In going through your archives of emails, I came across a Julie Ann who had inquired about her Christl family from Einsiedl, near Marienbad, in 1997. I tried to contact her at her email address, but her address was not good: julieann97@aol.com. Would you happen to know of an updated email address for her? My ancestors are from this area, and I have some information on the Christl family. If you could give her my email address, I'd appreciate it; or if you can give hers to me, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Mary Utschig Read

Hello list, I´m new to the list, researching : -Sammet in Granesau/Chranisov and Neusattl/Nove sedlo -Wohlrab in Hohendorf/Vysoka -Hauer in Nallesgrün/Nadlesi and Elbogen/Loket -Rossmeissl in Nallesgrün/Nadlesi -Dittrich in Dreihäuser/Tridomi -Hubl in Poschitzai/Bosirany All places are located in district Elbogen. An interesting fact is that Rossmeissl is not only a surname of my ancestors but also the name of a village in district Elbogen. I´m really grateful for every information from persons researching the same places or surnames. Viola from Germany

St. Barbara is still the patron Saint of Artillerymen. Each year artillery units gather together and have St. Barbara Day Balls - formal dinners and dances. As a former artilleryman, it's good to see that I have another connection to my Bohemian ancestors. Rob Simmons Ada, Michigan > [Original Message] > From: aida kraus <akibb1@verizon.net> > To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: 11/30/2005 7:24:46 PM > Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > > "The Holy Barbara is the saint of the miners and in earlier times she was > the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some areas of mining there are > 'Barbara-feasts' until today." you stated.... > Karen: There is a custom at Karlsbad called "Barbarazweige" > ansetzen.....Our Egerl�nder would go out into their orchards and cut a > branch from their cherry tree on December 4th. It was put in a vase and if > it bloomed at Christmas, all was going to be well with the family. If a girl > had more than one suitor and did not know whom to favor, she would cut two > or three branches of different sizes and "named" them with the name of her > suitors. The one that bloomed first would become her husband.....!!! > from Aida > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <KarenHob@aol.com> > To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 3:59 PM > Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > > > > Lori, > > > > If you want more information about Christmas with the German-bohemians you > > should look at some of the past December issues of the GBHS Heimatbrief at > > their > > website: > > > > The pages I got when I visited the URL I posted were all in English. > > These are two of them: > > > > Austria: Long-established customs > > > > When the nights are drawing out and the days are getting colder this is > > also > > in Austria a sign of the approaching Christmas time which is characterized > > by > > long-established customs. > > > > In the streets and shops of Austria Christmas decoration, illuminated > > trees > > and Santa Claus-figures in many front gardens create a festive Christmassy > > atmosphere. It's not only the children who beam with happiness when it's > > time for > > 'Christkindl'-fairs, nativity plays and watching the cribs everywhere - of > > course also the grown-ups are strongly attracted to all this. When the > > smell of > > the Christmas baking spreads in the houses the busy hustle and bustle > > gives way > > to silence and contemplation. Most of all in the countryside many > > traditional > > events take place. > > > > Two days in Advent are especially noticeable because of they are > > particular > > Austrian: it is the St Barbara's Day on the 4th of December and the St > > Nicholas' Day on the 6th of December. The Holy Barbara is the saint of the > > miners and > > in earlier times she was the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some > > areas > > of mining there are 'Barbara-feasts' until today. In the votiv chapel of > > Vienna a candle four metres long is lighted in honour of the artillery. > > > > Traditional customs concerning St Nicholas one can find in Matrei in > > Eastern > > Tyrol, in Carinthia, in Styria and in many other places of Austria. Here > > St > > Nicholas processions take place that often have a touch of acting on > > stage. > > > > In some parts of the country wind players in the church towers call the > > children out of the houses and flats so that the parents can do last > > preparations > > for Christmas Eve. The youngest receive their presents from the Christ > > Child or > > Santa Claus. The evening ends with an opulent Christmas dinner. The > > Austrians > > serve meat or fish as a main course and for dessert there is strudel > > pastry, > > fruit bread, stollen or gingerbread. > > > > Christmas Day, the 25th of December, traditionally belongs to the family. > > On > > St Stephen's Day, the 26th of December, people usually go out to see some > > friends or relatives. In earlier times the farmers used to move their > > horses on > > this day - from this developed the tradition of the 'St Stephen's-riding'. > > The > > people of St. Stefan in the valley of Lavant connect this riding with a > > blessing of their horses. > > > > Reference: �sterreich-Werbung > > > > > > > > Further reports concerning Christmas in Austria > > > > Christmas customs in Austria > > > > Steyr - the only official town of the Christ Child > > > > Unterhimmel: this is where the Christ Child lives > > > > Christmas customs in Vorarlberg > > > > > > > > > > Germany: Crib, Christ Child and Christmas tree > > > > For the children Christmas Eve is the most eagerly awaited day of the > > whole > > year. When on the 24th of December all the candles of the Christmas tree > > are > > alight and the presents under the Christmas tree promise great surprises > > then > > the little cheeks of the children redden and the whole family is in a > > festive > > mood. > > > > But there is an awful lot to do until Christmassy quietness can come to > > German living rooms. Until midday people go shopping because they lay in > > stocks for > > the holidays! > > > > Many families begin with the preparation in the late afternoon. The 'home > > crib', famous since the 17th century mainly in Catholic regions of > > Germany, is > > taken from the cellar or from the attic. The custom of having cribs at > > home goes > > back to St. Francis. The legend says that in 1233 he was the first who > > performed the incidents of the Holy Night. In earlier times the crib was > > meant to > > show the joy and the happiness of Catholic families who saw their cribs as > > an > > opposite to the Protestant Christmas tree. Most of all it is the children > > who > > love to help when it comes to decorate the Christmas tree. > > > > Colorful glitter-balls, lametta, figures madde out of wax, glass and metal > > and stars made out of straw transform the pine-trees and spruces into > > typical > > German Christmas trees. The top of the tree is decorated with a > > gold-glittering > > angel or an artistically manufactured glass ball. Another specialty are > > the so > > called Christmas pyramids from Saxony that can be found in many German > > households. on top of the pyramid is a winged wheel that is driven by the > > flame of > > the candles. This winged wheel passes on ist movement to the other levels > > of > > the pyramid. All these levels go round in a circle and they show what > > happened > > in the Holy Night. > > > > For centuries the Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus with a service. > > Depending on region and religious denomination this service takes place in > > the > > late afternoon or at the midnight hour. > > > > Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the 25th and the 26th of December, > > traditionally belong to the families. On the 25th of December the > > relations come together > > for an opulent meal - before that the children play with their new toys - > > Santa's surprise the evening before. In the afternoon the families go for > > a walk, > > to see some friends or to one of the Christmas concerts that take place in > > many German churches. > > > > Reference: Content-Team Globalheads Gmbh > > > > > > > > > > I don't know > > > > In a message dated 11/30/2005 12:44:20 PM Mountain Standard Time, > > lschriefer@hswgb.com writes: > > Is there an English translation for all of this? > > > > Lori Schriefer > > Hance Scarborough Wright Ginsberg & Brusilow, LLP > > 14755 Preston Road, Suite 600 > > Dallas, Texas 75254 > > Telephone: 972-788-1600 > > Facsimile: 972-702-0662 > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: KarenHob@aol.com [mailto:KarenHob@aol.com] > > Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 12:41 PM > > To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > > > > > > Another URL for Christmas around the world. This one includes Germany > > and > > Austria which were missing from the other. The descriptions are more > > detailed. > > > > http://www.global-christmas.com/scripts_en/world/europe/main_world_europ > > e01.ht > > ml > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > > > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > > Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the > > list? > > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an > > archive. > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the list? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an archive. >

