Some of you will remember that I have sent URLs to this List which came from the German Information Center (German Embassy) "This Week in Germany" messages. I receive other e-mail information from other sources. One of which is the daily short listing from Britannica encyclopedia people which offers limited information on what may have happened on the particular date in history. I have found those details to be helpful in understanding the world happenings during the lives of my ancestors. Those of you who have had personal correspondence with me also know that I am slow in writing and can be behind in answering mail and, in this case, behind in forwarding this little bit of history. For September 12, Britannica identified that in 1733 on that date Stanislaw I was elected King of Poland by the 12,000 delegates to the Sejm (Diet) in Warsaw. This action led to the War of the Polish Succession. The War of the Polish Succession is described in a short paragraph, in German, at < http://ortenau.genealogy-bw.de/ > and, in English, at the World History at KMLA < http://www.zum.de/whkmla/military/18cen/polsucc.html >. While the war over a Polish King may not seem important to the towns of the Ortenau, the Rhine area was one of the major battlefields of the war with the French and Austrians having some of their battles in parts of our Ortenau area. As a result you may find unique patterns in the Church Registers of your searched churches during the years 1733 and 1734, perhaps more deaths than usual, perhaps more or fewer marriages. The worst scenario may be similar to any needs at the town of Fautenbach where most of the Church Registers were destroyed during a French raid in 1734. I offer this "little bit of history" as this War may have caused some actions in the 1733-1734 time line of your ancestors' lives. djweber [email protected]