I am resending this because it apparently never came through for unknown reasons-- Suzanne Collins Matson ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Suzanne Matson <holtzclaw.research@yahoo.com> To: Germanna Colonies <GERMANNA_COLONIES@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 9:08:30 AM Subject: Questions about guilds Has anyone done any research on guilds in the Siegen area? Were they organized like the Dutch guilds or the British guilds (livery companies today)? Did membership have benefits such as care when ill or no longer able to work or confer social status? Did membership pass automatically to male direct line descendants? Was the control of the members of the guild limited to the town limits of any given town? Suzanne Collins Matson