Blog from Moren Genealogy. Document and genealogy research and tours in Alsace and Lorraine.
Monday, June 19, 2017
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
23andme - Genetic Testing Explained for Ethnicity
There are many genetic testing facilities out there today. This post is going to focus on 23andme and why I chose this for my genetic testing.
We all have 23 pairs of chromosomes, however, we are all unique. Unless we are identical twins but even that has caveats that I won't go into here. We get 50% of these chromosomes from our mother and 50% from our father, but we do not get equal amounts of DNA from our grandparents and the farther out in your family tree you go the more diversified these amounts get. We do not get the same grouping of DNA as our siblings even though we get 50% of the material from each parent in the form of chromosomes, it not exactly the same allocation of mirrored DNA.
We can go out about 7 generations for what is known as autosomal DNA. Autosomal DNA is reduced in effect each generation farther back you go.
Your autosomal DNA is most useful to help you locate relatives who might have information of a part of your family tree that you need help in unravelling. This is very helpful in finding your past if you are adopted, or if you are not sure about your paternal link. Or simply if you have questions regarding a brick wall you have found in your tree. Closer relatives have more clues, but even a distant cousin may have information that will help you.
Basically what generation you find yourself related to a person one back on your grandparents is your connection. So if you are 2nd cousins you are related by great grandparents. If you are 5th cousins you are related by 4th great grandparents. If you get a reading that says 5th to distant cousins you can set a parameter that is 4th to 6th great grandparents. Still, the rule of thumb is with the fading that takes place each generation out, you can assume that you would not find a connection more than 7 generations out.
Counting you as the first generation, then your parents then your grandparents your autosomal DNA is going to help you locate genetic family relations out to about your 5th great-grandparent level, 6th great is the stretch. Still, that is a lot of information! Each generation doubles the number of people from the generation before. So you are one, your parents are two, grandparents are four. At the 5th great-grandparent level, you have 128 people you descend from!
Which brings us to what I call fading DNA. You get 50% of your DNA from each of your parents, but they got a unique set of DNA from each of theirs'. This is compounded the father out you go. This is apparent when siblings test. As you go farther out, the distribution is never equal, so yes you get 50% from each parent but you do not get an even 25% from each grandparent, the farther back you go the more skewed this is, and also the strength fades out each generation you go back, until you hit full fade and do not see it anymore in a genetic test.
My brother and I are only 82% genetically alike! This proves that we are full siblings or we would be less than 50% alike. However, it also shows that we received different combinations of genetic material from our own parents. The farther you go out through your family tree you will not have 100% of all of your ancestors DNA and each generation loses some from the one before.
This plays a role in what cousins you will match. The more distant the cousin the higher the probability that one will match one sibling and not both. This also plays a role in what ethnicities will show up for you vs a sibling. For example, I show Ashkenazi and my brother doesn't, and he shows Finnish and I do not at the same marking place dating back to ancestors who lived in the 1700s are at the 6th to beyond generation out. This is not a problem, actually, it is an asset. Having your siblings also test will result in more matches for cousins, also a potentially greater understanding of your ethnicity, and therefore more clues.
MtDNA and Y-chromosome DNA go out thousands of years and in a way can be described in a way as human evolution.
Both men and women have mtDNA which is given to them by their mothers. Every child only gets their own mother's mtDNA. Y chromosome DNA is given to only male children. Only males have a Y chromosome. This is shown in biology class as the X and the Y. In general women are XX and men are XY. There are exceptions such as XXY but for the mass majority of humans, this is how it works.
You will receive an ethnicity reading based on your X or mtDNA if you are a woman or a man, but you will not receive Y information if you are a woman, only if you are a man. The X and the Y are considered sex chromosomes, they go back thousands of years.
The mtDNA shows the line from mother to daughter only in a straight line to infinity because one is built on the one before to the EVE. This code is handed to a female from her mother and she hands it to her female and male children but a male doesn't pass this on. When he has children they will receive the mtDNA from their own mother. For females, mtDNA is a straight line handed down from every mother before them in their direct female line.
