DEUTSCHES AUSWANDERERHAUS IN BREMERHAVEN

Transcription

1 AMERICAN-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

2 Page 2 A M E R I C A N - O S T F R I E S E N Z E I T U N G A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E O S T F R I E S E N G E N E A L O G I C A L S O C I E T Y O F A M E R I C A 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 or - 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 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 ($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, 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! OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Research Facility: 168 North Lake Street, Unit #3, Forest Lake, MN Officers are elected for a two year term and will serve during 2005 and OGSA OFFICERS: President Buck Menssen, bmenssen@iaxs.net (651) 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) zwmirick@juno.com BOARD MEMBERS: Lin Strong: (651) (cell) lstrong@cornernet.com Gene Janssen: 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. American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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.

3 October American-Ostfriesen 2003 Zeitung Page PAGE 33 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 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 only with the occasional telephone call. You can still get a paper copy of the membership book for a fee, but we can 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 8, 9, 11 The Settlement in Chippewa 10, 11 County A Partnership & Ostfriesen Visitors Notes from north, Book Reviews, Recipe Rheiderland Military Lists OSB Update Pastors & Their Problems, Danke, Sehr Diele Redoubts Awards, Obituraries Research Book Review, WW I, Low German News from Ostfriesland The Angel in Asel Links to Deep Roots, Queries Hausmarken, Tea Party Pictures The French Hugeunot s Emigration of Moor Settlers , , 28 Jeanee-ology 101, Contest 29 New Obituary Index, Upcoming Issue Info., Member News Frisian Historical Society 31 W E RE ON THE WEB! ~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 Illinois Iowa California Nebraska Wisconsin 20 Members span six countries including the U.S., Germany 29, Canada 6, the Netherlands 2, France 1, New Zealand 1

4 Page 4 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. American-Ostfriesen Zeitung WEENER & ITS SURROUNDING VILLAGES 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 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 Aerial View of Weener Area Stapelmoor / Stapelmoorerheide Stapelmoor arose from a pre-christian row or roadside village and was originally located in the wetland pastures on the Ostergasten (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 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 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 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 The Weener Harbor

5 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 5 written record is from The oldest structure is the Friesenkirche (Friesian church) from 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, 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 i n c r e d i b l e 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.

6 Page 6 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 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: era, 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

7 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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. 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 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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 Route 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 Weihnachtsmann hands out presents.

8 Page 8 e 8 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung SPAIN ON THE MARCH, SECOND BATTLE OF JEMGUM By Rudy Wiemann The Second Battle of Jemgum during the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Occupation More from the Chronicle of Menno Peters of Jemgum (ca ) / 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 (How the guns of Jemgum, recast as a monument to arrogance, prepared the way for recognition of independence for the Netherlands). 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 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. Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, the third Duke of Alba ( Jan 1583 ) 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 brother, Prince Wilhelm of Orange, leader of the revolt against Spain, with his troops in the Netherlands to come to his aid. 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. 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. 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! 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-

9 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 9 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 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 propaganda 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

10 Page 10 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 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. 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 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

11 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 11 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 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. 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. 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 Oldenburg Genealogical Society 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.

12 Page 12 And the Ostfriesen Came to visit A beneficial partnership... American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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. 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.

13 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 or call me. The Board is working on the conference for the year 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 ( ). 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.

14 Page 14 RHEIDERLAND MILITARY LISTS Naamlijst van weerbere mannen Jr.: 1813 (Name list of able-bodied men ages 20 to 40 years, Year 1813) Submitted by Carrie Taylor American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 Keep in mind that they only cover able-bodied men who are 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

15 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 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 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 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. 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 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 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! And from Bangstede: Thomas Volkmarus 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 ( ) died 1788 in Bangstede. During Meyer's service the troops of Conflans severely abused Pastor Meyer and murdered an elderly man. Rudolf Ger hard Stellwagen Born in 1829, died in Bangstede 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! 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

16 Page 16 From Chronik von Ostfriesland by Menno Peters and Ostfriesland by O. G. Houtrouw. Translated by Rudy Wiemann 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. 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 ( ), 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 Hessia- Cassel, 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 Prince- Bishop 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 ( ) 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. THE DIELE REDOUBTS American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 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.

17 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page AWARDS 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, Lori Kapler from Urbandale, IA., presented these awards to them on November 5, 2005 in Großefehn at the home of Herr Kroon. OBITUARIES 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. 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. 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) 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) 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 in our research center? Come on over and use them sometime!

18 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 20 th Century. The first program, The Road to War, will be held January 24 th, 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: 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: or knoche@csp.edu Film Dates: January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, 28, :00 p.m. American-Ostfriesen Zeitung LOW GERMAN, January 2005, Kiek rin newsletter. E e r s t e P l a t t d ü t s k e S c h r i e v k u r s i n H e s e l 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, 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.

