Thanks for your links and your thoughts, Julia. I think you're pretty right. The list can't reach (or reach enough) French, German or Dutch researchers. Sure there's a minority - just like me - who already know about these genealogical mailing lists and these are able to correspond in English. About 60 % of the German population are able to understand English, basicly or better, but only 12 % have learnt some French in school. Also you have to consider that the useage of the internet and its resources currently is only avalaible for about 20 % of German households (even many mid-range or smaller companies here have absolutely no knowledge on the web, on the useage of e-mail and related technologies!). Neither the German Huguenot Society (Deutscher Hugenotten-Verein) has an e-mail address yet. These numbers show that a large majority of the German population couldn't be reached by these internet activities. I've read the same regarding France. Many people are doing genealogy here and there, I know, but all these sources unfortunately are not avalaible for us here on the lists. Andrea's doing so much greatest work on this list and she's completely right: it's not only her list - it's *our* list, and the list must *not* die! We all should support her efforts as much as we can. But I think we have to reach more researchers, in France, in Germany and in the Netherlands, who are not able to correspond in English. There must be a way to contact some more German Huguenot researchers, e.g. there's an only German-speaking Hesse-L. Also on other English dominated lists of Rootsweb's and Genealogy.net's, there is a smaller minority corresponding in German only. I'll try to reach these listers - I'll contact them in German language and will show them the way to the HWE-L if interested in Huguenot researches - the way I already did when HWE-L started early this year! There are some more English-speaking lists I'm (lurking) member of. I'll post some "ad" mails also there. Also I'll post on major German-speaking genealogical websites here. Hope this will help us further. Unfortunately my French is too poor at the moment - I forgot too much, but still can read a lot - so I'm not able to post on French lists, such as GEN-BENELUX-L@rootsweb.com, GEN-FF-L@rootsweb.com or GEN-FR-L@rootsweb.com. Maybe some of you can take this part. At the moment, I for one (to repeat Joneen) "I have little to contribute to the list at this point and no time for research so I could have something to contribute". I'm too busy, unfortunately, but (besides genealogy) I have so much good ideas to realize one day ... So I'll ever be a faithful member of the HWE-L - just lurking and responding from time to time ... OK? Wish you all a fine week now, take care, Juergen (Georges) ***************************** Jürgen Fritsche (Germany) ----------------------------- genealogy@ib-fritsche.de ***************************** > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: Clarke, Julia [mailto:julia.clarke@sothebys.com] > Gesendet am: Donnerstag, 12. Oktober 2000 15:11 > An: HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE-L@rootsweb.com > Betreff: [HWE] list silence > > > Dear Andrea > > Could it be that Joneen's reply to your question about silence on the list > is part of the reason? > > She wrote: > "I traced my alleged Huguenot BESSEY family back to the 1650s in > Schoenaich, > Wuerttemberg, not to England or France. I need to contact the German > Huguenot Society for more information. Once I have more > information I will > be happy to share. > I read your posts with amazement that so much information has survived in > England and Ireland." > > Much as I enjoy the list, it has to be admitted that it is automatically > limited by being in the English language. Since most listers are trying > ultimately to get back to European countries where English is not > the first > language, the list on the whole does not reach the people most > likely to be > able to help (those with local knowledge). As I wrote last week I > know that > an enormous amount of information has survived in Geneva; I think > also that > there is plenty in certain parts of Germany and Andrea has told us about > various French and Dutch sources. It is not that more information has > survived in England and Ireland, it is that it is more easily > accessible to > English-speaking researchers. > > In my opinion, Andrea, if you want the list to thrive in its present form > (and I am sure there are many faithful lurkers like myself who are > addicted), you need some energetic members to test the waters on foreign > language mailing lists and Internet sources and report back. As > an example, > for those who speak French and are researching in francophone countries, I > have found this FAQ (particularly sections 3, 5, 10, 12 and 16) > very useful: > http://claire.b.free.fr/faq1frg.html <http://claire.b.free.fr/faq1frg.html> With best wishes Julia ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. 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I agree with Juergen and Julia. We are not reaching researchers that do not speak English but may have valuable information to share with us. I studied German many years ago and have forgotten much of it but I have a dictionary and can use translation websites. I would welcome posts to our list in German if they could forgive my responses in poor German. Thanks to Juergen for offering to advertise this list on other German language lists Forgive me for indulging in a stereotype but I understand the Francophones are slightly less tolerant of those who do not speak or write French. Smile. I also have a French dictionary so I could muddle through posts in French. I would find a way to respond if anyone offered any BESSEY information in French! I haven't thought of a solution that reaches those researchers with no Internet access. Joneen The list can't reach (or reach enough) French, German or Dutch researchers. Sure there's a minority - just like me - who already know about these genealogical mailing lists and these are able to correspond in English. Also you have to consider that the useage of the internet and its resources currently is only avalaible for about 20 % of German These numbers show that a large majority of the German population couldn't be reached by these internet activities. I've read the same regarding France. But I think we have to reach more researchers, in France, in Germany and in the Netherlands, who are not able to correspond in English. I'll try to reach these listers - I'll contact them in German language and will show them the way to the HWE-L if interested in Huguenot researches - the way I already did when HWE-L started early this year! There are some more English-speaking lists I'm (lurking) member of. I'll post some "ad" mails also there. Also I'll post on major German-speaking genealogical websites here. Hope this will help us further. Jürgen Fritsche (Germany)