For a man, his Y chromosome is going to show him all of the fathers in a straight line before him. A man will have mtDNA from his own mother but will not pass this onto his children. The Y information will be passed onto his son. This is done every generation in an unbroken line so this information can show you the travel of your particular male line going back thousands of years.
So with your mtDNA reading and your Y chromosome reading you are looking at a history that follows your direct female line, that is handed down mother to daughter in a straight line, and also to the son but is not repeated through him.
Also through the Y, you are looking at a history that follows the direct male line and his handed down from father to son unbroken for thousands of years. These male haplogroups can show how populations of people travelled and left their mark in the distant past to the present day.
What is the genetic soup in your autosomal DNA? Let us make an old fashioned soup. We are going to put into this soup meat, carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes and potatoes for a basic hardy soup. We are using a big pot to cook it up in. Now it is finished and I am dishing out the bowls. We are serving 6 people. Now, these 6 people are siblings and each gets a bowl of soup. It all came from the same pot, it all has the same ingredients but each bowl is unique.
Some bowls will have more meat, some will have more potatoes and carrots etc., all will have the juice of the tomatoes and flavour of all that went into the soup. It is the same soup, but as it is dished out each person will get a bit different portion of what went into the soup.
When you take a genetic test looking for ethnicities from 23andme or another test you will receive a breakdown of what ethnicities are in your DNA. Many people think this is taking them far back in time and do not understand it is only going back about 7 generations.
An example could be so much percentage of the following, Irish/British, French/German, Scandanavian, Askenazi, Native American, various groups of Asian, and Sub-Sharan African. These will be represented as percentages, but what is not clear is many groups of people have comprised of these mixes already.
For example, many British people have a lot of German in the mix already from centuries ago, and Scandinavian too. Italians have many different mixes already going very far back in time. Dutch doesn't come up as an ethnicity on its own, but they are also a nation that has many generations who have only ever lived in the Netherlands. Autosomal DNA presents the genetic ethnicity of about the last 7 generations so to about the 4th great grandparents.
Americans looking to prove their Native American ancestry will often be disappointed. There is no genetic proof to be Indian of any tribe and to use a genetic test for that is not allowed. There are labs that claim they can do that and that has been said to be fraudulent.
There are card carrying members of tribes who have taken a genetic test and come out no Native American showing in their DNA. That upsets some people very much and they do not understand it.
To be a member of a tribe is a socio-political act. We are talking about nations and treaties and a paper trail leading back to an ancestor who was pronounced to be a member of a tribe in the not so distant past in the USA.
23andme looks for Amerindian DNA. Not surprisingly many people who are of Mexican decent (have ancestors from the nation of Mexico) or from South America, have strong Native American percentages showing up. The reason is there are a lot of indigenous people in these areas AKA Amerindian.
In the USA there are a lot of mixed race people who have a connection to a tribe. Their test is very disappointing to them when it comes back with a no Native American reading. Coming back with a negative reading doesn't remove someone from their tribe and coming back with a positive reading will not be enough to get someone added to a tribe.
Why are some card-carrying tribal members coming back with no Amerindian DNA? Some reasons might be of the following explanations for Cherokee people. There is the Moytoy line of the Cherokee, for example, through a man who came to North America from Kent England who was of French Norman decent. He married a Shawnee woman and is the father of the Moytoy.
Cherokee also shows a strong connection to the Middle East. They wore turbans for example. Cherokee maybe a mixed race people and may have a connection to what is known as Melungeons.
The Navajo have been traced through the Y chromosome to match people in Siberia Russia who are reindeer herders, and the location is Central Asia, not East Asia.
We also have the stories and evidence of the Clovis people and Solutreans living in the Americas during the Ice age. This is hotly debated but would suggest if it is true some genetic material that was not Amerindian did exist on the continent in people who would be considered indigenous.
You may show positive for Native American on a DNA test but this will not allow you to join a tribe, and you maybe in a tribe and come up with no Native American and this doesn't take away your history.
Good reasons to take a DNA test are self-discovery, tracing your family history more in depth and finding living family that you didn't know you have.
In addition, 23andme also offers health testing. It is interesting and you can find out your true blood type, your traits, your genetic strengths and weaknesses and what medications would work for you and which you should avoid before you take them.
