At 06:46 PM 13/02/2012, you wrote: >Yes, exactly! In the Austrian Hungarian Army (and please don't forget that >that this Army existed for 400 years) all soldiers of lower ranks were >not allowed to marry while in service. It was different in officers ranks, >but then the father of the bride had to pay a dowry of 20,000 Kronen as >"Kaution" (security). I do not know the exact legal ramification on that, >so you must read up on it. I just know the story from our family, where my >aunt's arguments with her father were fierce, because she desired to >receive that money from him for her marriage. Since my grandfather had 6 >daughters, he most certainly could not single out one of them with this >privilege. > And yes, these entries you found in the registers are indeed these >"early born" children who were declared legitimate as soon as the father >came back from his tour of duty. The Church was understanding in this, >because the couple was not able to marry while the groom was serving in the >Military. > Aida --------- Aida I have a copy of the church's birth records for two of my uncles who were born in their mother's parents home and it states that they were illegitimate. On a copy of the actual church marriage record, it states at the bottom that this legitimizes the birth of the two boys. I thought this was very sensible. As I am sure my grandfather was in the army. Now, had this been England, they would be the bastard sons or way-begotten etc sons of the mother. They were down right mean about it. Doug