Author: Rettwent
Doing genealogy talk in Hamburg, May 2014
Brandenburg Gate 2014
Site near former Berlin Wall
Becoming a Professional Genealogist
Well after a number of years of doing genealogy research on my family, for friends and other relatives, I am taking to the next step and forging a new exciting beginning by making genealogy a greater percentage of work life. I am seriously organizing, contacting people in the field and making plans to learn new skills.
Back to Blog
Well it is 2014 and probably a year since I last posted. At this point my genealogy has been slow but with some progress on my written book about my family. Still in early stage but have added various biographical comments about my uncles and aunts on Rettammel side. Also gathered some new information from Beyond History group out of Hamburg, Germany regarding my great-great grandmother Louise Felix and her parents in former Prussia. Also in last year some contact was made with various 3rd, 4th and possibly 5th cousins on Rettammel sides. So I guess not slow but progress being made.
Bumps in the Research
A major bump to determining more ancestors for my surname. My German researchers informed me that in Poland any church books including the birth entries before 1858 in Boschpol have not survived. A greater part of these documents from Pomerania were destroyed as a result of World War II.
New Discovery
So I was recently at the local county courthouse where my surname originates and discovered that my grandma Rettammel (nee Wendland) parents were actually married on May 6, 1882 in the township of Kildare, WI. I never knew this because my assumption has always been that both my great-grandparents on this side came to America from Germany together and were already married. This was wrong. It goes to show that continued research and finding the official records makes such a difference in what you actually know about your past family members.
Germania
So this past Christmas I was in San Francisco at the Green Apple Bookstore (a great place for book lovers) and found a book by author Simon Winder called Germania (published 2010) that is a great read for those interested in what is German over the last 1,500 yrs. Though I have studied European history and read alot over the years Germany is still a mystery to me even though I visited Bavaria in 1990. So much to learn about this country of my ancestors.
Still Here but waiting
I have been absent from writing here since many other areas have occupied my time and energy. Also I am waiting for further research being conducted for me in northern Germany and areas of Poland by a genealogical research group called Beyond History out of Hamburg, Germany. Once I have that information it will foster using this blog more for this topic.
Destinations for Emigrants
Many from the crowded south of the German areas in the 1700s moved to new Prussian lands opening in Pomerania, West and East Prussia, Silesia, and Posen.
The above information is from the German Interest Group – Wisconsin Newsletter, 14, 4 (February 2007).
Rettammel Genealogy Service 