If you are interested in genetic testing to find your true ethnicity and maybe even a little bit about your health traits I encourage you to purchase a 23andme testing kit.
This is my affiliate link that gives me credit for referring you! It will not cost you more to use my link than to go outside of my link it just gives me credit for the referral.
I look forward to seeing you on the other side. If this article helped you, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe to my blog and if you have a comment please leave it below. Cheers!
P.S. This test is illegal in France as it goes against paternity law. If you live in France taking a genetic test is heavily fined 13,000 euros and also can result in jail time! So do not take a genetic test if you live in France.
Chromosomes
We all have 23 pairs of chromosomes, however, we are all unique. Unless we are identical twins but even that has caveats that I won't go into here. We get 50% of these chromosomes from our mother and 50% from our father, but we do not get equal amounts of DNA from our grandparents and the farther out in your family tree you go the more diversified these amounts get. We do not get the same grouping of DNA as our siblings even though we get 50% of the material from each parent in the form of chromosomes, it not exactly the same allocation of mirrored DNA.
We can go out about 7 generations for what is known as autosomal DNA. Autosomal DNA is reduced in effect each generation farther back you go.
Your autosomal DNA is most useful to help you locate relatives who might have information of a part of your family tree that you need help in unravelling. This is very helpful in finding your past if you are adopted, or if you are not sure about your paternal link. Or simply if you have questions regarding a brick wall you have found in your tree. Closer relatives have more clues, but even a distant cousin may have information that will help you.
Basically what generation you find yourself related to a person one back on your grandparents is your connection. So if you are 2nd cousins you are related by great grandparents. If you are 5th cousins you are related by 4th great grandparents. If you get a reading that says 5th to distant cousins you can set a parameter that is 4th to 6th great grandparents. Still, the rule of thumb is with the fading that takes place each generation out, you can assume that you would not find a connection more than 7 generations out.
Counting you as the first generation, then your parents then your grandparents your autosomal DNA is going to help you locate genetic family relations out to about your 5th great-grandparent level, 6th great is the stretch. Still, that is a lot of information! Each generation doubles the number of people from the generation before. So you are one, your parents are two, grandparents are four. At the 5th great-grandparent level, you have 128 people you descend from!
Which brings us to what I call fading DNA. You get 50% of your DNA from each of your parents, but they got a unique set of DNA from each of theirs'. This is compounded the father out you go. This is apparent when siblings test. As you go farther out, the distribution is never equal, so yes you get 50% from each parent but you do not get an even 25% from each grandparent, the farther back you go the more skewed this is, and also the strength fades out each generation you go back, until you hit full fade and do not see it anymore in a genetic test.
My brother and I are only 82% genetically alike! This proves that we are full siblings or we would be less than 50% alike. However, it also shows that we received different combinations of genetic material from our own parents. The farther you go out through your family tree you will not have 100% of all of your ancestors DNA and each generation loses some from the one before.
This plays a role in what cousins you will match. The more distant the cousin the higher the probability that one will match one sibling and not both. This also plays a role in what ethnicities will show up for you vs a sibling. For example, I show Ashkenazi and my brother doesn't, and he shows Finnish and I do not at the same marking place dating back to ancestors who lived in the 1700s are at the 6th to beyond generation out. This is not a problem, actually, it is an asset. Having your siblings also test will result in more matches for cousins, also a potentially greater understanding of your ethnicity, and therefore more clues.
Ethnicity
The one thing that is true about ethnicity is it is not one thing for most of us.
Both men and women have mtDNA which is given to them by their mothers. Every child only gets their own mother's mtDNA. Y chromosome DNA is given to only male children. Only males have a Y chromosome. This is shown in biology class as the X and the Y. In general women are XX and men are XY. There are exceptions such as XXY but for the mass majority of humans, this is how it works.
You will receive an ethnicity reading based on your X or mtDNA if you are a woman or a man, but you will not receive Y information if you are a woman, only if you are a man. The X and the Y are considered sex chromosomes, they go back thousands of years.
This has zero to do with your autosomal DNA.