Lori, If you want more information about Christmas with the German-bohemians you should look at some of the past December issues of the GBHS Heimatbrief at their website: The pages I got when I visited the URL I posted were all in English. These are two of them: Austria: Long-established customs When the nights are drawing out and the days are getting colder this is also in Austria a sign of the approaching Christmas time which is characterized by long-established customs. In the streets and shops of Austria Christmas decoration, illuminated trees and Santa Claus-figures in many front gardens create a festive Christmassy atmosphere. It's not only the children who beam with happiness when it's time for 'Christkindl'-fairs, nativity plays and watching the cribs everywhere - of course also the grown-ups are strongly attracted to all this. When the smell of the Christmas baking spreads in the houses the busy hustle and bustle gives way to silence and contemplation. Most of all in the countryside many traditional events take place. Two days in Advent are especially noticeable because of they are particular Austrian: it is the St Barbara's Day on the 4th of December and the St Nicholas' Day on the 6th of December. The Holy Barbara is the saint of the miners and in earlier times she was the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some areas of mining there are 'Barbara-feasts' until today. In the votiv chapel of Vienna a candle four metres long is lighted in honour of the artillery. Traditional customs concerning St Nicholas one can find in Matrei in Eastern Tyrol, in Carinthia, in Styria and in many other places of Austria. Here St Nicholas processions take place that often have a touch of acting on stage. In some parts of the country wind players in the church towers call the children out of the houses and flats so that the parents can do last preparations for Christmas Eve. The youngest receive their presents from the Christ Child or Santa Claus. The evening ends with an opulent Christmas dinner. The Austrians serve meat or fish as a main course and for dessert there is strudel pastry, fruit bread, stollen or gingerbread. Christmas Day, the 25th of December, traditionally belongs to the family. On St Stephen's Day, the 26th of December, people usually go out to see some friends or relatives. In earlier times the farmers used to move their horses on this day - from this developed the tradition of the 'St Stephen's-riding'. The people of St. Stefan in the valley of Lavant connect this riding with a blessing of their horses. Reference: Österreich-Werbung Further reports concerning Christmas in Austria Christmas customs in Austria Steyr - the only official town of the Christ Child Unterhimmel: this is where the Christ Child lives Christmas customs in Vorarlberg Germany: Crib, Christ Child and Christmas tree For the children Christmas Eve is the most eagerly awaited day of the whole year. When on the 24th of December all the candles of the Christmas tree are alight and the presents under the Christmas tree promise great surprises then the little cheeks of the children redden and the whole family is in a festive mood. But there is an awful lot to do until Christmassy quietness can come to German living rooms. Until midday people go shopping because they lay in stocks for the holidays! Many families begin with the preparation in the late afternoon. The 'home crib', famous since the 17th century mainly in Catholic regions of Germany, is taken from the cellar or from the attic. The custom of having cribs at home goes back to St. Francis. The legend says that in 1233 he was the first who performed the incidents of the Holy Night. In earlier times the crib was meant to show the joy and the happiness of Catholic families who saw their cribs as an opposite to the Protestant Christmas tree. Most of all it is the children who love to help when it comes to decorate the Christmas tree. Colorful glitter-balls, lametta, figures madde out of wax, glass and metal and stars made out of straw transform the pine-trees and spruces into typical German Christmas trees. The top of the tree is decorated with a gold-glittering angel or an artistically manufactured glass ball. Another specialty are the so called Christmas pyramids from Saxony that can be found in many German households. on top of the pyramid is a winged wheel that is driven by the flame of the candles. This winged wheel passes on ist movement to the other levels of the pyramid. All these levels go round in a circle and they show what happened in the Holy Night. For centuries the Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus with a service. Depending on region and religious denomination this service takes place in the late afternoon or at the midnight hour. Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the 25th and the 26th of December, traditionally belong to the families. On the 25th of December the relations come together for an opulent meal - before that the children play with their new toys - Santa's surprise the evening before. In the afternoon the families go for a walk, to see some friends or to one of the Christmas concerts that take place in many German churches. Reference: Content-Team Globalheads Gmbh I don't know In a message dated 11/30/2005 12:44:20 PM Mountain Standard Time, lschriefer@hswgb.com writes: Is there an English translation for all of this? Lori Schriefer Hance Scarborough Wright Ginsberg & Brusilow, LLP 14755 Preston Road, Suite 600 Dallas, Texas 75254 Telephone: 972-788-1600 Facsimile: 972-702-0662 -----Original Message----- From: KarenHob@aol.com [mailto:KarenHob@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 12:41 PM To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria Another URL for Christmas around the world. This one includes Germany and Austria which were missing from the other. The descriptions are more detailed. http://www.global-christmas.com/scripts_en/world/europe/main_world_europ e01.ht ml ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html

