German genealogy anyone?

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Druk

Druk

Gone but not forgotten - RIP
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Not far from Edinburgh.
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Toddled along to the Scottish Registry Office with the thought that I might trace some of the family history on my fathers side. Quite a surprise to discover that my paternal granddad was of German origin and changed his name to something more Scottish sounding possibly sometime around 1914 – 1919/20.

And that’s where the trace finishes. Brick wall :wallbash:

What I have is:

Grandad Paul (German surname) married Grannie Georgina(Scots surname) in July 1914. He 27, her 20. Cert shows married in German name.

Both Paul’s German parents were alive then and living in Edinburgh. Paul’s marriage Cert gives father as Carl xxxxxxxx, Tweed Mill manager (retd).

Mother as Paulina xxxxxxxx (nee Schmitt)

My fathers sister born Dec 1914 (naughty granddad!) dies Mar 1919 with German surname on death cert. Cerebral meningitis.

My fathers birth cert, born 1921, has his father now with Scots surname (but with German one in brackets).

Death cert of Paul (now having Scots surname) in 1945 shows both parents as now deceased. (So someone knew of their deaths but isn’t letting on when) No death cert is on record for Carl or Paulina xxxxxxxx.


Scottish 1911 census (and earlier ones) has no trace of either Carl, Paulina or son Paul.

There is no trace of them arriving in the UK. Certainly in Scotland although it may have been to England and they then moved north for work. (tweed-mill manager).


Thoughts are that possibly they were interned during WW1 because of German origins. Maybe parents left UK after war?

Inputting their names here

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list/?page=1&countryId=1927074

comes up with no connectable direct hits.

What I need is someone with a handle on geneology who knows where and how to trace possible German connections and/or where to find lists of interned civilians.

Something someone on here will know surely?


Thanks.
 
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Can't help with Germany, although when I was but a young teenager on exchange with a German family they had a beautiful family tree from the 30s. Apparently this was very common at the time to show the Germanness of their ancestors...

National Archives may have something on WW1 internees, but records appear sparse.
 
The Germans may have a similar system to the French, where nearly all church records are available online. If you know his date of birth and where he was born, you may be able to work back from there.

Google Translate, although not 100%, is very helpful.
 
tode said:
The Germans may have a similar system to the French, where nearly all church records are available online. If you know his date of birth and where he was born, you may be able to work back from there.
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Indeed. See linky above. Unfortunately I have nothing on any of them other than names; excepting that granddad Paul was 27 when he married in 1914. It may even be that Paul was a corruption of Paullus just to suit the times in which they lived. Carl may have been Karl :dk:.





.
 
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tode said:
The Germans may have a similar system to the French, where nearly all church records are available online. If you know his date of birth and where he was born, you may be able to work back from there.

Google Translate, although not 100%, is very helpful.
Click to expand...

I doubt this as this is a very Catholic thing. When we were in Quebec we traced my wife's family back to before Wolfe. Had printed out all birth, marriage and death certifies and went round to most churches and took photos if possible. Presented it all in a book to our Grand daughter for her 18th birthday.
 
One issue which would make life difficult in Germany is that much of the country was absorbed into Poland (and indeed Russia in the case of Koenigsburg in East Prussia) so records from there may well have been lost. Plus much mortality that might not have been recorded in WW2.
 
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I have researched my ancestors extensively in USA and Germany. The Mormons have done a lot of preliminary work which is on the internet; don't have the specific site at hand as it was a few years ago. They lived in the town of Lahr near Frieberg B-W. So I went there. Between the Rathaus and the local Lutheran church I found quite a bit of info. People were very helpful especially with my German surname. I traced back to 1620. I was told there are no records prior to that as they were destroyed in the 30 years war. First emigre was Johannes S. who left in 1735 for USA (but not yet USA!) His brother followed and they worked as indentured servants on a farm in Tennessee. The older folks remaining eventually died out and today there are very few Schmeltzers in Germany. In America there are thousands. Apparently there was a famine in early 1700s which precipitated the exodus.
I drew up an extensive chart and sent copies to my son and other relations in USA.
Met with deafening silence. Nobody gives a hoot but me.
German war records are kept by the government and you csnnot search for info.
You have to furnish a specific name, rank, unit, dates, etc. and they will search
only for that individual. I tried looking at war memorials, cemetaries, etc. in the local area but no results. You can also hire a professional who will help you but I couldn't afford that option. There are also American websites with the family name that may help. Many people were illiterate back then and one name may have a variety of spelling in different records. Good luck on your search. I had fun and met some very nice people but I was ashamed that I do not speak German.
 
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Love all this kind of stuff Derek, I find all this really interesting.

After a quite flippant few comments from my grandma about her uncles fighting in WW1 I found out (via Internet search) that they died at the Battle of the Somme.
 
My grandfather (illegally) kept a diary during WW1, including the Somme. He was one of the lucky ones - eventually injured by a grenade at Ypres (1917) and shipped home. He stayed in the army and served throughout WW2 before retiring in 1949.
 
Well I hope you had a wee dram fancy going along to look up the family history a jock and finding out you are german,wow,but this could explain why you have a penchant for Mercedes cars
 
zipdip said:
Well I hope you had a wee dram fancy going along to look up the family history a jock and finding out you are german,wow,but this could explain why you have a penchant for Mercedes cars
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I know :doh:. Three German cars, a German caravan and a German kitchen.

And a reluctance to shave off my moustache. :ban:
 
Good thread this, I now realise you have a Pinkel under the kilt... ;)
 
SL300-24 said:
Good thread this, I now realise you have a Pinkel under the kilt... ;)
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I had to look up Pinkel.

'The word Pinkel is East Frisian and probably derives from pink = 'little finger'

That's you for the Russian front Ray.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkel


I didn't mean to embarrass you....maybe I should have chosen a different German Sausage :D


Oops... I forgot you are now a Moderator...:ban:
 
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Marvin may have some insight into this Druk, he may be able to point you in the right direction...?
 
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