2006 - Issue 1 Newsletter - Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of

Transcription

AMERICANAMERICAN-OSTFRIESEN ZEITUNG
A PUBLICATION OF THE OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
EALA FREYA FRESENA! LEVER DOD ALS SLAV!
January 2006
Volume 9, Issue 1
DEUTSCHES AUSWANDERERHAUS
IN BREMERHAVEN
Page 2
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
AMERICAN-OSTFRIESEN
ZEITUNG
A PUBLICATION OF THE OSTFRIESEN
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The newsletter of the Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of
America is published four times a year. Please write: Lin
Strong, Editor, OGSA Newsletter, 168 North Lake Street, Forest Lake, MN 55025 or email - lstrong@cornernet. com with
comments or suggestions.
We are happy to consider any contributions of genealogical
information. Whether we can use your material is based on
such factors as general interest to our members, our need to
cover certain subjects, balance through the year and available
space. The editor reserves the right to edit all submitted materials for presentation and grammar. The editor will correct errors and may need to determine length of copy.
Contributors are responsible for accuracy, omissions and factual errors. Cite documentation for facts or statistical information and give complete source for all abstracted or transcribed
records.
Other than the exceptions given, all or part of this publication
may be copied without fee provided that: copies are not made
or distributed for direct title commercial advantage; the OGSA
copyright notice, the name of the publication and its date
appear; and notice is given that copying is by permission of the
Ostfriesen Genealogical Society. Materials not otherwise
attributed, were prepared by the editor.
Copyright @ 2006
Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America
OGSA MEMBERSHIP
PRIVILEGES include four issues of the American Ostfriesen
Zeitung(January, April, July, October), four program meetings
each year and one special event, special member order discounts, and access to the OGSA library.
TO JOIN OGSA—Send your check for $18, payable to
OGSA, to OGSA, 168 North Lake Street, #3, Forest Lake, MN
55025. ($17 year/two year subscription, $16 year/three years)
♦ Foreign membership is $22. We can send you our Bank
and account number and you can deposit your membership
at Sparkasse Emden if you prefer.
♦ The membership year is from November 1 through October 31. You will receive one reminder post card in December 2005 if you do not renew before the end of the
year.
♦ If you join midway during the year, you will receive all
back issues for that year. Back issues for the past year are
available for purchase.
♦ Please include your name, address, email address, phone
number and eight names you are researching in Ostfriesland along with their village names.
♦ If you have any question about your membership, please
do not hesitate to contact us! 651-269-3580
OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF AMERICA
Research Facility: 168 North Lake Street, Unit #3,
Forest Lake, MN 55025
Officers are elected for a two year term and will serve during
2005 and 2006.
OGSA OFFICERS:
President—Buck Menssen, bmenssen@iaxs.net (651) 436-1995
Vice President—Sharon Arends, mnmax424@msn.com
Treasurer—Lübbert Kruizenga, Luebbert.Kruizenga@GT.com
Recording Secretary—Nancy Jensen, nljen31@msn.com
Past President—Zella Mirick(651)452-2574 zwmirick@juno.com
BOARD MEMBERS:
Lin Strong: (651) 269-3580 (cell) lstrong@cornernet.com
Gene Janssen: email: jansseng@cornernet.com
Dr. James Limburg: jlimburg@luthersem.edu
Ray Kleinow: rayk29@comcast.net
COMMITTEE COORDINATORS:
Program & Meeting Committee: Buck Menssen
Publicity: Lübbert Kruizenga, Lin Strong
Library: Lin Strong
Membership: Crystal Olson
Shipping, Mailing— Zella Mirick, Nancy Jensen
AMERICAN-OSTFRIESEN ZEITUNG STAFF:
Lin Cornelius Strong, News Editor
Contributing Authors: George Heikes, Jill Morelli, Rudy
Wiemann, Gene Janssen, Zella Mirick, Jeanee Janssen Thompson
Internet Column: Cheryl Meints
OGSA MISSION STATEMENT
OGSA is headquartered in Minnesota and our official name is
Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America. Anyone with ancestors from Ostfriesland or who has an interest in Ostfriesland is
welcome to join.
The purpose of the group is exclusively educational, and specifically to:
♦ Foster and increase interest in Ostfriesen genealogy.
♦ Provide an association for those interested in Ostfriesen
genealogy.
♦ Provide an opportunity for exchange of knowledge about
Ostfriesland.
♦ Encourage the establishment of Ostfriesen genealogical
resources.
♦ Hold meetings for instruction and interest of its members.
♦ Collect and, when practical, publish genealogical, biographical and historical material relating to people of Ostfriesen
descent.
♦ Work with other similar societies to preserve and protect Ost
friesen genealogy and heritage.
Our organization is a 501C3 non-profit organization.
Your donations are tax-deductible.
October
American-Ostfriesen
2003
Zeitung
Page
PAGE3 3
MOIN, ALLE!
This is the beginning of our ninth year! We started with less than a dozen members—and
look how far we have come! Thanks for all the Christmas cards—they were enjoyed!
Thanks to all who have made donations, some of them quite substantial! We don’t want
to bug you too often, but your donations have helped us grow and they are all appreciated.
We have accomplished great things in the past eight years and we could not have done it
without your help. Tell one other person about OGSA this year—or buy them a gift membership. We can also send them a sample copy of our newsletter if you give us their postal
address. We do not send any newsletters out electronically—as yet.
Thanks again for returning the surveys to us. I’ve said it in the past and I’ll repeat it—you
give us some great ideas about what we can better do to serve you. We need this input—
many of you checked only two boxes (and nothing else!) 1) We like the mix of articles in
the newsletter and 2) We do (or do not) belong to the Ostfriesen Mail List on the internet.
Apparently you like what we do!
Thanks to those of you who donate your family histories. If you are planning to write one,
you might like to take a day and visit the library to see what format others have used.
Please come to the February workshop and learn how to write your memoirs!
We have some great things planned for 2006. We will have a workshop the second
weekend in October complete with mini sessions that will be held at a local hotel.
That way you can take a mini session or do your research, or do some of both. This
will be a two or three day event—stay tuned!
♦
♦
Be sure to check out the newly published books listed on page 31.
I will be speaking in Grundy Center in March. If you are in the area, I’d love to see
you. Check out the information on the back cover.
I truly enjoyed WeihnachtMarkts (Christmas Markets) in November, especially Gluhwein
and Neue Jahrs Kuchen! I had an opportunity to go for a week and took it—gladly! I was
also fortunate to meet many of you during that week and to attend a Jan Cornelius concert,
too. I will return in April 2006, so hopefully, will be able to meet more of you at that time.
I am taking a two smaller groups to Ostfriesland in April/May and September. The September trip is for research alone and you will benefit from what we learn on that trip. Stay
tuned for our adventures!
If you have not visited the website to see pictures and stories about our trip in June 2005,
do so today. Dale did a great job in putting this together!
Just to show you that you can live several states away and still get involved—Norm
Hensley lives in Alabama, but he reformatted our entire membership list on Excel, keeps it
up to date and keeps in touch with us by email only—with the occasional telephone call.
You can still get a paper copy of the membership book for a fee, but we can email you an
attachment of the list free of charge!
You, too, can get involved and we have several typing and translation projects that could
benefit from your help! Please don’t let distance stop you from helping us. The internet
has made this truly a small world. Can you think of other projects for OGSA?
Stay tuned! Information about the 2007 OGSA Conference will be included in one of the
next newsletters. If you have been at other conferences you know we do a good job—
and if you haven’t, you will certainly want to plan to attend the next one. We do have to
limit attendance at these events due to the size of the available facilities. While conferences are too much work for some of us, you are all the benefactors!
You might notice that the order forms are not included in this newsletter. We will no
longer insert them in each issue. This way you get two more pages of articles in the newsletter which you apparently all enjoy. The insert was in the last issue for 2005, so pull that
one out if you need it—or go to the website. For 2006, please stay in touch and let us
know about those special events in your life! And have a healthy and happy year!
Inside this issue:
Weener & Surrounding Villages
4, 5
Deutsches Auswandererhaus
Bagband’s Windmill
6, 7
7
Second Battle of Jemgum
The Settlement in Chippewa
County
8, 9, 11
10, 11
A Partnership & Ostfriesen
Visitors
12
Notes from north, Book Reviews, Recipe
13
Rheiderland Military Lists
OSB Update
14
Pastors & Their Problems,
Danke, Sehr
15
Diele Redoubts
Awards, Obituraries
16
17
Research Book Review, WW I,
Low German
18
News from Ostfriesland
The Angel in Asel
Links to Deep Roots, Queries
Hausmarken, Tea Party Pictures
19, 20
21
22
23
The French Hugeunot’s
Emigration of Moor Settlers
24-26
27, 28
Jeanee-ology 101, Contest
29
New Obituary Index, Upcoming
Issue Info., Member News
31
31
Frisian Historical Society
31
W E’ RE ON THE WEB!
www.rootsweb.com/
~mnogsm
MEMBERSHIP FACTS
OGSA Membership—620
♦ Three states not represented:
♦ GA, DE & KY + Washington DC
♦ Nine states have only one member.
♦ States with larger memberships:
1. Minnesota—122
2. Illinois—99
3. Iowa—76
4. California—38
5. Nebraska—30
6. Wisconsin—20
Members span six countries including
the U.S., Germany—29, Canada—6,
the Netherlands—2, France—1, New
Zealand—1
Page 4
WEENER & ITS SURROUNDING VILLAGES
Beschotenweg was a pathway through the high moor
which Weener used as a source of peat for fuel. In the
middle of the 17th century, it belonged to a regional
ruler and from 1688 to 1690 it was "leased publicly" to
Bunde. Originally, in 1742, Beschotenweg was called
beschoßener Weg because it was "paved" with logs to
keep it from sinking into the moor.
Diele/Dielerhafe
Discoveries from the Stone Age and the Middle Ages
have been identified in the cluster village of Diele.
Long ago Dilon, as it was known, was the feudal property of the cloister of Werden an der Ruhr. There was a
church and two fortifications (castles), Waldenburg and
Leewenburg in Diele. Trenches were dug in the 14th
century as defense against the attacks of the Münster
forces. In 1675, Diele was occupied by Hessian and
imperial troops and was partially burned and torn down.
Halte
The cloister farmstead, Halte, served as a dairy farm for the
monks of the order of St. John at Muhde. Around 1800, it served
as a dock for ships coming in from the sea. From 1810 to 1813,
the Napoleonic era, it was the customs station for French customs. The place was badly damaged by storm floods and also by
World War II events.
Holthusen / Holthuserheide / Tichelwarf
Holthusen is mentioned on record for the first time in a will from
1557, where it is described as one of two Warfs (manmade
mounds) in Holthusen and Stapelmoor. A parsonage was built
here in 1881 and the Gottesgabenkirche (Gift of God Church)
was erected in 1882.
Kirchborgum is first mentioned in a 15th century source from
the Münster Diocese. In the Middle Ages, Kirchborgum was
accessible primarily by water. In 1600, there was a ferry connection to Driever in the Overledingerland. The oldest church of
Kirchborgum was located beyond the Ems dike across from
Driever, now part of the Ems River bed. In 1636, the church had
to be abandoned after a dike break. A new church was built further inland. The new, third, church was built in 1827.
Aerial View of Weener Area
gasten (the east fields on the higher ground). Before the Ems
River was diked, people settled on the geest strand called the
Höhenzug. The Friesian missionary, Liudger, was active here in
800 AD. By 1428, Stapelmoor is recognized as a parish. The
Andreaskreuzkirche (St. Andrews' Cross Church) was apparently finished in 1443. At one time the church was surrounded
by stately farmers' fortified homes serving as a defense against
enemies to the south. During the Napoleonic era, Stapelmoor,
along with Diele, Vellage and Halte, was a part of the French
jurisdiction called the Departement Ems.
St. Georgiwold
The village settlement was dedicated to St. George. St. Georgiwold was also called Swartewolde (Black Forest) or St. Jürgenswoltt (St. George's Forest or Woods) because before the expansion of the Dollart, the community was surrounded by a forest or
woods of alder. The first church (wooden construction) was
built in 1681.
Vellage
Today's Vellage was called Veldagi around 900 AD, or in the
vernacular, Velgde, which means field on the heights. The first
Möhlenwarf
Hermann A. Hesse laid out a unique park on the Möhlenwarf
ridge which drew visitors from far and near. The park was sacrificed during World War II when the Rheiderland had been isolated by the destruction of its surrounding bridges and needed the
trees for heating fuel. The Friesian preaching church at Möhlenwarf was dedicated in the summer of 1905. In 1909, the new
parsonage was built. Originally there were two mills here; hence,
the name Möhlenwarf (mound with mills). However, one of the
mills was razed in 1932.
Stapelmoor / Stapelmoorerheide
Stapelmoor arose from a pre-Christian row or roadside village
and was originally located in the wetland pastures on the Oster-
The Weener Harbor
Page 5
written record is from 1428. The oldest structure is the Friesenkirche (Friesian church) from 1350.
Weener
Numerous discoveries support the fact that Weener, located on
the geest heights, has been populated since the Stone Age. In
the 9th century, the cloister at Werden a.d. Ruhr had acquired
vast holdings in the area. The cloister properties on the lower
Ems River were administered from here.
Until the 16th century, there was a broad waterway here in the
Ems River which lent Weener importance as a transfer point for
trade. The location on the Ems River and the trade routes (the
Heerweg and the Handelsweg) played a significant role in the
economic development of Weener in the Middle Ages. From
1620 to 1650, Weener is described as a farm community with its
existence based on an agricultural economy. In the 17th and
18th centuries it experienced a golden age: agriculture and trade
in tiles, grain, butter, cheese, and chestnuts, as well as horse
trading brought in a lot of money.
In 1876, Weener was connected to the rail system of Germany.
It was granted the status of "city" on October, 29, 1929. Following World War II it experienced a strong influx of refugees in
addition to the high unemployment rate found throughou Ostfriesland at the time.
The Kaake" (right
center) is a gate
which divided the
clerical property
from the secular
property. Horse
trading took place
here, later replaced by trading
of cattle.
Weenermoor
Weenermoor was bedeviled by catastrophic
floods in the 14th century and had to be partially relocated three times. In 1496, it
was called Wengramoor. Before the flood catastrophes, the
community was made up of two parts: Wenigermoor and Overmoor. They were combined into one at
the end of the 19th century. Geologically, Weenermoor is one of the most
interesting and fascinating areas of the
Rheiderland because of its surroundings
consisting of alluvial and diluvial land
(high land and flood plain).
In 1230,
the Georg's
church was
built on
Weener's
highest
elevation.
SOURCE:
weener.conne.net/ and
other internet sites
Translated by Gene
Janssen
TECHNOLOGY 101
Are you kind of lost with all the changes that are coming in digital cameras, computers, printers, hard drives, etc. What do you
really need and what do you need to know? We’re going to try to
make sense of a few things that are now out there—and maybe
help you in the meantime! This is the first is a multi-part series.
If you don’t have a cordless mouse, they are great. No more
cords to get tangled up in and they are a cinch to install. They
look just like your regular mouse without the cord. You can expect to pay $20 to $40 depending on the quality. These are a
must!
Everyone should have a flash or travel drive! These small
drives plug into a USB port and store files, backup your computer, pictures and even music. They are similar to floppy drives
that computers
used to have,
but they hold an
incredible
amount of data.
You can unplug
the drive, take it
with you to
work, home or
on vacation and use it on another computer. They are about the
size of a stick of gum (see the size compared to a typical pen) and
they have more memory space than my first computer—now
that’s a bit scary! They come with 256MB, 512 MB, or several
GB’s.
That’s a lot of memory and expect to pay accordingly for the
more memory that you purchase. You will typically pay $29.99
to well over $100. If you don’t have one—get one right away
and back up your computer or just your genealogy files. Watch
for sales and rebates at any of your office supply or electronics
stores. You can get them for about $20 after rebates.