Thanks, Aida; Am practising the Barbarazweig custom, but never heard about the best way to choose between the suitors. Love it! Rosina ----- Original Message ----- From: aida kraus To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 4:23 PM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria "The Holy Barbara is the saint of the miners and in earlier times she was the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some areas of mining there are 'Barbara-feasts' until today." you stated.... Karen: There is a custom at Karlsbad called "Barbarazweige" ansetzen.....Our Egerländer would go out into their orchards and cut a branch from their cherry tree on December 4th. It was put in a vase and if it bloomed at Christmas, all was going to be well with the family. If a girl had more than one suitor and did not know whom to favor, she would cut two or three branches of different sizes and "named" them with the name of her suitors. The one that bloomed first would become her husband.....!!! from Aida ----- Original Message ----- From: <KarenHob@aol.com> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 3:59 PM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > Lori, > > If you want more information about Christmas with the German-bohemians you > should look at some of the past December issues of the GBHS Heimatbrief at > their > website: > > The pages I got when I visited the URL I posted were all in English. > These are two of them: > > Austria: Long-established customs > > When the nights are drawing out and the days are getting colder this is > also > in Austria a sign of the approaching Christmas time which is characterized > by > long-established customs. > > In the streets and shops of Austria Christmas decoration, illuminated > trees > and Santa Claus-figures in many front gardens create a festive Christmassy > atmosphere. It's not only the children who beam with happiness when it's > time for > 'Christkindl'-fairs, nativity plays and watching the cribs everywhere - of > course also the grown-ups are strongly attracted to all this. When the > smell of > the Christmas baking spreads in the houses the busy hustle and bustle > gives way > to silence and contemplation. Most of all in the countryside many > traditional > events take place. > > Two days in Advent are especially noticeable because of they are > particular > Austrian: it is the St Barbara's Day on the 4th of December and the St > Nicholas' Day on the 6th of December. The Holy Barbara is the saint of the > miners and > in earlier times she was the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some > areas > of mining there are 'Barbara-feasts' until today. In the votiv chapel of > Vienna a candle four metres long is lighted in honour of the artillery. > > Traditional customs concerning St Nicholas one can find in Matrei in > Eastern > Tyrol, in Carinthia, in Styria and in many other places of Austria. Here > St > Nicholas processions take place that often have a touch of acting on > stage. > > In some parts of the country wind players in the church towers call the > children out of the houses and flats so that the parents can do last > preparations > for Christmas Eve. The youngest receive their presents from the Christ > Child or > Santa Claus. The evening ends with an opulent Christmas dinner. The > Austrians > serve meat or fish as a main course and for dessert there is strudel > pastry, > fruit bread, stollen or gingerbread. > > Christmas Day, the 25th of December, traditionally belongs to the family. > On > St Stephen's Day, the 26th of December, people usually go out to see some > friends or relatives. In earlier times the farmers used to move their > horses on > this day - from this developed the tradition of the 'St Stephen's-riding'. > The > people of St. Stefan in the valley of Lavant connect this riding with a > blessing of their horses. > > Reference: Österreich-Werbung > > > > Further reports concerning Christmas in Austria > > Christmas customs in Austria > > Steyr - the only official town of the Christ Child > > Unterhimmel: this is where the Christ Child lives > > Christmas customs in Vorarlberg > > > > > Germany: Crib, Christ Child and Christmas tree > > For the children Christmas Eve is the most eagerly awaited day of the > whole > year. When on the 24th of December all the candles of the Christmas tree > are > alight and the presents under the Christmas tree promise great surprises > then > the little cheeks of the children redden and the whole family is in a > festive > mood. > > But there is an awful lot to do until Christmassy quietness can come to > German living rooms. Until midday people go shopping because they lay in > stocks for > the holidays! > > Many families begin with the preparation in the late afternoon. The 'home > crib', famous since the 17th century mainly in Catholic regions of > Germany, is > taken from the cellar or from the attic. The custom of having cribs at > home goes > back to St. Francis. The legend says that in 1233 he was the first who > performed the incidents of the Holy Night. In earlier times the crib was > meant to > show the joy and the happiness of Catholic families who saw their cribs as > an > opposite to the Protestant Christmas tree. Most of all it is the children > who > love to help when it comes to decorate the Christmas tree. > > Colorful glitter-balls, lametta, figures madde out of wax, glass and metal > and stars made out of straw transform the pine-trees and spruces into > typical > German Christmas trees. The top of the tree is decorated with a > gold-glittering > angel or an artistically manufactured glass ball. Another specialty are > the so > called Christmas pyramids from Saxony that can be found in many German > households. on top of the pyramid is a winged wheel that is driven by the > flame of > the candles. This winged wheel passes on ist movement to the other levels > of > the pyramid. All these levels go round in a circle and they show what > happened > in the Holy Night. > > For centuries the Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus with a service. > Depending on region and religious denomination this service takes place in > the > late afternoon or at the midnight hour. > > Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the 25th and the 26th of December, > traditionally belong to the families. On the 25th of December the > relations come together > for an opulent meal - before that the children play with their new toys - > Santa's surprise the evening before. In the afternoon the families go for > a walk, > to see some friends or to one of the Christmas concerts that take place in > many German churches. > > Reference: Content-Team Globalheads Gmbh > > > > > I don't know > > In a message dated 11/30/2005 12:44:20 PM Mountain Standard Time, > lschriefer@hswgb.com writes: > Is there an English translation for all of this? > > Lori Schriefer > Hance Scarborough Wright Ginsberg & Brusilow, LLP > 14755 Preston Road, Suite 600 > Dallas, Texas 75254 > Telephone: 972-788-1600 > Facsimile: 972-702-0662 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: KarenHob@aol.com [mailto:KarenHob@aol.com] > Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 12:41 PM > To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > > > Another URL for Christmas around the world. This one includes Germany > and > Austria which were missing from the other. The descriptions are more > detailed. > > http://www.global-christmas.com/scripts_en/world/europe/main_world_europ > e01.ht > ml > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the > list? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an > archive. > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the list? Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an archive.

