What are your Next Genealogical Goals?

What is your Next Genealogical Goal? Writing that question makes me shiver with anticipation, and I am experiencing record heat here in Arizona.

I often write my goals, sometimes I fiercely track my progress, other times I write it and lose the piece of paper on which it was written. Whichever way it goes, I know if I consciously choose my next genealogical search, it is likely to come to fruition.

Recently I have been fascinated with a quote from Linda Hogan which reads as follows:

"Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still. They say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands." 

So the choice is critical, likely to define my life for at least the next few months, if not the next few years.  There are times I try to connect with those who are past, to get an impression of what they would want me to discover.

With this quote in mind, I breathe in and breathe out and ask for guidance. Here are the thoughts that come to me....

• Finish the book...for years I have been developing a book about my ancestry. The details aren't important here, but it requires consistent writing, consistent devotion of time, and consistent yearning to complete.
• Find out what happened to my grandfather Johannes Dalhaimer...this is one of my greatest challenges.  This man left my grandmother and I have been unable to locate him despite years of searching. I am actually afraid to write it as a goal because it is one of my most frustrating genealogical issues.  If you have ever encountered information about this man, born 7 Feb 1887 in Mariental, Russia, please forward it to me. I would be overwhelmed to discover what he did, where he lived after he left the day after my father was born in 1925. I can only dream of having the chance to visit his grave site.
• Systematically, work through all of my maternal lines...the lines I want to honor the most as they were the glue which held my family history together in so many ways. The Spies, Seidlitzens, Giesmans, Stengels, Ruppels, Gaugers, Steinbrechers, Mertes, Bauers, Schoenbergers, Hansens, Berns, Sterzers and Wachters who deserve their due along with the Dalhaimers, Herzogs, Herrmanns, Reimers, and Körbers of whose family trees  have made a small dent.

Perhaps the order of these thoughts is important. I think it is but working simultaneously toward multiple goals can yield miraculous results. I would love to hear about your goals, how to you work through the challenges and how do you determine what you do next.  Share your thoughts as comments here or on the Facebook link. The choices we make now determine our future. 

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russia Ancestors...Tip # 9 LEAVE A TRAIL

Every journey comes to an end.  And, we have finally reached our last Tip for Tracking our German Russian Ancestors. While is it last, it clearly is not least, as you can follow all of previous tips and tricks, but if you pass on number nine, your accomplishments could be for nought. It's critical to Leave a Trail.

I originally gave the "Tips & Tricks" presentation at the Gilbert Regional Library on January 12, 2019.  Posting each tip and trick on my blog is one of the ways I like to leave a trail.

Yet, there are as many ways of Leaving A Trail as there are of doing genealogical research.  And, that's what makes it so fun because you can choose the way you want to Leave a Trail.  Here are just a few options:

• Write your Memoir or write a a memoir for a family member
• Gather family recipes and publish Cookbooks
• Write a Family History Book
• Use Oral or written Storytelling to share your history
• Write articles for publication in the AHSGR Journal or GRHS Heritage Review
• Create an online family tree or website
• Set periodic goals for yourself to contribute to the history
• What ways would you add to this list?  Let me know, would love to hear your creative thoughts...

One factor to consider when leaving a trail is, how organized is your research?  Will others know what it is?  Or, does it look like something ready for the dumpster?

Remember during Tip # 2 Choose Your Path we discussed using a Research Log. If it doesn't sound familiar, step back to Tip # 2  to determine how you can have on-going, organized success by documenting your progress.  With an up to date log, others will know where your research stopped, what needs to be done next, and which items need citations and documentation.

One of the biggest decisions you need to make is when Leaving a Trail is, who can you trust to carry on your research and family history?

This is quite a personal decision, and your choice should be considered carefully over time.  

Here are some questions to ponder as you make your decisions:

• Is there a family member who will carry on the research? 
• Who would best continue the story?
• Who can you trust to carry on the family history?
• And, if there is not a family member who shares your passion to follow through on your research, are there any others who will?
• Would a donation to an association, to a village coordinator or to a designated family member or friend suit your wishes?
• What if something changes for your designated genealogical heir? What is the back up plan?

It's important to be thoughtful about all options, discuss your intentions with your family and get their input. When you have made your decision, share your plans with family and leave written directions in your estate plan.

