Aida, You wrote recently in a post: "It must be understood, that our historically and culturally Austrian group of expellees found themselves in Germany in a somewhat alien environment, except for those who were lucky enough to be settled in Bavaria. " 1. Was Bavaria more similar to Austria culturally? or did you make that comment because of it's proximity to Austria perhaps? My relatives were expellees and were settled in Bavaria, not far over the border from where they had lived in Bohemia and perhaps their ancestors came from Bavaria originally (though Obermoldau was also very close to Austria so they could just as well have come from there ). 2. I have always wondered where they came from originally, ie, Bavaria? Austria? Germany? I have records to the late 1600's that locate them in the Obermoldau area (Winterberg district). Were there any events that might have caused people to migrate into Bohemia around that time from one of these areas? Thanks much! Janet