What is a high-performance
portable hard drive? These
are really a larger flash drive
and can hold all the information currently in your computer—even the programs!
They range in memory—
usually from 4 GB to 80 GB.
You can truly back up everything you have on any computer with one of these
drives—and they will fit in the
palm of your hand. (Actually 3” x 5”)
Most computers will install these drives automatically and it took
less than two minutes to back up my entire document file—and
trust me it is HUGE! If you work with large files—this is a necessity. Prices typically range from about $129 to $179, depending on where you purchase them. Shop around—that is the key.
Page 6
THE NEW DEUTSCHES AUSWANDERERHAUS
By Lin Cornelius Strong
Life size models of emigrants on the wharf.
Okay, so at first we couldn’t find it! It’s the last Sunday in November and believe me when I say the harbor at Bremerhaven is
deserted. We finally almost run down a man getting into his car
and he gives us lengthy directions. Apparently the reason there
are not signs as the city is going to have all new signs and they
don’t want to pay twice to sign the way to the German Emigration Center. You do need to know that so you can go to
mapquest or another mapping program to get directions—and not
drive around aimlessly through a harbor area.
Purchasing your ticket, you are
given a Boarding Pass (similar
to the one on the left) in the
language of your choice. You
need to place your card near the
telephone heatsets that describe
emigration experiences, it will
relay the information to you in
the language of your choice.
Signage inside is also somewhat lacking as we couldn’t
figure out how to get in to the
museum until an employee
showed up.
The wall with the entrance door
was modern with graffiti—
noting the present time. We
walked immediately into the
past into a room where passengers waited until they could go
out to the harbor. It is a real step back in time with rough wood
boards and benches, a story displayed on a video screen— and
little else.
The next door lead us onto the wharf with water in the channel
where the boat is located. It was dimly lit with at least 30 life
size figures dressed in 1860—1880 vintage clothing all waiting to
board the ship. There were entire families, small children and
babies along with their chests of belongings standing on the
wharf with low voiced background tapes of children and adults
murmuring and babies crying. I could picture my relatives leav-
ing Bremen in the 1860’s—it was that real. It is a sight that will
remain in my memory for many years to come.
You then enter Galerie der 7 Millionnen lined with small drawers, each containing information about the emigrants who left
the port. Each small, thin drawer contains one record covered
with plexiglass. There are telephone headsets placed around the
area and when you place your card on them, the story of an emigrant is relayed. The problem is, if you are in any type of
group, there is only one telephone headset for each story. You
miss a lot if you don’t hear each of the stories.
You then climb up the stairway and enter the ship for the voygage. At the top there is a display of a chests, suitcases along
with additional display boards with information. The next
rooms are split into three categories: 1850—1890 era, 1890—
1910 era and after 1920’s.
I don’t think there are words enough to explain how primitive
the living conditions were for the first group of emigrants. The
recordings told the story of up to 100 people staying in a room
about 12’ x 12’ with highly unsanitary living conditions, beds
full of people—some who did not even know each other. Food
that all became spoiled and rancid. There were poultry in small
Page 7
BAGBAND’S WINDMILL
Kiek rin”, Newsletter
of the Historical Society of Hesel, January 2005 Edition.
By Albert Kroon,
Translated by Rudy
Wiemann
Just in time for the storms of winter,
installation of a new cap roof on Bagband’s windmill has been completed. It
is made of Ostfriesland’s time-honored
roofing material: reed bundles.
Großefehn’s mayor Hayo Wolters and
the Windmill Society’s chairman Albert
Kroon were impressed by the expertise demonstrated by Südbrookmerland’s roofing company Uwe Röttger.
cages beneath the floor boards covered with wire netting. Sunday
was a special day with barley soup—the fleas floated to the top
and were easily sloughed off. Rough wood bed frames (above)
two or more high were on one side of the room—and with life
sized models sitting or laying in them, it was too eerily real.
This re-roofing will cost the community of Großefehn, owner
of the windmill, 50,000 euros, although there is recourse to
funds of the Leader-Plus-Program of the European Union and
the Windmill Pool of Aurich County. A new coat of paint will
be applied next spring after which the mill’s sails will turn
again in their refinished green and white splendor.
Together with Bagband’s church, this Dutch windmill, built in
1812, represents one of the twin symbols of this rural town and
is an eye-catcher for travelers on the busy federal highway on
which Bagband is located.
.
The living conditions improved by the year and by the last display room, the conditions were actually roomy compared conditions known by the earliest emigrants. There were also some stories of how some of the wealthy families traveled in style with
lavish dinners and facilities. And while this was interesting, I
would have preferred to have more about the earliest era of emigration.
The Windmill Society, founded in 1991, sees its task in the
care and maintenance of the structures and the traditions and
culture that are part of the ancient craft of milling with wind
power. A contract with Großefehn to this end states that the
mill will be open to visitors on Sundays and holidays between
Easter and the end of September.
The museum then takes you through Ellis Island, landing in New
York and questions that you would have to answer correctly in
order to emigrate. If you failed, you were deported.
Furthermore, baking days are offered, timed to coincide with
school recesses in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia
and Hessia so as to enable vacationers from those regions to
visit the windmill and to purchase “Schwarzbrot” made from
coarse ground rye flour and “Weissbrot” made from sifted
wheat flour, both baked in the mill’s peat heated brick ovens.
Emigrant family in the early 1900’s
There are several
other rooms with
other information
about emigration and
a research facility
with computers for
those who wish to
spend the time here
doing their research.
I would recommend
it as the displays are
being changed and I
am sure it will improve as they ask
you to fill out questionnaires.
For those of us with
emigrant ancestors, it
has fascinating displays.
The Society has obtained a permit to operate a restaurant in
the former storehouse.
This has become a
popular goal for family outings and for
bikers on the Windmill
Route and the Friesen
Ro u te
“Rad
up
Pad” (Bike on the
Path), both of which
pass through Bagband.
The Society traditionally invites the children to an Easter egg
hunt and to a Christmas party where the
“W eih nacht s man n”
hands out presents.
Page 8 e 8
SPAIN ON THE MARCH, SECOND BATTLE OF JEMGUM
By Rudy Wiemann
The Second Battle of Jemgum during the Dutch Revolt
against the Spanish Occupation
The Duke of Alba, eager to avenge the death of Count Arensberg,
moved with his entire strength to the Rheiderland to do battle with
Count Ludwig in Jemgum.
More from the Chronicle of Menno Peters of Jemgum (ca.
1620-1700) / Written about 100 years after these events, left
as a manuscript and not printed until 1930 (although as a
manuscript referred to by historians). The second editon was
published by Schuster, Leer, in 1972. (How the guns of Jemgum, recast as a monument to arrogance, prepared the way for
recognition of independence for the Netherlands).
The Battle of Jemgum, The Prelude
When Count Ludwig became aware of this, he ordered Count
Schauenburg to construct several battery redoubts south of Jemgum
and position his guns before the arrival of the Spaniards. The soldiers, however, said that they would not lend a hand to any kind of
work until they had received their back pay. They said they knew
that the money had arrived and therefor demanded payment.
The Battle at Heiligerlee (1568)
In 1568, Count Ludwig of Nassau and his brother Adolph
hired 7,000 mercenary troops on foot and on horseback in the
region surrounding the city of Groningen. He took Wedda and
approached Groningen toward which city his move was directed. The Duke of Alba - the Jemgumer’s called him Duke
d’Alf - who had been sent to the Netherlands by the King of
Spain, sent Count Arensberg, Governor of Friesland, with
several thousand men to face Count Ludwig who became
aware of the approaching might of the Spaniards and positioned himself between Heiligerlee and Winschoten preparing
for battle.
Count Ludwig himself sought to motivate them with the most amicable entreaties. “Men!” he said, “I beg of you, do not rebel! We
now have no time to count money. It shall all be paid to you, but
now is the time to gird for battle. We have certain news of the approach of the Spaniards from Count Joest.” Schauenburg himself
picked up a shovel to give an example, but regardless of this the
soldiers yelled, “Money! First the money must be paid!”
Count Arensberg’s advance on him there resulted in a heavy
engagement in which Count Ludwig finally emerged victorious. However, his brother and many others were killed. Count
Arensberg and many noblemen remained dead on the field of
battle, as did 1,600 Spaniards. All of Arensberg’s munitions,
baggage and 16 cannon fell into the hands of Count Ludwig
of Nassau. However, he thought his strength to be insufficient
to exploit the victory and moved with his army to Rheiderland
and camped in
Jemgum planning to construct a defensive position
there.
From Emden
he would be
able to receive
whatever aid
he required.
(Count Edzard
of Ostfriesland
was well inclined toward
him.) He
waited for his
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, the third
brother, Prince
Duke of Alba (1508—12 Jan 1583 )
Wilhelm of
Orange, leader
of the revolt against Spain, with his troops in the Netherlands
to come to his aid.
The highest officers explained to them the danger they were in if
they did not follow orders, whereas they could easily defeat the
large approaching host and carry away plenty of booty.
The Battle
When Duke Alba approached Jemgum with his large army, the
levee gates were opened. The water began to flood the road in several places and instilled the greatest fear in him, as he thought he
might drown in the rising tide. But spies brought him different
news. The rebellion among the soldiers of Count Ludwig now emboldened him, and he quickened his march on Jemgum. He did not
encounter much resistance, as the rebelling mercenaries were
gripped by a great fear. They now became less obstinate, but it was
too late. They could not be brought into any kind of order.
After a short but sharp engagement, the enemy occupied the levee,
took the gun positions and killed whoever fell into his hands. Count
Schauenburg retreated with most of his cavalry in the direction of
the Dukelweg, got away and marched toward Bunde. Count Ludwig
took to a small boat and rowed to Emden. Many of the rebelling
soldiers fled toward the Ems in order to cross it with the vessels
anchored there. But those became so greatly overloaded that they
went under, and most of the people drowned.
The guns, baggage, munitions, standards - everything fell into the
hands of Count Alba. It was said that Count Ludwig had treacherous officers among his staff who were in contact with the Spaniards
and caused rumors to spread among their own people that money
had arrived and that they should act stubbornly, then they would get
paid. The approach of the Spaniards was only a rumor. This was the
cause for the disgraceful defeat which Count Ludwig suffered at
Jemgum.
The Spaniards were saying that 6,000 men had remained on the
field, but that is uncertain as only 2,000 corpses were found. All
experts at that time judged that Count Ludwig could have defeated
the whole army of Duke Alba if he could have made use of his men
in good order, just as the Gelderland troops did 35 years before
when they, though small in number, amounting to 2,000 men, de-
feated and chased so many thousands from Jemgum.
The law in times of war is harsh and severe. If a soldier mutinies
over money, he must suffer death in accordance with wartime
justice and will be killed without mercy. The fact that such severe
justice is necessary we find amply demonstrated here.
One should have preferably put it into practice here too, but there
prevailed a general clamoring among the people for which reason
the generals attempted to make them obey by begging and appealing. But where boldness and severe justice are needed, begging and appealing have no place.
After the Battle of Jemgum
By the time the Spaniards had bested Count Ludwig, the citizens
for the most part had fled. Many women who were still in Jemgum fled to the old monastery on the Kreuzstrasse (today’s Ahten
Mill). Those who remained in their houses were driven there.
Duke Alba gave the order to close the doors so that nobody could
escape and set a fire and burned down the building with all the
women in it. This caused a great outcry in Jemgum.
Whoever was beseeching him on their behalf, the Duke lent an
ear to no one. His son, Fernando de Toledo, moved by pity,
promised to attempt to dissuade his father with pleading and entreating. He then asked him and said, “Consider, Father, that we
have won such a great battle and subjugated our enemy. Spare
now these imprisoned women, and act with mercy toward them.
Consider that we all have sprung from women, and that these
have done us no harm. I am asking for them that they may not be
burnt. Spare them, Father, for the sake of my plea!” Through this
strong plea by the son, they remained alive and escaped unharmed.
The Looting
When the Spaniards had defeated Count Ludwig in this way and
captured 16 cannon, 20 banners and all the supplies, they topped
it off by looting not only Jemgum but nearly all of Rheiderland.
They dragged off everything, thousands of horses and cows, so
that only little remained. At that time the land was full of cattle,
as it had not suffered reverses due to war for 35 years. Thus the
losses which the Rheiderland suffered this time around are beyond description. After these happenings the naked corpses were
carried to the road and from there thrown into several mass
graves which had been dug and were thus buried. That happened
on the following day. This took place in Jemgum in the year
1568. I have read in old chronicles that they had taken 18,000
heads of cattle from Rheiderland.
Other Background Material
From: Imperial Spain, by J. H. Elliott, The New American Library Press, 1863: In sending Alba to the Netherlands, the King
(Philip II) had come down in favor of the “Castilian” (rather than
the Aragonese) approach, but his willingness to stand by his decision would clearly depend on the extent of Alba’s success. By
1573, after seven years of terror, it was obvious that Alba had
failed, and he was accordingly relieved of his post.
From: The Dutch Republic, by J. Israel, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1995: Initially, the summons to arms, and stirring propa-
Page 9
ganda had a considerable impact within the Netherlands, as well
as among the 60,000 Netherlands Protestant exiles living in
northwest Germany and southeast England.
Even before Louis (Ludwig) of Nassau’s victory over the Count
of Aremberg at the battle of Heiligerlee, of May 1568, the first
(and for many long years, the only) triumph the rebels were to
win, hundreds of supporters streamed to his banner from all over
Friesland and Groningen.
It was also during the brief time when he occupied the northeast
corner of Groningen that Count Louis established the rebel naval
force, the Sea-Beggars, in the Ems estuary, using many of the
men who flocked to him there. At the subsequent debacle at
Jemminghen (Jemgum) in July 1568 where Alva crushed the
rebel army, slaughtering most of them on the banks of the Ems
on the German side of the border near Emden, the larger number
of the Netherlanders and hired mercenaries perished.
From: The Duke of Alba, by H. Kamen, Yale University Press,
2004: Alba had now to deal with Louis (Ludwig) of Nassau’s
forces, amounting to some
twelve thousand men,
camped near Groningen. In
mid-July the duke reached
the area, at the head of an
army of about fifteen thousand. In an initial skirmish
Louis lost three hundred of
his men, but decided to make
a stand at Jemmingen
(known today as Jemgum), a
small town on the left bank
of the river Ems, near its
junction with the Dollard.
The streams surrounded a
narrow peninsula, within
which Louis placed his army,
facing the Spanish positions. They could only approach him
along a narrow road, which he guarded with artillery. To his
rear, reached by the same road,was his only exit, towards Jemmingen. From Alba’s point of view, it appeared that Louis had
unwittingly hemmed himself in between the Spanish troops and
the river Ems. On the morning of 21 July, the duke ordered an
attack.
Louis’s men were attempting to open the sea dikes to let in the
water, but they were too late. Their artillery barely had time to
fire, and his men turned to flight. The action, which lasted from
about ten in the morning to one o’clock, ‘was not a battle but a
massacre’.
Writing his dispatch at noon, Alba reported that ‘according to
the reports, there are at least seven thousand enemy dead,
counting both those killed and those drowned in the river.
Continued on Page 11
Page 10
THE SETTLEMENT IN CHIPPEWA COUNTY
By Lin Cornelius
Strong Sources: History of Chippewa &
Lac qui Parle Counties,
The Clara City Community Story, They
Chose Minnesota,
Theodore F. Koch Diaries found in the MN
Historical Society
Chippewa County is located in the
southwestern portion of the State
of Minnesota near the South Dakota Border. Chippewa County
shares a border with Swift County
on the north, Kandiyohi and Renville Counties on the east and Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle
Counties on the southwest. The
southwest boundary of the county
follows the Minnesota River.
Nearly all of Chippewa County, excepting valleys worn by
streams and rivers, is generally level with elevations differing only ten to twenty feet and lying about one thousand feet
above sea level. The Minnesota River Valley is noted for its
bluffs, which overlook the river.
Chippewa County is a rural, agricultural county, even today.