"The Holy Barbara is the saint of the miners and in earlier times she was the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some areas of mining there are 'Barbara-feasts' until today." you stated.... Karen: There is a custom at Karlsbad called "Barbarazweige" ansetzen.....Our Egerländer would go out into their orchards and cut a branch from their cherry tree on December 4th. It was put in a vase and if it bloomed at Christmas, all was going to be well with the family. If a girl had more than one suitor and did not know whom to favor, she would cut two or three branches of different sizes and "named" them with the name of her suitors. The one that bloomed first would become her husband.....!!! from Aida ----- Original Message ----- From: <KarenHob@aol.com> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 3:59 PM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > Lori, > > If you want more information about Christmas with the German-bohemians you > should look at some of the past December issues of the GBHS Heimatbrief at > their > website: > > The pages I got when I visited the URL I posted were all in English. > These are two of them: > > Austria: Long-established customs > > When the nights are drawing out and the days are getting colder this is > also > in Austria a sign of the approaching Christmas time which is characterized > by > long-established customs. > > In the streets and shops of Austria Christmas decoration, illuminated > trees > and Santa Claus-figures in many front gardens create a festive Christmassy > atmosphere. It's not only the children who beam with happiness when it's > time for > 'Christkindl'-fairs, nativity plays and watching the cribs everywhere - of > course also the grown-ups are strongly attracted to all this. When the > smell of > the Christmas baking spreads in the houses the busy hustle and bustle > gives way > to silence and contemplation. Most of all in the countryside many > traditional > events take place. > > Two days in Advent are especially noticeable because of they are > particular > Austrian: it is the St Barbara's Day on the 4th of December and the St > Nicholas' Day on the 6th of December. The Holy Barbara is the saint of the > miners and > in earlier times she was the saint of the artillerymen as well. In some > areas > of mining there are 'Barbara-feasts' until today. In the votiv chapel of > Vienna a candle four metres long is lighted in honour of the artillery. > > Traditional customs concerning St Nicholas one can find in Matrei in > Eastern > Tyrol, in Carinthia, in Styria and in many other places of Austria. Here > St > Nicholas processions take place that often have a touch of acting on > stage. > > In some parts of the country wind players in the church towers call the > children out of the houses and flats so that the parents can do last > preparations > for Christmas Eve. The youngest receive their presents from the Christ > Child or > Santa Claus. The evening ends with an opulent Christmas dinner. The > Austrians > serve meat or fish as a main course and for dessert there is strudel > pastry, > fruit bread, stollen or gingerbread. > > Christmas Day, the 25th of December, traditionally belongs to the family. > On > St Stephen's Day, the 26th of December, people usually go out to see some > friends or relatives. In earlier times the farmers used to move their > horses on > this day - from this developed the tradition of the 'St Stephen's-riding'. > The > people of St. Stefan in the valley of Lavant connect this riding with a > blessing of their horses. > > Reference: Österreich-Werbung > > > > Further reports concerning Christmas in Austria > > Christmas customs in Austria > > Steyr - the only official town of the Christ Child > > Unterhimmel: this is where the Christ Child lives > > Christmas customs in Vorarlberg > > > > > Germany: Crib, Christ Child and Christmas tree > > For the children Christmas Eve is the most eagerly awaited day of the > whole > year. When on the 24th of December all the candles of the Christmas tree > are > alight and the presents under the Christmas tree promise great surprises > then > the little cheeks of the children redden and the whole family is in a > festive > mood. > > But there is an awful lot to do until Christmassy quietness can come to > German living rooms. Until midday people go shopping because they lay in > stocks for > the holidays! > > Many families begin with the preparation in the late afternoon. The 'home > crib', famous since the 17th century mainly in Catholic regions of > Germany, is > taken from the cellar or from the attic. The custom of having cribs at > home goes > back to St. Francis. The legend says that in 1233 he was the first who > performed the incidents of the Holy Night. In earlier times the crib was > meant to > show the joy and the happiness of Catholic families who saw their cribs as > an > opposite to the Protestant Christmas tree. Most of all it is the children > who > love to help when it comes to decorate the Christmas tree. > > Colorful glitter-balls, lametta, figures madde out of wax, glass and metal > and stars made out of straw transform the pine-trees and spruces into > typical > German Christmas trees. The top of the tree is decorated with a > gold-glittering > angel or an artistically manufactured glass ball. Another specialty are > the so > called Christmas pyramids from Saxony that can be found in many German > households. on top of the pyramid is a winged wheel that is driven by the > flame of > the candles. This winged wheel passes on ist movement to the other levels > of > the pyramid. All these levels go round in a circle and they show what > happened > in the Holy Night. > > For centuries the Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus with a service. > Depending on region and religious denomination this service takes place in > the > late afternoon or at the midnight hour. > > Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the 25th and the 26th of December, > traditionally belong to the families. On the 25th of December the > relations come together > for an opulent meal - before that the children play with their new toys - > Santa's surprise the evening before. In the afternoon the families go for > a walk, > to see some friends or to one of the Christmas concerts that take place in > many German churches. > > Reference: Content-Team Globalheads Gmbh > > > > > I don't know > > In a message dated 11/30/2005 12:44:20 PM Mountain Standard Time, > lschriefer@hswgb.com writes: > Is there an English translation for all of this? > > Lori Schriefer > Hance Scarborough Wright Ginsberg & Brusilow, LLP > 14755 Preston Road, Suite 600 > Dallas, Texas 75254 > Telephone: 972-788-1600 > Facsimile: 972-702-0662 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: KarenHob@aol.com [mailto:KarenHob@aol.com] > Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 12:41 PM > To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria > > > Another URL for Christmas around the world. This one includes Germany > and > Austria which were missing from the other. The descriptions are more > detailed. > > http://www.global-christmas.com/scripts_en/world/europe/main_world_europ > e01.ht > ml > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the > list? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an > archive. >

