Hello Arlene,
as I, unfortunately, have to work during the week, I could help you on the weekends - I live in Oldenburg, not very far from Varel. Maybe we could arrange.
"Arlene Brackensick" <abrack@execpc.com> schrieb:
Any interest in opening this up? Aren't there some Archives in Oldenburg?
And I have ancestors from Jever. I would like to research in both....
My 1999 gen. research experience in Germany offers these recommendations:
If possible travel, with your spouse or a friend, one to drive and the other
as navigator. Book your flights to Frankfort, the main German airport and
in central Germany, not too far from Oldenburg. Rent a car, get one with a
diesel engine, expect it to have a straight transmission, on automatics,
learn in advance how to shift into reverse (pull up on the ring below the
gear shift knob) also in advance of the trip at the airport. Buy a road map
of northern Germany in the U.S. or in the airport there. Get the map form
the rental agency that leads you out of the parking garage, airport and
Frankfort. Mark the map and save it for your return to this same garage at
end of your trip.
(The entire country is the size of Montana). German road signs are NOT like
ours. The route nos. exist for the autobahns and main roads, but the signs
typically point to a town on this road. If you exceed their generous speed
limits, all posted in Km per hr. you may be clocked with a camera and sent a
traffic ticket through your car rental agency for a hefty fine. Friends of
ours were hit with one for over $450 in 2002.
Make contacts from your home base before you leave, look for websites, with
the church offices (Catholic, Lutheran or Reformed) in advance to determine
their archiv locations (get town and street addresses and phone numbers),
days and hours they are open, accessibility to parish kirchenbuch records
and need for appointment or not. for church sources:
Find the Catholic "Katolische" Diocez or Bistum Archiv for this research.
These Diocez facilities are in the cities where the bishop's seat or offices
are. We were in the Vechta Bistum Archiv. and found herr Sieve, the
director or asst. dir. speaking English and very helpful. The parish
kirchenbuch records there go back to about 1650 and have been transcribed by
typewritten script, making the research quite simple. Records are separated
into births/baptisms, marriages, and funerals/deaths. They may allow use of
and have a photo-copier for a small charge per page. Use of a digital
camera would be a good alternatative.
We also visited the archiv in Osnabrueck, in Hanover, which requires
appointments weeks in advance, for Thursdays only, unless one is a local
genealogist. We did get about an hour there on a Friday without an
appointment, because the staff person took pity on us. There are also Stadt
archives, run by each city or state; however their records are transcribed
from parish records as of 1875.
The Protestant churches also have parish records, typically in central
offices similar to the Cath.. Dioc.
The German cemeteries do not sell permanent burial plots. These are rented
for 30 years, and then re-rented to others unless the family renews their
plot rental.
Visiting the parish offices (Pfarrhaus or pastor's house) is not always
successful, unless you are a German native and fluent in German. The folks
there are guarded with their records, unless one is a native with some
linkage.
We stayed in Gasthaus rooms or small hotels and inns, with breakfast
provided for places. Tourist Information offices are in most cities with
lists of inns. Drive along the main road of the town you likely will stay
in and look for GASTHAUS or Inn signs to stay. Pick a central town to your
research and make day trips from there. In talking to the owners and
innkeepers about our search we gained other contacts in the towns who found
info for us we would not have located on our own. The German folks almost
all respect our interest in finding info on our ancestors. Ask for their
help and you will get it.
Learn to say, at least, "Mein namen ist (---). Mein urgrosvater/mutter
(g-grandfather or mother) aus (---)" (this town). This will help break the
ice and usually, the other person will invite you in and speak "a little
English", often equal to an American in a U.S. university.
Take pictures of old houses, churches, inns and lanes. The German version
of Historic Williamsburg, VA and Sturbridge Village. Mass. is in Kloppenburg
(Cloppenberg), in central Oldenburg. This is worth a visit. If I can help
further, e-mail me directly.
Bob
Bob's suggestions are all very good.
Be as prepared as possible before you go. It helps to know German, also,
especially pronunciation so that people know what town or place you're
asking about.
I would make one suggestion also--most American flights go into Amsterdam
and then one can do a city hopper flight to Bremen. Renting a car there and
driving to Oldenburg is just about an hour's drive, rather than the several
hours from Frankfurt. . . and Bremen is a small airport and easier to
manage. Or....it is also easy to rent a car in Amsterdam and drive to
Oldenburg. You avoid hugh traffic jams that can pile up for kilometers
between Frankfurt and the north, especially around K�ln and the industrial
regions. Plus, arriving in Amsterdam one can count on English being
understood.