Hi Karl -
You asked about getting around in Germany without having a complete grasp of
the language and I thought I would give you my impression (my husband and I
are the ones visiting in the Fall). We have been to Germany several times
over the past few years but only to the Bavarian region where, I've been
told, you will find less English than in the Northern regions. My husband
was stationed in Germany for a few years, plus was a linguist, so he has a
good ear for languages; however, I, on the other hand, am "language
deficient". Despite that fact, I had very little trouble (even when I was
on my own) in Germany. Learn the basic phrases ("Do you speak English", "I
speak little/no German", "Can you help me", "Excuse me" and, of course,
"Please and Thank You"). And by all means get a good German/English
dictionary (one that has phrases is especially useful -- like Rick Steves'
book) and keep it small for ease in carrying; otherwise, you'll have a
tendency to leave it in the hotel room. I also bit the bullet and
purchased The Rosetta Stone German Language Set and found it a bit easier to
use than some of the others but I understand that "Tell Me More" is rated
even higher
(http://learn-german-software-review.toptenreviews.com/tell-me-more-german-r
eview.html).
And don't be afraid to take along written information with your family
history and show it to whomever you happen to be talking to. Showing
someone a name, family tree, dates and places can go a long way in helping
convey the fact you're searching for your roots. Good luck.
Janice King