The county has limited industry which is primarily located in
Montevideo, the county seat. Cash grain farming is the county’s
primary business enterprise due to the deep black loam soils
which were formed from materials brought from the north by
glaciers, containing decomposed limestone. The land is rich and
fertile.
The first settlers found land that was prairie with few trees, except those located along creeks, streams and rivers. They also
found Sioux Indians, who had settled along the Minnesota River,
where a mission was first established in 1837. The Sioux Indians
occupied this part of Chippewa County for over two hundred
years before the first white men came to this area. They traveled
great distances hunting and following food supplies and major
waterways.
The Arrival of the Ostfriesian Settlers...
In the 1880 census, the area which is now known as Rheiderland
Township showed four males whose occupation was listed as
farmers.
Immediately
after that date, even numbered township sections
were purchased by a syndicate from The Netherlands
managed by Martin W.
Prins, Jr. and Theodore F.
Koch.
Prins & Koch started advertising this Minnesota
land in Dutch settlements
and Dutch language newspapers. The firm offered
land at $6 to $8 per acre
with a down payment of
only $2 per acre. They
also promised to provide
Clara City Circa 1900
land to build a church after twenty settlers purchased land in the
community. Agents were sent out to induce farmers in Iowa,
Illinois and Kansas to settle land in Minnesota.
In the latter half of 1885, they made contact with East Frisian
farmers who lived in German Valley, Illinois. W. D. Ammermann of Pecatonica purchased the first 160 acres from a Prins &
Koch agent, Peter Haan from Renville. Ammermann and other
immigrants had first explored land in South Dakota, but considered this Minnesota land superior for farming.
At that time, the land in this township was prairie with tall
grasses, mud, sloughs and very few trees. Dirk, Geerd and
Meemke Ammermann left Illinois for Minnesota in March 1886,
traveling by train to Renville with a carpenter, W.T. Wilson, to
find shelter and break the land purchased by their parents
Wübbe and Trientje Ammermann. They found an abandoned
cattle herder’s cabin and moved it onto their land. The first
summer they planted and harvested sixty acres of buckwheat.
Another son, Freerk, spent the rest of the year moving animals,
equipment and furnishing to the new home. The cabin was
enlarged and became part of the family home.
The summer of 1886 saw wagon loads of men coming daily to
look at the land. Settlers who traveled to Minnesota using prairie schooners (a covered wagon shaped like a boat and built
tight so it could float when crossing water) included H. Schrotenboer, H. Van Hoorn, Aiese Koenen and H.R. Luitgens. They
were followed by many other East Frisian families—among
them Freerk Freese, P.P. Berghuis, H.W. Berghuis, Hey Schah,
Jan Kuiper, Jan Aalfs, Abe Aalfs, Eildert Klinghagen, H.U.
Theesen, Jan Tebben, Egbert Brouwer, Enno Christians, Andreas Andreassen, Martin Weirs, A. Veenstra, Jacob Meyering,
Jake Harms, B. Warrings, H. Westendrop, B. Beekman, L.
Bueke, I. Orlebeke, Abe Orlebeke, Henrich Haken, Jan Knoof,
Jan Caspers, Andreas Petersen and the Swiers family.
By 1889, there were more than 150 Dutch and Friesen families
in Kandiyohi County (Prinsburg) and in the Bunde, Chippewa
County area. This area came to be known as DeKolonie. During the twenty-two years that Theodore Koch sold land in Minnesota, it is estimated that he sold over one million acres in
twenty counties, much of it to Dutch immigrants. He believed
that the only way a settlement would be successful was if it were
settled by a single ethnic group.
Land for a church was donated by the Prins & Koch Land Company—the Bunde Christian Reformed Church, originally named
der eerste Geneerde Duitsche und Hollandsche Christelyke
Gereformerde Geemente Bunde.
W.D. Ammermann named the township after the place of his
birth - Rheiderland and the small community was named Bunde
after the place of his birth in Ostfriesland.
The city of Clara City was platted in 1887, as soon as it was
known that the Willmar & Sioux Falls Railway would be built
through Section 7, Township 117 North, Range 37 West. The
original plat was recorded on 16 July 1888. The East Frisian in
the area wanted the town to be named Bunde, after a town in
their homeland or Mamie City after it’s first woman resident,
Meemke Ammermann, but “money talks”, and the town was
named for Clara Koch, wife of developer Theodore Koch. The
original plat of the village was 70 acres. Several additions were
later platted, bring the total to 313 acres in 1937 with other additions after that time. Early Theodore Koch diaries are located in
the Minnesota Historical Society.
Page 11
Continued from Page 9
Count Louis escaped naked, his effects were found floating in the
water and were brought to me’. Those not lucky enough to save
themselves in the Ems, were pursued through the fields and
slaughtered. Sixteen artillery pieces were taken. Possibly less
then eighty Spaniards died in the action.
In 1568, the king (Philip II) sent the theologian Montano to Antwerp to prepare a new multilingual translation of the Bible and
asked Alba to consult with him. Montano became a firm supporter of the duke, viewing the early arrests, executions and military campaigns as the only practical way to settle the disturbances. He saw the hand of God in the victory at Jemmingen, and
suggested to the duke that a statue should be raised to commemorate it. He also knew a sculptor, he said, who could do the job.
Alba was taken by the idea, and arranged for the enemy cannon
captured at Jemmingen to be melted down for the sculptor,
Jacques Jonghelinck. The result was an over-life-size bronze
statue of the duke that was erected in the market square at Antwerp, showing him trampling down rebellion.
An inscription in Latin, composed by Montano, said, “To Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, Governor of the Netherlands under Philip the Second, for having extinguished sedition,
chastised rebellion, restored religion, secured justice, established
peace. To the King’s most faithful minister this monument is
erected”.
The erection of a statue to Alba turned out to be a serious mistake. Observers in Brussels, Italy, and Madrid criticized it as an
unprecedented act of arrogance, which of course it was. ‘Even
the Spaniards took it ill that the duke should wish to sing his own
praises’, a Jesuit reported later. ‘There is no topic more talked
about it the King’s court than this.’ Moreover, the figures that the
statue was trampling down could be viewed as the people of the
Netherlands. It provoked the first significant outburst of propaganda directed against the duke and the Spaniards.
The statue did not long outlive the duke’s regime. When Luis de
Requesens was appointed as his successor, one of the first instructions he received in 1574 from the King was to remove the
hated statue.
The French historian De Thou, who saw it after it was pulled
down, was ‘as much struck by the beauty of the work as by the
insane pride of him who ordered it to be made’. Fortunately,
Jonghelinck’s artistic work was not wholly wiped out. A bronze
bust of the duke which he sculpted at the same time, just over a
meter high and conveying perfectly the stern aspect of the duke,
survives today in the Frick Collection
A church is still located on the site of the original church. The
church, now named the Bunde Christian Reformed Church is in
the middle of a major building project and renovation.
http://www.genealogienetz.de/vereine/OGF/index_e.html
The phone book for the Clara City area still reflects the Ostfriesen roots of this community. Ostfriesen names like Ammermann, Fokken, Grussing, Aalfs, Klinghagen, Berghuis, Bohlsen,
Peters, Schwitters, Tebben, Peters, Meyer, Duitsman and Andreasen are still found in the area.
We would like a copy of your family history for our
OGSA Research Center.
Please send it to OGSA.
It does not need to be bound or in a cover.
Oldenburg Genealogical Society
Page 12
A beneficial partnership...
For the past several years OGSA has worked in cooperation with SKN Verlag (Soltau-Kurier Norden Publishing
Company). We have purchased the rights to use photographs from several of their books in the translations we
have published. These books include Churches of Ostfriesland, Rich Polder Farmers to Poor Moorfolk, The
Krummhörn Tour and Ostfriesen Windmills. Without
their cooperation, these books could not have been
translated. In November, they asked whether they could
also feature these books in their Ostfriesland Magazine,
a periodical which has world-wide coverage, as they
have had many requests for these books in English. You
are all beneficiaries of this partnership.
Pictured—Lin Strong (center) presents Linda Fischer
(L) and Hildegard Schepker (R), Assistant Editor, of
SKN Verlag with copies of our books for their personal
library. In turn, they presented OGSA with several
items for our research center.
And the Ostfriesen Came to visit…
On October 24 and 25, a group of 36 Ostfriesen came to Minnesota on the last leg of their tour through Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. The arrived in Stillwater by school bus (a real treat for
them), disembarked with their accordions and serenaded us with
“In Ostfeesland is’t am Besten” and other songs throughout the
day. They toured the caves, took a trolley ride and a paddle boat
on the St. Croix River.
When we met them at Aamodt’s Apple Orchard, several enjoyed
the mini John Deer tractors and even got into a race with them.
A reporter from the Stillwater Gazette also enjoyed the company
and you can find an article on the group on the internet. The second day we broke into smaller groups and toured Minneapolis
and St. Paul—and of course the Mall of America!
(Left, Buck & Lin dance to the group’s accordion music and
singing (below left); (Below) enjoying the tricycles.
Page 13
NOTES FROM THE NORTH…
It’s a New Year, and I would like to write a short note about
membership. We are always working on a growing membership.
New members bring vitality to the organization. We want to
reach all those persons who have an interest in their heritage
and in the culture of Ostfriesland.
How can you help? Make sure you always renew your membership—and early. Use the discounted 3-year membership for your
convenience, and for ours.
A gift of membership to a friend or relative is a wonderful way to
share your heritage. Remember, our newsletter is not only
about genealogy, but about the history of this interesting area,
too.
Also, if you send us the name of person that you think would be
interested in a membership, send the person’s name and address
to us and we will send the person a copy of the newsletter. There
are many Ostfriesen out there who don’t know about our organization and this is one way you can all get involved.
I am studying the possibility of opening charter organizations in
other states this winter. If you have an interest in helping me, or
have some advice, please e-mail or call me.
♦
The Board is working on the conference for the year 2007.
Please pass along your ideas for topics that we can cover.
♦
Do you want to be a Board Member of OGSA? Our elections will be held in November. Please keep in touch and let
us know how you are doing!
Have a great year!
Buck Menssen
PREVENTING IDENTITY THEFT -
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Do you shred all old checks, bills and credit card offers?
Don’t put your credit card number or ss # on your checks.
Don’t give anyone your social security number if possible.
Don’t mail payments from a rural mailbox.
Don’t carry your social security number in your wallet. Put it in
a safe place!
HEY! BACK UP!
Have you backed up your genealogical data lately? Turn to
Technology 101 for help with that and do it NOW. January is a
great month for projects like that! Last year was a great example of natural disasters that can destroy your home and belongings. Don’t get caught without a backup!
While you are backing up your data, make a CD or paper copy
for OGSA so that others can benefit from your research. We’ll
even do the binding for you. Nothing professional is required.
This is a great way to make sure your data is preserved, too!
OSTFRIESEN RECIPES
Apfel Kuchen (Apple Cake)
Cake:
1 C sugar
1 C unsifted flour
4 T butter (in 4 pieces)
1 t baking powder
1 t vanilla extract
1 large egg
4 large Pippin apples (or tart apples), peeled, quartered,
seeded
Topping:
3 T sugar
3 T melted butter
1/2 t cinnamon
1 large egg
350º oven, preheated
1.Cake: In food processor with metal blade: combine all
ingr. except the apple and process until mixture looks like
cornmeal. Spread in bottom of a well-buttered, 9" springform
pan.
2. Feed apple slices through slicing disc of food processor - use
moderate pressure on pusher or
slice thinly.
Arrange slices in layers on top of
crumb mixture. (I just slice them
thinly with a knife!)
3. Bake for 35 minutes. Meanwhile:
4. Topping: mix all ingredients
in food processor until smooth and sugar is dissolved., or use
your mixer. Spoon over apples and bake 20 minutes more or
until top is firm.
(ED. NOTE: If you have time, be sure you make this—it is
excellent!)
BOOK REVIEWS
Robert G. Cassen’s has produced a new book—My Ostfriesian Ancestors in Whiteside County, Illinois. These families include Cassens, Drantmann, Frerichs, Gerken,
Hinrichs, Knelson, Lass and Prebibisius.
The soft covered book has a professional appearance with
256 pages, many pictures, charts and stories. This is a beautifully done book with over 130 pages of stories about Ostfriesen history, county history and family history, plus a
complete index!
If your family is included in this book, you will want a
copy. And if you are writing a family history, you might
want a copy, too. It is published by Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD. Contact Robert G. Cassens, 435 Dockside Drive
#802, Naples, FL 34110 (239-514-1661). The cost of the
book is $25 (in USA) which includes shipping.
Carol Bachman Schouweiler donated a two volume set of
books: A Jourden Family Story, from Ostfriesland to
America. Family names are Meyer, Poppen, Jurjens with
ancestry in the Rheiderland and Rorichum areas. They have
a comb binding and many colored pictures, newspaper articles, letters and wonderful illustrations. There is a ton of
information in these two volumes and if these are your family names, be sure you browse this treasure.
Page 14
RHEIDERLAND MILITARY LISTS
Naamlijst van weerbere mannen 20-40 Jr.: 1813
(Name list of able-bodied men ages 20 to 40 years, Year 1813)
Submitted by Carrie Taylor
I looked at the Conscription lists of the civil militia of Bunde,
Stapelmoor, Weener and Wymeer (Hanover, Germany) and
Nieuwe Schans (Groningen, The Netherlands).
This microfilm was filmed by the Family
History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
and was filmed from the original stored in
the State Archive in Groningen. There
are many available for different Ostfriesen areas. They are available to read
on loan at any local LDS church which
also has a research center.
Keep a French word list handy to help
translate as the records are written in
French. The list I perused was easy on
the eyes as the list makers of the film had
excellent handwriting. (What a relief!)
The records are arranged by town but are
not indexed or alphabetized. The records
contain the name of the man, date of
birth, marriage status, occupation, number
of living family members, social status of
himself and parents, and comments by the
mayor, if any. It also seems to include
whether the man is serving or has served
in the military and names his unit. Care
should be used in linking individuals to
others, as there is no more genealogical
information available- i.e. parents,
spouses, and children are not specifically
named.
I personally used the lists to confirm or
find a complete birthdates that I couldn't
find in other records. They are also helpful to locate a person in a specific area in
1813. Keep in mind that they only cover
able-bodied men who are 20-40 years old. You will not find anyone in these records that doesn't meet that description.
These lists can be put to good use if you have a reasonable suspicion that an ancestor was born in the time period covered and
have a general location but haven't any idea where to locate him specifically.
The film I looked at also contained locations around Weener such as Bellingwolde, Jemgum, Bingum, Landschaftpolder, and
Stapelmoor even though those towns were not specifically named in the Film description. You can browse through a film in about an
hour or two depending on how many ancestors you find and document.
OSB UPDATE
We have some new OSB’s! Victorbur and Riepe should arrive any
day. If you have not pre-ordered a copy, please contact me asap as we
have a few additional copies.
We have copies of Woquard and Pewsum in stock—don’t miss these
privately printed books.
Jarßum and Borßsum are completed and could be printed within the
next year. Another OSB near completion is Wolthusen. All of these
are suburbs of Emden and valuable additions! Other books being
worked on include Oldersum, Tergast, Gandersum and Neermoor.
OSB in stock include the following:
Ardorf, Asel, Bingum, Bohmerwold, Dunum, Emden
French, Dykhausen/Neustadtgödens, Eggelingen, Nüttermoor, Landschaftspolder, Großefehn, Großmidlum,
Marienchor, Holtgaste, Barstede, Jemgum, Loppersum, Norderney, Wiesens, Wymeer, Wybelsum, Twixlum, Pewsum, Woquard, Nüttermoor, Simonswolde,
Spetzerfehn and many volumes of the Amt Uplengen
series, including the Emigration issue.
If you might ever need these books, please don’t wait.
You need to order them NOW!
Contact
lstrong@cornernet.com or call Lin at 651-269-3580.
Page 15
PASTORS & THEIR PROBLEMS
All the following references were taken from a church brochure from Werdum.
