Dear Claire,
I'm quite content that learning German language in US is no longer a matter
of some high school professors. Most people are thinking it is a language
which is difficult to learn. These people have never tried to learn a slawic
language, e.g. polish!
Don't believe that your English is easy. The pronounciation is, in my
opinion, the worst I have ever seen. Completely unlogically. A teacher told
me, how to pronounce the town "Phoenix", but some native speaker pronounced
it absolutely different. Also, as Germans we have big problems with the
different pronounciation of English in England and the US.
Although my father died before my interest
began, I remember clearly the day he answered the telephone and started
to speak
German to a friend of my brother's from Germany! I had never heard him
speak
German before (I was 20 years old!).
I am almost 60 years old and have decided to learn German!!! Wish me
luck!!!
Congratulation! Try it but don`t give up when the first difficulties will
arise.
Question: My grandmother (CLARA HOLSTEIN) was in an Orphanage in
Duesseldorf
about 1895. I believe it was a Catholic Orphanage--where would I look for
records?
I'm not familiar with Duesseldorf and I cannot tell you anything to
Orphanages. Was your Grandmother born in Duesseldorf? She cannot be born as
an orphan, so you should look for the place of birth.
Regards
Bernd