Tough to claim you are NOT of German ancestry if you are from Kansas, USA. My maternal grandfather (Benjamin WEIZACHER / WADSACK) burned his excess wheat (that which his family could not eat) rather than sell it to US markets for fear it would feed US soldiers who were fighting his countrymen. One of his cousins was Ernst VON WEIZACHER, a fairly high ranking officer in the Nazi military. His son, Richard, successfully defended him at the Nuremburg trials at the close of the war. Later, Richard was elected Mayor of West Berlin and then president of West Germany (died just a few years ago)...served with Chancellor Kohl (sp?). Kind of depends on where you lived in the USA during the war as to what kind of ridiculing you faced! - Tom W. -----Original Message----- From: Elizabeth Cunningham <drybones@netreach.net> To: mmongoose@tds.net; hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, Mar 28, 2011 9:37 pm Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions On the other hand, as a fifth grader in 1944, I was given a lot of grief or being a Nazi, because I was the only one in the class who admitted o German ancestry. (The kid named Mueller sitting in front of me laimed she was Dutch). My mother's maiden name was Fuehrer, so I could ot very well get around it. I am also 3/4 German. My father's randfather came over about 1869, his mother in 1890 or so, and the uehrer relatives in 1885. None of the Fuehrers changed their names - y grandfather used to complain "That man stole my name!" Elizabeth C mmongoose wrote: As a person with 75% German ancestry, I totally agree that many of them had embraced their adopted country (perhaps Generations back ) and were embarrassed at what what was going on in the united Germany. German was dropped from the schools in Evansville Indiana where I was born and which had many German settlers. My father decided that we were now from Alsace - tho even as a young child I never accepted for a moment. We were from LOTS of places in what was called at one tine or another the Palatine, Rhenish Bavaria ... or a number of small states which frequently changed rulers through marriage or being otherwise attached to a more powerful neighbors. Many of my ancestors lived near Alzey in what looked like walking distance on the inadequate map I had -- but they were were lines who then officially lived in totally different governing districts - (Including KircheimBolandan) and some didnt meet until they reached Indiana. I am most proud of those Germans who came just before the civil war -- may to avoid military service in their homeland == adopted their new country and served their new country voluntarily. When Lincoln realized that it was going to be a long one, added to his calls for men to serve a few months to 3 years and many Germans insisted in those companies. When I heard that my Great Granddad had come home on furlough - gotten married = and interestedly, I was shocked that the honeymoon was over so soon. It was a long time before I got the timing straight. It was 1864 when Lincoln was running against McClellan who was promising to end the war - which was not going well in the east - He seemed unlikely to win - and worse, those 3 year soldiers were at the end of their enlistment time.... But, as someone put it -- those vets -- including my granddad who was with Sherman - Reenlisted - got their furlough voted for Lincoln (and got married like GrandPo -) and went back to finish the job. (By the way when they asked him how he survived the march through Georgia he said he hid behind a tree. Feigel Elzer Rimstidt Griess (Converted to Gryce by an uncle) Maier Schneider Decker Dietrich ..Bretz .. and a bunch more in Hesse Rhenish Bavaria and - including the soutn and all those families south west and NORTH of Alsey Pat McCoy wrote: > Just my perception (based on what I heard > my German-descended relatives speak about): > > If the fairy story was being told during the period(s) > in our history where anti-German sentiment was > extremely high, that story might have probably > been told out of fear of being attacked for "being > German" and self-preservation. Just my half-cent's > worth of opinion, (FWIW). > > Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! > ================================================= ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message

