Dear Pamela: I too read your various communications with avid interest. I have a number of ancestors who came from Hesse and several from Bavaria. I can't find them in the old country. I have tracked them all in the USA but keep skirting Germany because I don't know where to start. Last year I went to Ireland to find traces of a grgrgrandmother. I found traces of her west of Belfast which I thought was a great exercise. Knowing that you are busy I would at least like to ask your advice concerning tracing my German ancestors. Ed Wolfe<deskipper@sbcglobal.net> Pamela Splettstoesser <pamela@palettemasters.com> wrote: Thank you Dona. It is always nice to know when a information or a link I have posted is of use to someone. I know when I first moved to Europe, I was so happy to be able to read the news in English! So when compiling a list of links to help people here, I thought back to the ones that were the most helpful to me. Again, thanks for the comments Dona! Pamela Splettstoesser My Mothers Side http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nilajean/ My Fathers Side http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~splettstoesser Helpful Links www.palettemasters.com/map -----Original Message----- From: Dona Ostrander [mailto:do3sims@juno.com] Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 5:49 AM To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance Pamela, I am writing to give you my vote too. I just spent 45 minutes reading the German News in English. Very refreshing. You may remember how starved Americans are for world news. Thank you. Dona Ostrander Navarre, Florida ========================================================================= ========================================================================= ======================================================================= On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 17:31:11 +0200 "Pamela Splettstoesser" writes: > Thank you Dorothy. I don't mind helping at all. I know from > experience how hard it is to get information from another country. > Besides, it is always nice to talk to fellow Americans! > > Pamela Splettstoesser > www.palettemasters.com/map > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dorothy C. White [mailto:dotwhite@comcast.net] > Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 4:55 PM > To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: FW: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance > > Pamela, you are a jewel to post all these wonderful web sites. And to > make your generous offer to help. > > Thank you so very much. > > Dorothy C. White > dotwhite@comcast.net > 804.795.4296 > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Pamela Splettstoesser [mailto:pamela@palettemasters.com] > > Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 9:17 PM > > To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance > > > > > > I have received quite a few requests for assistance because I am > an > > American living in Europe. So I thought I would explain a bit so > that > > those of you who are not familiar with the layout of the land > could > > see my location. I have created a map page that shows Germany and > the > > Netherlands. On this map I have placed a star where I live and a > blue > > circle to show the area that I am willing to travel. I can do > > research all over Germany and the Netherlands but travelling for > fotos > > or going through records books in area's outside the blue ring > would > > mean over two hours travel one way and this is more than I am > willing > > to do at the moment. > > http://www.palettemasters.com/map/ > > > > However, I have included several very useful links on this page > and > > should anyone need help within my area I would be more than glad > to > > assist. Be sure to check out all the links I have included. I > > included German and Dutch telephone books(Look up live > relatives!), > > German and Dutch news (In > > English) Free German and Dutch language lessons, Dutch TV guide( > so > > you can see what American shows are on) , German and Dutch > Department > > stores(Check out the fashions and prices!), Maps and routes(find > any > > address in Europe), Translation. And last but not least, though I > > > never charge for helping, I have included a donation button via > PayPal > > for anyone who finds my assistance useful! > > > > I hope that you find these links all helpful as well as > interesting. > > If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. > > > > Pamela Splettstoesser > > www.palettemasters.com > > > > > > > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== > > Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to > > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html > > to unsubscribe > > > > > > > > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== > Have you consider the volunteering of transcribing parish records to > be added to WorldGenWeb Archives for others to research? > Contact mailto:dsam@sampubco.com?subject=transcribing_records > > > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== > Have you consider the volunteering of transcribing parish records to > be added to WorldGenWeb Archives for others to research? > Contact mailto:dsam@sampubco.com?subject=transcribing_records > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html to unsubscribe ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html to unsubscribe

Hello Ed, I probably am not the best person to ask about this as I went about it in a pretty drastic way. I just packed up my things and moved to Germany one day. I did not speak the language, and I did not know anyone here. I had only my Great Grandparents names, dates of birth and the name of the town that they had married in Germany. I went to the town and just started asking questions! I found out that the records which had been kept in the church, had been moved to an office because of renovation.... It took a few days but I found the person who had the key to this office and after explaining my plight to him, he allowed me to look through the books. I had with me a laptop, scanner and digital camera. I found in these old books, the birth, christening and marriage records of my Great Grandparents as well as all their siblings, parents and grandparents! They allowed me to scan each page. This was a major ordeal as the books are very large and old as you can imagine. I spent a week in the town and found relatives of my Great Grandmother who still lived there and though they spoke no English, it was wonderful to share fotos and hilarious to see the pantomimes we went through to get our words understood. We nearly wore out my German/English dictionary in that week! But I have to say, it was a