Keep in mind the famous words of Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame who wrote, "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?" While we all enjoy the genealogical journey, it offers great satisfaction to know that the investigation and your story goes on.

So, as I close the tips and tricks blog series, you might wonder, which of the nine tips is the most important? While you may find that one tip or another is more important during different phases of your research, not any one of these tips is more important than another. All are important to keep in mind as you research your family, from:

• Starting with You,
• To Choosing Your Path, 
• To Documenting all of Your Sources, Sources, Sources
• To Keeping Calm and Learning the History,
• To Connecting with Community,
• To Locating Villages and Ancestral Towns on Maps, 
• To Learning a New Language along the way, 
• So when you do Travel you can converse with at least the basics, 
• And Leave a Trail of Your Family’s History for All Time.

Thank you for joining me on my genealogical journey. Hope to see you in Lincoln, Nebraska this summer.  

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russia Ancestors...Tip # 8 TRAVEL HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE REWARDS..Continued

Travel is so powerful, it requires at least three posts to try to cover the bare basics. Last update I promised details on the second trip to Argentina. My quest to find relatives included connecting with Black Sea Germans from Russia. My second travel group was a small one made up of Tim Geiger, Carmen Gill and Lori Gill. We explored Buenos Aires, La Pampa and Mendoza during the visit.  I connected with Lutheran Germans from Russia in Buenos Aires and attended a lecture by Prof. Dr. René Krüger and learned more about how my Lutheran relatives lives in Argentina. (By the way, if you have not already registered for the 50th International Convention of AHSGR Our Golden Jubilee, you need to do so today.  My Argentine friends, Germán  Sack and Fabian Schlutheis, will be there).

Tim Geiger, Kevin Schultheis, Germán Sack, Fabian Schultheis, Anna Bartkowski, Lori Gill, Carmen Gill

We were welcomed to La Pampa by Elio Krank and Roxana Appelhanz, a couple who met at the Congreso I attended during the first visit!  We also saw the Gareis house in La Pampa, and created more connections along the way.  

Elio Krank, Roxana Appelhanz, Carmen Gill, Tim Geiger, Lori Gill, Anna Bartkowski

My most recent trip was the closest direct connection to my family.  After a 115 year separation, the descendants of Nikolaus Herrmann were re-united in Germany. Herrmann, an original settler of Mariental, was from Stadtbredimus near Remich in present day Luxembourg. 

When my grandmother left Mariental in 1913, she knew she would not see her parents again.  Her siblings?  Well, she wrote letters to her sister, Klara, but a reunion never occurred. I researched the family but did not discover that the Herrmann line survived World War II, Siberia, and all of their moves since 1941.

Not until my cousin Wladimir Herrman contacted me, did I realize the extent of their survival.  And, the Herrmanns welcomed me and my sister and brother-in-law with open arms, their hospitality, warmth and home-cooked meals went well beyond any reunion I could have imagined.

I could go on and go on, but I would like to make two key points which are further evidence that travel has its own unique rewards. 

First, Wladimir was the ultimate host, driving us to our ancestral villages as we looked for more clues about our ancestors. 

There is nothing to compare with the feeling than standing with your cousin at the church tower in Stadtbredimus where your ancestors attended services and were married so many, many years ago. 

Second, in addition to the new family connections, you never know what you will find, including a gold mine of new family information.  In my case, Wladimir compiled everything he researched into a book written in German and Russian, with every bit of historical evidence of our family.  The pictures, the people and the information are irreplaceable.  

While the books and pictures are invaluable, the memories of meeting  my family, safe in Germany, is priceless.  Isn't it time you considered making travel a part of your family research?

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russia Ancestors...Tip # 8 TRAVEL HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE REWARDS..Continued

Travel and family history go hand in hand. And, it's the connection with others that brings our research to life.  That said, travel may or may be on your bucket list and preconceived notions about countries can cause one to pause.  As I mentioned in Tip # 5 Community Counts...

• If I hadn't attended an Arizona Sun Chapter meeting in 2005...
• I would have never met Judy Gareis
• If I hadn't met Judy, I would not have been sitting next to her at the AHSGR Convention in Hays, Kansas in 2007 listening to Isabel Kessler
• And then Judy wouldn't have turned to me and said, "We need to go to Argentina!"
• To which I replied, "I'm not going to Argentina!"

