Hello Jean, Bischwiller in Bas-Rhin, Alsace has nothing to do with Bitche in Moselle, Lorraine. Bischwiller < Bischoveswilre 1236 = "villa of the Bischof" (bishop) Bitche < Bytis castrum 1172 = "castle on the hill" I remember having put a query for you on a regional list, without any response so far. Looks like a needle in a haystack. Alsace has NEVER belonged to Bavaria, which is far away. Bavaria is much older than 1871, since it was mentionned in early Middle Age. The only (indirect) link to Alsace was that a part of Palatinate (German region, north to Alsace and Lorraine) was ruled by Bavaria for some time. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany ---- then "5. States" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenish_Palatinate Another recurrent topic: Alsace and Lorraine were NEVER part of historical Prussia (region of Berlin) . When annexed to the Second Empire (1871-1918), Alsace (at least its malor part) and a part of Lorraine (Moselle) formed together the Land of "Elsass-Lothringen" within the Empire ruled by the Prussians. The whole Empire was often named the Prussian Empire. Have a nice Sunday, Etienne Le 9 nov. 08 à 09:01, alsace-lorraine-request@rootsweb.com a écrit : > Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 10:27:02 EST > From: Nutmeg421@aol.com > > In a message dated 11/8/08 3:43:50 AM, etienne.herrbach@wanadoo.fr > writes: >> Alsatian roots, in Bischwiller, Bas Rhin, > > Etienne: Bischwiller. Not to be confused with Bitche? I'm still > looking for > Adam Becker and his wife Maria Brunon in Alsace. Someone wrote that > their son > in law was from Bitche, which I believe you pointed out was in > Lorraine. My > grandfather always stated that he was born in Alsace, was French and > his native > tongue was French. Later census records say he was born in Bavaria, > which I > know is part of Germany, founded in 1871. He also says Prussia at > times. Did > Alsace become part of Bayern or Bavaria when it was part of Germany? > This is my > thirty year search. I can't go past Adam Becker and Maria Brunon > Becker without > finding their village. Both were killed in an accident in the 1860s. > I'd love > to find out more about that, too. When my grandfather and his > younger brother > left, they left from LeHavre, went to England before coming to NYC, > about > 1868. I seem to be the only one researching this Becker line. Surely > there are > other descendants. I always thought some stayed in Europe. Well, I > know they did > because we had a picture of them that was taken prior to WWII on the > wall when > I was a child. I do not now what happened to the picture, but I can > still see > it. Some were about my age. I know they were impacted by the war. > Haunts me > still. Jean