Gene wrote that he was disappointed with the Swiss Government for not preserving the grave stones and records. Gene, if you understand European History and the overcrowding, you would understand why they "recycle" cemeteries. Each family pays a fee to rent the plot. The families maintain them. They are very cost conscious over there. So, when it comes time to recycle, the families are very glad to put an end to that expense for an ancestor that they may have never met. The Churches keep the records. I visited Goldscheuer in Baden Wurtemburg in Germany and the cemetery had "all" my relatives. 90% were ancestors. In one corner there were dozens of stones piled against each other. I guess they were waiting until someone came and got them. It would have been too much to have to pay for all those plots left in the cemetery. I began at the beginning with my camera taking pictures of stones and gave up after I realized it would take several rolls of 36 exposure film to accomplish the deed. So, that is "their" custom in Europe. At least they keep the church records. The records are sometimes written in Latin with the Latin spellings which are not necessarily the local spellings. (Example: Catherine instead of Katherine). Anne Bowie Researching: BUCHER in Neiderweningen, Zurich, Switzerland