To Tom, John B, and Everyone on the list: I guess it's time I jumped into the fray (now that the Butterkuchen hunger has been satisfied). The lack of knowledge of pre-20th century German history has always appalled me, esp. here in the US where there are so many of us of German descent. To that end I have written an historical novel about ancient Germany called THE SAXON CHRONICLE. It is a well-researched trilogy, the first two volumes of which are already out and the third to come very soon. Please see my website http://saxonchronicle.hypermart.net/ for more info. And don't turn your nose up at the fact that it is fiction. The story is based in large part on my own genealogy and I purposely made it fiction in order to bring those people to life, in order to show their loves and lives, their successes and failures, how they coped with the history they lived through. And there are ample historical notes at the end of each volume separating fact from fiction. This
is the book you need to read (and it's light reading) in order to learn lots about our Heimat. It will answer lots, if not most, of your questions. There is an order blank on the website so that you can order directly from the publisher.
The story begins in AD 782 with the ancient Saxons fighting against Charlemagne. Here are a few of the questions the books will answer. Why was there never a united Germany, but all little bits and pieces, until 1871? It was all Charlemagne's fault. Why are there three Saxonys? Niedersachsen was the original Saxony - the other two didn't even exist until the late 12th cent. And John, the Saxons were one of the few tribes, perhaps the only one, who did not succumb to the lure of the riches of Rome. Except for those who went to England, most of them stayed right where they were, mostly peacefully. And yes, Tom, Plattdeutsch is the language of Niedersachsen - it was the lingua franca of the Hanse back in the 13th-16th cent - and might have been the language of all Germany had not Luther translated the Bible into Hochdeutsch. Even now there is a considerable movement to reinstate the language, much as the movement in Scotland to reinstate Gaelic. You will learn why it
is so difficult if not impossible to find records in the small towns before 1650 or so. The Thirty Years War destroyed so much. And why the Elector of Hannover became King George I of England. And how cruel he was to his exiled wife Sophie Dorothea - one of the most tragic love stories in all history. I could go on and on but I'm afraid the Administrator of the list will throw me off of it.
So buy the books and learn, learn. I'd love to autograph them for you but that is a bit difficult over Email. Love to all, Jane
Jane Swan
jeswansong@earthlink.net
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.