I apologize if my project is a bit out of the normal parameters of this list. I have been forwarded here by a very helpful gentleman who believes my answers can be found here. He has also let me know to ask for a Mr. DAVID RORER, that this gentleman may have a great deal of aide for me. I am very open to anyone willing to help me! I have been a historic reenactor for nine years now, enjoying portraying soldiers of the Civil War and WWII eras. Now my interests are keenly turning toward the Medieval and Renessaince eras. My great Grandparents were from Kassel, Hessen. After seeing some travel-guides' pictures of the area, I want to know more.I am wondering if you can help me in understanding Hessen around the time of Maximillian I: Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, roughly from late 1400s to the 1500s. This is the impression I want to portray: A man from a small village near Kassel (specifically if I can find my Great Grandparents actual village) who joined its militia and ultimately the Landsknechte armies durring the various conflicts around then. The problem resides in the fact that I have a lot of info on the conflicts and the armies, but no info on the place! I know little about what the region was like before the Second Reich: the Weimar Republic. Most of the research I look up is futile due to Kassel being completely destroyed by Allied Fire bombing in 1943 and its 1950's style rebuilding after the War. I want to know what Churches were there in Kassel back then, who the reigning Duke or Mayor or Burghoffen (or whatever the correct term is) of the Hessen province and the city of Kassel itself. What denomination of coin existed then? More over, what was life like?!Does anyone have maps of the area that might be correct for this period in history? What villages lay in the area near Kassel (then called Cassel). I believe I remember stories of my ancestors being from around the South, though south east or south west I do not know! All point of information with that part of my family have passed away and now I run on a few remembered stories and pictures of Kassel on the internet. So I will take all the information I can get! As a reenactor, I visit a lot of shcools and "living history" events where education is paramount. I want to be able to have flawless information about Hessen during this period. I am becoming frustrated by the lack of specific info on the internet. I do not want to misrepresent the wonderful state of Hessen, having never been there myself, nor having spoken with anyone with more direct ties to the area and the rich history there.Thank you. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I hope someone might be interested in my project, finding to might be fun to talk about. I love history and Germany and want to know as much about the Fatherland as possible, acknowledging my ancestors love for their home. Kindest regards,-Jason _______________________________________________ No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding. Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com