The mtDNA shows the line from mother to daughter only in a straight line to infinity because one is built on the one before to the EVE. This code is handed to a female from her mother and she hands it to her female and male children but a male doesn't pass this on. When he has children they will receive the mtDNA from their own mother. For females, mtDNA is a straight line handed down from every mother before them in their direct female line.
For a man, his Y chromosome is going to show him all of the fathers in a straight line before him. A man will have mtDNA from his own mother but will not pass this onto his children. The Y information will be passed onto his son. This is done every generation in an unbroken line so this information can show you the travel of your particular male line going back thousands of years.
So with your mtDNA reading and your Y chromosome reading you are looking at a history that follows your direct female line, that is handed down mother to daughter in a straight line, and also to the son but is not repeated through him.
Also through the Y, you are looking at a history that follows the direct male line and his handed down from father to son unbroken for thousands of years. These male haplogroups can show how populations of people travelled and left their mark in the distant past to the present day.
Autosomal DNA - Ethnicity
Autosomal DNA readings for ethnicity is like a bowl of soup.
What is the genetic soup in your autosomal DNA? Let us make an old fashioned soup. We are going to put into this soup meat, carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes and potatoes for a basic hardy soup. We are using a big pot to cook it up in. Now it is finished and I am dishing out the bowls. We are serving 6 people. Now, these 6 people are siblings and each gets a bowl of soup. It all came from the same pot, it all has the same ingredients but each bowl is unique.
Some bowls will have more meat, some will have more potatoes and carrots etc., all will have the juice of the tomatoes and flavour of all that went into the soup. It is the same soup, but as it is dished out each person will get a bit different portion of what went into the soup.
When you take a genetic test looking for ethnicities from 23andme or another test you will receive a breakdown of what ethnicities are in your DNA. Many people think this is taking them far back in time and do not understand it is only going back about 7 generations.
An example could be so much percentage of the following, Irish/British, French/German, Scandanavian, Askenazi, Native American, various groups of Asian, and Sub-Sharan African. These will be represented as percentages, but what is not clear is many groups of people have comprised of these mixes already.
For example, many British people have a lot of German in the mix already from centuries ago, and Scandinavian too. Italians have many different mixes already going very far back in time. Dutch doesn't come up as an ethnicity on its own, but they are also a nation that has many generations who have only ever lived in the Netherlands. Autosomal DNA presents the genetic ethnicity of about the last 7 generations so to about the 4th great grandparents.
Proving You are Native American
Americans looking to prove their Native American ancestry will often be disappointed. There is no genetic proof to be Indian of any tribe and to use a genetic test for that is not allowed. There are labs that claim they can do that and that has been said to be fraudulent.
There are card carrying members of tribes who have taken a genetic test and come out no Native American showing in their DNA. That upsets some people very much and they do not understand it.
To be a member of a tribe is a socio-political act. We are talking about nations and treaties and a paper trail leading back to an ancestor who was pronounced to be a member of a tribe in the not so distant past in the USA.
23andme looks for Amerindian DNA. Not surprisingly many people who are of Mexican decent (have ancestors from the nation of Mexico) or from South America, have strong Native American percentages showing up. The reason is there are a lot of indigenous people in these areas AKA Amerindian.
In the USA there are a lot of mixed race people who have a connection to a tribe. Their test is very disappointing to them when it comes back with a no Native American reading. Coming back with a negative reading doesn't remove someone from their tribe and coming back with a positive reading will not be enough to get someone added to a tribe.
Why are some card-carrying tribal members coming back with no Amerindian DNA? Some reasons might be of the following explanations for Cherokee people. There is the Moytoy line of the Cherokee, for example, through a man who came to North America from Kent England who was of French Norman decent. He married a Shawnee woman and is the father of the Moytoy.
Cherokee also shows a strong connection to the Middle East. They wore turbans for example. Cherokee maybe a mixed race people and may have a connection to what is known as Melungeons.
The Navajo have been traced through the Y chromosome to match people in Siberia Russia who are reindeer herders, and the location is Central Asia, not East Asia.
We also have the stories and evidence of the Clovis people and Solutreans living in the Americas during the Ice age. This is hotly debated but would suggest if it is true some genetic material that was not Amerindian did exist on the continent in people who would be considered indigenous.