wonderful trip and the feeling you get when you walk the same cobble stone streets as your Great Grandparents and sit in the pews of the church where your relatives for generations have sat, there is just nothing like it! But as I said, this was a drastic way of doing things and not everyone is as spontaneous as I am. But being single and all my children are now grown and married, I had no responsibilities to worry about but myself so Off I went! :-) I loved Europe so much that I decided to stay. I filed my papers for my Germany citizenship and now I am free to live and work anywhere in the EU. My American family thinks I have lost my mind, My new found German family thinks I am smart to leave the US! And I am enjoying life. While this way may not be for everyone, for me it was perfect! Pamela Splettstoesser http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~splettstoesser/ www.palettemasters.com/map -----Original Message----- From: C Edw Wolfe [mailto:deskipper@sbcglobal.net] Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 1:27 AM To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance Dear Pamela: I too read your various communications with avid interest. I have a number of ancestors who came from Hesse and several from Bavaria. I can't find them in the old country. I have tracked them all in the USA but keep skirting Germany because I don't know where to start. Last year I went to Ireland to find traces of a grgrgrandmother. I found traces of her west of Belfast which I thought was a great exercise. Knowing that you are busy I would at least like to ask your advice concerning tracing my German ancestors. Ed Wolfe<deskipper@sbcglobal.net> Pamela Splettstoesser <pamela@palettemasters.com> wrote: Thank you Dona. It is always nice to know when a information or a link I have posted is of use to someone. I know when I first moved to Europe, I was so happy to be able to read the news in English! So when compiling a list of links to help people here, I thought back to the ones that were the most helpful to me. Again, thanks for the comments Dona! Pamela Splettstoesser My Mothers Side http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nilajean/ My Fathers Side http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~splettstoesser Helpful Links www.palettemasters.com/map -----Original Message----- From: Dona Ostrander [mailto:do3sims@juno.com] Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 5:49 AM To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance Pamela, I am writing to give you my vote too. I just spent 45 minutes reading the German News in English. Very refreshing. You may remember how starved Americans are for world news. Thank you. Dona Ostrander Navarre, Florida ========================================================================= ========================================================================= ======================================================================= On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 17:31:11 +0200 "Pamela Splettstoesser" writes: > Thank you Dorothy. I don't mind helping at all. I know from experience > how hard it is to get information from another country. > Besides, it is always nice to talk to fellow Americans! > > Pamela Splettstoesser > www.palettemasters.com/map > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dorothy C. White [mailto:dotwhite@comcast.net] > Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 4:55 PM > To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: FW: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance > > Pamela, you are a jewel to post all these wonderful web sites. And to > make your generous offer to help. > > Thank you so very much. > > Dorothy C. White > dotwhite@comcast.net > 804.795.4296 > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Pamela Splettstoesser [mailto:pamela@palettemasters.com] > > Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 9:17 PM > > To: BAVARIA-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [BAVARIA] Dutch and German Assistance > > > > > > I have received quite a few requests for assistance because I am > an > > American living in Europe. So I thought I would explain a bit so > that > > those of you who are not familiar with the layout of the land > could > > see my location. I have created a map page that shows Germany and > the > > Netherlands. On this map I have placed a star where I live and a > blue > > circle to show the area that I am willing to travel. I can do > > research all over Germany and the Netherlands but travelling for > fotos > > or going through records books in area's outside the blue ring > would > > mean over two hours travel one way and this is more than I am > willing > > to do at the moment. > > http://www.palettemasters.com/map/ > > > > However, I have included several very useful links on this page > and > > should anyone need help within my area I would be more than glad > to > > assist. Be sure to check out all the links I have included. I > > included German and Dutch telephone books(Look up live > relatives!), > > German and Dutch news (In > > English) Free German and Dutch language lessons, Dutch TV guide( > so > > you can see what American shows are on) , German and Dutch > Department > > stores(Check out the fashions and prices!), Maps and routes(find > any > > address in Europe), Translation. And last but not least, though I > > > never charge for helping, I have included a donation button via > PayPal > > for anyone who finds my assistance useful! > > > > I hope that you find these links all helpful as well as > interesting. > > If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. > > > > Pamela Splettstoesser > > www.palettemasters.com > > > > > > > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== > > Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to > > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html > > to unsubscribe > > > > > > > > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== > Have you consider the volunteering of transcribing parish records to > be added to WorldGenWeb Archives for others to research? > Contact mailto:dsam@sampubco.com?subject=transcribing_records > > > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== > Have you consider the volunteering of transcribing parish records to > be added to WorldGenWeb Archives for others to research? > Contact mailto:dsam@sampubco.com?subject=transcribing_records > > ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html to unsubscribe ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html to unsubscribe ==== BAVARIA Mailing List ==== Going on Vacation? Longer than 4 days? Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/BAVARIA.html to unsubscribe