M. Johann Fischbeck, was driven away from Burhafe in 1534.
Junker Balthasar installed him here, yet after a short time his old
nemesis, the bailiff, Berend of Hackfort, drove him from here.
Later he was the preacher at Dithmarschen and finally in Esens.
Gerhard Zutphaniensis. Called in 1560, and still here in 1573,
as shown by an altar writing: "Here in 1573, Gerh. Zutphaniensis was dismissed from this office because he was not able to
prove his innocence in a case of adultery. Following that, the
brethren of Werdum and some pastors supported him financially. For a pre-determined fee, he preached to those from
Hamburg and Bremen when they came to help with the fishing
on the Harlinger islands and lived until 1597." In 1684, the pastor in Berdum, Balth. Arend reported that "he had had a church
seal of his own made which is still in the possession of the
church, and which had a likeness of St. Nicholas on it with the
inscription: Sancte Nicolaus G.Z." (In 1930, Dr. Reimers noted
that the likeness on the seal is not St. Nicholas, but that of Pastor
Zuphaniensis himself)
Henrich Bredius, from Pomerania, mentioned in 1580. he was
renowned for his knowledge of Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Due
to his weak voice and limited gifts he voluntarily resigned. In
1583, his son was brutally stabbed by Ubcko Focken.
David Hahnius or Gallus, taught here from 1595 to 1600.
About him Balthasar Arend wrote in 1684: "David Hahn
(Hahn means
rooster), a passionate rooster who crowed
without fear, formerly served for 12 years at Beerden and because of his candid, critical nature was relocated here by the
officials of Beerden for the purpose of disciplining this wild and
unruly parish; however, he only lasted four to five years here.
And from Bangstede:
Thomas Volkmarus
1681-1704
After 23 years he left the
parish of Bangstede to enter a cloister. Soon after he sought to
reclaim his old position in Bangstede but was not permitted to
do so.
Lubbertus Meyer (1746-1788)
died 1788 in Bangstede. During
Meyer's service the troops of
Conflans severely abused Pastor
Meyer and murdered an elderly
man.
Rudolf Gerhard Stellwagen
Born in 1829, died in
Bangstede 1851. A robber once
stole a silver and gold chalice from the pastor's dwelling.
Bring your unlabeled pictures to family reunions this summer. Maybe someone there can identify those on the pictures.
Do you have extra pictures of other family members? Share
them with other family members—and make their day!
DANKE, SEHR!
Once a year I thank those of you who have had an integral part in
helping OGSA. We do appreciate your help, no matter how
much help you give us.
Thanks to everyone who donated a family history or other book
to our research center. If you have a book you no longer use,
we’d love to have it! We love recycling!
Thanks to our intrepid newsletter staff. We have wonderful
translators who search for articles of interest for you. We are the
beneficiaries of some of the best information available. If you
have written an article for OGSA—bless you! If you get a
chance, write to those of our staff who have written an article that
you have enjoyed. I can send you their email address if you do
not have it or it is listed on the membership listing. There’s room
for more of you to get involved here!
You have no idea how many times I email or phone Dale Carlson
telling about how I have screwed up the website—again! We
appreciate all his help! We’re still working on updating the website again, but it takes time! If you have talents in that area,
please contact us.
Thanks to Zella and Nancy for their help with the mailing and
correspondence. We appreciate their driving up here to take care
of this. Thanks to Zella, too, for taking on some of the research
jobs that you send in to us. Some of you have greatly benefited
from her help. Thanks also to Norm Hensley who has taken over
the membership booklet—what a great job he’s done!
Thanks to all of you who donated time on the Homecoming Trip.
We could not have done it without all of you! And my thanks for
the great gift that I received. I can only now believe that you
really did this!
Thanks to everyone who comes to workshops, meetings or visits
the research center. And thanks to those of you who send me
clippings, notes and suggestions. Even if you don’t hear from us,
we do appreciate your involvement.
We appreciate the time everyone on the Board of Directors puts
in on program development, cleaning and all manner of other
chores. A more dedicated group of individuals you will find nowhere else.
Thanks to those who helped with Helmut Fischer’s tour in America whether it was in Iowa, Illinois or Minnesota. They had a
great time and enjoyed meeting those of us with Ostfriesen roots.
You don’t feel involved? Only you can change that! No matter
how far away you live, you can donate your family history, write
an article or send us an idea for an article even. If you read something interesting, send us a copy! Our organization is only as
good as our volunteers! I get great stuff from many of you!
And if I’ve forgotten your donation, please be forgiving!
Life sometimes gets in the way of volunteering ☺
Page 16
THE DIELE REDOUBTS
The small town of Diele, now churched in
Stapelmoor, is located on the west side of
the Ems River on Ostfriesland’s southern
border with the old ”Amt” Meppen of the
Prince-bishopric Münster. It sits astride
the once important trade route between
Emden and Münster at a place where the
gap between the river and the Bourtange
Moor barely exceeded a mile—a strategic
place, indeed, for putting up barriers
against hostile forces marching north along the river intent on
invading Ostfriesland and Holland.
From “Chronik
von Ostfriesland”
by Menno Peters
and
“Ostfriesland” by
O. G. Houtrouw.
Translated by
Rudy Wiemann
Barriers were first erected there in the 14th century for Ostfriesland’s protection, but they showed up on the campaign
maps of the major European powers during the Netherlands'
80 year struggle for independence from Spain (1568-1648),
the last thirty years running concurrently with the religious
Thirty Years’ War in Germany.
During that time, the defensive works at Diele were greatly
reinforced and consisted of five redoubts positioned so that
the area around most of them could be flooded by opening a
watergate to the Ems. In 1637, Count Wilhelm of HessiaCassel, a strong ally of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden,
captured them on his march to Ostfriesland and held them for
13 years to bar the approach of the Emperor’s forces.
When an imperial army finally did arrive, the garrison surrendered without firing a shot. The imperialists tore down the
town and used the building material to reinforce the redoubts.
Upon learning of these activities, Hessian and Swedish troops
came up quickly and recaptured them after a protracted siege,
not failing either to put the former commander, who had so
ignominiously surrendered the fortifications, before a council
of war and beheading him on the western redoubt. He was
buried in Holtgaste.
The Hessian army, with its headquarters in Jemgum, disbanded in 1650, two years after the Treaty of Westphalia had
gone into effect. But the militant and quarrelsome PrinceBishop of Münster kept his army intact and waited for an opportunity to reemploy it. (A Prince-Bishop was a prince of the
Holy Roman Empire who ruled a fiefdom over which he was
also bishop.) Ostfriesland gave him that opportunity with a
dowry that couldn’t by paid.
Count Enno III (1599-1625) had married a descendent of
Balthasar of Esens with claims to Harlingerland, thereby uniting Harlingerland with Ostfriesland. Their two surviving
daughters stood to inherit their mother’s title after their parents’ death and had to be indemnified if Harlingerland should
not be lost to Ostfriesland again upon the succession to the
Countship by Rudolph Christian, son of Enno III of his second marriage.
In the Berum Accord, it was therefore agreed that in compensation
for renouncing their claim to Harlingerland, one of them should
receive an earldom from her mother’s estate south of Ostfriesland
plus 35,000 talers in coin, and the other one no earldom but
165,000 talers in coin. The second one married a Baron von Liechtenstein who convinced her that she had been had. So she went to a
papal nuncio who freed her from her pledge. She now upped her
indemnity demands to 580,000 talers for which she sued her father
through the Imperial Court. Her father had a large sum of money
together in 18 barrels when Count Mansfeld’s troops, the most notorious horde of pillaging mercenaries of the Thirty Years’ War,
then hired by the Dutch to keep the Catholic armies away from its
border, showed up in 1622 and stole the treasure.
The occupiers so devastated Ostfriesland that the impoverished
land could not raise such a sum again for some time after the war
had ended. To the Imperial Court that was no excuse, and it found
an eager volunteer in the Prince-bishop of Münster to bring in the
money by force. He was willing to buy the southern part of Rheiderland for 130,000 talers, but was politely turned down. The
Dutch were willing to loan the money but wanted the right to occupy the Diele Redoubts as a forward base against Münster’s expansionist desires, a condition Ostfriesland was not willing to accept.
What followed was the forceful occupation of the Diele Redoubts
by the Prince-bishop’s troops in 1663. This turned out to be an easy
matter as they were virtually undefended, but it did alarm the
Dutch. They loaned Duke George Christian (Ostfriesland was a
duchy now) 135,000 talers with which he went looking for someone on the bishop’s side to sign for it. His emissaries went into his
territory as far as Meppen, but found no one willing to sign for it.
In the following year, the Dutch sent troops and 30 ships loaded
with war materiel up the Ems to Diele where they were joined by
Ostfriesian troops for the retaking of the fortifications. A sustained
artillery barrage of no less than 1,982 shots fired forced their surrender, which was accepted by a delegate of the Duke. He then
handed the redoubts over to the Dutch who strengthened them and
built barracks, houses and a church, erected fences and gates and
paved the compound with yellow stones.
The Prince-Bishop, though, was smarting in Münster, anxious to
avenge his defeat at Diele. He found an ally in another Princebishop, the one of Cologne, and a source of money, in England,
which at that time was fighting naval battles against the Dutch.
Thus succored, he retook the Diele Redoubts and charged into the
Netherlands as far as Friesland. However, his alliance soon evaporated, the flow of money stopped, and he was obliged to retreat and
yield Diele to the Dutch once more. He didn’t sulk too long,
though, but soon advanced upon Diele again and thoroughly destroyed all fortifications, so that today only a few earthen dams
betray their location.
Hereafter, Diele dropped from the European stage and was left in
peace for good. As to the dowry, payments were made by succeeding Dukes until Frederick the Great of Prussia paid the outstanding
sum upon taking over Ostfriesland.
Page 17
2005 AWARDS
OBITUARIES
In 2005, OGSA gave certificates of award to five people.
Gerd Kroon and Lisa Buß from Ostfriesland were both recognized for their help to OGSA in the past few years. Herr
Kroon has completed several OSB which are valued by our
members and has helped many with their family histories.
Lisa gave unstintingly of her time to help with the 2005
Homecoming Tour and helps in many other ways, too.
OGSA member, Eddie Dirks, a well known area genealogist and
historian, of Athens, IL died Saturday, December 3, 2005, in
Springfield, IL at the age of 76. He was born in Springfield, February 10, 1929, but spent his entire life in Menard County other
his time in the military.
OGSA member, Lori Kapler from Urbandale, IA., presented
these awards to them on November 5, 2005 in Großefehn at
the home of Herr Kroon.
Also recognized were Rudy Wiemann, Gene Janssen and
George W. Heikes for their translation work for the newsletter, OSB prefaces and other publications. Jeanee Thompson
received an award in February 2005 for her volunteer service.
We thank these people for their outstanding contributions to
OGSA.
(Below: Lisa, Lori & Herr Kroon; Below: Rudy and Gene)
Eddie shared his knowledge through weekly articles for the
Menard Review newspaper, and submitted quarterly articles to the
Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society in Logan
County. He also wrote articles about Ostfriesland for area publications.
He was known by many throughout the USA and in Ostfriesland
for his expertise as a research genealogist, and has file cabinets
full of correspondence to show this. All of this was done without
the use of a computer, which he thought was nice, but laughingly
said they were not for him.
His last major project was to put together a book callled, "WWII
Heroes of Menard County", a book of military veterans. One of
Eddie's favorite things to talk about was Ostfriesland, where
he has relatives. He was a great resource for many, helping them
research their families in Ost. He visited relatives there twice, and
was hoping to go back one more time.
Eddie was proud of his Ostfriesen heritage, as we all are, and will
long be remembered and missed by two of his good friends, John
Durdle and Bill Detmers. (ED NOTE: Thanks to all of you who
sent in his obituary—he had a lot of friends in OGSA)
Shortly before his 87th birthday, former Spetzerfehn farmer Gerd
Kroon (picture to left) died. He was well-known as a family researcher. In the past 10 years, he published OSBs of Strackholt,
Spetzerfehn, Grossefehn, and Wiesens. Gerd Kroon stood in particularly high repute with many Americans of East Friesian descent who were searching for their roots in the land of their ancestors.
They could always count on the support of Gerd Kroon. Only a
few weeks ago he was honored by OGSA with a recognition
award. Ten years ago, Gerd Kroon had an important part in the
creation of the Chronicle of Spetzerfehn, his native town. In 2003,
Geerd Kroon, whose last occupation was milk inspector, was honored for this work with the Medal of Honor of the Gemeinde
Grossefehn. Gerd Kroon was buried December 9 in Spetzerfehn.
Emsland Heritage Society (USA)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4018/
The mission of the society is to collect and distribute the genealogies and history of that territory of Germany known as Emsland.
This region is located along the border of the Netherlands in the
upper northwest near Ostfriesland.
DID YOU KNOW?
OGSA has the original microfilms of the Ostfriesische
Nachrichten 1882-1971 in our research center? Come on over
and use them sometime!
Page 18
RESEARCH BOOK REVIEW
Courthouse Research for Family Historians, Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures, by Christine Rose, CR Publications
San Jose, California 2004
This book is a must read before you make another trip to the
courthouse. Christine Rose has done a superb job in reminding
us of the basics and introducing us to all of the possibilities that
we may not have considered.
♦
♦
♦
Each chapter is packed with explanations, examples and
ideas to make courthouse resources more useful to our family research.
Ms. Rose explains even the basic birth, marriage and death
records in a way that makes us wonder if our first look at the
records revealed the whole story. She gives us pause to consider options to find information we may not have considered before. One of my favorite chapters is Milking Every
Clue from Estates.
Ms. Rose's book lives up to its title. It is a superb guide to
genealogical treasures. She has given us one of the best
books written on conducting thorough courthouse research.
THE WW I YEARS
Concordia University, St. Paul, MN will host a free six-part film
viewing, reading, and discussion series called “The World War I
Years: America Becomes a World Power.” The Concordia Library is one of 50 libraries nationwide selected to participate in
the project’s pilot program organized by National Video Resources (NVR) in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA). The project is supported by a major grant from
the national Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and locally
by the Minnesota Historical Society, The Friends of the St. Paul
Public Library, and the Lexington-Hamline Community.
“The World War I Years” explores the political and social history
of the United States in the early 20th Century. The first program,
“The Road to War,” will be held January 24th, 7:00 p.m. in the
Buenger Education Center. Dr. David Woodward, the Concordia
University professor who will facilitate the discussion, has focused his research on American History, U.S. Foreign Relations,
and International Relations. He also has considerable experience
as an historic site guide and interpreter, presenter at historical
events and conferences, and political analyst for local TV stations. Some of the film viewings will also be accompanied by
WWI reenactors who will wear WWI attire and describe the
clothing, food, weapons, medical treatment, and daily life of the
WWI solider.
For more information on the series, go to: http://www.nvr.org/
ww1films/content.php?sec=screening&institution_id=19
Registration is not absolutely necessary, but is helpful, as refreshments will be served. Call Charlotte Knoche for more information: 651-641-8241 or knoche@csp.edu
Film Dates: January
24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2006 7:00 p.m.
LOW GERMAN, January 2005, “Kiek rin” newsletter.