My German relatives lived in the D.C. area so that may have been a factor in the kind of grief they got during both World Wars. Pat McCoy, M.S. Addiction Psychology Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! =========================================== ________________________________ From: "thomasecw@aol.com" <thomasecw@aol.com> To: hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, March 28, 2011 10:33:47 PM Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions Tough to claim you are NOT of German ancestry if you are from Kansas, USA. My maternal grandfather (Benjamin WEIZACHER / WADSACK) burned his excess wheat (that which his family could not eat) rather than sell it to US markets for fear it would feed US soldiers who were fighting his countrymen. One of his cousins was Ernst VON WEIZACHER, a fairly high ranking officer in the Nazi military. His son, Richard, successfully defended him at the Nuremburg trials at the close of the war. Later, Richard was elected Mayor of West Berlin and then president of West Germany (died just a few years ago)...served with Chancellor Kohl (sp?). Kind of depends on where you lived in the USA during the war as to what kind of ridiculing you faced! - Tom W. -----Original Message----- From: Elizabeth Cunningham <drybones@netreach.net> To: mmongoose@tds.net; hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, Mar 28, 2011 9:37 pm Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions On the other hand, as a fifth grader in 1944, I was given a lot of grief or being a Nazi, because I was the only one in the class who admitted o German ancestry. (The kid named Mueller sitting in front of me laimed she was Dutch). My mother's maiden name was Fuehrer, so I could ot very well get around it. I am also 3/4 German. My father's randfather came over about 1869, his mother in 1890 or so, and the uehrer relatives in 1885. None of the Fuehrers changed their names - y grandfather used to complain "That man stole my name!" Elizabeth C mmongoose wrote: As a person with 75% German ancestry, I totally agree that many of them had embraced their adopted country (perhaps Generations back ) and were embarrassed at what what was going on in the united Germany. German was dropped from the schools in Evansville Indiana where I was born and which had many German settlers. My father decided that we were now from Alsace - tho even as a young child I never accepted for a moment. We were from LOTS of places in what was called at one tine or another the Palatine, Rhenish Bavaria ... or a number of small states which frequently changed rulers through marriage or being otherwise attached to a more powerful neighbors. Many of my ancestors lived near Alzey in what looked like walking distance on the inadequate map I had -- but they were were lines who then officially lived in totally different governing districts - (Including KircheimBolandan) and some didnt meet until they reached Indiana. I am most proud of those Germans who came just before the civil war -- may to avoid military service in their homeland == adopted their new country and served their new country voluntarily. When Lincoln realized that it was going to be a long one, added to his calls for men to serve a few months to 3 years and many Germans insisted in those companies. When I heard that my Great Granddad had come home on furlough - gotten married = and interestedly, I was shocked that the honeymoon was over so soon. It was a long time before I got the timing straight. It was 1864 when Lincoln was running against McClellan who was promising to end the war - which was not going well in the east - He seemed unlikely to win - and worse, those 3 year soldiers were at the end of their enlistment time.... But, as someone put it -- those vets -- including my granddad who was with Sherman - Reenlisted - got their furlough voted for Lincoln (and got married like GrandPo -) and went back to finish the job. (By the way when they asked him how he survived the march through Georgia he said he hid behind a tree. Feigel Elzer Rimstidt Griess (Converted to Gryce by an uncle) Maier Schneider Decker Dietrich ..Bretz .. and a bunch more in Hesse Rhenish Bavaria and - including the soutn and all those families south west and NORTH of Alsey Pat McCoy wrote: > Just my perception (based on what I heard > my German-descended relatives speak about): > > If the fairy story was being told during the period(s) > in our history where anti-German sentiment was > extremely high, that story might have probably > been told out of fear of being attacked for "being > German" and self-preservation. Just my half-cent's > worth of opinion, (FWIW). > > Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! > ================================================= ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

You know people often neglect what they think are little details, which on later inspection prove to be crucial to forming an accurate picture or hypothesis. Details like "My German ancestors settled in Washington D.C., and they had nothing but troubles during WWI & II.". Go figure, people with German accents and/or names being under suspicion at a time of war, against Germany, in the nation's capital. I'd be just as shocked to hear the same story for residents of Norfolk, VA (major Naval station). ;') Brian On Tue, March 29, 2011 6:41 am, Pat McCoy wrote: > My German relatives lived in the D.C. area so > that may have been a factor in the kind of grief > they got during both World Wars. > > Pat McCoy, M.S. > > Addiction Psychology > > Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! Enjoy my Garden? You sir have a very warped idea of relaxation!

