Day 5 - Genealogy Bonanza

Sunday 5/19
Today was an incredible day for genealogy!

We went to church in Koblenz where we met a few people who speak English. One of them, Angela Jung, translated for us. She spent a few months in America and has no discernable German accent. She also normally goes to Nathan and Jenna's ward in Bitburg! She was just in Koblenz visiting her parents.

Then we visited the Mayen Castle again where they were having the annual swap meet.

Organ Grinders at the Swap Meet

  We visited the church with the twisted spire and the castle museum. It was fun to climb up the narrow tower stairs to the top, with a beautiful view of the city. There was an interesting museum inside and a slate mine down three stories that we walked through.

The Mayen Castle

View of Mayen from the Castle Turret

At 5pm we returned to Kehrig to meet with the Nell family. Maria Nell Klasen and her son Michael have spent the past 40 years studying government and church records to trace their family tree. They have extensive records showing that Maria is 7th cousin to Ruth, and detailing their family tree back to 1550! And they have a book written by an 80-year-old man named Fritz Hermes with even more details of the Nell family, including the branch that emigrated to America, and listing Ruth's great-grandmother, Maud Nell Bate. We plan to make a side trip to his home next week.

Ruth with Reiner, Maria, and Michael Klasen

The Klasens promised to email their records and files and send a copy of Fritz's book on a CD.

We are so excited. This made the whole trip worth it!