Eerste
Plattdütske
Schrievkurs
in
Hesel
Waarum word dat Woord “Huus” in de Eentahlförm mit twee “u”,
man in de Mehrtahlförm “Husen” blot mit een “u” schreven? Up
disse Fraag un to en heel Rieg anner Saken hett de eerste Kurs
“Plattdütsk schrieven” Antwoorden geven, de vör körten in Hesel
to Enne gahn is. 13 Lü hebben sück an sess Avenden up d’ Schoolbank sett un Regels för de plattdütske Schrievwies lehrt. Hör Mesterske was Cornelia Nath, Leit van dat Plattdüskbüro bi d’ Oostfreeske Landskupp in Auerk. De Kurs is anstött worden van d’
Samtgemeente Hesel in de Rahm van dat Projekt “Plattdütsk be d’
Arbeid”, un Anita Berghaus, Hesel, hett daarvör sörgt, dat de
Volkshoogschool Leer de Kurs in ‘t Programm upnomen hett. Unner de Deelnehmers wassen dree ut Raadhuus Hesel, twee Raadsleden, twee Mesters un een Schoolsekretärin. Sogar ut Poghusen,
Stickhusen un Veenhusen wassen d’r welken mit bi. Wenn dat een of
aner ok woll stuur to begriepen wass, hett dat doch en heel
pläserelk Unnerricht west. De Deelnehmers weten nu en Bült over
de Tosamenhang van de Utspraak un dat schreven Woord un over
de Egenheid van dat Plattdütske. Un se willen van Cornelia Nath
noch “Mehr weten over Plattdütsk”. So heet de neei Kurs, de
Maandag, 14. Februar 2005, anfangt. Dann geiht dat um dit: Wo
hett sük de Spraak egentlik over Jahrhunnerten veerannert? Waar
word vandaag noch Platt proot, un wovöl Plattproters gifft dat
noch? Wat för Leesgood gifft dat up Platt, un wat kann man in ‘t
Internet over Plattdütsk finnen? Disse un anner Fragen, de de
Deelnehmers mitbrengen, sölen behannelt worden, so dat elk an ‘t
Enn van de Kurs en Overblick hett over Plattdüutsk vandaag.
First Low German Spelling Course in Hesel
Why is the word “Huus” (house) spelled with two “u”s in the
singular, when the plural, “Husen”, (houses) is spelled with one
“u” only? Answers to this question and a lot more were given in
the first course of “Plattdütsk schrieven” (Writing Low German), which recently concluded in Hesel. For six evenings 13
folks sat on the school bench and learned the rules of the way
Platt is written. Their school marm was Cornelia Nath, directress of the Office of Low German at the Ostfriesische Landschaft in Aurich.
The course was initiated by the consolidated community of
Hesel within the framework of the project “Platt bi d’ Arbeid” (at work) and Anita Berghaus of Hesel saw to it that
Leer’s Community School would carry it in its regular programming. Among the participants were three employees of Hesel’s
city hall, two councilmen, two school teachers, and a school
secretary. Even Poghusen, Stickhusen, and Veenhusen were
represented. Though this or that aspect might have been hard to
come to grips with, the course work nevertheless has been fun.
The participants now know quite a lot more about the connection between pronunciation and the written word, and about the
peculiarities of Low German.
And they still want to “Know more about Platt” from Cornelia Nath. That’s the title of the new course which began on Monday, February 14, 2005. Then it was all about this: Just how has
the language changed over the centuries? Where is Platt still
spoken today, and how many Platt speakers are there? What
kind of reading material is available in Platt, and what can one
find about Platt on the Internet? These and other questions
which the participants brought up were covered, so that at the
end of the course everyone had a better overview of Platt as
spoken today.
Page 19
NEWS FROM OSTFRIESLAND
Rheiderländer Zeitung, 7/20/05
Holthusen - Weener’s municipal forest is being thinned out. The 50
acre woods located in Holthusen (Holt meaning wood “up Platt”)
was planted with Sitka spruce trees some seventy years ago. They
have thrived beyond expectation and now require more living
space. Clearings will be cut for introducing other species, such as
alder, ash, and beech.
offer works by Mozart, Brahms, and Haydn. Maestro Franz
has appeared with the Musical Summer since 1993 and since
2000 teaches at the National University of Arts in Taiwan.
Among the soloists this year is Matthias Höfs, Germany’s best
known trumpeter and a regular on the international circuit
who also teaches at the Academy for Music and Theater in
Hamburg.
Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 7/21/05
Hinrichsfehn - A nearly 7,000 sq. ft. hall is being erected here for
the purpose of providing shelter for a variety of public functions,
such as exhibitions, concerts, Christmas markets, Schützenfeste” (sharp shooters shindigs), and, perhaps, a permanent flea
market. If successful, a like project will be undertaken in Georgsheil.
Rahe - Reconstruction work on the Kukelorum locks of the
Ems-Jade Bay-Kanal at Rahe will begin next spring and will
take 5 months to complete. There are no plans for a temporary
bridge for the benefit of local traffic as the additional 300,000
euros for its construction cannot be secured. Locals can find
information on the project and its expected effect on traffic at
the “Gasthof Haxtumer Hoof”.
Emder Zeitung, 7/21/05
Emden - Importation of Volkswagen’s new “Jetta” model for
Europe-wide distribution will be guided through Emden’s harbor.
The recent startup of the model’s assembly line in Pueblo, Mexico,
took place in the presence of Mexico’s President Vincente Fox.
The “Jetta” follows Volkswagen models “New Beetle”, also produced in Mexico, and “Fox”, produced in Brazil, which are already
entering Europe through Emden. The city is hoping to see its car
import business rise to a million cars per year, well above the
750,000 cars coming in last year. Volkswagen’s current investment
plans in Mexico amount to 2 billion dollars through 2008.
Emden - The logistics firm Schenker in Emden’s Jarssum Harbor is
losing its contract for shipping Volkswagen car parts for export.
The business will go to a firm in Hamburg. The reason for the move
is rolling stock mostly deadheading back to Wolfsburg, seat of the
Volkswagen’s chief manufacturing plant and corporate headquarters. Sadly, this decision will cost nearly 190 employees their job,
unless Schenker’s main office in Frankfurt can line up another customer.
Emden - The citizens initiative “Administration Building No!”
against locating a new government office building directly on the
old harbor near the WWII bunker has been ruled by the city council
as legally without merit. The tally was 8 to 3, with two of the supporting votes coming from the Free Democratic Party, one of Germany’s smaller parties which seeks less government intrusion into
the lives of its citizens. The initiative will not delay the beginning
of construction. A initiative spokesperson promised an appeal.
Norden - The final two concerts of the Musical Summer 2005 series
will take place in the renowned Ludgeri Church church of Ostfriesland’s historic town which this year celebrates its 750th birthday, namely Norden. At their conclusion, the Noorder Muziek Centrum of Groningen and the Ostfriesische Landschaft, organizers of
this annual event, will take their leave of the audience. The symphony orchestra, under the baton of Franz (Kuo-Chang) Chien, will
Aurich - The recent rise in the price of natural gas will cost
Amt Aurich an additional 90,000 euros for the heating of its
buildings. Moreover, as the law requires the county to cover
rent and heating expenses for its unemployed, 600,000 more
euros are needed to cover this item. Of the latter expense the
federal government will reimburse the county 30%. There are
9,300 unemployed in the county.
Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 8/6/05
Leer - Municipal tree #3060 was not there. What happened
was the soccer club Germania Leer cut down a few trees on
the edge of its field, one of which in falling unfortunately
struck and damaged a beech tree along the adjacent picturesque boulevard of the Evenburg Castle approach. The careless lumberjacks quickly dug up the beech’s remains, filled
the hole with dirt and thought that that would be the end of it.
However, the Evenburg has its aficionados, banded together
in the Protective Association Evenburg, which had taken notice and informed the town’s administration of these lawless
events.
Two days later, two city employees came out carrying a tree
roster which lists every municipal tree by species, trunk circumference and position. It was quickly established that the
suspicious pile of dirt on the edge of the boulevard was in fact
the true location of tree #3060, species beech, trunk circumference 80 cm, height of 8 to 10 meters, the latter figure being
a best guess.
According to the tree ordinance, trees taller than 1.30 meters,
with a trunk circumference greater than 60 cm are protected.
The soccer club, caught with its collective trunks down, volunteered to plant a new tree or pay for its purchase and planting.
Uphusen - On August 28, for the first time in 10 years, the
villagers will once again celebrate their “Dorffest um d’
Kark” (Village Fest around the Church). The occasion is the
Page 20
25th anniversary of the Historical Society Uphusen, and this
community of 900 with its various local societies is happy to
make it an event worth remembering.
After a musical service in the parsonage garden, villagers and
guests may view and enjoy information and offerings by the
Reformed Congregation, the Game Hunters Society, Fire Department Uphusen/Marienwehr, Men’s Farm Folk Society,
Women’s Farm Folk Society, Gardener’s Club, and the Historical Society itself with its 350 members. The organizers
expect sunshine for the benefit of tube races on the canal, a
milking contest, and the Ostfriesian sport of “Bosseln”. The
Society’s office will have oil paintings on exhibition which
depict scenes of old Uphusen. They will be for sale for the
benefit of cancer research.
Rheiderländer Zeitung, 8/20/05
Jemgum - One of Rheiderland’s important drainage canals,
the Coldeborger Sieltief (Levee Gate Canal) is being reshaped
to give it a more natural appearance and make it more suitable
for animals dependent on a watery habitat. Between the
pumping station Balkhaus in Hatzumerfehn and Coldeborg on
the Ems River it has been undergoing widening to include
small remaining islands of refuge.
A badly kept path along the canal had to be sacrificed. The
cross canal Dwarstief was re-dug at the intersection to receive
a meandering alignment with varying shoreline slopes. The
total cost of the project will amount to 450,000 euros and will
be covered by a compensation program for ecological improvement after the deepening of the Ems River bed, and by a
program to promote the shaping of more natural waterways
sponsored by the EU and federal and state governments.
Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 8/20/05
Langeoog - The Island Republic of Langeoog? Daytrippers
arriving by ship from Bensersiel yesterday where given those
startling news as they were asked to produce passport and visa
while a drug sniffing pig was snuffling at their baggage.
Turns out, it was “Candid Camera Day”, and camera teams
were busy tripping up visitors with similar antics at the Picasso exhibition in the Island House, in the Spa and Wellness
Center and along the Nordic Walk. They were testing the
people’s sense of humor for a TV production to be aired in
October, entitled, “Verstehen Sie Spass?” (Do you have a
Sense of Humor?). It turned out that most people put up with
the mischief.
Emden - An interview with the CEO of the Engineering Association for Energy Projects in Emden has given rise to public
arguments concerning the energy sources to rely on in the
future, particularly if atomic energy should remain part of the
mix. Current government policy calls for ending it and deriving 22% of electricity and 12% of primary energy consumption from renewable sources by 2010. Fabricators of wind
energy systems in Germany are now the steel industry’s second largest customer, behind the car industry and ahead of the
ship builders. Emden alone will have 300 persons employed in the
wind power industry next year.
Emden - On Sept. 24 Emden’s Volkswagen Assembly Plant will
celebrate the introduction of its new “Passat Variant” station wagon
model with an open house to which it expects 70,000 guests. They
will be offered guided tours, an exhibition of all models that have
been built in Emden, and a variety of shows on several stages that
should please the whole family. Youth bands from nearby and the
“Spider Murphy Gang” from as far away as Bavaria will be on hand
to heighten the festive mood.
Aurich - The state of Lower Saxony will make 91,000 euros available to the Ostfriesische Landschaft for regional cultural promotion, approximately 30,00 more than last year’s allotment, as art
and other cultural institutes and organizations will now be put under
its umbrella.
Applications for aid from this allotment will have to be submitted to
the Landschaft by Nov. 1. Such assistance will help regional professional theaters, museums, teaching organizations, etc., to broaden
their role in public education. Applicants must prove that concept
and quality of their planned projects will benefit the community.
Innovative ventures will receive special attention.
Hesel - In the course of an evening program, sponsored by the Friesian Forum and the local Historical Society, the main speaker, Dr.
Marron Fort, American-German linguist residing in Leer, appealed
vigorously for a greater public awareness of the Friesian roots as
are still recognizable in the language now spoken by East Friesians,
i.e., Platt.
Dr. Fort pointed out that the region where Friesian was once the
native language reached from Flanders in Belgium to the Weser
River in Germany, and, through later settlement, along the North
Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein toward Denmark, an area still
known as Northfriesland. Platt was the language of commerce in
the Hanseatic League and thus of the economic elite. As such it
eventually replaced Friesian in many areas.
Elements of it have been carried over, however, and should be recognized as such. Dr. Fort calls East Friesian Platt a language grown
on a Friesian substrata and considers its preservation essential for
an East Friesian identity.
Dr. Fort pointed to the successful work in Saterland where, through
language courses and school scheduling, Sater Friesian, once threatened with extinction, has been reintroduced into wider population.
Dr. Fort proved through examples that Saterland Friesian is nearly
identical to Friesian spoken in Ostfriesland before the coming of
Platt.
The Friesian Forum has organized two new language courses:
Friesian 101, started Nov. 1 in Remels; and Friesian 102, starting in
February 2006 in Hesel. Both courses will last 10 evenings. Reservations are accepted by the Friesian Forum, Ihlower Strasse 87,
26632 Simonswolde.
Page 21
THE ANGEL IN ASEL
Discovery of a work of the Silesian sculptor, David Benjamin
Opitz, in the church at Asel.
A Trace of the Rococo in
Ostfriesland: (From
Hermann Haiduck's Entdeckung eines Werkes des
schlesischen Bildhauers
David Benjamin Opitz in
der Kirche zu Asel;
Asel OSB, translated by
Gene Janssen
It is rare for unknown works of artists
or craftsmen to be discovered. Here
we are talking about a carved baptismal angel in the church at Asel - a
rococo work which has until now
been undocumented. The courtly
elegance of this work, in rococo
style, and the artistic quality hint at a
master artist who surpasses regional
boundaries and represents the center
of artistic expression of that time.
Thanks go to Wilke Krüger of Jever, who discovered the contract between the congregation at Asel and the sculptor, David
Benjamin Opitz, and the attendant financial records giving an
answer to who the carver of the baptismal angel is.
David Benjamin Opitz came from Hirschberg in Silesia where
he was born in 1712. For some unknown reason (perhaps during
the confusion of the Silesian War of 1744-1745) he came to north
Germany.
The outstanding work of the sculptor can be found on grave
stones, crypt plaques, sun dials, covered baptismal fonts, epitaphs, altars and pews. Commissioners were usually wealthy
people of the marsh communities of Hadeln and the territory of
Wursten who brought the art of the rococo to their territory.
Traces of the sculptor are to be found also in Jever. He carved
the statues, "Faith and Hope," for the two middle towers of the
organ case for the instrument built by Adam Berner and installed
in 1756 in the city church. The fire of 1959 destroyed the organ
wherein the signature of Opitz was contained.
It may perhaps be assumed that after his 1751 contacts in
Jever, Opitz also completed the smaller commission for Asel on
the 2 November 1752, as reported by "secretary Clasen." The 12
Reichstaler paid for the work were noted in a receipt of Opitz
from 6 August of the following year, certainly following delivery
of the baptism angel in Jever, that is, during the time he was
working at the city church in Jever.
The hand written notation found in the Staatsarchiv in Oldenburg contains the following (Niedersächsisches Staatsarchiv
Oldenburg, Best. 262-4, Nr. 6236): "I the undersigned attest
herewith that the sculptor from Kuckßhaven (Cuxhaven), Mr.
Opitz, has delivered to the church in Asel a figure of a floating
(flying) angel as agreed upon and for which 12 Reichsthaler are
to be paid
and such money at this time may be received from me”. Jever 2
November 1752 B. (?) Clasen
Herewith attest that the sum of 12 Rthl. according to above
named sum have been received from the Most Nobly Born Secretary Clasen for the Flying Angel, for use in baptisms in the
church at Asel. Zum Groden im Amate Rizebüttel bey Cuxhaven,
David Benjamin Opitz, sculptor, the 6 August 1753.
(Note: The church consistory at Esens reported in writing 23
November 1735 that His Highness, the Serene Prince had, under
the circumstances, allowed the marriage of Margarethe Cramer
with the Advocato Claessen. Margarethe Cramer was the daugh-
ter of Johann Meinen Epcken Cramer, and she, following his
death (when she was 11 years old), as his heir, received the
noble property Die Klinge and further properties. The church
at Asel received the baptismal angel carving as a token of gratitude.)