In a message dated 11/30/2005 1:19:17 PM Mountain Standard Time, wggray@PURDUE.EDU writes: From: H-German editor Will Gray <wggray@purdue.edu> Subject: ANN: One million digital images at Library of Congress [X- Post H-Public] Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 [The following announcement came to the editor's attention. Of potential interest for list members: the Third Reich collection, described below. A quick test run of the service shows that a real grab-bag of material is cataloged there... - Ed.] The Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division is celebrating a new landmark: one million images from its collections are now available in digital form online. The millionth image, appropriately, suggests the wealth of insights the Division's collections offer about both historical subjects and the processes of making images. The photograph depicts Washington Senators baseball player Herman A. "Germany" Schaefer using a camera during a visit to play the New York Highlanders in April 1911. (The image can be seen at: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.09131>). It is from one of the Division's strong photojournalism collections, the George Grantham Bain Collection-an archive of more than 50,000 photographs from the first syndicated photo news service in the U.S. More than half of the images in that collection are now available online. (For more information on the Bain Collection, see <http:// lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/ggbainhtml/ggbainabt.html>) Digital images from the Prints & Photographs Division are available through the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC) at <http:// www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html>. The catalog provides access through group or item records to about 65% of the Division's holdings, a portion of which are accompanied by digital images. The records represent the variety of materials held in the nearly 14 million items in the Division's collections. In addition to photographs, these include fine and popular prints and drawings, posters, and architectural and engineering drawings. The collections are international in scope and are particularly rich in materials produced in, or documenting the history of, the United States and the lives, interests and achievements of the American people. In addition to the growing pool of digitized images available through PPOC, recently added records make it possible to search several categories of material more comprehensively and to expand searches in new ways: - American fine prints: Almost 10,000 American fine prints by more than 1,200 different artists now have online records in PPOC containing information compiled in the 1960s for the book American Prints in the Library of Congress by Karen Beall. About 4% have digital images for online viewing. To search the fine prints, go to the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog <http://www.loc.gov/rr/ print/catalog.html <http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html>, select the blue button labeled: "Search the Catalog," and then scroll down the alphabetical list of collections to "Fine Prints." - PH Filing Series photographs: More than 2,500 selected individual photographic prints of special aesthetic, technical, or historic importance and similarly significant sets of unbound prints in published or unpublished portfolios, ca. 1841-2001. About 30% have digital images for online viewing. For more information, see <http:// lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/phhtml/phabt.html> - Third Reich Collection: More than 450 presentation albums, scrapbooks and groups of photographs related to the Third Reich in Germany (1933-1945) described through group records, with some links to selected digitized items. Images in the collection portray Nazi leaders; political events after World War I and the rise of the Nazi Party; the 1936 Olympics; World War II scenes; art and architecture; and industries. To search for these materials, go to the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog <http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/ catalog.html>, select the blue button labeled: "Search the Catalog," and then type into the search blank "Third Reich Collection." - Thesaurus for Graphic Materials in PPOC: The standardized subject, genre, and image process terms and their cross-references have been integrated into the online catalog. Links enable researchers to look up related terms or to look for pictures indexed with the term, offering a new means for exploring topics and types of images represented in Prints & Photographs Division collections. To search or view the thesaurus terms, go to the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog <http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html>, select the blue button labeled: "Search the Catalog," and then scroll down the alphabetical list of collections to "Thesaurus for Graphic Materials." For information on new collections and recent and upcoming activities in the Prints and Photographs Division, see the division's "What's New" page <http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/whatsnew.html>. For questions about the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog or the holdings and services of the Prints and Photographs Division, consult our Ask a Librarian service: <http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask- print.html>. Laura Gottesman Reference Librarian Digital Reference Team The Library of Congress

