I try to record births, death, and marriages as occurring in the political jurisdiction that existed at the time of the event. I'm trying to determine exactly what political jurisdiction my ancestors live in from 1792-1820. They lived in the Hunsrück in Greimerath, Britten, and Wadern. I understand that the Electorate of Trier was ceded to France in 1801, then given to Prussia in 1814. Is that correct? What political territory did this area belong to pre-1801 while under French occupation? After Napoleon, when did it formally become the Rheinprovinz of Prussia? Thanks for any help on this, Kathy Lenerz

not ceded. Napoleonic troops occupied 1794 until 1815. The records during that time are in French since I am familiar with records for those areas - civil registration in French, while parish records are in German or Germanic Latin. Hunsruck is north of Greimerath, Britten, Wadern in question. After 1815, Rheinprovinz returned to Prussian rule along with additional concessions as result of Congress of Vienna 1815, consolidating the area, including annexation of eastern part of Luxembourg. One area deep inside the Rheinprovinz was part of Duchy of Oldenburg. Prussia didn't get it until the other part of the duchy located near Hannover was annexed. David David Kathy Lenerz wrote: > > I try to record births, death, and marriages as occurring in the political > jurisdiction that existed at the time of the event. I'm trying to > determine exactly what political jurisdiction my ancestors live in from > 1792-1820. They lived in the Hunsrück in Greimerath, Britten, and Wadern. > I understand that the Electorate of Trier was ceded to France in 1801, then > given to Prussia in 1814. Is that correct? What political territory did > this area belong to pre-1801 while under French occupation? After > Napoleon, when did it formally become the Rheinprovinz of Prussia? > Thanks for any help on this, > Kathy Lenerz > > ==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html > to unsubscribe

Kathy, Wadern did definetely not belong to the Electorate of Trier. It was a part of the so called "Herrschaft (Lordship?) Dagstuhl" until it was occupied by the French in 1794. I`m not sure about Greimerath and Britten, but I believe these villages belonged to the Electorate of Trierand not to the Herrschaft Dagstuhl. Look at: http://www.hoeckmann.de/deutschland/saar.htm and http://www.hoeckmann.de/deutschland/rhpfalz.htm and compare this map with an actual map of the area. For the rest of the history, you`re right. The Electorate of Trier was occupied in August 1794 by french revolutionary troops. In the treaty of Luneville (February 9 1801) the territories of the electorates of Trier, Cologne and Mainz situated on the left side of the river Rhine as well as the former austrian Netherlands were formally ceded to France. So the whole Hunsrueck (Wadern belongs to the so called "Schwarzwaelder Hunsrueck") was de jure and de facto part of the Republic of France. The region around Trier and western Hunsrueck belonged to the new Departement de la Sarre, with the capital Trier. On January 5 1814, Trier was taken by prussian troops. In the Peace Treaty of Paris (March 30 1814), France was reduced to its borders of 1792, on May 28 1815 the unification Trier-Prussia was proclamated in Trier. Most smaller territories like the Herrschaft Dagstuhl were given to Prussia too. The Rheinprovinz of Prussia was founded in 1816 (April, 18). It was divided in 6 "Regierungsbezirke": Trier, Koblenz, Duesseldorf, Kleve and Cologne. The last change was done in 1834: The prussian government bought the Principalty of Lichtenberg (the area around St. Wendel) from the duchy of Sachsen-Coburg. Until 1919, nothing changed then in the Regierungsbezirk Trier. Ernst Mettlach Trier ----- Original Message ----- From: Kathy Lenerz <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 10:01 AM Subject: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] Historical boundaries > I try to record births, death, and marriages as occurring in the political > jurisdiction that existed at the time of the event. I'm trying to > determine exactly what political jurisdiction my ancestors live in from > 1792-1820. They lived in the Hunsrück in Greimerath, Britten, and Wadern. > I understand that the Electorate of Trier was ceded to France in 1801, then > given to Prussia in 1814. Is that correct? What political territory did > this area belong to pre-1801 while under French occupation? After > Napoleon, when did it formally become the Rheinprovinz of Prussia? > Thanks for any help on this, > Kathy Lenerz > > > ==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html > to unsubscribe >