The flying angel in the church at Asel is a small treasure
displaying the optimum craft of master Opitz in the sprit of the
rococo. The puff-cheeked cherub of about 1 meter size with its
baby fat arms and legs, its breasts and curly hair is a typical
rococo motif to be found also on Opitz' grave stones, steles,
and the pulpit altar of Osten. The tender, childish head with
the short, curly hair--a motif of the late baroque--is a standard
form used by Opitz.
The baptismal angel carries a pillow with tassles--another
typical stylism of the rococo with its presentation of elaborate
spaces filled by textiles as decorative elements, and used elsewhere by Opitz. The angel hands over the basin of consecrated
water upon the pillow (in an octagonal edged brass bowl which
is still extant). The angel and the pillow are seemingly carved
out of linden-wood as can be seen in mounting areas.
The carved block of wood has been augmented by glued-on
sections as are the wings and the pillow which the angel carries. The carved tassles were attached to the pillow with eye
rings (now altered), and the back of the angel has an iron hook
attachment which allowed the sculpture to sway (originally
supplied with a counter-weight).
The mounting of the carving is no longer the original, but
now consists of two layers which rattle loudly. Beneath the
dark red upper surface of the pillow, traces of the original gilding are visible. The tassles, as well as the wings and the loin
cloth, are golden, revealing an underlayer of red and green.
The earlier coloring of the flesh of the angel was brighter than
the current tint. The olive colored shade of the hair appears
also to be a change from the original.
The form of the statue represents the master period of the
sculptor and reveals his training in figure carving in the center
of the contemporaneous artistic circles of the middle of the
18th century, which was to be found more commonly in southern Germany rather than in the north.
The stylized posture of the Asel angel with the fluttering tip
of the loin cloth at the hip, the attached wings, the proffered,
tassled pillow and the chubby proportional handling of the
swaying figure create a singular and revealing multifacity of
the sculptor. Along with the ever-present changing facial appearance there is an impression of a "living" being with a serious expression, a representation of a heavenly messenger with
consecrated water.
The mastery of the sculptor is seen also in the realistic presentation and handling of the flesh portions of head, body, and
extremities, including the back of the angel. Its swinging and
swaying seems to permeate the figure from head to toe and the
outstretching of the arms underlines the gesture of the proffered
baptismal basin on the pillow, which especially reflects the
courtly expression of elegance.
This work brought a trace of the courtly art of the rococo to
Ostfriesland; something which is rarely found in these parts.
Page 22
QUERIES...
LINKS
TO
DEEP
ROOTS
By Cheryl (Jurgens) Meints
Germany:
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/GM/6
Directory of cities and towns in Land Niedersachsen
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/occupat.htm
English translations for old German occupations, professions, and
illnesses
http://genealogytoday.com/columns/everyday/index.html
Basic information for “Everyday Genealogy”
Central Texas: Ostfriesen Settlements
http://www.humanities-interactive.org/
“Texas History, Texas Culture”—“Lone Star and Eagle” — Read
the essay, “German Texas Families,” by Ingeborg H. Rüberg
McCoy
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/
“Handbook of Texas Online”—ride your horse through Medina,
Gillespie, and Bexar counties as you search this excellent
site...check out “Germans” also.
http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/texas.htm
Delve into Texas history with W. T. Block’s article, “Texas Germanic Heritage”
http://www.summitsoftware.com/Ostfriesen/medina.htm
Learn about the Quihi and New Fountain Ostfriesen settlements in
the article, “Ostfriesland Immigrants to Medina County,” by Paul
Adams
http://www.houstonculture.org/cr/germans.html
“Hin’ nach Texas” (“Off to Texas”) by Sheena Oomen
http://hostville.com/hoelscher/gertex.htm
“German Immigration to Texas” by Theresa G. Gold—
great links at the end of essay
http://www.fbgtxgensoc.org/index.htm
Fredericksburg Genealogical Society, Gillespie County
JUST FOR FUN!
http://www.northsea-cycle.com/lande_index.html
Cycle around the North Sea...what are you waiting for?
http://www.walkingworld.com/home/index.asp?id=37&nid=258
Interested in “wadlopen” (mud walking) along the North Sea
coast?
If you find a great site that you would like to share, or want to
send comments—please contact me at nebrrose1@yahoo.com
(please put OGSA in subject line)
reignbeau2@webtv.net
Looking for information on the following people: Wilt Wilts
Dreesen, died in Wenermoor 6 April 1896. Heiko Dreesen,
born 1841 lived in Norden. Alberta Aissen or Aeissen from
Weenermoor. Thank you, Margret Dreesen-Ollis.
gscout1912@mindspring.com
I am looking for information about Heinrich Julius Schrader born June 9, 1827 - in Hatzum, Germany to a father who was a
blacksmith. He was not the oldest son, so he came to the USA
around 1854. Gail Schrader
dpsp3249@msn.com Surname: Poppen
Grandfather: Johann H. Poppen, born 04-09-1880 in Aurich
Ostfriesland, Germany. Came to America in 1904. Eldest of 4
sons (Rudolf, Mark and Wilhem) and daughters (Trientje, Meta
and Gebka). Parents: Stephen Rudolf Poppen and Marie
Gerhardina Frieden Poppen. Looking for past and existing Poppen surname in the Aurich, Ostfriesland, Germany (Nordeich
[Norden]) area of northwest Germany. Any communication
will be greatly appreciated. Dallas Poppen
hmkdeb@netins.net
Looking for birth/family records for the REIHER family of
Cirkwehrum, John (Jan) R. REIHER, b Oct. 4,1849. Married
Johanna Katharina HAHN, born Mar. 19, 1851. Brother Henry
(Hidde) REIHER,born Jun. 30, 1854. Butler Co., IA around
1877. Also seek parents/family of Bonno REIHER, b Jan. 24,
1874 came to U.S. 1892. Helen Debner
rsnbm@mtco.com
Johann Rosenbohm age 62, Lubho Siemens Rosenbohm age
24, his wife Anna (Muller, daughter of Dirk Hinrich Muller)
Rosenbohm, son Johann age 3, and daughter Alste age 11 mos.
at the time of arrival at Ellis Island in1894. The family settled
in Peoria, Ill, We have info of a town of Dunum in Germany,
and citizenship papers of Lubho Rosenbohm of 1900 of Peoria,
Ill. Seeking records of death of Johann's wife whom didn't
come to the USA and of the daughter Margarethe born in 1859
and didn't come to the USA. Ellen and John Rosenbaum
ruhlmaggie@aol.com
Looking for "Ruhl" ancestors from the Emden, Germany
area......born in the early 1800's or before. It is believed that
my Great-Great Grandfather (first name unknown) was born
there in the early 1800's and he immigrated to the United States
in the mid 1800's and settled in Lancaster, Pa. He had four
children that I know of—my Great-Grandfather, Philip Ruhl; a
son Henry S. and two daughters, Levina and Susan. If anyone
can provide information, it would be most appreciated. Thank
you, Fred Ruhl, Marion, Ohio.
nsiple@cox.net,
My Great grandfather was Edward Reyer (Ryer) from Emden
area. Migrated to USA in 1863 or 1865.
Page 23
HAUSMARKEN
From: Ostfriesland
Magazine No. 8/2000
(Heino Albers)
And Rhaude Homepage (Michael Till
Heinze) Translated
by Rudy Wiemann
A Husmarke (Hausmark in High German)
or House Brand is a hereditary symbol with
which families in the Middle Ages identified their property by carving it in the lintel
over their front door and by marking their
furniture and implements as well as their
livestock.
As many people in those days were illiterate, they used the Hausmark en lieu of their signature or simple
crosses. In Ostfriesland the clerk preparing a document would add
to someone’s Hausmark the person’s name with the notation, “N.
N. syn Marck” (his mark) or “derweile N. N. nicht schreiben kann,
hat syn Marck mit eigen Hand getrocken” (as N. N. cannot write, he
has drawn his mark with his own hand).
Indeed, citizens elevated to the rank of nobility were allowed
to incorporate their Hausmark into their newly granted coat of
arms.
In Jeverland, it was fashionable to carve the Hausmark of the
deceased in his grave marker. Early on, only the mark was
engraved, later it was frequently decorated with heraldic embellishments.
OGSA ANNUAL TEA PARTY
The tea was held at the home of Mike & Sharon Arends in
Eden Prairie on Saturday, November 5th. All you had to do
was follow the bright green MOIN signs to their home.
A Hausmark could be passed down in the family, although in its
original from only to the eldest son. Other sons had to add additional, differentiating marks to the Hausmark, in contrast to the
rules of heraldry according to which a whole clan was identified by
its escutcheon. With the ascendancy of an urban society, the Hausmark proved useful to farm boys turned tradesmen in the identification of the products of their trade.
In Ostfriesland, the use of the Hausmark was backed up by the law.
Thus did Count Ulrich II (1628-48) in 1631 issue an ordinance affecting the miller’s trade. This so-called “milling ordinance” prescribed that no one could bring grain to the mill, into the miller’s
house or any other building on the miller’s grounds without giving
his name, address, and stating the quality and quantity of the delivered grain. The sacks, above all, had to carry “syn Marck und
Name”.
Hausmark from 1705 on Upleward Dwelling
A Hausmark also served trades people as copyright symbols. In
1737, the fire department regulations of Aurich prescribed that fire
buckets, ladders, and fire hooks were to be identified with the
town’s coat of arms and the fire fighter’s name, and marck.
In the 15th century, it became fashionable to use the Hausmark in a
decorative setting resembling a shield, making it appear much like
an escutcheon.
Tables were set with
Ostfriesen dishes and
there was plenty of tea,
kluntjes, good food and
conversation. After a
short business meeting,
presentation of recognition awards were presented to Gene & Rudy.
Page 24
THE FRENCH HUGEUNOT’S & OSTFRIESLAND
The history of the French Reformed Church
of Emden is of great interest to citizens of
Emden and the surrounding province, not
only because it was founded in 1554, thus
making it the oldest of the Walloon parishes
outside of the Belgian homeland, but also
because it had so much influence on the
growth and development of the city.
SOURCE: The Emden French Hugeunot Church Preface in the Ortssippenbuch. Translated
by G.W. Heikes
Members of this parish included some of the most influential and
important officials of the city. Others became magistrates and
wealthy merchants who through a spirit of enterprise and generous
and charitable giving contributed greatly to the welfare of the city.
But that is not the only factor of the French church that is of interest
to us. What rises above all, is the far-reaching and all-important
meaning of the history itself. When one looks back on the churches
historical and political occurrences that destroyed their homeland,
the persecutions and the heroism that characterized them and their
readiness to sacrifice all their material goods for their evangelical
beliefs. Based on the unshakeable belief of the Holy Scripture, they
sacrificed themselves as true sons and daughters of the Reformation
to which no acts of man or statutes could infringe upon. Quite certainly they decided to be as tolerant and indulgent as possible, as we
learn from their history. They were well versed in the intricacies of
Consubstantiation and its meaning to Christianity, without the controversies of different interpretations and confessions of their belief.
What the French reformists or Walloon churches in general were
concerned with we still find in protestant lands of Europe today,
namely; Holland, England, Germany and in the French section of
Switzerland. These countries share a common history of religious
intolerance and persecution against which the reformed churches
arose:
♦
♦
♦
The Spanish Netherlands under Charles V., Philipp II and Duke
Alba 1521-1573,
In France during the blood letting in Paris under Charles IX
and Catherina de Medici 1572,
In France during the enforcement of the Edict of Nantes under
Louis XIV in 1685.
Today, there are only scattered parishes remaining of the many
founded by the refugee protestants. A few (16) Walloon parishes
continue to function in Holland, in Germany according to the reformed newspaper there are (14) - namely in the Province of Brandenburg, in Berlin, and a few in Stettin, Konigsberg and other principal cities of Germany. In the Hannover Province, there is only
one parish and that is in Celle, where the French language died out
in 1805. In addition to the above, French parishes continue in principal commercial centers, such as Hamburg and Frankfurt on Main.
The French Reformed Church of Emden is, in addition to the last
mentioned in Frankfurt on the Main, the oldest of all the Walloon
parishes outside of their original homeland. It was, as mentioned
above, founded in 1554. It traces its origins to the persecution of
the reformed believers in the Spanish Netherlands, which at that
time consisted of a wide stretch of territory and stretched into
France including the cities of Lille, Cambrai, Valenciennes
and others. The persecution continued until to the issuance
of the Edict of Nantes in Worms in 1598.
Charles V did not trust Germany, where the protestant rulers
were too strong for him to attack and who were necessary
allies in the war against the Turks. Charles V thought he
could engage in warfare without hindrance in the Netherlands provinces where the Reformation movement had
gained strength. In addition to his deep set hatred of the
heretics in that tiny country, was his envy of the privileges
and wealth of the Netherlanders. In that act appeared the
reports of the extraordinary well being of the people and
attested to the unusually favorable conditions of the land on
the North Sea with its outlets of many rivers and streams that
aided commerce.
Located between England, France, and Germany, the country
with its dense, industrious population that easily took on
construction of fabrications for business and caused manufacturing to bloom. Furthermore, a wide commerce on land
and sea was soon called into life in this tiny country.
This flourishing prosperity in the Netherlands was ruined by
Charles V beginning in the year 1521 by his decrees against
the Protestants and later the Inquisitions under his son and
successor Philipp II, who saw the extermination of the heretics by every means possible as a duty of the government.
The horrible scenes of cruelty, which featured every phase of
the Inquisition, perpetrated by Phillip and his partners in evil,
Cardinal Granville and the Duke of Alva, and the destruction
that followed the Duke until his departure in 1573 are well
known to all. The history unfolds into a reign of terror
where thousands of the best and most able citizens of the
land, including the likes of Egmont and van Hoorn, who, as
believers in the Protestant cause, fell victim to the bloodthirsty Spanish tyrants.
We remember the deeply touching and gripping words of
Schiller in his Don Carlos, the Marquis of Posa:
I came young from Flanders and Brabant,
So many rich, flourishing provinces,
A strong and rich folk - and also
A good people - and father of these people,
I thought - that must be costly - that is a blow I see the burning corpses of mankind.
The persecutions resulted in the Huguenots leaving their
homeland and founding a parish in a strange land where they
could make a new home. The chances were great that they
could find no suitable employment, but the urge for survival
was so strong that they left their homeland because of the
constant peril to their lives.
One should not merely glance over the fact that in 1550 the
province in which they lived had conditions, while oppressive,
were not nearly as hopeless as in some of the other provinces
where Charles V, as a born Flemish native, did not extend his
protection. In any event, the people maintained many ties to
their ancestral homeland. But overall, the love for personal
evangelical religious beliefs, in spite of Charles’ edict, was
struggled against and reduced in severity. These people had a
strong depth of the conviction. Most of whom were merchants
and businessmen, bound to their mercantile establishments and
they gave up all possible gain and advantage to leave their
loved homeland to establish a new existence in a foreign land.
The founders of the Emden Walloon church came from the
province of Flanders, and from the cities of Lille, Valenciennes, Antwerp, and from the French city of Genf (Geneva).
This last named city most certainly must be regarded as the
cradle of the church. At that time, Geneva had a population of
no less than 250,000, a greater population than Paris. In this
connection, Charles V made the remark, je mettai Paris dans
mon gant (I will put Paris in my glove), - a play on words.
The number of manufacturing establishments and warehouses,
the flourishing trade and the traffic generated by a mobile
population in those days, if the chroniclers of the day are to
believed, bordered on the fantastic. Among the prominent
families of Geneva who at the same time were members of the
Magistrates, were the Herlyns, the van Wingene and the de
Pottere families, whose descendants live to this day in Ostfriesland.
The constantly increasing pressures of the Reformation in Flanders, and namely in Geneva, resulted in the establishment of
the present parish. Among the lands where the people sought
refuge was England, the land where many left by ship in the
year 1550. With the crowning of Eduard VI in England, the
only son of Heinrich VII, the outlook for the protestants was
greatly improved.