No. Mine settled in Illinois. -----Original Message----- From: Pat McCoy <p.a.mccoy@att.net> To: hesse@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2011 04:41:45 -0700 (PDT) My German relatives lived in the D.C. area so that may have been a factor in the kind of grief they got during both World Wars. Pat McCoy, M.S. Addiction Psychology Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! =========================================== ________________________________ From: "thomasecw@aol.com" <thomasecw@aol.com> To: hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, March 28, 2011 10:33:47 PM Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions Tough to claim you are NOT of German ancestry if you are from Kansas, USA. My maternal grandfather (Benjamin WEIZACHER / WADSACK) burned his excess wheat (that which his family could not eat) rather than sell it to US markets for fear it would feed US soldiers who were fighting his countrymen. One of his cousins was Ernst VON WEIZACHER, a fairly high ranking officer in the Nazi military. His son, Richard, successfully defended him at the Nuremburg trials at the close of the war. Later, Richard was elected Mayor of West Berlin and then president of West Germany (died just a few years ago)...served with Chancellor Kohl (sp?). Kind of depends on where you lived in the USA during the war as to what kind of ridiculing you faced! - Tom W. -----Original Message----- From: Elizabeth Cunningham <drybones@netreach.net> To: mmongoose@tds.net; hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, Mar 28, 2011 9:37 pm Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions On the other hand, as a fifth grader in 1944, I was given a lot of grief or being a Nazi, because I was the only one in the class who admitted o German ancestry. (The kid named Mueller sitting in front of me laimed she was Dutch). My mother's maiden name was Fuehrer, so I could ot very well get around it. I am also 3/4 German. My father's randfather came over about 1869, his mother in 1890 or so, and the uehrer relatives in 1885. None of the Fuehrers changed their names - y grandfather used to complain "That man stole my name!" Elizabeth C mmongoose wrote: As a person with 75% German ancestry, I totally agree that many of them had embraced their adopted country (perhaps Generations back ) and were embarrassed at what what was going on in the united Germany. German was dropped from the schools in Evansville Indiana where I was born and which had many German settlers. My father decided that we were now from Alsace - tho even as a young child I never accepted for a moment. We were from LOTS of places in what was called at one tine or another the Palatine, Rhenish Bavaria ... or a number of small states which frequently changed rulers through marriage or being otherwise attached to a more powerful neighbors. Many of my ancestors lived near Alzey in what looked like walking distance on the inadequate map I had -- but they were were lines who then officially lived in totally different governing districts - (Including KircheimBolandan) and some didnt meet until they reached Indiana. I am most proud of those Germans who came just before the civil war -- may to avoid military service in their homeland == adopted their new country and served their new country voluntarily. When Lincoln realized that it was going to be a long one, added to his calls for men to serve a few months to 3 years and many Germans insisted in those companies. When I heard that my Great Granddad had come home on furlough - gotten married = and interestedly, I was shocked that the honeymoon was over so soon. It was a long time before I got the timing straight. It was 1864 when Lincoln was running against McClellan who was promising to end the war - which was not going well in the east - He seemed unlikely to win - and worse, those 3 year soldiers were at the end of their enlistment time.... But, as someone put it -- those vets -- including my granddad who was with Sherman - Reenlisted - got their furlough voted for Lincoln (and got married like GrandPo -) and went back to finish the job. (By the way when they asked him how he survived the march through Georgia he said he hid behind a tree. Feigel Elzer Rimstidt Griess (Converted to Gryce by an uncle) Maier Schneider Decker Dietrich ..Bretz .. and a bunch more in Hesse Rhenish Bavaria and - including the soutn and all those families south west and NORTH of Alsey Pat McCoy wrote: > Just my perception (based on what I heard > my German-descended relatives speak about): > > If the fairy story was being told during the period(s) > in our history where anti-German sentiment was > extremely high, that story might have probably > been told out of fear of being attacked for "being > German" and self-preservation. Just my half-cent's > worth of opinion, (FWIW). > > Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! > ================================================= ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I assume that Richard von Weizsäcker is not amused about your posting ... mainly because he still is alive Carl ----- Original Message ----- From: <thomasecw@aol.com> To: <hesse@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4:33 AM Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions > > Tough to claim you are NOT of German ancestry if you are from Kansas, USA. > My maternal grandfather (Benjamin WEIZACHER / WADSACK) burned his > excess wheat (that which his family could not eat) rather than sell it to > US markets for fear it would feed US soldiers who were fighting his > countrymen. > One of his cousins was Ernst VON WEIZACHER, a fairly high ranking officer > in the Nazi military. His son, Richard, successfully defended him at the > Nuremburg trials at the close of the war. Later, Richard was elected > Mayor of West Berlin and then president of West Germany (died just a few > years > ago)...served with Chancellor Kohl (sp?). Kind of depends on where you > lived in the USA during the war as to what kind of ridiculing you faced! > > - Tom W. > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Elizabeth Cunningham <drybones@netreach.net> > To: mmongoose@tds.net; hesse@rootsweb.com > Sent: Mon, Mar 28, 2011 9:37 pm > Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions > > > On the other hand, as a fifth grader in 1944, I was given a lot of grief > or being a Nazi, because I was the only one in the class who admitted > o German ancestry. (The kid named Mueller sitting in front of me > laimed she was Dutch). My mother's maiden name was Fuehrer, so I could > ot very well get around it. I am also 3/4 German. My father's > randfather came over about 1869, his mother in 1890 or so, and the > uehrer relatives in 1885. None of the Fuehrers changed their names - > y grandfather used to complain "That man stole my name!" > Elizabeth C > mmongoose wrote: > As a person with 75% German ancestry, I totally agree that > many of them had embraced their adopted country (perhaps Generations > back ) and were embarrassed at what what was going on in the united > Germany. German was dropped from the schools in Evansville Indiana > where I was born and which had many German settlers. My father > decided that we were now from Alsace - tho even as a young child > I never accepted for a moment. We were from LOTS of places in > what was called at one tine or another the Palatine, Rhenish > Bavaria ... or a number of small states which frequently changed > rulers through marriage or being otherwise attached to a more powerful > neighbors. Many of my ancestors lived near Alzey in what looked > like walking distance on the inadequate map I had -- but they were > were lines who then officially lived in totally different governing > districts - (Including KircheimBolandan) and some didnt meet until > they reached Indiana. > > I am most proud of those Germans who came just before the civil war -- > may to avoid military service in their homeland == adopted their new > country and served their new country voluntarily. When Lincoln > realized that it was going to be a long one, added to his calls for > men to serve a few months to 3 years > and many Germans insisted in those companies. When I heard that my > Great Granddad had come home on furlough - gotten married = and > interestedly, I was shocked that the honeymoon was over so soon. > It was a long time before I got the timing straight. It was 1864 > when Lincoln was running against McClellan who was promising to end the > war - which was not going well in the east - He seemed unlikely to win > - and worse, those 3 year soldiers were at the end of their enlistment > time.... But, as someone put it -- those vets -- including my > granddad who was with Sherman - Reenlisted - got their furlough > voted for Lincoln (and got married like GrandPo -) and went back to > finish the job. (By the way when they asked him how he survived the > march through Georgia he said he hid behind a tree. > > > Feigel Elzer Rimstidt Griess (Converted to Gryce by an uncle) Maier > Schneider Decker Dietrich ..Bretz .. and a bunch more in > Hesse Rhenish Bavaria and - including the soutn and all those families > south west and NORTH of Alsey > > > > Pat McCoy wrote: > >> Just my perception (based on what I heard >> my German-descended relatives speak about): >> >> If the fairy story was being told during the period(s) >> in our history where anti-German sentiment was >> extremely high, that story might have probably >> been told out of fear of being attacked for "being >> German" and self-preservation. Just my half-cent's >> worth of opinion, (FWIW). >> >> Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! >> ================================================= > > > ------------------------------ > o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > HESSE-request@rootsweb.com > ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body > of > he message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > HESSE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

