What do you say to a total stranger who is somehow related to you?

hannover-l
1

Andrea
Keep it to the point, short, and request an answer. Also, appologize if you have the wrong person.
Dear Mr or Mrs(Miss)
Geehrte Herr oder Frau(Fr�ulein)
My name is ____, I live at _______, and am the daughter/son of _________
Mein Name ist _____, ich wohne in _____, und bin die Tochter/Sohn von __
I believe that we are related by having a common relative in ________.
Ich glaube dass wir verwandt sind durch _______.
He/she was my _______ who migrated to the USA in 1900.
Er/Sie war meine ________ die in die USA in 1900 emmigrierte.
Should you be able to confirm this, I would like to have you reply.
Sollten Sie dieses best�tigen k�nnen, bitte schreiben Sie mir.
Should I have reached the wrong person, please pardon my intrusion.
Falls ich die falsche Person bekommen habe, entschuldigen Sie die St�rung.
Respectfully
Hochachtungsvoll

2

Dear Andrea,

You might also enclose a self addressed return envelope. Pre paid ostage wouldn't be bad idea. The international mail a bit expensive. This way might encourage a reply to your letter.

Barbie

P.S. I think enclosing photo a wonderful idea.

Andrea
Keep it to the point, short, and request an answer. Also, appologize if you have the wrong person.
Dear Mr or Mrs(Miss)
Geehrte Herr oder Frau(Fr�ulein)
My name is ____, I live at _______, and am the daughter/son of _________
Mein Name ist _____, ich wohne in _____, und bin die Tochter/Sohn von __
I believe that we are related by having a common relative in ________.
Ich glaube dass wir verwandt sind durch _______.
He/she was my _______ who migrated to the USA in 1900.
Er/Sie war meine ________ die in die USA in 1900 emmigrierte.
Should you be able to confirm this, I would like to have you reply.
Sollten Sie dieses best�tigen k�nnen, bitte schreiben Sie mir.
Should I have reached the wrong person, please pardon my intrusion.
Falls ich die falsche Person bekommen habe, entschuldigen Sie die St�rung.
Respectfully
Hochachtungsvoll

3

The real problem with writing to "found" relatives is that
they often have NO INTEREST in genealogy and never
even heard of the mutual ancestor you just found!

We are lucky in Germany, though, as people are more and
more interested in their family history now. For many years
after Hitler required a family tree in his files for your survival,
people were loathe to bring up those memories.

Now it's a new generation and many villages have written
updated histories in the last 30 years.

Maureen

4

Yes Maureen,
This is very tree of all nationalities , genealogy is the modern [pastime of very many people not only in the USA and Uk but many other countries too as I think they an we all want and need a sense of belonging to a family whether it be now or in the past .
MaryJane ...in the UK