Weser River Project
Kenneth W. Heger, Ph.D. & Debra A. Hoffman, PLCGS
MAGS President Ken Heger and MAGS Secretary Debra A. Hoffman bring us the next installment of items from the first volume of U. S. Consular Records from Bremen-Miscellaneous Records as extracted by Debra A. Hoffman. The volume begins in 1797. Included are significant genealogical items from that volume and additional items will be published in each issue of Der Kurier until we have reviewed the entire volume.
Civil War Pensioner’s Life Reconstructed from Consulate Records
Bob Greiner
Columnist Bob Greiner introduces readers to Alexander Froelich, a man with a fascinating and somewhat tragic life. After immigrating to the United States in 1854, he joined the 47th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a regiment of mostly German volunteers recruited from Cincinnati and commanded by General William S. Rosecrans. After the death of his wife, he wanted desperately to return to his hometown, Königsberg, Prussia where he ultimately died.
Getting Started With War Department Correspondence, Part I: Letters Sent by the War Department to the President and Executive Departments. May 1, 1863 – December 30, 1870
Ken Heger
This article is the first of several by MAGS President Ken Heger to help readers understand War Department correspondence series and how to find and extract the genealogical gold they contain. War Department correspondence can be immensely valuable to family historians. If your ancestor served in the military, particularly during the Civil War, you should be certain to add them to your work plan. The best reason to use these records is that correspondence files often contain data that are not among the traditional records researchers use, such as pension files, as well as adding detail to your ancestor’s daily life in a concise manner.
German Language and Culture: German Trade Cards
Dan Soller
Dan Soller shares the first postcard in a multi-card series depicting Hänsel und Gretel that Der Kurier will publish in upcoming editions to help the reader learn more about German history and culture. Otto Kubel was an early 20th century German artist who painted iconic scenes from Hänsel und Gretel stories for postcards printed by the Munich firm Uvachrom. This postcard is from the personal collection of Kenneth W. Heger.
The Auswanderung (Emigration) from the Pfalz (Palatinate) 1831-1857 Database
Gunter Schanzenbacher
Gunter Schanzenbacher walks readers through how to use the first part of this database that encompasses the years 1831-1842, and is a collection of persons who have formally requested permission from the King of Bavaria to leave the Pfalz (Palatinate) and to relocate to any part within the German Confederation or any other country in the world. This part of the database contains 5710 names, with the second part of the database, containing the years 1843 to 1857, to be available on the MAGS website later this year.