Under the rule of this king, the pure learning of the writer
Josias and the Duke of Sommerset, who presided over the government during the legal immaturity of the king, many protestants reached England from France, Italy, and the Netherlands
in the years after 1548. Most numerous of the newcomers were
the Netherlanders, but refugees came to England from Lower
Germany also.
The English king, Edward VI, promised the emigrees freedom
to practice their own form of worship and free use of their own
language. He also granted the Netherlanders the use of
Augustine Church in London. To the French too, he granted
freedom to use their native language in church services and
gave them and the Italians use of the Church of the Young
Maria. All of the above named parishes were united in purpose. Their pastors and elders held regular meetings to solve
inter-parish disciplinary problems.
Johannes à Lasco, the noted Polish nobleman, who under the
regime of Gräfin Anna of Ostfriesland was named superintendent of the Reformed church, was called to England by
Page 25
Archbishop Cranmer. Here, he organized the various refugee
churches into a united whole.
In the decree of King Edward, the foreigners were specifically
given the right to freely practice their own form of religion even
if the practices varied from the English form.
Among the leading representatives of the Geneva parish now in
England were the following, also friends of Johannis à Lasco.
♦ Martinus Micronius, also known as Martin the Small. He
changed his name to the Greek spelling with a Latin ending,
as was common in those days. The refugees had a special
interest in name change because it made them harder to trace
by the Inquisition. Micronius was first of all a doctor and
was also a theologian and preacher. He was an eager and
vocal advocate of the Reformation, distinguished by his
learning and skills of his spirit, his steadfastness, and tenaciity, and his decisiveness, but also because of his tolerance.
♦
Johann Utenhove, a nobleman from Geneva, formerly known
as du Jardin, who, for the same reason as Marinus Micronius,
changed his French sounding name to German. He, too, was
a person well learned in many disciplines and filled a chair
as one of the church elders. He wrote the article mentioned
at the beginning in which the flight to England and the later
history of the refugees in Denmark is recorded.
♦
Paul van Wingene, descended from an ancient family, a
staunch supporter of the homeless parish, and presumed father of today’s descendants in Ostfriesland. His portrait and
that of his wife, Margarethe Celosse, dressed in period old
Spanish style clothing, still hangs on the wall of the castle of
Groothusen.
♦
Gottfried van Wingene, co-worker of the religious confession, which Guido du Bres, French preacher in Lille and
Valenciennes, later translated into the Walloonese and Dutch
languages. Both translations were subsequently approved
and adopted by the Church of Emden 1571.
♦
Hermes Backerel, Presbyterier and school instructor of the
parish, a devoted assistant of à Lasco and Micronius, and
highly regarded for his professional insight and fluency in
disputation.
The conciliatory conditions the protestant refugees found in England did not last for long. At the tender age of 16, Edward VI
died July 6, 1553. A sultry tempest soon followed - within a few
days the strongly opinionated Catholic, Maria, daughter of Henry
VIII and his first wife, Catharina from Spain, ascended the throne
of England.
Now, the tempest resulted in destructive annihilation. By means
of a special edict, all protestant immigrants who had not yet received rights of citizenship were compelled to leave England.
The edict affected an estimated 30,000 people. The refugees had
the church that had been given for their use taken away, their
Page 26
church services prohibited and Johannis à Lasco and Johann
Martyr dispossessed of their church powers.
A still greater frightful allotment came to them if they remained
in England. During her eight year reign, 288 protestant martyrs,
including archbishop Cranmer were burned at the stake in England. To make matters worse, the cadavers of previously slain
Bucers and the wife of Petrus Martyr were disinterred and scattered to the winds. To cope with the threatening storm of royal
persecution, it was decided by à Lasco and the elders and deacons of the church that a part of the parish should leave the land
and seek a place of refuge elsewhere while the remainder should
follow thereafter when possible.
It was thought that the best place to go at that time was not Ostfriesland, then threatened by Brabant, but the country of Denmark whose king, Christian, like the deceased king Eduard of
England, was a pious and devout person. Two Danish ships that
lay off the Thames River took 200 passengers, among whom
were à Lasco , Micronius, Utenhove, Gottfried van Wingene and
others. The ships embarked for Denmark from Gravesend on
September 17, 1553. After a stormy voyage, during which one
ship was wrecked off the coast of Norway, the refugees landed
in Helsingor.
When they learned that the king was in Kolding, Jutland, à
Lasco together with Micronius and Utenhove decided to journey
to there for counsel.. The remainder of the refugees made their
way to Copenhagen. A few of the poor souls who had been rescued from the stormy seas and later suffered hunger after their
hurried departure, decided to take their chances on the Norwegian fens and mountains rather than continue the trip to Denmark. Only one of this group came to Copenhagen after six
months. What became of the rest no one knows.
The negotiations between the refugees and the rulers of Denmark forced their removal to Wismar, Lubeck and Hamburg are
found in full in the writings of Utenhove. He describes the utter
religious intolerance and inhumanness of the rulers and in contrast, the true Christian mildness and patience and great compassion of the refugees in their near hopeless situation.
In verification of what has been said, only the following appears. à Lasco and some of his followers went to hear a sermon
by the ultra orthodox Lutheran leading preacher, Noviomagus,
on Phil. 3, v. 17ff, full of ridicule and invective against the Reformist Holy Communion, in which the refugees were described
as fiendish heretics with only eternal damnation as their end.
After this tirade, they were given an audience with the king.
They were apparently well received and their request for asylum
in his land was given consideration. However, after a consultation with his head ecclesiastic, the king decided to allow the
refugees to stay only if they unconditionally accepted the Lutheran religion and Lutheran church usage.
One man is reputed to have said ”The King can sooner permit
the Pope in his lands as such heretics.” One contends continually in such abuse, as in the travesty over Psalms 1, where it
reads: “Wohl dem, der nicht wandelt in Rath der Sakrament, noch
tritt auf den Weg der Zwinglianer, noch sitzet, da die Zucher
sitzen.” (Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the
wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners).
The king then ordered the immediate expulsion of all the refugees
from his land and from Copenhagen. How dreadful this order
was, coming in the middle of the winter in storm and cold with
the old and sickly, the women and children and no place to receive them during the winter. The government remained unresponsive to the plaintive requests: “Hinaus, mit Euch Allen ohne
Ausnahme, ohne Verzug!” “Out with you all, without exception,
now and immediately!”
The scene that followed was one of heartbreaking and indescribable misery. In the middle of December, in storms and cold, the
refugees, old and sick, children and women, were herded on ships
for the perilous voyage to who knew where. To make matters
much worse, there was no money for provisions. In Copenhagen,
the Pest raged and, furthermore, the edict of the king not to land
on the Danish coast upon pain of death, was well known. For six
days, the ship had to lay at anchor in the harbor of Copenhagen
because of contrary winds.
Before them lay death in the cold waters of the sea, behind them
the hard heartedness of a Christian king armed with the beheading axe of the executioner. Their trust in the protection of the
Almighty prevailed. Were they not shielded from the Pest which
raged through Copenhagen taking thousands with it? With this
knowledge to fortify them they saw God’s hand in every happening. All perils that threatened their voyage were fortunately
passed and just before Christmas they made landfall in three harbors, Wismar, Lubeck and Rostock.
But further misfortune awaited them. What happened in Denmark would happen here. Enmity, hatred and persecution from
Lutheran fanatics “You are heretics and Sakramentier“, rang in
the ears of the refugees “Your hereticism is the fault of so much
evangelical blood being spilled. Now the evil fiend has brought
you into this German city so you can wreak your evil deeds
here!” Helpless and friendless, they were forced from many villages into the harsh winter, despised by the populace, but protected and strengthened by their trust in God.
The foremost defender and brave leader of the refugees was Martinus Micronius, who had numerous discourses and arguments
with theologians in the three cities, the last in Hamburg against
the fanatical dogma of the Lutheran, Joachim Westphal, a genuine critic of what he perceived to be their dogmatic Holy Communion, but the love and patience of God shone through it all as
the youthful Jesus Christ said, “We pray to God!”.
Thus, Micronius once replied to his bitter enemies - “if you were
forced into the kind of life we have, may you be subject to a
kinder enemy than those who are against us.“ From the sermons
and discussions of Utenhove there is discernable the soul and
Christ-like spirit and mildness of this vigorous advocate of
Christ.
Continued in 2006, Volume 9, Issue 2
Page 27
Emigration of Moor Settlers from Ostfriesland to America
By Gerd Kroon, Translated by Gene Janssen
In the old days before the fen colonies were laid out in Ostfriesland, there were only villages with their full and half Heerden or Plaatsen (hearths or homesteads) in addition to the Warfstätten (the mound properties) of the lower classes with lesser
land or property. The available land still provided adequate
sustenance for the people living there at the time. The geest
(higher, dry land) villages were adjacent to the moor lands from
which peat could be harvested for heating fuel.
The oldest fehn (fen) is Großefehn, formed after the Dutch
model, with the building of a canal and the harvesting of peat in
1634. A colony or settlement soon followed, so that around
1700 there were already 51 houses there. Where these settlers
came from is only partially known. For example, families such
as the Adens probably came from Holtrop; the de Wall family is
supposed to have come from Holland. By 1780, Großefehn had
expanded as far as today's federal highway 72. Most of the settlers came from the large families already in the fen area. Immigrants from the farm villages were rare.
Spetzerfehn was settled after 1752. The residents came from
Timmel, Ulbargen, Strackholt and Bagband. From 1780 to 1799
a large share of Spetzerfehn settlers came from Bagband. Epke
Meinen, owner of a large farmstead, had six sons who all married in Bagband and had children. The youngest son inherited
the farmstead. Four of these families came to Spetzerfehn in
1780 and lived in today's Unterende. The fifth son, Ufke, a
schnapps distiller, remained in Bagband until about 1799 but
then moved to Spetzerfehn and settled further to the east. Adding all these people to the Hagen and Lambertus families, who
also were early settlers, suggests that Bagband's population must
have been thinned out. Spetzerfehn was not large at first, and its
ability to take in people was very limited. The farmers of
Aurich-Oldendorf and Strackholt wanted to keep the moor land
for themselves and actually tore down two huts which the settlers had built for their families.
In 1765 [July 22] the King of Prussia, Frederick II the Great,
issued his Urbarmachungsedikt (arable land proclamation). The
unclaimed wasteland of the moors became state property and the
implied claims of the farmers were no longer valid. Now the
fens could be developed further, and the establishing of other
moor colonies became possible. Hence, in 1780 Renke Janssen
became the first settler in Voßbarg. Around 1800, and later,
other settlements (known as Kolonien or colonies) were started
at Zwischenbergen, Fiebing, and Neuemoor.
The community of Firrel had existed earlier, but now it could
spread out. Farmers' sons populated these colonies because
there was no place for them in the farm villages. But, servants
and maids desiring their independence also settled in. Here they
generally found good peat which they could harvest and then
later cultivate the land; however, they suffered discrimination
from the fen populace (Fehntjer). They had no shipping canal
and no market (which the Fehntjer had). When they wanted to
sell their peat they had to borrow a wagon and a team of horses
from a farmer in the village to haul it. That meant that they had
to work for the farmer in order to pay the cost of transportation.
In the early years the colonists could raise buckwheat which, at
that time, was the main food for these people. The high moor
land was drained by first turning over the top layer of soil. When
this layer was dry (at the end of April or the beginning of May), it
was then burned off. Buckwheat could then be sown in these
ashes, and it often produced well. Since buckwheat is very susceptible to frost, a late freeze could ruin the crop and lead to a
severe food shortage and hunger. This slash and burn method of
farming could be repeated four to five times until the white peat
layer was burned off and used up, and it became necessary to find
other areas to plant.
In spite of all efforts, the moor colonists could not raise enough to
feed themselves and their numerous children. The haying season
began two weeks earlier in Friesland (Holland) than it did in Ostfriesland due to the warm winds of the gulf stream. Many men
took their scythes and went to Friesland to cut grass for the farmers there. My grandfather from Neuemoor mowed grass there
and returned home with a sack full of sheep's wool. Wool was
duty free, though the wool of one sheep was not adequate for a
family with six children.
The village farmers had their own servants and maids to help
with the daily labor so that the colonists were needed only as occasional workers during times when there was a lot of farm work.
Most of the time that was heavy labor during the harvest or when
the rye was brought in and needed to be threshed at the beginning
of October.
Threshing the rye went on from 1:00 to 6:00 a.m. The colonists
in their wooden shoes would come to the village with their
threshing flails slung over their shoulders. Pay for work completed was 25 Pfennig; later that was doubled. Afterwards they
Page 28
sat down and ate the rye porridge (rye groats cooked in water
with some milk added) from a communal bowl. In addition there
would be a piece of bread with a minimum of butter. Following
that they would return to their homes in the settlement.
Usually the colonists harvested the peat for the farmers, and the
women would stack it for drying. My great-great grandfather,
who settled in Neuemoor around 1800, was also a weaver. At
that time flax was grown, and after processing it into yarn or
thread it would be woven making linen cloth.
her alimony. Furthermore, he had gotten another maid, (a
Großmagd or head maid), pregnant. Under cover of night
his brother brought him by coach to the rail station in Leer.
In Bremerhaven, he boarded a ship and sailed to America to
escape his obligations. His penalty was homesickness, but
he dared not return home.
♦ A school teacher attempting to travel on the same ship was
apprehended and forced to remain. And in those days they
could detain you if they wished.
These were, however, isolated cases.
Fabric for clothing, the so-called Fiefschaften, was also woven
from a combination of wool and linen yarns. This material came
in various colors: black, dark blue, or brown. The cloth was then
colored by the Blaufärber (dyers) and pressed smooth by them.
If servants or maids acquired a property, in many cases, they
lacked the means for building a simple dwelling. Usually a previous employer granted them a loan with a guaranteed interest
bearing loan. The interest could be worked off, but it usually
took years for the impoverished colonist to pay off the loan.
There were good farmers but also those who sought to keep their
former servants dependent.
If the servant did not please the farmer, the farmer could place a
lien upon the property and thereby had the servant under his
thumb. If a settler's son finished schooling and a farmer needed a
minor servant or hired hand he had to take the job even if he preferred a different farmer or had learned a craft. Thus, they were
no longer serfs or bondsmen, but many of the colonists were very
dependent.
Is it any wonder, then , that young people (often just 16 years old)
decided to emigrate to find freedom. They would have a ticket
sent from a relative or a familiar farmer in America and would
then emigrate, working for a year for the farmer to pay off the
cost of the ticket. As soon as they could , they often sent for their
siblings and their parents.
Another reason for the emigration was the limited space in the
moor colonies. The fields used for growing buckwheat were
quickly depleted. So, many sold their property and possessions
to interested parties and emigrated to America. They were encouraged by letters from America full of praise.
The wronged and abandoned women were scorned by those who
knew them, though the fault was hardly theirs. Some of them
later entered into marriage contracts, went to America and regained their reputation as good wives which had been denied
them in their homeland.
Illegitimate children were often treated as second-class citizens.
A grandmother brought her 16-year old, illegitimate granddaughter to a ship in Bremerhaven and sent her off to an uncle in
America so that she would have a better future. Later, this girl
married a widower, who had already lost two wives, and created
harmony in the family. Thus, people rejected in their old homeland found respect and recognition in the new homeland.
The living standard of the colonists who remained improved in
the last (20th) century when chemical fertilizers enriched the
soil, and they no longer needed to avoid the village farmers.
A teacher, Sundermann at Hesel, published favorable letters from
emigrants thereby encouraging many, especially from Firrel, to
leave their homeland. Thus, about 30% of the colonists emigrated to America. There were other reasons why young people
left their homeland: the Prussian king needed soldiers. Two long
years of military duty were required, and many avoided this service and crossed the big pond.
In conclusion, I want to pay tribute to the people who had the
spirit, often coupled with a strong faith, and in spite of poverty,
to leave their homeland in order to find a new and better life in
America.
In addition, there were personal reasons for emigrating.