You may show positive for Native American on a DNA test but this will not allow you to join a tribe, and you maybe in a tribe and come up with no Native American and this doesn't take away your history.
Good reasons to take a DNA test are self-discovery, tracing your family history more in depth and finding living family that you didn't know you have.
In addition, 23andme also offers health testing. It is interesting and you can find out your true blood type, your traits, your genetic strengths and weaknesses and what medications would work for you and which you should avoid before you take them.
If you are interested in genetic testing to find your true ethnicity and maybe even a little bit about your health traits I encourage you to purchase a 23andme testing kit.
This is my affiliate link that gives me credit for referring you! It will not cost you more to use my link than to go outside of my link it just gives me credit for the referral.
I look forward to seeing you on the other side. If this article helped you, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe to my blog and if you have a comment please leave it below. Cheers!
Explore your DNA like I did with 23andMe! This Father’s Day, thank him for the DNA. Save $20! Hurry, offer ends June 18.
P.S. This test is illegal in France as it goes against paternity law. If you live in France taking a genetic test is heavily fined 13,000 euros and also can result in jail time! So do not take a genetic test if you live in France.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Looking back in 2016 and forward to 2017 !
Looking back to 2016: We did three exclusive more day tours in Tuscany
and numerous one and more day tours in Alsace and Burgundy.
We met so many interesting and sweet people again this year. Thank you all !
For the first time we shipped local wines in cooperation with IZIwine and Burgundy Online to mainly the USA but also to countries like Australia. More to come in 2017 with our WineClub.
Last but not least we did some great genealogy research (thanks to Terry Smits) and tours. Ancestry research brought us to Verdun, St Avold, numerous locations in Alsace and also to Germany.
"A bientot en 2017"
We met so many interesting and sweet people again this year. Thank you all !
Last but not least we did some great genealogy research (thanks to Terry Smits) and tours. Ancestry research brought us to Verdun, St Avold, numerous locations in Alsace and also to Germany.
"A bientot en 2017"
Friday, December 16, 2016
Monday, October 31, 2016
American World War I & II Military Attractions in Alsace-Loraine, France
From TripAdvisor
My spouse and I have travelled throughout Europe over the past 15 years with other tour guide services and although they were all very satisfactory, our interest was to request a private and professional tour guide with genealogy expertise that would take us to my family's roots in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. Also, a tour guide with knowledge and experience of visiting the many American Cemeteries, Memorials and other renowned battle sites within Alsace-Lorraine. As background, I am a retired U.S. Army Veteran who served over 32 years both Active duty in Vietnam and Reserve duty with the Cross of Lorraine Division-79th ARCOM, formerly 79th Army Division with distinguished service in both World War I & II.
My request was for a customized 4-Day Private Tour service that included transportation and much appreciated language skills. As a follow up, we contacted Pieter Smits and spouse Terry Smits Moren who were exceptional with coordinating in advance the details of our visit. This was the beginning of a friendly relationship that added to our enjoyment throughout the tour by providing knowledge in-advance of our family's roots in Alsace, as well as, locating World War I & II military points of interest that I was familiar with from other sources. What was most outstanding was their assistance and patience with unforeseen circumstances that arose with researching various genealogy details; as well as, tour of the largest WW I American - Meuse-Argonne Cemetery near Verdun and the largest WW II American - St. Avold, Lorraine Cemetery near Metz, France.
Another highlight of our trip included a visit to the charming town of Colmar with it’s fine restaurants and close by wineries that featured tastings like none other… Pieter was especially knowledgeable of the wines and his unique understanding of the region’s viticulture.
This was a life-time experience for us and in good faith, I recommend JSwinetours - Day Tours -- Pieter Smits services to others who have similar interests and needs of a professional tour-guide with first-hand knowledge and experience for touring the Alsace-Lorraine Region of France...