http://www.census.gov/ Linked to this site is: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.html locations of federal depository libraries in each state. Read about the contents of these libraries at another link: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fdlp.html The information in these libraries probably does not include films from the national archives. To find the locations of NARA offices nationwide visit the NARA website. There are WW II enlistment records available at the NARA website. The search page is: http://aad.archives.gov/aad/search.jsp?file_id=3475&coll_id=null&data_layout_i d=494&table_id=893 It is difficult to understand the code number for states that has to be entered if you want to use a state on the search page. I had my best luck with searches using a last name only. On the results page you have the option to sort the states by numbers so that all enlistments from one state are at least together.

For those who are interested in downloading the music our ancestors listened to, here is some more info from Dick Eastman. " can't figure out how to download the songs. For instance, in the search box, type Hiawatha, and that brings up 5 choices. On the Help page, it says "To download the file, right click on the button" But *what* button? There's no button that I see, and I even tried it in IE in case it was not Firefox friendly. Posted by: KathrynBassett | November 27, 2005 at 10:59 PM First of all, keep in mind one sentence that I wrote: "More cylinders are being added as they are cataloged and digitized." Not all of the songs are online yet although they will be by the time the project ends. In your example, search for "Hiawatha" and find the five examples that you mentioned. Next, click on #1 (click on the blue number). You will see: Title: (A) Hiawatha Performer: Sodero's Band. Issue Number/Label: 4158: Edison Blue Amberol Year of Release: [1921] You will notice that there is no MP3 file. This recoding is not yet available online. Now back up one screen and click on #2 on the list (click on the number #2). You will see: Title: Hiawatha Performer: Edison Grand Concert Band [i.e. Edison Concert Band]. Issue Number/Label: 8347: Edison Gold Moulded Record Year of Release: [between 1904 and 1908] You will also see that this one shows links to download your choice of an MP3 file or an unedited WAV file. Right click on the version of your choice. You will be able to download or play the song."

November 23, 2005 by Dick Eastman What Did Our Ancestors Listen To? What did Grandpa and Grandma listen to in their leisure time? You can now listen to their music to find out. The Department of Special Collections at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) Davidson Library now has an online collection of more than 6,000 sound recordings as part of its Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project. These recordings date from the 1890s to the 1920s. Recordings of those years were made on cylinders, not on the flat disks that we are accustomed to. The project is the culmination of a two-year grant, funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The UCSB site features downloadable MP3 audio files as well as streaming versions of many of the library's cylinder recordings. More cylinders are being added as they are cataloged and digitized. The site also has "streaming radio" programs on various topics and a "featured cylinder" section, showcasing some of the most interesting items in the collection. All the recordings were transferred from Edison cylinders, using state-of-the-art equipment. You can listen to the songs on your computer or even download them to your MP3 player and listen to them while riding the bus. You can legally copy these songs as all of them are now in the public domain. There is an interesting side note here. Except for Edison cylinders and discs, most early sound recordings will remain copyrighted and will not enter the public domain until February 15, 2067. Details may be found at http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/copyright.php I will offer one comment. I listened to a few of these songs and must admit that these old recordings will never replace the collection of Grateful Dead music on my iPOD. To listen to the Hit Parade of the 1890s through the 1920s, go to http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu

The following is an announcement from the international Archive CD Books Project from Eastman's Genealogy Newsletter dated 11/28/05 The international Archive CD Books Project today announced its expansion and renewed focus on family history resources within the United States with the debut of a new partner company, Archive CD Books USA (http://www.archivecdbooksusa.com/). The project makes digital reproductions of old family history resources available to the public, donates original publications to libraries and other institutions, and cooperates with those repositories to preserve their existing collections for future generations.