Well, only a few short months later, there I was, seat beat buckled soaring my way on American Airlines to Argentina. It was not a quick decision, however Judy was passionate about the journey. She knew she had Gareis relatives there because her grandfather corresponded with relatives there.  With her magical ways of persuasion, Judy convinced me we would have an adventure. And it didn't hut when I remembered that Isabel Kessler mentioned that the Argentine village of Valle Maria was settled by families from Mariental, my paternal ancestral village. Adventure and potential relatives? I was hooked. There was no turning back. 

This tour was coordinated by AHSGR and led by Isabel Kessler and Jerry Siebert. From Buenos Aires to Rosario, from Paraná to Misíones, with visits to Gualaguaychu, Olivarrría, Coronel Suarez, we were welcomed with hugs and greetings we didn't always understand, but welcomed we were like long lost family. We sang German hymns, we danced, we ate, we shared Pleve charts,  and we connected. This trip surpassed my expectations, as I built friendships which continue today.

So, obviously, after such a fantastic visit, one trip was not enough. Details to follow in the next post of how I returned with a small group of friends in 2013. Stay tuned...

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russia Ancestors...Tip # 8 TRAVEL HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE REWARDS

Germans from Russia have moved to every continent on the planet. North America, South America, Germany, and Australia are just a few of the places, and many stayed in Russia. Connecting with our relatives is a big, yet rewarding, step for those of us on the genealogical road to adventure.

If you choose to travel to learn more about your ancestors and your family, you can go it alone or go in groups. And, language skills help immensely, so the value of Tip # 7 goes beyond researching documents.

One of the best books to help you prepare for travel is Carolyn Schott's Visiting Your Ancestral Town.

Whether you are trying to go to your village in Russia, or connect with your German Origins in Europe, this book will help you efficiently plan and prepare yourself for what lies ahead.

Since preparation for travel is critical, and can be a great deal of fun, be sure to consider some of these highlights:

• Remember to KEEP CALM AND LEARN THE HISTORY
• Complete as much genealogical research as possible before the trip
• Pre-plan as much as possible, especially if you have specific genealogical goals.
• Determine what works best for you...group travel, custom plans or individual adventures

When it comes to group travel, there are lots of options, however there are two annual group trips to consider.

Brent Mai and Mila Koretnikov facilitate tours to the Volga colonies. There are options as to length and visits are targeted to the Wiesenseite or Bergseite, or for the truly ambitious, you can cover both tours.

And, the North Dakota State Library and Germans from Russia Heritage collection sponsors the Homeland tour which is an outstanding visit to Germany and Ukraine. Michael Miller is the host, and although the 2019 tour is full, new information on the 2020 tour will be available in July 2019.

Up next...we will continue Tip # 8 as I share some of my travel experiences soon.

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks To Tracking Your German Russian Ancestors...Tip # 7 LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE...ANY LANGUAGE

Learn a new language...sunds a bit daunting, doesn't it? I think I can read your mind…you think you are too old to learn a new language…but hear me out...there are a lot of reasons why this tip is crucial to tracking your German Russian ancestors.

Many of the original records of your ancestors are written in a number of languages. And there will be times when you want to check the original records to verify your history.

Some original records will be in German and Russian, and when you add in South America, it can be a handy took to know Spanish, too.  Descendants of Germans from Russia relocated to countries around the world so any language skills are helpful.

Learning a new language doesn't happen overnight. And there are ways you can begin to learn by using tools to help you recognize key words found in records.  

Learning occurs over time and here are a few tools to help you ease into learning.

–German English Genealogical Dictionary by Ernest Thode

–German English Visual Bilingual Dictionary

–For additional vocabulary list, see: –Family Search

–For an article on German language, including numbers, see: – Wiki German Language

Once you feel comfortable with a few words, you may want to take your language skills to the next level.  There are any number of options including:

• Mesa Community College offers World Language classes in: 
• German
• Spanish
• Russian
• Phoenix German School offers Saturday classes
• Also, many online apps!
• Library Online Resources
• Maricopa County Library

As I mentioned earlier the thought of learning a new language can be overwhelming, however new evidence shows that our brain needs new challenges! We need to stretch our brain to increase its ability to grow and learn for the rest of our lives. Need proof? Check out the information about the plasticity of the brain and how to build your cognitive reserve at any age.

