Von: Nuehring@compuserve.com (Lee & Barbara Nuehring)
  Datum: 15.03.98, 23:03:37
Betreff: Germany Trip

Dear Jean,

In answer to your questions about checking on cemetaries, church records
etc and travelling tips for Germany,  I'm posting this to the newsgroup as
others may also be interested.

My family is from Günzburg, not very far southeast from Donzdorf.  That is,
if your Donzdorf (which isn't a small village) is in Kries Göppingen.  I
have visited Günzburg several times and it felt good just to walk down the
street in the old section of town where my Great Grandparents might have
shopped and kneel in the church where they probably worshiped.  You are
very lucky to have the opportunity the visit your ancestoral home land.
Soak up all you can.

You may have a surprise awaiting you in the cemeteries.   Where we in the
USA purchase our final resting places, in many European countries, the
cemetery plot is leased for a period of time.  If the lease is not renewed,
the bones and tombstone are removed and the plot is leased to somebody
else.  (Exception:  priests and nuns plots are maintained by the Catholic
Church, so you will find some old ones.  Often nuns stones show both their
Sister name as well as their birth names)

Occassionally, a family maintains a plot and successive generations are
interred and their names are placed on a common stone.   When this happens
it is a wonder find, but NEVER count on finding such a plot for your family
-- as percentage wise, it is rare.

It would be impossible to list all the wonderful things to see in Germany.
I recommend that you get one of the travel or tourist books for Germany, so
that you can pick what your interests are.  The American Automobile
Associations (AAA) has a Travel Guide of Europe.  It is free to AAA
members.

However, my favorites are the two Michelin Guides of Germany.  The green
book (soft cover) gives detailed sight seeing information -- there is a
version in English and can be purchased in the States.  The red book (hard
cover) gives and rates lodging and eating establishments (from 5 star to
local gasthaus).  The red book also gives the address of the local tourist
information offices and just a list of sights.  I wouldn't leave home
without both of them.   :-)

Check the various newsgroups, home pages and chat rooms in the travel
section of the Internet or your ISP.  You may find a "pen pal" that can
also help you plan your trip.

Tschüß from the Sonoran Desert of Arizona,

Barbara