19 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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. 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 Emder Zeitung, 7/21/05 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. Emder Zeitung, 8/5/05 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. Emder Zeitung, 8/5/05 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 Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 8/5/05 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. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 8/5/05 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. Emder Zeitung, 8/17/05 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

20 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. Emder Zeitung, 8/21/05 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 Fabricators of wind energy systems in Germany are now the steel industry s second largest customer, behind the car industry and ahead of the American-Ostfriesen Zeitung ship builders. Emden alone will have 300 persons employed in the wind power industry next year. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 8/21/05 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. Emder Zeitung, 10/16/05 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. Emder Zeitung, 10/16/05 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, Simonswolde.

21 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 21 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 For some unknown reason (perhaps during the confusion of the Silesian War of ) 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 , 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 (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- THE ANGEL IN ASEL 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.

22 Page 22 LINKS TO DEEP ROOTS By Cheryl (Jurgens) Meints Germany: Directory of cities and towns in Land Niedersachsen English translations for old German occupations, professions, and illnesses Basic information for Everyday Genealogy Central Texas: Ostfriesen Settlements Texas History, Texas Culture Lone Star and Eagle Read the essay, German Texas Families, by Ingeborg H. Rüberg McCoy Handbook of Texas Online ride your horse through Medina, Gillespie, and Bexar counties as you search this excellent site...check out Germans also. Delve into Texas history with W. T. Block s article, Texas Germanic Heritage Learn about the Quihi and New Fountain Ostfriesen settlements in the article, Ostfriesland Immigrants to Medina County, by Paul Adams Hin nach Texas ( Off to Texas ) by Sheena Oomen German Immigration to Texas by Theresa G. Gold great links at the end of essay Fredericksburg Genealogical Society, Gillespie County JUST FOR FUN! Cycle around the North Sea...what are you waiting for? 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) QUERIES... American-Ostfriesen Zeitung reignbeau2@webtv.net Looking for information on the following people: Wilt Wilts Dreesen, died in Wenermoor 6 April 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, in Hatzum, Germany to a father who was a blacksmith. He was not the oldest son, so he came to the USA around Gail Schrader dpsp3249@msn.com Surname: Poppen Grandfather: Johann H. Poppen, born in Aurich Ostfriesland, Germany. Came to America in 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, Brother Henry (Hidde) REIHER,born Jun. 30, Butler Co., IA around Also seek parents/family of Bonno REIHER, b Jan. 24, 1874 came to U.S 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.

23 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 23 From: Ostfriesland Magazine No. 8/2000 (Heino Albers) And Rhaude Homepage (Michael Till Heinze) Translated by Rudy Wiemann HAUSMARKEN 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). 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. 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. In Ostfriesland, the use of the Hausmark was backed up by the law. Thus did Count Ulrich II ( ) 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 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. 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.

24 Page 24 SOURCE: The Emden French Hugeunot Church Preface in the Ortssippenbuch. Translated by G.W. Heikes growth and development of the city. 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 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 , 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 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 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 It traces its origins to the persecution of the reformed believers in the Spanish Netherlands, which at that American-Ostfriesen Zeitung THE FRENCH HUGEUNOT S & OSTFRIESLAND 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 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

25 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 25 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 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 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 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 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, 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

26 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, 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 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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

27 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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 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 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. 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 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

28 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. American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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. 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 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 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. 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. 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.

29 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page 29 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? JEANEE-OLOGY 101 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. 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 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 1-35 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 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 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 this to ogsa@cornernet.com or send it to OGSA s address

30 Page 30 MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Welcome to OGSA! Would you like a membership list? We can now 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 Researching: Ruter (Upleward) DeWall, Rita Research names: DeWall, Buenting, Breidert, Helmkamp, Hirsch, Reinecke, Hocke Garlisch, Cheryl, E. CR 1465 N, San Jose, Illinois Phone cherylgarlisch@sbcglobal.net Grossart, Karen 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, Keswick St, Northridge, CA 91325, Phone , redsgirl@earthlink.net Researching: (All Marienhafe) Mehmen, Eilers, Coordes, Bussman, Wiebrand from Holland Griffith, Nyla Naatjes, 12 Ryan Road, Deadwood, SD nyla@tdgcommunications.com Researching: Naatjes, Braak Mahoney, Scott, Lincoln Circle, Omaha, NE Phone scottjm56@hotmail.com Researching: Claasen (Diele/Stapelmoor) Naatjes, Don, 3125 West Miramar Circle, Sioux Falls, SD 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 Phone Wood, Kathryn, 6173 Shamrock Lane, Hartford, WI Phone 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! American-Ostfriesen Zeitung 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

31 American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Page Page 31 NEW OBITUARY INDEX OGSA is now offering Rick Gersema's compiled index for the obituaries that appear in the Ostfriesische Nachrichten Rick has spent several years collecting the missing issues of the Ostfriesische Nachrichten and includes some entires from 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. 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 The North Dakota death index website can be found at: deathcertsearch.htm 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, 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, 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.!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 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.