn taking the car for the 2-1/2 hour drive to Onolzheim and Jan and I getting a tour of Munich from our new friend, Jens. Marilyn's story follows.


Dan and I arrived in Onolzheim after a wondrous drive through the countryside of Germany north from Munchen. Onolzheim is a suburb outside of Crailsheim where my great, great, great Grandfather Joann George Engelhard was born in 1842. Onolzheim is a small berg set on a hillside with only one main Strasse and one restaurant "Kranfischer Rigi". We stopped in for a lunch of bratwurst and sauerkraut. The staff was warm and courteous helping us by looking in the local phone book for any Engelhardt's still in the area.

We found that Heinz Engelhardt showed a local address of 31 Kleinteil. The drive by this address only revealed what looked like a construction business.

The local friedhof (cemetery) contained no headstones bearing the Engelhardt name but this was not unexpected since we had previously learned that the custom is to only maintain gravesites for thirty years.
There were many signs advertising the Hammeltang celebration held in October but wondered just who would attend since this village is so small and quaint. We were sorry we would not be there then to inquire more about the history of the area.


The drive was well worth the time and distance as Dan and I both felt that Grandpa Wally was right beside us saying "Prost!" as we drank a bier in the land of his ancestry.

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Photos

Marilyn's Family Hometown
Hammeltang celbration...Festivals everywhere!

Kranfischer Rigi
Our lunch spot

Engelhardts
In the phone book