My family originated in Seinsfeld bei Wittlich and I wonder if this area is included in the history you were discussing. I also wonder if anyone who is familiar with that general area know the story behind the sculpture in Bitburg of the little boys covered with goat skins. We loved the sculpture. Arlene At 01:34 PM 6/2/02 +0200, Ernst Mettlach wrote: >Kathy, >Wadern did definetely not belong to the Electorate of Trier. It was a part >of the so called "Herrschaft (Lordship?) Dagstuhl" until it was occupied by >the French in 1794. I`m not sure about Greimerath and Britten, but I believe >these villages belonged to the Electorate of Trierand not to the Herrschaft >Dagstuhl. Look at: http://www.hoeckmann.de/deutschland/saar.htm and >http://www.hoeckmann.de/deutschland/rhpfalz.htm and compare this map with an >actual map of the area. >For the rest of the history, you`re right. The Electorate of Trier was >occupied in August 1794 by french revolutionary troops. >In the treaty of Luneville (February 9 1801) the territories of the >electorates of Trier, Cologne and Mainz situated on the left side of the >river Rhine as well as the former austrian Netherlands were formally ceded >to France. So the whole Hunsrueck (Wadern belongs to the so called >"Schwarzwaelder Hunsrueck") was de jure and de facto part of the Republic of >France. The region around Trier and western Hunsrueck belonged to the new >Departement de la Sarre, with the capital Trier. >On January 5 1814, Trier was taken by prussian troops. In the Peace Treaty >of Paris (March 30 1814), France was reduced to its borders of 1792, on May >28 1815 the unification Trier-Prussia was proclamated in Trier. Most smaller >territories like the Herrschaft Dagstuhl were given to Prussia too. >The Rheinprovinz of Prussia was founded in 1816 (April, 18). It was divided >in 6 "Regierungsbezirke": Trier, Koblenz, Duesseldorf, Kleve and Cologne. >The last change was done in 1834: The prussian government bought the >Principalty of Lichtenberg (the area around St. Wendel) from the duchy of >Sachsen-Coburg. Until 1919, nothing changed then in the Regierungsbezirk >Trier. > >Ernst Mettlach >Trier > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Kathy Lenerz <[email protected]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 10:01 AM >Subject: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] Historical boundaries > > > > I try to record births, death, and marriages as occurring in the political > > jurisdiction that existed at the time of the event. I'm trying to > > determine exactly what political jurisdiction my ancestors live in from > > 1792-1820. They lived in the Hunsrück in Greimerath, Britten, and Wadern. > > I understand that the Electorate of Trier was ceded to France in 1801, >then > > given to Prussia in 1814. Is that correct? What political territory did > > this area belong to pre-1801 while under French occupation? After > > Napoleon, when did it formally become the Rheinprovinz of Prussia? > > Thanks for any help on this, > > Kathy Lenerz > > > > > > ==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > > Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to > > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html > > to unsubscribe > > > > >==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== >Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html >to unsubscribe

Hello, the story behind the little boys covered with goat skins is the story of a tricky masquerade during the the 30 years war (1618 - 48) when the whole region suffered under swedish, french, spanish or german troops, who plundered cities and villages. Bitburg was besieged by a swedish army, who was ill-famed for its cruelty. After a few days, the bitburgers had neither ammunition, nor food. In this case of emergency, they had an idea. They took some goat skins and pulled them over little boys, who behaved like goats and showed upon the city walls. As the swedish soldiers saw this, they thought, these were living goats and that the city had enough food for a long siege. They stopped the siege and Bitburg was saved by these little boys in goat skins. Today, the nickname of the Bitburgers is still "Gaessestrepper" (dialect: Gaes = Goat, streppen ~ to pull over). The area around Wittlich is involved in the history, we discussed. Wittlich as part of the Electorate of Trier as well as some smaller territorries nearby were occupied by french troops in 1794 and ceded to France in 1801. The rest of the story is the same as in the first mail. Ernst Mettlach Trier ----- Original Message ----- From: Arlene Shoemaker <[email protected]> To: Ernst Mettlach <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 6:58 PM Subject: Re: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] Historical boundaries My family originated in Seinsfeld bei Wittlich and I wonder if this area is included in the history you were discussing. I also wonder if anyone who is familiar with that general area know the story behind the sculpture in Bitburg of the little boys covered with goat skins. We loved the sculpture. Arlene At 01:34 PM 6/2/02 +0200, Ernst Mettlach wrote: >Kathy, >Wadern did definetely not belong to the Electorate of Trier. It was a part >of the so called "Herrschaft (Lordship?) Dagstuhl" until it was occupied by >the French in 1794. I`m not sure about Greimerath and Britten, but I believe >these villages belonged to the Electorate of Trierand not to the Herrschaft >Dagstuhl. Look at: http://www.hoeckmann.de/deutschland/saar.htm and >http://www.hoeckmann.de/deutschland/rhpfalz.htm and compare this map with an >actual map of the area. >For the rest of the history, you`re right. The Electorate of Trier was >occupied in August 1794 by french revolutionary troops. >In the treaty of Luneville (February 9 1801) the territories of the >electorates of Trier, Cologne and Mainz situated on the left side of the >river Rhine as well as the former austrian Netherlands were formally ceded >to France. So the whole Hunsrueck (Wadern belongs to the so called >"Schwarzwaelder Hunsrueck") was de jure and de facto part of the Republic of >France. The region around Trier and western Hunsrueck belonged to the new >Departement de la Sarre, with the capital Trier. >On January 5 1814, Trier was taken by prussian troops. In the Peace Treaty >of Paris (March 30 1814), France was reduced to its borders of 1792, on May >28 1815 the unification Trier-Prussia was proclamated in Trier. Most smaller >territories like the Herrschaft Dagstuhl were given to Prussia too. >The Rheinprovinz of Prussia was founded in 1816 (April, 18). It was divided >in 6 "Regierungsbezirke": Trier, Koblenz, Duesseldorf, Kleve and Cologne. >The last change was done in 1834: The prussian government bought the >Principalty of Lichtenberg (the area around St. Wendel) from the duchy of >Sachsen-Coburg. Until 1919, nothing changed then in the Regierungsbezirk >Trier. > >Ernst Mettlach >Trier > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Kathy Lenerz <[email protected]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 10:01 AM >Subject: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] Historical boundaries > > > > I try to record births, death, and marriages as occurring in the political > > jurisdiction that existed at the time of the event. I'm trying to > > determine exactly what political jurisdiction my ancestors live in from > > 1792-1820. They lived in the Hunsrück in Greimerath, Britten, and Wadern. > > I understand that the Electorate of Trier was ceded to France in 1801, >then > > given to Prussia in 1814. Is that correct? What political territory did > > this area belong to pre-1801 while under French occupation? After > > Napoleon, when did it formally become the Rheinprovinz of Prussia? > > Thanks for any help on this, > > Kathy Lenerz > > > > > > ==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== > > Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to > > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html > > to unsubscribe > > > > >==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== >Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html >to unsubscribe