Visited July 2016
My spouse and I have travelled throughout Europe over the past 15 years with other tour guide services and although they were all very satisfactory, our interest was to request a private and professional tour guide with genealogy expertise that would take us to my family's roots in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. Also, a tour guide with knowledge and experience of visiting the many American Cemeteries, Memorials and other renowned battle sites within Alsace-Lorraine. As background, I am a retired U.S. Army Veteran who served over 32 years both Active duty in Vietnam and Reserve duty with the Cross of Lorraine Division-79th ARCOM, formerly 79th Army Division with distinguished service in both World War I & II.
My request was for a customized 4-Day Private Tour service that included transportation and much appreciated language skills. As a follow up, we contacted Pieter Smits and spouse Terry Smits Moren who were exceptional with coordinating in advance the details of our visit. This was the beginning of a friendly relationship that added to our enjoyment throughout the tour by providing knowledge in-advance of our family's roots in Alsace, as well as, locating World War I & II military points of interest that I was familiar with from other sources. What was most outstanding was their assistance and patience with unforeseen circumstances that arose with researching various genealogy details; as well as, tour of the largest WW I American - Meuse-Argonne Cemetery near Verdun and the largest WW II American - St. Avold, Lorraine Cemetery near Metz, France.
Another highlight of our trip included a visit to the charming town of Colmar with it’s fine restaurants and close by wineries that featured tastings like none other… Pieter was especially knowledgeable of the wines and his unique understanding of the region’s viticulture.
This was a life-time experience for us and in good faith, I recommend JSwinetours - Day Tours -- Pieter Smits services to others who have similar interests and needs of a professional tour-guide with first-hand knowledge and experience for touring the Alsace-Lorraine Region of France...
Visited July 2016
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Charlemagne: Literally the Father of Europe
The geographic location of Alsace being on the boarder of France, Germany and Switzerland has put it in the center of much activity over the centuries.
In our last blog post we covered the Iron Age Celts, the Romans and now more about the Franks. Here we will begin with Charlemagne.
Charlemagne
Charles the Great, Charles the I, Charlemagne was born on the 2nd of April in the mid 700's (the exact year is cited differently depending on who you read), and he died 28 January 814. He was king of the Franks taking the throne in 768, king of Italy in 774, and the first Holy Roman Emperor in 800. If you would like to go back further in time you might want to look at Constantine who settled the Franks on the lower left bank of the Rhine.
He founded the Carolingian Empire, which would be the beginnings of what is now France and Germany.
In our last blog post we covered the Iron Age Celts, the Romans and now more about the Franks. Here we will begin with Charlemagne.
Charlemagne
To view the original painting by Albrecht Dürer you may wish to visit the Nuremberg National Museum.
Charles the Great, Charles the I, Charlemagne was born on the 2nd of April in the mid 700's (the exact year is cited differently depending on who you read), and he died 28 January 814. He was king of the Franks taking the throne in 768, king of Italy in 774, and the first Holy Roman Emperor in 800. If you would like to go back further in time you might want to look at Constantine who settled the Franks on the lower left bank of the Rhine.
He founded the Carolingian Empire, which would be the beginnings of what is now France and Germany.
If you look carefully on this map you can find Strasbourg on the line of the green and yellow areas. It is interesting to read about the Carolingian Empire and see which countries were fully in this, and which were partially in this.
Charlemagne is called the father of Europe because both France and Germany considered their kingdoms to be the decedents of Charlemagne's empire.
Charlemagne left us his genes.
Charlemagne left more than policies in his empire, and yet another reason to be called "The Father of Europe", he left his genetics too. Too say he was a ladies man seems a bit of an understatement. Depending on who you read he had 20 or 18 children of record. These are listed out of 8 of his 10 wives or concubines, which may or may not reflect all of the children accountable to him. He is listed as one of the top 10 people with the most decedents. Estimation of half of the population of Europe (250 million people) 100 million in the U.S.A. and another 250 million across the world.
His pedigree is clear. If one should choose they can trace his line all of the way back to Adam and Eve. Regardless if you find this an impossible myth or not, the possibility to trace him back that far exists. One must never loose site of why pedigree charts started. Ah, yet another subject but it is the "divine right of kings"which is the right to rule. Still to this day pedigree charts are the most valuable possession of royals.You will find the Adam Pedigree here and you will find Charlemagne in the line of France.
