I hope all will forgive me if I do this incorrectly. This is my first time posting a message to this group even though I've been lurking for several years. The discussion of Slavic origins of families who consider themselves of German origin has peaked my interest. I do not know if that is the case with my own ancestors or not, but this discussion has me wondering, and I would appreciate any insight members might have. My GGG grandfather, Carl Gauerke, arrived in Chicago and quickly settled in the area of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1851. My grandmother, Hilda Gauerke Eiler, of Green Bay, was born in 1898. She spoke German exclusively until she began school and continued to use common German expressions until her death in 1980. She was always particularly proud that her family spoke high German. I always pictured her side of the family as coming from an area like Bavaria, squarely in Germany. Imagine my surprise when I learned a while back that it hails from Kreis Grei! fenberg, Stettin, a region which is now part of Poland. Around the same time, based on differing pronunciations of the surname among distant family members, I decided that the original spelling of the surname was most likely Gorke (umlaut over the "o"). Between the "ke" ending of the name and the pride in speaking high German, I am beginning to suspect Slavic origins for this branch of my family. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Jody Wright Jody Wright jdwright@ix.netcom.com EarthLink Revolves Around You.