Carl - Thanks for confirming Richard is still alive. My mother and Richard exchanged letters frequently up until a couple of years ago. Then, the letters stopped coming from Richard. My mother heard that he had died and told me so. If you should run into him on the street, please ask him to start writing cousin Florence again. Richard knows the story re my grandfather, so rather than being not amused, he would more likely be bored. There are lots of details I left out about Ernst and Richard; not the appropriate intent to post here. - Tom -----Original Message----- From: Carl Becker <carl@becker-wiesbaden.de> To: hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Tue, Mar 29, 2011 4:23 am Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions I assume that Richard von Weizsäcker is not amused about your posting ... ainly because he still is alive Carl ----- Original Message ----- rom: <thomasecw@aol.com> o: <hesse@rootsweb.com> ent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4:33 AM ubject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions Tough to claim you are NOT of German ancestry if you are from Kansas, USA. My maternal grandfather (Benjamin WEIZACHER / WADSACK) burned his excess wheat (that which his family could not eat) rather than sell it to US markets for fear it would feed US soldiers who were fighting his countrymen. One of his cousins was Ernst VON WEIZACHER, a fairly high ranking officer in the Nazi military. His son, Richard, successfully defended him at the Nuremburg trials at the close of the war. Later, Richard was elected Mayor of West Berlin and then president of West Germany (died just a few years ago)...served with Chancellor Kohl (sp?). Kind of depends on where you lived in the USA during the war as to what kind of ridiculing you faced! - Tom W. -----Original Message----- From: Elizabeth Cunningham <drybones@netreach.net> To: mmongoose@tds.net; hesse@rootsweb.com Sent: Mon, Mar 28, 2011 9:37 pm Subject: Re: [HESSE] Jumping to conclusions On the other hand, as a fifth grader in 1944, I was given a lot of grief or being a Nazi, because I was the only one in the class who admitted o German ancestry. (The kid named Mueller sitting in front of me laimed she was Dutch). My mother's maiden name was Fuehrer, so I could ot very well get around it. I am also 3/4 German. My father's randfather came over about 1869, his mother in 1890 or so, and the uehrer relatives in 1885. None of the Fuehrers changed their names - y grandfather used to complain "That man stole my name!" Elizabeth C mmongoose wrote: As a person with 75% German ancestry, I totally agree that many of them had embraced their adopted country (perhaps Generations back ) and were embarrassed at what what was going on in the united Germany. German was dropped from the schools in Evansville Indiana where I was born and which had many German settlers. My father decided that we were now from Alsace - tho even as a young child I never accepted for a moment. We were from LOTS of places in what was called at one tine or another the Palatine, Rhenish Bavaria ... or a number of small states which frequently changed rulers through marriage or being otherwise attached to a more powerful neighbors. Many of my ancestors lived near Alzey in what looked like walking distance on the inadequate map I had -- but they were were lines who then officially lived in totally different governing districts - (Including KircheimBolandan) and some didnt meet until they reached Indiana. I am most proud of those Germans who came just before the civil war -- may to avoid military service in their homeland == adopted their new country and served their new country voluntarily. When Lincoln realized that it was going to be a long one, added to his calls for men to serve a few months to 3 years and many Germans insisted in those companies. When I heard that my Great Granddad had come home on furlough - gotten married = and interestedly, I was shocked that the honeymoon was over so soon. It was a long time before I got the timing straight. It was 1864 when Lincoln was running against McClellan who was promising to end the war - which was not going well in the east - He seemed unlikely to win - and worse, those 3 year soldiers were at the end of their enlistment time.... But, as someone put it -- those vets -- including my granddad who was with Sherman - Reenlisted - got their furlough voted for Lincoln (and got married like GrandPo -) and went back to finish the job. (By the way when they asked him how he survived the march through Georgia he said he hid behind a tree. Feigel Elzer Rimstidt Griess (Converted to Gryce by an uncle) Maier Schneider Decker Dietrich ..Bretz .. and a bunch more in Hesse Rhenish Bavaria and - including the soutn and all those families south west and NORTH of Alsey Pat McCoy wrote: > Just my perception (based on what I heard > my German-descended relatives speak about): > > If the fairy story was being told during the period(s) > in our history where anti-German sentiment was > extremely high, that story might have probably > been told out of fear of being attacked for "being > German" and self-preservation. Just my half-cent's > worth of opinion, (FWIW). > > Slow Down and Enjoy Your Garden! > ================================================= ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HESSE-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message