–Plasticity of the brain

–Cognitive Reserve

-You are never too old to learn a language

And, what better way to age well than to learn a language that will assist with tracking your ancestors. You never know, it may just help you when to implement Tip # 8 which is

TRAVEL HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE REWARDS.

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russia Ancestors...TRICKS!!!

Let's digress for a moment from the tips and talk about some tricks in German Russian genealogy which can confuse and confound the best of us.

Days, Dates and Calendars offer a unique challenge when looking at Russian records.  Here is an example that caused me concern for a few days. My grandfather, Fred Herzog, was born on July 4, 1882. His death certificate confirms this date. And,  my mother shared her memories of celebrating his birthday on the 4th of July, the same day the United States commemorates its independence with parades, picnics and fireworks.  The two events were tied together for her.

So when I received a Russian document showing his birth date as June 22, 1882, I thought I had information on the wrong Fred Herzog.

It took me a few days to remember the Calendar trick.  For a complete explanation of calendar changes, check out Adam Giesinger's article.  For a quick update, here is my take on it. The Julian Calendar was established by Julius Caesar.  Over years, the calendar fell behind the rotation of the earth around the sun.  After much debate and requests for a change, Pope Gregory XIII adopted a new calendar in 1582 which was subsequently called the Gregorian Calendar.  Catholic states adopted the new calendar immediately, but Protestant states and Russia adopted the Gregorian Calendar later. Ultimately it was Lenin who finally decreed in 1918 that February 1 would became February 14, thus bringing Russia's calendar in line with the rest of the world. So, any Russian documents before 1918 will not match Gregorian Calendar dates. I was delighted to realize this a few days later, and know that I indeed had a document that pertained to my grandfather.

If you receive a Russian document dated February 10, 1918...beware! And if you are lucky enough to track something in Europe back to October 10, 1582...challenge it!

The second tricky issue with tracking German Russian ancestry is names.  German naming conventions are repetitive at best and conflicting at worst.

Although not every family followed these style of naming their offspring, some did and it means that names are repeated each generation, both first names, middle names, and then there is the issue of nicknames.  Sometimes every son was named after their father, and was distinguished and called by their middle name...so in one family, you can have a father named Johann Christian, and his sons could be named Johann Christian, Johann Andreas, Johann Peter, Johann Phillip, Johann Heinrich, and so on.

Here is an example from the Jurks of Reinwald.  Below is a screen shot of a few of the Jurks names Johann Christian.  Of these ten, three were born within four years of each other which makes it very easy to pick the wrong one in your lineage.  And, they faithfully followed this naming pattern through generations. 

There are also over thirty-five different Heinrich Jurks in the Reinwald censuses.

And that doesn't include the nine Heinrich Jurks listed with their middle names! And there are examples of families who re-use the name of a deceased child for a newborn.  Yes, and I have seen it happen more than once. 

There are ways to keep your records straight as you work through your family tree and tips that can help you as work through years and years of Russian censuses. Each census builds upon the previous one.  The household numbers are an excellent guide to ensure you are tying back to the family you want. The census list includes the household number and the household number from the previous census.  Sometimes it matches, but often the numbers vary. Follow the household numbers and relationships carefully. Household movements are also well tracked in the notes so read it all. Check it one day, and if it seems illogical come back to it the next day. The key is to take your time...no need to rush through these records.  Being patient and reviewing your information will help you to get this right and make your family history records as accurate as possible.

Next up...more tips as we move to Tip # 7!

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russian Ancestors...Tip # 6 WITHOUT GEOGRAPHY, YOU’RE NOWHERE

Descendant of Germans from Russia are scattered around the world...North and South America, Australia, Europe, Russia and many more locations. And, there are many maps which can help you locate these settlements, and possibly locate your relatives.

Many of the books, organizations and other sources I mentioned in earlier tips have plenty of maps which are excellent resources. The book shown above, Emigration from Germany to Russia in Years, 1763-1862/With Maps by Karl Stumpp contains classic maps to introduce you to the movement of our ancestors.