Charlemagne left the Alsace region to his son Louis the Pious. Charlemagne's home was in Aachen, Germany. Charlemagne enjoyed hunting in the Vosges.
Back drop of your genealogy.
If you are researching your family tree and you manage to make it back to the Medieval times chances are good on one line or another you will find you descend from Charlemagne. What is nice about this is if you are working on a large family tree this work will have already been done for you. If you find what is known as gateway ancestors you can depend on established pedigrees. Click here to view the decedents of Charlemagne.
Oh one last thing, Charlemagne is behind the Hapsburg (Habsburg) who have castles in Alsace and all over Europe, and the Plantagenet who are behind all U.S.A. presidents with the exception of Martian Van Buren. One castle in Alsace we visit regularly with JSwinetours is Haut Koenigsbourg who the first named inhabitants were the Habsburg family.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Alsace Human History
Alsace is perhaps one of the most interesting locations in the world. A fairyland of quaint villages and farms.
Celtic?
An ancient history going to a Celtic origin of settlement in 1500 BC when Celts first began to cultivate the land, it appears today a place where time stood still around the Medieval era.
Alsace, as named, is older than both Germany and France as they are named as modern countries. In around 58 BC the Romans invaded Alsace and set it up in the industry of viticulture. The production of wine in Alsace stands today as a main agricultural industry with world wide acclaim. During the Roman era Alsace was part of what was known as Germania Superior. Germania Superior included western Switzerland, the Jura area of France, and southwestern Germany.
One might be confused by the word Franks, as it sounds like French. Franks are historically known to be Germanic tribes from the lower and middle Rhine and later as the people of Gaul. Gaul typically brings to mind France, but actually was a region in western Europe, during the Iron Age that is now the area of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine.
Language
What seems to be a big dividing factor is language. French is a Latin language as is Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian. Germanic languages are of course German, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and English.
Northern Europe in general has many similarities genetically among the people. In France the most stand out group would be the Basque who are genetically unique and also have a very unique language that is neither Germanic or Latin. Because France has a Celtic history going back over 2,000 years Celtic ancestry can be found in most all of the people.
For this classification as Celtic, without going to great extremes of migration explanations and for the purpose of this blog post, we will call Celtic people who spoke the Celtic language and who emerged during the Bronze Age to the Iron Age (+/- 1200 BC) with home base being purported as the area of Austria. The last of this Celtic tribe in France is said to be the Bretons in Brittany.
Alsace and the Lorraine is a territory that was gained by France from the Germans, or Germania. This area is a mix of Germanic and Celtic origin.
Celtic?
An ancient history going to a Celtic origin of settlement in 1500 BC when Celts first began to cultivate the land, it appears today a place where time stood still around the Medieval era.
Alsace, as named, is older than both Germany and France as they are named as modern countries. In around 58 BC the Romans invaded Alsace and set it up in the industry of viticulture. The production of wine in Alsace stands today as a main agricultural industry with world wide acclaim. During the Roman era Alsace was part of what was known as Germania Superior. Germania Superior included western Switzerland, the Jura area of France, and southwestern Germany.
One might be confused by the word Franks, as it sounds like French. Franks are historically known to be Germanic tribes from the lower and middle Rhine and later as the people of Gaul. Gaul typically brings to mind France, but actually was a region in western Europe, during the Iron Age that is now the area of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine.
What seems to be a big dividing factor is language. French is a Latin language as is Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian. Germanic languages are of course German, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and English.
Northern Europe in general has many similarities genetically among the people. In France the most stand out group would be the Basque who are genetically unique and also have a very unique language that is neither Germanic or Latin. Because France has a Celtic history going back over 2,000 years Celtic ancestry can be found in most all of the people.
For this classification as Celtic, without going to great extremes of migration explanations and for the purpose of this blog post, we will call Celtic people who spoke the Celtic language and who emerged during the Bronze Age to the Iron Age (+/- 1200 BC) with home base being purported as the area of Austria. The last of this Celtic tribe in France is said to be the Bretons in Brittany.
Alsace and the Lorraine is a territory that was gained by France from the Germans, or Germania. This area is a mix of Germanic and Celtic origin.