Published in Email version of Rootsweb Review 11/30/05 1b. TIPS FROM READERS Examining False Copyright Claims By James F. Ramaley, Ph.D. jramaley@hotmail.com During my working career in the magazine publishing field, I became very appreciative of the value conferred to society in general, and to authors in particular, of copyright. As the Internet has developed, individuals have begun to become publishers and authors in increasing numbers, especially in the genealogy field. This is good because it allows the dissemination of information from sometimes obscure sources to the entire world. But along with this I have noticed a trend toward "false copyright" and I think it deserves some attention. False copyright is when a person inserts a copyright notice in a published work without having the legal right to do so. An example would be where a person has transcribed an obituary from an old newspaper and then inserted a copyright notice -- I have seen this on some Websites and in fact there is a general notice by the USGenWeb claiming that obituaries published there are copyrighted and cannot be used for "commercial purposes." The key components of copyright law are (a) originality, (b) time, and (c) ownership. This is not a legal treatise (see http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wccc and http://www.pddoc.com/copyright/genealogy_copyright_fundamentals.htm) for additional information on copyright) and so I can't cover all of the "ifs, ands, and buts." However, at the risk of oversimplification in order to have a greater understanding of how genealogists can work inside the law and to encourage others to do so, here goes: Originality is usually pretty well understood. An author cannot claim copyright for pure facts (e.g., date of birth, death, etc.) but can claim copyright for the way the facts are presented (e.g., a fully composed literary obituary of several paragraphs is more than likely copyrightable; a "death notice" is likely not copyrightable.) But even if copyrightable, an older article may not have been copyrighted! The question of time is somewhat less well understood since the 1978 rewriting (written 1976, effective 1978) of the U.S. copyright law (and amended 1998). Basically if a work was published before 1923 it is in the public domain and anyone can use it. For a chart showing when various U.S. works pass into public domain, see: http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm. The copyright of works created after 1978 is more complicated (generally it is the author's life plus 70 years) but since I am interested in older writings it is safe to move on. Newspaper obituaries are often staff written or compiled from data (facts) submitted by local funeral homes, but even if the newspaper as a whole was copyrighted, articles and obituaries published before 1923 are certainly in the public domain. Incidentally, works that were published before 1 March 1989 without proper copyright notice are almost always in the public domain because, under the U.S. law that existed before that, a proper copyright notice was required for copyright protection. Surprisingly, ownership seems to be even less well understood in the genealogical community. Copyright can be claimed only by the original author of a work. In particular, if I run across a public domain work and transcribe it verbatim, I cannot assert copyright of my transcription since I did not create, but simply copied the original work. If I decide to go through a microfilm copy of an old newspaper (to avoid the question of time, say it is at least 100 years old), transcribe all of the obituaries and then write a book of "Obituaries from the XYZ newspaper from 1880 until 1900." I can assert copyright for my book as a whole but NOT for the individual obituaries. Why? Because I don't own the individual entries--only the collected work. For that matter, the owner of the microfilm can't claim copyright either and for the same reason. What this means is that I cannot control the republishing of the individual entries; I would have an action only against someone who takes large extracts of my book for republication, because, in essence, they are not publishing the contents of my book -- they are republishing my book! Even if someone transcribed an obituary from my book and posted it on the Web, I would not have an action against that person because I do not own the rights to the original obituary. Copyright can only be asserted by the author/creator (or his or her legal heirs or assigns) -- not the owner of a copy (e.g., a book or a microfilm). Why is this important? Amateur genealogists (by definition) do the work they do, not for profit, but for the fun of discovery of ancestors or cousins and to learn about history. There is no commercial motive and, in fact, some amateurs become apprehensive about using information if they see a big Copyright Notice in the information they are using or want to include in the family tree compilation. Bottom line? I believe that we do a disservice to the genealogical community by asserting false copyright and I would like to see the practice stopped. People would be more willing to publish (online and off) their own family histories and include an obituary from Grandaunt Kate -- if they were not intimidated by a false copyright notice.