Mitch Roll's Volga German map, while not drawn to scale, is helpful to see the layout of the villages. Alan Wambaugh's map of the same area adds a frame worth map to your collection. And, be sure to check out the map of Entre Rios, Argentina, just in case you travel there.

I have used all of these maps over the years, and recently there has been a big upgrade in our online map community.  Sandy Schilling Payne, who joined the group when I presented these tips and tricks at the SW Gilbert Regional Library in January, has created with a team the most efficient and thorough site for finding your ancestral village in Russia. (Be sure to check the latest edition of the Heritage Review and read Sandy's article on page 11 where she describes the value of community while she was there)

The Germans from Russia Settlement Location takes the deep dive into identifying by using Google Earth.  To quote the site:

 This is the home of the Google maps of the locations of German settlements in the Russian and Austrian empires that occurred from 1763 into the early 20th century. The locations are based on numerous historical maps, including those by Karl Stumpp, Rudolf Unterschütz, Pierre François Tardieu and others. This unique resource is detailed and vast in scope, inclusive of all German groups who uprooted from their Germanic homelands and heeded the call of Catherine the Great, her successors and others to colonize the forests and steppes of Russia and Austria.
This is a work in progress and a living document.

The Facebook site for German Russia Settlement Locations

Here's an example of my grandfather's village, Rosenfeld am Nachoi. Not only do you see the land through Google Earth and all of its perspectives, you also get all of the names the village had, the current name, latitude and longitude and more. There is a tutorial I highly recommend viewing.

Plan to spend a few quality hours at a minimum on this site.  It's an extraordinary site and I would be interested in your feedback.  What was your favorite features on these maps?  What did you discover about your villages that you didn't know before? Please leave your comments here or on facebook.

Coming up next, a few tricks to beware of  when you are on your genealogical journey.

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russian Ancestors....Tip # 5...Community Counts...continued

As promised, Tip # 4 continues with examples of how being involved with the German Russian Community helps you make incredible genealogical discoveries.

It was tough for me to choose a few from the many discoveries I attribute to the community.  But here are two of my favorites.

My Mother and my Paternal Grandmother

This first story starts in my childhood, during visits with my grandmother who was very proud that her family, the Herrmanns and her husband's family, the Dalhaimers, descended from the original settlers in Mariental.  She also told us that her father-in-law told the story of the History of Mariental, but that my grandfather, who was very proud of his handwriting, wrote this story in a book. When we asked for a copy of the book, she said it was more like a pamphlet and she didn't have a copy.  Perhaps there was a copy somewhere in Russia?  She doubted it, she believed it must have been destroyed. 

At the AHSGR convention in Milwaukee in 2017, Mila Koretnikov was in attendance.  During one of her presentations, she mentioned that Nicholas Dalhaimer’s History of Mariental was available from the Engels Archive. I was shocked, and I had to reflect over and over to remember the conversation during the visits with my grandmother to remember the story she had mentioned. So I reached out to Mila for information, and she graciously helped me to purchase copies of the documents.

Cover of 1908
The History of Mariental from the Engels Archive

Nik. Thalheimer Marienthal

Sample Pages from The History of Mariental

While I can't prove this is my grandfather's writing, and it is only my memory of my Grandmother's story about the book, I have compared the writing to my grandfather's penmanship in the family Bible, and it a match for me.  The year of the publication matches the life span of my great-grandfather and grandfather.  And, my grandfather did not leave Russia until 1913, so he would have been there to record the history.  It's one of my treasures as I never knew either of these ancestors.

The second story occurred goes like this...

• If I hadn't attended an Arizona Sun Chapter meeting in 2005...
• I would have never met Judy Gareis
• If I hadn't met Judy, I would not have been sitting next to her at the AHSGR Convention in Hays, Kansas listening to Isabel Kessler in 2007
• And then Judy wouldn't have turned to me and said, "We need to go to Argentina."
• To which I replied, "I'm not going to Argentina!"

To be continued under Tip # 8!

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russian Ancestors....Tip # 5...Community Counts

Sometimes the best part of the genealogical journey is the people you meet along the way who share the family history bug.

I would never have learned as much as I do about German Russian history on my own as I did from  all of the great people who I have met. These people challenge my curiosity and help me answer the tough questions.

