tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728509094770344156.post5265714812102728232..comments2024-02-28T09:41:31.404+00:00Comments on Worldwide Genealogy ~ A Genealogical Collaboration: And Who Might You Be?Julie Goucherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368170005503879489noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728509094770344156.post-81227526317811977232016-01-06T16:53:32.662+00:002016-01-06T16:53:32.662+00:00... or maybe in our database with 3023 german grav...... or maybe in our database with 3023 german graveyards: <br />http://grabsteine.genealogy.net/cemlist.php<br /><br />Best regards<br />Fusslkopphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14208378057257636252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728509094770344156.post-14609749816652292182016-01-03T10:24:37.560+00:002016-01-03T10:24:37.560+00:00A big (and friendly) hello from Germany. I'm s...A big (and friendly) hello from Germany. I'm sorry that you obviously had bad experiences trying to contact your family members over here, but let me assure you not all Germans react this way... <br /><br />I think a huge problem is that many Germans don't speak enough English to communicate about a topic like this, and they feel simply overwhelmed. Most of us have had a few years of English in school, but we hardly ever have the opportunity to practice it in conversation. <br /><br />It's true that we love our privacy, but we generally don't reject people who approach us in a friendly (= non-demanding)way. It's obvious that you guys would love to obtain information, but be a little more patient. Would you give your family data to someone you don't know at all? Probably not. <br /><br />Another thought I had when I read this post: It's not true that Germans aren't interested in their family history. It's like in the US: Some people are, some people aren't. You can't force anyone to share your passion. There's a very active genealogy community here, and it grows bigger. I started researching my family history almost 20 years ago, and I know a lot of people who are digging in archives and really are specialists in their own fields. When you've located living ancestors, maybe it's worth giving a try to contact one of the many "Heimatforscher" (local historians) we have, especially when your relatives live in a small town. The local historian may actually know your family in person and can tell if they might be interested or not. I come from a small town, and I've been working on this small town's genealogy for years, puzzling together all the families that lived there from about 1652 until 1945. All of this is information that isn't private at all as it comes from parish registers and official records, so I'm absolutely willing to share if someone asks. <br /><br />A third (and last) thought I'd like to mention is that when it comes to dealing with Americans, Germans often feel confronted with clichés and prejudice. Many Americans still mix up German and Bavarian, which we either think is funny or it simply gets on our nerves, and we're all a little bit touchy when it comes to mentioning Germany's horrible Nazi past. I myself feel the urge to explain to Americans that no, I am not "like that", and I was born in 1973! We all know what happened, so there's no need to remind us... And in a discussion about family history, there is a certain chance that this topic might come up. But with a bit of sensitivity it should be possible to talk about this as well. <br /><br />I've visited the US many times, and though I love going there and visit the friends I have, I can still tell certain cultural differences, and that's okay. Try to approach Germans open-minded, and we'll do the same. <br /><br />Good luck with your research and a happy 2016! <br /><br />Angela Schwentker<br />http://ahnenforschung-owl.blogspot.de/Angela Schwentkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10995922263899464967noreply@blogger.com