Is there an English translation for all of this? Lori Schriefer Hance Scarborough Wright Ginsberg & Brusilow, LLP 14755 Preston Road, Suite 600 Dallas, Texas 75254 Telephone: 972-788-1600 Facsimile: 972-702-0662 -----Original Message----- From: KarenHob@aol.com [mailto:KarenHob@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 12:41 PM To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Christmas in Germany / Austria Another URL for Christmas around the world. This one includes Germany and Austria which were missing from the other. The descriptions are more detailed. http://www.global-christmas.com/scripts_en/world/europe/main_world_europ e01.ht ml ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html

The URL below was posted on ROOTSWEB REVIEW HISTORICAL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS. This collection pertains to more than 30 countries and their historical Christmas celebrations. http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/

Another URL for Christmas around the world. This one includes Germany and Austria which were missing from the other. The descriptions are more detailed. http://www.global-christmas.com/scripts_en/world/europe/main_world_europe01.ht ml

Hi Aida, I stand corrected, yes it was "Zuckerhut" , old age is catching up with me and my german is getting somewhat rusty. Herb Schwarz, Ontario,Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "aida kraus" <akibb1@verizon.net> To: "Schwarz family" <schwarzs@ebtech.net> Cc: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 11:59 AM Subject: Zuckertüte - Zuckerhut > OOOps, Herb, the cone sugar was called "ZuckerHUT" not "Zuckertüte," but you > are right as to how it was sold - it was a pressed cone-like, just as you > describe and it was very large - it came in a thick black paper. Our > ancestors then broke off larger chunks, put them into a big mortar and > ground the pieces down to look like "fine" sugar with a pestle. They used > smaller chunks for sweetening their coffee, which - incidentally - was > rarely made of coffee beans, but was more often made from roasted grain, > sort of like Postum.... and it also contained a lot of chicory. My > grandmother told me that there was a certain knowledge how to chop at a > sugarcone, which I am sure is now "a lost art". Since I am 75 years old, > my grandma was a girl in the late 1800, about the time most of our ancestors > came to this country, so this is nearly a "first hand" report. Aida >

I would like to put my two cents worth on this subject, 1. The "Zuckertuete" was the way Sugar was delivered prior W2. The cone was approx. 3 ft./1 m. high and the sugar had to be broken up with a hammer, and I think that the outside was black in colour. - 2. The " Tuete " was a comon mean of packaging small amounts of powdered materials and the making of a "tuete" was one of the first things one was taught in a Grocery Shop. I can still make the standard tuete from any piece of paper ! Herb Schwarz, Ontario,Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elfriede Grillmair" <egrillmair@shaw.ca> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 1:03 AM Subject: RE: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] GERMAN GIFT CONES > I think it's spelled "Zuckertuete" - a conical bag is a "Tuete" or "Tu"te" > (u with two dots over it - pronounced like the French u in "sur"). This word > is used mainly in Germany, as far as I know. There is a different word for > it in Austria, but that, too, escapes me at the moment. I remember that hot > roasted chestnuts were sold in them by street vendors with small portable > stoves. The "Tuete" was made from old newspapers rolled up into a conical > shape, whereby the center of the left-hand side of the page was used as the > bottom point around which the rest of the page was wound up to make a > cone-shaped container. It was just great on freezing winter days, while > going to the "Christkindlmarkt", to warm your cold hands clutching the > heated "Tuete" while munching on these roasted chestnuts. Cheap too. > Elfriede > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Arlette [mailto:Adrahos01@comcast.net] > Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 5:14 PM > To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] GERMAN GIFT CONES > > Is it "zucker diete" (sugar bag) (spelling?) - it's the only thing my dad > could think of. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steven Karides" <karides@sbcglobal.net> > To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 7:01 PM > Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] GERMAN GIFT CONES > > > > I'm having a memory problem...What is the proper name for the German > > large, colorful, cone-shaped gift container? > > > > Thank You for your help! > > Susan Muehlhans-Karides > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > > Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the > > list? > > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an > > archive. > > > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Visit the German-Bohemian Heritage Society Web Page! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/ > > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html > >

Ulrich, Thanks for your comments about your teacher surnamed Utschig! I wasn't aware of any by that surname in Bischofteinitz. When I was researching one time in the Pilsen archives, I met a gentleman who had a book from a town I believe was south of Marienbad or near Pilsen which had the surname Utschig in it. I think I have the name of the book in my notes (back in 1993) and will have to look it up some day. But all I know of is my ancestors from Marienbad and Einsiedl, going back to the 1600's and up to the time they left for the U.S. in 1853. Thanks again for your passing on the info!! Mary Utschig Read --- URUDOFSKY@aol.com wrote: > Utschig. My first grade teacher was Frau Utschig. > She lived in > Bischofteinitz. She may possibly have had a > daughter named Ulrike or Uschi. It was a > long, long time ago. > Ulrich Rudofsky > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit > http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > >

http://www.olypen.com/tinkers/steinschonau/default.htm Just a quick note that the Steinschönau website has been updated and a few new items added to the website – a document showing Johanna Vetter’s birth and baptism as extracted during WWII; a great picture from a c. 1929 dance class in Steinschönau; a link to Harry Zinke’s series of digital images; and, then the needed updates to the website for new researchers and such. I hope as we start advent, that everyone enjoys the season of lights – share a minute to think of family and heritage this season. Share the traditions with loved ones and enjoy. Take care, Rod Fleck Forks, Washington

Utschig. My first grade teacher was Frau Utschig. She lived in Bischofteinitz. She may possibly have had a daughter named Ulrike or Uschi. It was a long, long time ago. Ulrich Rudofsky