One of the best ways to find others who share your passion is through the national convention of two  groups I  mentioned earlier: the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and the Germans from  Russia Heritage Society.

The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia convention will celebrate its Golden Jubilee this July. You will find a sense of community like no other.  The opportunity to attend the convention in Lincoln at the AHSGR headquarters offers ample chances to spend time in the full library and talk with experts who have decades of research experience. Besides attending conventions, becoming a member offers more benefits than I can explain here.

And, as long you are traveling during the summer, head further north for the Germans from Russia Heritage Society 49th Convention in Fargo, North Dakota. Same experience here, the community of people who gather will share the same drive to learn more about their ancestors.  It's like having a multitude of resources in one place.  Again, membership is a plus, especially when it comes to the resources on the web site.

There are other communities, too, to consider. Social media makes it seem easy to ask simple questions like why did my German ancestors move to Russia?  My recommendation is to save your questions for  more in depth answers, not the ones for which answers are readily available on other sites. I found it is best on social media sites to focus your efforts by connecting to village coordinator/village pages. Here are a few links to some sites I found helpful or created.  If you can't find the type of site you want on social media, create it yourself, like I did with this blog.

Descendants of Reinwald, Russia (upper left corner)

Descendientes de Heinrich Gottlieb Reimer (upper right corner)

Villages of Mariental, Louis, Chasselois, Russia (lower left corner)

Tips and Tricks! (my own blog, lower right corner)

Tip # 4 will continue over to my next post where I share with you some personal discoveries I learned about due to the Germans from Russia Community.

Stay tuned!

©2019 Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski

Tips & Tricks to Tracking Your German Russia Ancestors...Tip # 4 KEEP CALM AND LEARN THE HISTORY

If you google Germans from Russia, you get over 24,400,000 results (in 0.55 seconds). That's an astronomical number of sites to cover to learn about our unique history.

If I were starting to learn my family's history now, I would read some of the fantastic books that analyze our history in depth.

While all of the sites I mentioned earlier as sources share some of the history of Germans from Russia, I believe that to get an in depth understanding, we need to read books.

These books below will help you learn the history of Russia, and better understand our ancestor's experiences. The books are non fiction and historical fiction, but all are based on facts. When you read, you learn the history, and you realize the impact of the then "current events" on your ancestors. This is what helps you create a portrait of what your ancestors were like and what issues impacted them. These books are:

• From Catherine to Krushchev by Adam Giesenger
• Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie
• Russka by Edward Rutherford
• Nicholas &Alexandra Fall of the Romanov Dynasty by Robert K. Massie

Depending on when your family left Russia, some families may have been in the Americas longer than they lived in Russia. Those who left Russia in the 1870s have an entirely different history than those who left in the early 1900s. to those who stayed behind and may have been transported to Siberia.

Consider these three books to help you learn the history of Germans from Russia in America.

• The Black Sea Germans in the Dakotas by George Rath
• The Volga Germans, In Russia and the Americas from 1763 to the Present by Fred C. Koch
• Second Hoeing by Hope William Sykes

One of the best books to read is the Origin, Development and Dissolution of the German Colonies on the Black Sea via the Example of Kandel, from 1808 to 1944.  This book tells the life of a colony in Russia, and although it specifically describes the village of Kandel, its story is the true story of every German from Russia colony. It was originally published by Landmanschaft der Deutschen aus Russland.  It was translated into English and published by the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia thanks to my friend, Tim Geiger. 

As you continue to KEEP CALM AND LEARN THE HISTORY, you never know what treasures you may find. You may just discover a connection to your own family in these books as I did.

While reading Wir Wollen Deutsche Bleiben The Story of the Volga Germans by George J. Walters, I found this passage about the settling of Balzer:

"On November 1765, George Merkel, a blacksmith, and Jacob Herzog, a farmer from Kurpfalx brought their families."

Jacob Herzog was my fifth great grandfather! So this book is now one of my favorites.

These books are a great start, and more books are published every year. As are the quarterly magazines from AHSGR and GRHS. These quarterly journals cover up to date information and will help you learn the history from all perspectives.

So, there are many ways to learn the history and make sense of what of our ancestors live. You'll be amazed how much you can learn.   Start today.