Beginner' question: Is Sachsen-Meiningen a region rather than a city? But I know there is also a city with the name of Meiningen. I found the same was true with "Regenwalde" which was in Pomerania -- a part that is now in Poland. The confusion between regions and towns with the same names has lead me down the wrong roads.

When you see Dallas, Texas, you immediately understand that it is City, State. What would you assume if you saw Texas-Dallas? Probably the same. Just an awkward way of writing it. BUT ... In Germany, Darmstadt, Hessen is City, State. Hessen-Darmstadt is a federally administered district within the state of Hessen. Kassel, Hessen is City, State. But Hessen-Kassel is another federally administered district within the state of Hessen. In earlier times, Hessen-Darmstadt referred to a region of Germany, in this case, a Grand Duchy. You'll find other instances involving principalities, duchies, and similar. The insertion of a comma, and the insertion of a dash, become critical to your understanding of city vs. state, or city vs. Grand Duchy. Most of us, researching in Germany, do not clearly understand WHERE we are searching in advance of doing the research. The borders of "Germany" and its 16 modern states, although they bear the names from before there was a Germany, have fluctuated wildly over the centuries. A visit to the public library will help sort it all out. THEN go online. NOW .. What is Meiningen, Sachsen? And what is Sachsen-Meiningen? ;~) Don http://go.to/Hessen ----- Original Message ----- From: <JDMeissner@aol.com> To: <GERMAN-KINGDOMS-L@rootsweb.com> Beginner' question: Is Sachsen-Meiningen a region rather than a city?