♦ There was a large farmstead in Bagband operated by two
brothers. The older was already 45 years old and the
younger 39. The older brother had a seven-year old child by
his maid servant; however, he was not allowed to marry her
because she was not from his social class and he had to pay
♦
♦
♦
Do you have historical data on a village with strong Ostfriesen roots?
We are searching for data for this on-going column. Or
send us the information and we will write it for you!
We are also looking for village histories for our collection. Please contact us if you know one is available.
Page 29
JEANEEJEANEE-OLOGY 101
By Jeanee Janssen Thompson
Since Lin made it sound like this will be my permanent column title, I decided I would rename it. In this newsletter we
will discuss a genealogical learning tool that we are all using
already, but refresh our minds on what resources this tool
includes. Every family researcher should join at least one
genealogical society. Since you are reading this marvelous
newsletter, you have obviously joined OGSA. So, what can
OGSA offer you?
•
Our newsletter contains current events, historical facts,
legends and customs, tips, recipes, up-to-date news on publications, both here and in Germany. Need to know what the Upstalsboom Gesellschaft (UG) will be printing this year? What
book is OGSA translating to make available next? Learn about
some web site addresses for tried-and-true research helps or
new sites that may prove interesting. If you find a site that you
think others would profit from, contact Cheryl and she’ll add it
to her list.
• Meetings. Held approximately quarterly, they include pertinent presentations, a tea party—or two and one research session at the OGSA Library per year. OGSA has a large conference every other year and if you have never attended one you
will want to watch for information about the 2007 event.
• Membership list. Member Norm Hensley has reformatted
the old membership list into an Excel table format and it can be
ordered as an e-mail attachment, so that it is searchable, to find
if any other member is researching the same lines as you are. It
is also available in printed form for a copying and postage fee.
• OGSA Research Center in Forest Lake, MN. Our library
has every Ortssippenbuch ever published for Ostfriesland
(including privately printed books), Germans to America on
CD (for searching) and volumes 1-56 in printed format with
passenger lists; atlases, maps and gazetteers, including Meyers
Orts; picture books; Deutsches Geschlechterbücher (Volume 135 on CD and all the Ostfriesen volumes) and the volumes with
Ostfrisian families in printed form; Ahnenlisten (pedigrees of
UG members); Quellen und Forschnungen (newsletter of the
Upstalsboom-Gescellschaft in Ostfreisland); the Ostfriesische
Nachrichten (on microfiche) and all of the printed indexes that
go with it; donated copies of some of our members’ family
histories; town and county histories for Ostfriesland and Ostfriesian settlements in the US; and on-site computer and copy
machines for all your discoveries. I know I missed something,
but if you need to know if it is there, just ask. The Research
Center is open by appointment only—please call ahead.
• One-stop shopping. OGSA has many Ortssippenbücher in
stock, and can order more if they are still in print. Translated
books and pamphlets published by the club, along with Ostfrisian maps, music CD’s, caps, club pins or t-shirts, Ostfriesen
tea and picture books are also available. Check out the order
form or email us.
• Research Assistance. We can do a quick look up for you
at no charge, but I can do in-depth research in OSBs and Zella
will also do research at the OGSA Research Center or at the LDS,
for a fee. The fee includes time, copy and shipping costs. You
can also check to see if there is someone who can do LDS Library
research and for the fees that are charged. We are both experienced genealogists.
•
Translation help. Gene Janssen and Rudy Weimann are
our resident translators extraordinaire. Gene and Rudy are available for small translating jobs. Ask them for a cost estimate for the
work.
Most important of all, our members who volunteer their time to
make certain you get whatever help you need to try to find your
ancestors: the board members who help with meeting plans and
project selections; Lin, who selflessly volunteers to visit Ostfriesland personally to keep us updated; the members who volunteer their time to help at the research center; the members who
donate books to the library; members who donate money to the
society to help with the chosen projects; those who do newsletter
articles to inform you of researching methods and translation articles; and Lin (again) for editing the submitted articles into one of
the best newsletters around. Without these members, there couldn’t be an OGSA.
♦
If you can’t go to the meetings, read the newsletter for research hints specific to that area and submit a query. Get to
know other members, perhaps one of them will have stumbled across a similar problem and will share strategies.
Maybe they know what happened to the early church records
when the congregation split. Maybe they know which storage
box in the courthouse basement contains early voter records.
A fellow researcher has a keener urge (and probably more
time) to locate old dusty records, than the typical clerk at a
courthouse. If you use this research tool by joining OGSA
and are still stuck at a brick wall, join a genealogical society
where your brick wall is (was?) located.
And you can help someone else with Ostfriesen ancestry by purchasing a gift membership so someone else can find out about
OGSA and all we have to offer.
CONTEST
River flowing by Emden________________________________
Crop which was impetus for early emigration________________
List five states Ostfriesen emigrants settled__________________
____________________________________________________
List the major non-alcoholic drink of the Ostfriesen___________
What is put in that drink_________________________________
What holiday do the German people celebrate in May?
____________________________________________________
Major port for the emigrants leaving Ostfriesland_____________
Email this to ogsa@cornernet.com or send it to OGSA’s address
Page 30
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Welcome to OGSA!
Would you like a membership list? We can now email it to you as an attachment! If you prefer a paper copy, the cost is now $4.00 due to the size of the
paper and the postage.
Do you know someone who might like a sample copy of our newsletter? This is
one way we find new members! Contact us!
New Addresses, Additions, Corrections
Colberg Melvin & Janice, 527 Hanabarger Street, Lanark, IL 61046 Researching: Ruter (Upleward)
DeWall, Rita—Research names: DeWall, Buenting, Breidert, Helmkamp,
Hirsch, Reinecke, Hocke
Garlisch, Cheryl, 38268 E. CR 1465 N, San Jose, Illinois Phone 309-247-3570
cherylgarlisch@sbcglobal.net
Grossart, Karen—email address ostf@k.grossart.net
Martin, Garry & Becky—name spelling correction
Zivney, Emily—Researching: Danekas / Cirks (Riepe) / Kleen / Broers
(GroßOldendorf) / Folkerts (Nortmoor)
NEW MEMBERS
Debolt, Kim Mehmen, 17449 Keswick St, Northridge, CA 91325, Phone 818345-7256, redsgirl@earthlink.net Researching: (All Marienhafe) Mehmen, Eilers, Coordes, Bussman, Wiebrand from Holland
Griffith, Nyla Naatjes, 12 Ryan Road, Deadwood, SD
57732 nyla@tdgcommunications.com Researching: Naatjes, Braak
Mahoney, Scott, 15234 Lincoln Circle, Omaha, NE 68154 Phone 402-331-6739
scottjm56@hotmail.com Researching: Claasen (Diele/Stapelmoor)
Naatjes, Don, 3125 West Miramar Circle, Sioux Falls, SD 57108 dnaatjes@sio.midco.net Researching: Naatjes, Braak
Simoneschi, Ghyll, 288 Acre Lane, Hicksville, NY, 11801, vsgs@optonline.net
Researching: Van/Von Covern, Coeverden, Koeverden / Hepp / Rechsteiner /
Luelo(ss)(fs) / Tolle / Frideriks / Rugens (Leer, Bremen)
Trueg, Roger, 830 Fox Ridge Road, Dike, IA 50624
Phone 319-989-9003
Wood, Kathryn, 6173 Shamrock Lane, Hartford, WI 53027
Phone 262-628-9669 kwood46916@cs.com Researching: Wessels, Poppen
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Library Workers: We have members who call and would like to use our facility. If you would be interested in spending a day in the library helping as
needed and even doing your own research, please contact Lin. We’ll be compiling a list of those who are interested. Time commitment is as much time as
you want to donate. This is our GREATEST need at this time!
Other:
Do you have an ancestor emigrant story to share?
Could you write an article for this newsletter?
Do you have any ideas for articles?
Other ideas on how OGSA can help you?
Do you have an idea for a contest?
Do you have information on an Ostfriesen settlement that we could put into an
article?
HAVE your filled out your Ostfriesen emigrant form? If not—please do so
today! If you need a form, let us know!
AN OLD FRIESEN WAR SONG...
De Friesce Tsjirlen
Wierne de alden Friesen fry,
Friesce Soannen binne wy.
De alde Moed is net forroen!
O, wie stierre foar ues Groun!
Stoarm in Wetter haww’ wy hôan
oer ues ljeave friesce Lôan,
‘t Folk, dat foar nin Weagen
swicht falt it Oarlochsswird eak licht.
Jane wy den eak nin Keap foar
ien wylde Stropers heap!
Frydom, kost troch eigen Moed,
Is ues meer as Goed in Bloed.
‘t Gleaune scerpe Krigersswird
loeke wy foar Hoes in Hird,
in wy binne eang of bang,
as foar frjemde Keunings Twang.
Brous’ nou ‘t alde Friesce Bloed!
Kom wer, frye friesce Moed!
Frydom, Frydom is ues noft
as de foegels yn de Loft.
De alde Friesen wierne fry,
foar de Frydom fjochte wy,
in ien echte frye Fries
het fen frjemde Twang ien Grys.
The Friesian Warrior
Were the old Friesians free,
Friesian sons are we.
The old courage has not run out!
O, we die for our soil!
Storm and violent weather have we had
over our dear Friesian land,
the people who do not bow to waves
the sword of war feels light as well.
Let us then not give up
before a mob of wild robbers!
Freedom, bought with one’s own courage,
means more to us than goods and blood.
The glowing sharp sword of the warrior
we draw for house and hearth,
and we are neither fearful nor scared,
except of foreign kings coercion.
Let surge now the old Friesian blood!
Come again, free Friesian courage!
Freedom, freedom is our joy
like the birds in the air.
The old Friesians were free,
we fight for freedom,
and to a genuine free Friesian
foreign coercion is an abomination.
Translation by
Dr. Marron Fort, Leer, Ostfriesland
Page
Page 31
NEW OBITUARY INDEX
OGSA is now offering Rick Gersema's compiled index for
the obituaries that appear in the Ostfriesische Nachrichten 19161971. Rick has spent several years collecting the missing issues
of the Ostfriesische Nachrichten 1916-1971 and includes some
entires from 1882—1892. This index also includes a listing of
females, alphabetized by maiden name.
While many of the issues are still unfound, Rick's index is a wonderful addition for
researchers. Since
the original filming,
Mr. Gersema has
been successful in
locating many of the
issues that are not
included in the microfilm and he has
indexed the obituaries.
He is now making his
book available
through the OGSA.
The cost of this spiral
bound 80 page book
is $16 which includes
US postage.
♦
MEMBER NEWS
Ardith Ruth is the proud grandmother of Cassidy Nicole,
born August 8, 2005 in San Diego, CA.
♦ Nancy Jensen’s son who was married in September has some
major health problems.
♦ Zella Mirick is the grandmother of Zoe, born to her son Rob
and his wife Tasha Mirick. Her birth date is November 14,
2005. Zella is a very proud Oma.
♦ George W. Heikes has been in the Veteran’s Hospital in
Sioux Falls, SD and is now in a nursing home in Rock Rapids. His wife is in another nursing home in the city. Get
well, we miss you!
♦ Duane Brakenhoff continues to recuperate at home, prayers
are appreciated.
♦ Wilbur Palmer died last April. His daughter wrote that he
really enjoyed our newsletters.
♦ Gerd Kroon died in December. His obituary is on page 17.
♦ Eddie Dirks of Athens, Il died on December 3, 2005. His
obituary is also on page 17.
♦ Rudolf Conrad Hoek passed away on November 15, 2005 in
Ostfriesland. Rudolf helped many people in Iowa and elsewhere with genealogy. He was also associated for many
years with the Heimatsmusieum in Weener
Many of us are related to each other! Use this column to help
stay in touch. We love to hear from you.
UPCOMING ISSUES WILL INCLUDE:
The New Emden Landesmuseum
Wittmund and Woltzeten
Emigration—Birth of a Colony
The 2007 OGSA Conference
Village histories—Rechtsupsweg,
Norden, Westerbur, Neuestadtgödens, Freepsum
& Larrelt
Travel by Train in Europe
Church Records—What else is available
Who was Marthurin Guitet?
Digital Camera’s & Genealogy
Thirty Years War & Emden
The East Frisian Islands
Organizing your Research
The Mills of Rhaude
The Stickhausen Turm Museum
What’s in Your Genealogy Briefcase?
NORTH DAKOTA DEATH INDEX NOW AVAILABLE
ONLINE. The time period covered is 1 January 1881 through
31 October 2005, with monthly updates.
The website is maintained by the North Dakota Department of
Health's Division of Vital Statistics. Many early deaths were
not recorded and there are few deaths listed prior to 1900.
The North Dakota death index website can be found at:
https://secure.apps.state.nd.us/doh/certificates/
deathCertSearch.htm
!NEW OSTFRIESEN RECIPE BOOK!
Have you ever wished you’d written down your Mom or
Grandmother’s recipes? Well, the Ostfriesian Heritage Society of East Central Illinois has the perfect book for you!
OMA & OPA’s KITCHEN has 171 pages packed full of
recipes like Kartoffelpuffer, Mehlpütt, Sniertjebraa, Pümmelwurst, Rot Kohl, Karmelkbree and lots more! It’s all in English except some of the titles which are translated. It includes
wonderful stories, songs and pictures. It was a real treat to
read through this book. You need this book for your collection! $22 includes postage. Order your copy from OGSA.
The Friesen Historical Society was formed several years ago
in the Clara City area. They purchased seven acres of the original W.D. Ammermann homestead, which included the original
dwelling from the 1880’s. (Pictured below)
They have renovated that structure into a museum which will be
open for special events in
2006. The organization is
searching for artifacts, pictures
and memorabilia from the
Clara City area along with
clothing and furniture from the
pre-1900 era.
Contact the
editor for more information on
membership.
2006—
2006—UPCOMING EVENTS
WRITING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
AND/OR MEMOIRS
Saturday, February 4 at 10 a.m.
How do you get started?
What information do you include about your family?
What should you write about?
Why should you write about your life?
What you might not want to include!
The meeting will be held at Becketwood, 4300 West River Parkway, Minneapolis. Call for directions—Zella (651) 452-2574 or Jean Haemig (612) 7281124 or use mapquest.com for step-by-step directions. Please call Jean for
directions if you are using public transportation. The meeting is in the lower
level of the chapel (a separate building). Do not go to the main building. Watch for the signs. Special German Desserts and Tea!
JOIN US IN GRUNDY CENTER
On Monday, March 13, 2006, the Ostfriesen Heritage Society of NE, Iowa will
have a special dinner meeting at the Grundy Center, IA Community Building, 705
F Avenue at 6 p.m. There will be a catered meal and you are all invited to attend.
Lin Strong, News Editor of OGSA’s American-Ostfriesen Zeitung, will be the
featured speaker on the topic, “The Ostfriesen—Yesterday & Today” There will be
a question and answer time after the talk.
If you are interested in attending, please contact
Lil Marks at martea@gcmuni.net or Nancy Hook at ronahook@gcmuni.net.
Mark your Calendar Today!
(Your next newsletter will come
out after this meeting!)
Saturday, April 1, 2006
“Four
Ostfriesen Pastors
Come to America"
In the 1880's and 1890's, four brother from
Ostfriesland came to American to be Lutheran pastors, in places like Clara City,
MN, Royal, IL and Bloomer, WI. Who were
they? Where did they come from? Why did
they come and where did they go? How did
we find out about their lives? Come and
hear Dr. Mary Jane Haemig, Associate Professor of Church History at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, speak about the lives of the
four Hafermann brothers and emigration.
This meeting will be held at Becketwood at
10 a.m. (See directions to left)
GENEALOGY WORKSHOP
October 13-15, 2006
OGSA Research Center, Forest Lake
Special mini-sessions at the Country
Inns & Suites. Three days of research
along with tea and kuchen, too!
All meetings are open to the public. Please join us and bring a relative or friend!
OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
168 North Lake Street, #3
Forest Lake, MN 55025
Address Service Requested
U.S.POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. #21

2006 - Issue 1 Newsletter - Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of

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