>From searching for details at Wendelin's Companion Pages (of this List) I have wondered about how many hours he has spent in Libraries, at Archives, in Town Records, wherever he needed to go to compile so much genealogical information for us on so many towns of the Ortenau. If you have not read about your ancestors' home town or seached your family surname in those pages, you may be missing vital information. A surname search gave me a sufficient hint that I was able to expand one of my searches by several generations....into additional towns. Use those pages: < http://ortenau.genealogy-bw.de > and < http://ortenau.genealogy-bw.de/search/ >. They are the best online source for Ortenau genealogical information. There are other online information which can add current and general information about those home towns you are searching. Many Towns have their own web sites and there are number Baden tourism pages, particularly on the Baden Wine "road". This information is, of course, in the German language and usually in a more complicated German than in Wendelin's pages but, if not the words, many of the pictures are worthwhile to view. While they will show you your town today, you can imagine what your ancestor seeing the same hills and the same forests....and if the town is in the grape-growing area, your ancestor may have seen similar vineyards as in today's online pictures. Go into a Town web page, check out every Link and every Link on the linked pages. These Town pages may have a few clues to help you understand that other language. If there is a British "Union Jack" flag on the page, this would mean that at least that one page is also available in the English language. Gästebuch suggest a Guest Book. Geschichte could lead you to the only possible genealogical information on the site, a Town History. Ortsplan or a similar word should be a Link to a town map. Rathaus should be a listing of details pertaining to the Town, officials, services, hours, etc. Tourismus or a similar word suggests tourist details of interest and perhaps what special happenings are planned for the near future. Willkommen is the Town's welcome to you to learn about the Germans of that town. I have not included any of the Baden Tourist web sites but, below, are many of the URLs for the official town sites of towns of the Ortenau. Not all the consolidated towns are listed and some of the individual towns which were merged into those consolidated towns may even have their own web site....some of those towns are included. Achern < http://www.achern.de/ > Appenweier < http://www.appenweier.de/ > Bad Peterstal-Griesbach < http://gemeinde.bad-peterstal-griesbach.de/servlet/PB/menu/-1/index.html > Berghaupten < http://www.berghaupten.de/ > Biberach < http://www.biberach.de/ > Bottenau < http://www.oberkirch.de/bottenau/ > Durbach < http://www.durbach.de/ > Ettenheim < http://www.ettenheim.de/dynasite.cfm?dssid=4259 > Fautenbach < http://www.fautenbach.de/ > Fischerbach < http://www.fischerbach.de/fr_gem.htm > Friesenheim < http://www.friesenheim.de/ > Gutach < http://www.gutach-schwarzwald.de/frameset.php > Grossweier < http://grossweier.fricar.de/index.html > Haslach < http://www.haslach.de/servlet/PB/menu/1088194/index.html > Hausach < http://www.hausach.de/ > Hofstetten < http://www.hofstetten-schwarzwald.de/ > Hohberg < http://www.hohberg.de/content/show/de_DE > Hornberg < http://www.hornberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/-1/index.html > Kappel-Grafenhausen < http://www.kappel-grafenhausen.de/ > Kappelrodeck < http://www.kappelrodeck.de/ > Kehl < http://www.kehl.de/ > Kippenheim < http://www.kippenheim.de/de/index.php > Lahr < http://www.lahr.de/ > Mahlberg < http://www.mahlberg.de/ > Meissenheim < http://www.meissenheim.de/ > Muehlenbach < http://www.muehlenbach.de/muehlenbach.htm > Neuried < http://www.neuried.net/html_de/index.cfm > Nordrach < http://www.nordrach.de/ > Nussbach < http://www.oberkirch.de/nussbach/ > Oberkirch < http://www.oberkirch.de/ > Oberhammersbach < http://www.oberharmersbach.de/ > Oberwolfach < http://www.oberwolfach.de/ > Oedsbach < http://www.oberkirch.de/oedsbach/ > Oensbach < http://www.oensbach.de/ > Offenburg < http://www.offenburg.de/ > Ohlsbach < http://www.ohlsbach.de/ > Oppenau < http://www.oppenau.de/ > Ortenberg < http://www.ortenberg.de/index2.htm > Ottenhoefen < http://www.ottenhoefen.de/ > Rheinau < http://www.rheinau.de/ . Ringelbach < http://www.oberkirch.de/ringelbach/ > Ringsheim < http://www.ringsheim.de/dynasite.cfm > Rust < http://www.rust.de/ > Sasbach < http://www.sasbach.de/frameset.html > Sasbachwalden < http://www.sasbachwalden.de/ > Schuttertal < http://www.schuttertal.de/ > Schutterwald < http://www.schutterwald.de/index1.htm > Schwanau < http://www.schwanau.de/ > Seebach < http://www.seebach.de/ > Stadelhofen < http://www.stadelhofen.de/ > Steinach < http://www.steinach.de/ > Tiergarten < http://www.oberkirch.de/tiergarten/ > Wagshurst < http://www.achern.de/geschichte/ortschaften/wa/index.htm > Willstaedt < http://www.willstaett.de/ > Wolfach < http://www.wolfach.de/ > Zusenhofen < http://www.zusenhofen.de/ > In addition < http://www.badische-seiten.de/neuried/ > has some minor information on the towns of Altenheim, Dundenheim, Ichenheim, Muellen and Schutterzell, all towns within the consolidated town of Neuried. Beyond the towns, there are even some area sites which could be of value such as < http://www.achertal.com/ > and < http://www.kinzigtal.de/ > Follow the river through a number of towns? djweber djwdjw@ix.netcom.com You may correct my spelling of URLs and any incorrect URLs...at any time.