Germany and German Ancestry

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Comment by Joy Rehm Benninghoven on July 28, 2014 at 4:31pm

In Milwaukee, WI, USA, Gary Rebolz has been translating German Obits.  He helped me find my Dad's family now in Union Cemetery.  I paid him per obit and am SO grateful.  I now know where my Rehm & Thieme families came from in Germany.  I now need to know the next step in Darmstadt Hessen 1818 and Langstadt Germany 1811 were their birth dates. Thanks for any help.

Comment by Paul Hart on July 28, 2014 at 3:44pm

I am not a certified translator if that is what you mean. I do not translate new stuff. In fact, I have been working specifically for about the last five years only on German documents from the 1800s.

I am willing to help folks with minor stuff for free. Things like words not found on Google Translate or where the German writing is bad. I have so much on my plate though that I cannot be doing full out translations unless it was worth my while. Between a full time job, school, kids, home and my own research, I just do not have the time.

Family Historians do try to help each other though, so I volunteer at the local FHC. I have helped a good number of people find paths around the brick walls in their German research.

I also have a database online documenting records I have seen. These are just names, dates and places I have noted in my own research. I am considering eventually doing up books of translated records from specific German towns and self-publishing them. Once again, when and if I ever find the time...

Comment by Catherine Davis on July 28, 2014 at 8:10am

Paul, are you a translator who gets paid for your work or are you volunteering your services?

Comment by Paul Hart on July 28, 2014 at 4:18am

Kate, I agree with you that it is possible to get the information from Google Translate. It is fine for pulling names, places and dates out of a document.

However, if you are not familiar with German, and you are looking for a detailed translation, it may not work or give you the wrong info. I know. I have tried it. There is an older woman on a German mailing list with the current problem. She is 85 years old, does not know German and according to her it is, "too late for me to learn now."

I have been translating records for about five years now. Nobody is perfect, but I do a lot better job of translating the record into readable English. It took me four hours to get an A in the five-week German language course listed above.

So if funds are tight and you just want an overview of the document, yes use Google Translate. However, if you have no clue how to read German and do not want to learn; if you want the record in detail and in readable English, you may want to hire someone to do the translation.

Comment by Linda Gray on July 25, 2014 at 2:52pm

I am trying to find documentation that William Lawbaugh, b. Oct. 10, 1823 in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio is the son of John J. Laubach (Lawbaugh), b. July 8, 1799 in Columbia PA.  This John J. was the son of Lewis Laubach and Mary Ann Clinger. They are both buried in the family plot in Geneseo, IL.  So far I have not found birth, death, or church records linking them as father and son.  William married Lydia Ummel in Nov. 1849 so was out the the family home of John J. and Margaret Schaub for the 1850 census. I seem to be against the wall and could use any help one might be kind enough to give.  Thank You, Linda Gray

Comment by Catherine Davis on July 22, 2014 at 7:21pm

Michelle,

See https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Germany_Military_Records .

Comment by Michelle Gimelberg on July 22, 2014 at 6:55pm

Another question for you wonderful people...I'm attempting to search my great-grandfather's military service.  I know that he was in the German Army during World War II.  Then at some point he was captured (not sure where) and sent to a POW camp in Yugoslavia.  I know nothing about searching military records in foreign countries.  I've been focused on the Civil War here in the United States.

My question is, is it possible to scan records/search records here in the United States without making a trip to Germany?  The war is a very emotional topic for my grandmother and she was only 10 when the war ended so she doesn't know very much of my great-grandfather's service.  Any help or direction would be very much appreciated.

--Michelle

Comment by Kate Wagner on July 22, 2014 at 8:20am

Paul, it's really not that difficult to gleen the story from the records without hiring a translator or imposing upon the next person over at the research table. It's called a German to English dictionary, learning the basic terminology of the records, and availing oneself of several free online translators. Works for most European languages. I can't speak for translating Chinese, Japanese, etc. but for the Romance languages, it works like a charm. Perhaps it's just that I'm more private in my research and enjoy the quiet and solititude of the respositories to think and analyze my findings, while engaging in conversation with other researchers from time to time.  My work is mine alone.

Comment by Paul Hart on July 22, 2014 at 1:44am

Hi Joy, I have family from the Düsseldorf area and have done some research there. Right now I have no plans for going back, but that could change. Contact me privately and let me a little more about where you are researching and I will try to remember to look for you when/if I go.

Comment by Joy Rehm Benninghoven on July 21, 2014 at 12:58pm

On my side, Johann Henrich Rehm born 15 Jan 1818 Darmstadt, Hesse ?... came by 1850 Cen in Ozaukee, WI with mother Katarina nee ? b1782 & sister Maria b 1816 Hessia.  HENRY md. Louisa Thieme b 15 Jan 1838 [TC Thieme & Emelie Mai Thieme-Lanstadt >] 9 Sept. 1902 9th Ward Milwaukee. They are buried in the Union Cemetery Milwaukee. Ang help is welcome & I'll be happy to share.  mgarabians@eaglecom.net.  Joy

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