I am interested in learning more about
Rostock and the village of Guestrow.
Is Guestrow a large or small village today?
Would it have been that way in the early
1800's? I understand that Carl Siefert
b. in 1807 lived in the dorf of Guestrow.
He was a servant at that time for the Duchy.
He left Guestrow to make a new mark
for himself and his family in the US. Not
much is known about him other than he
died in 1879 in Cleveland, Mn.
I need some help in learning about the
countryside, in order to begin my search
in Northern Germany. If there are any maps
or books that would help, please let me
know. However, there is one catch. I do
not speak German, so I need English
translations.
Ruth Odegard
Guestrow is one of the bigger towns in Mecklenburg. Today is has about
37.000 inhabitants. It is situated 50 km (30 miles) ENE of Schwerin, the
capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. There is the (rather small) river Nebel,
running from E to W.
Back in history, the country was inhabitated by a slawish population
(Wenden). In the times of the first German Kaisers (about 1000) the
colonisation of the countries east and north of the Elbe river started.
Many new places were founded - as for instance Lubeck in the beginning of
the 12th century. Very often the new towns and villages were founded in the
vincinity of an old place of the Wendish people.
In Guestrow the Wendish place was north of the Nebel river, for long times
called Dorf Guestrow, while the new place, founded in the early 13th century
by Heinrich of Rostock got the name Guestrow. As far as I know, today the
dorf Guestrow is entirely a part of the town.
That one of your ancestors also were servant for the Duchy (perhaps it might
by more correct to say: servant of the Duchy, as the Dukes of Mecklenburg
were really the owner of the land and its population) is very probable, as
still today there is a palace in Guestrow. You can find also other remains
of the past if you make a visit to G. There is a gothic cathedral (called
"Dome") in the typical brick style of Northern Germany from early 14th
century, Gertrud's Chaple (also brick building), which holds today a very
important collection of works of the well-known German artist Ernst Barlach.
In the center of the town you will find a beautiful Market Place in front of
a nice renaissance town hall.
You see, Guestrow was already a town before America was inhabitated by
Europeans. Nevertheless, there was a Dorf Guestrow even in 19th century,
too.
To come to your other question regarding maps: For the start the best are
probably the maps in the scale 1:200.000 called "Die General Karte" by Mairs
Geographischer Verlag; there is one sheet for Mecklenburg: # 9 -
Ostseek�ste, Mecklenburg Vorpommern. Up to know, I've not found the internet
adress of the publisher. Somewhat tedious is the search for maps at
www.amazon.de - I wonder, if one can search sucessfully without knowledge of
the German language.
Danke Schoen for the interesting history of the area. I will need to seek
assistance when I begin searching for records for my great grandmother and
her parents. I will eventually come to grips with the language.
Froeliche Weinachten...I hope I spelled it correctly. Ruth with roots in
Northern and Southern Germany...I am very proud of it!