Finding Guy's family in Northern Germany

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When we started planning this trip, the focus was to explore the areas from which ELISEBETH THIES and JURGEN HEITMANN emigrated to America, in 1929 and 1930 respectively. That is, Northern Germany. Guy has been very involved in the discovery of the history of his family, following genealogy charts, ships manifests, and any other available information. As we entered Germany and headed toward Bremerhaven, it became clear that emigration from the port of Bremerhaven over the years has triggered the creation of the Deutsches Auswanderer Haus, known as the emigration museum. It is an unbelievable museum realistically replicating the process that émigrés endured to sail to the New World from 1830-1974. It further demonstrated the New Germany. The area for pursuing family history research had numerous computers with internet access and staff available to assist in individual research and to facilitate copies of needed documentation to continue in the search for family members. This was invaluable to Guy, who then pursued his family to Schiffdorf, where we were assisted by the town clerk on a rainy day, to actually meet a cousin and her husband and share Kaffee and Kuchen. From Schiffdorf we continued on to Bremervorde, the last address know for Guy's father Jurgen. And in fact was able to share Kaffee with another cousin and her family. Guy had been in contact by e-mail to another member of his mother's family for a number of years and we were able to meet with his family in Nienburg on our way to Bremen. The joy and warmth shared during these meetings was palpable and although there were some language challenges at first, the communication and affection for family has been an emotionally energizing experience for all involved.

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Comments

[Monica]

Kuchen in Germany
I always love a good Kaffee und Kuchen session with my relatives too. Bet you didn't encounter Sieben Uben Kuchen though (our terminology for 7-Up Cake)!