The official language of France is French of course. In Alsace there is no exception. Still most people living in the area speak both French and German. There is another language though and that is Alsatian which is a dialect of Alsace of Germanic origin. Alsatian dialect.
Genetics
If you have had a genetic test, or would be interested in taking one, you may be interested in participation in Membership in the Alsace Geographic Project. This is open to any male who has a patrilineal (yDNA) connection to Alsace. This means you must be a male descending in a direct line from an Alsatian male. The Y chromosome is only handed down from father to son and doesn't change regardless of the mother. To learn more about this project click here: Alsace Ancestry DNA Project. As of this blog post there are 62 participants.
The goal of JSgenealogy tours is to help people connect with their past. There is no central index in France of important documents like birth, marriage and death certificates as they are kept locally. We can help you in finding information you are looking for regarding your ancestors.
We can assist you through digital research on family names and particular individuals, field research which includes going to the villages gaining access to the documentation on your ancestor(s) and gathering this information for you, or a genealogy tour. You never know what you will find as it is not uncommon to still have living family members living in Alsace who are more than happy to meet you!
We welcome comments and questions. We look forward to serving you to help you connect to the past, and your Alsatian heritage.
In our next blog post we will attempt to mark major historical events that have shaped our modern Alsace. We will attempt to note the periods of time that there were the biggest emigrations out of Alsace and the destinations of immigration.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Genealogy tour - Jewish History In Alsace Around Scherwiller And Selestat
Over the centuries Jewish people have lived and worked in Alsace. We find synagogues in cities like Strasbourg and for example Selestat and Scherwiller. Today not all the synagogues are still in function anymore. The one in Scherwiller for example is used as a place for the local fire brigade.
Over time the Jews were chased, also in Alsace, like in many places in Europe. In times that there was the black plague for example, the Jewish population was blamed and they were expelled from the towns.
Recently the second World War left deep scars.
In the early 1900's and after the great wars, many Jewish families moved to the United States. Their offspring is often interested in where there forefathers came from.
A couple of years ago a big Jewish family originating from Alsace, organized a huge family reunion near Selestat. I was contacted in 2014 by a member of this family that sadly could not make it to this reunion event back then. She wanted to see Alsace for herself though and decided to visit this year with her husband and daughter.
We prepared the tour over here. We looked up addresses and found out about locations. We contacted the rabbi working in Selestat. We managed to organize a meeting with a local person via him who had the keys of the synagogue and could show us around at the premises.
On D-Day we drove through the Scherwiller area and in the afternoon went to the Selestat synagogue. Our contact who opened the gate told us he belonged to a family that had had a big reunion a couple of years ago..... He had been present with his little boy. Wow ... this meant that the lady just had met a distant family member of hers! He had been part of the reunion were she couldn't be present.
We were shown around and saw everything. Afterwards the family was presented a book about the history of the Jews and the synagogue of Selestat. Needless to say that everybody was very happy and impressed.
Later in the afternoon we went to the Jewish cemetery outside Selestat. At the reunion a couple of years ago, the family had placed a memory plate there. Finally "my" family could see it too and touch the plate themselves.
The circle was round. What a great adventure!
In the early 1900's and after the great wars, many Jewish families moved to the United States. Their offspring is often interested in where there forefathers came from.
A couple of years ago a big Jewish family originating from Alsace, organized a huge family reunion near Selestat. I was contacted in 2014 by a member of this family that sadly could not make it to this reunion event back then. She wanted to see Alsace for herself though and decided to visit this year with her husband and daughter.
We prepared the tour over here. We looked up addresses and found out about locations. We contacted the rabbi working in Selestat. We managed to organize a meeting with a local person via him who had the keys of the synagogue and could show us around at the premises.
On D-Day we drove through the Scherwiller area and in the afternoon went to the Selestat synagogue. Our contact who opened the gate told us he belonged to a family that had had a big reunion a couple of years ago..... He had been present with his little boy. Wow ... this meant that the lady just had met a distant family member of hers! He had been part of the reunion were she couldn't be present.
The circle was round. What a great adventure!
On The Search For Two Family Histories in Bas Rhin - Alsace
Early in 2014, we were contacted by an American family from Dallas, Texas USA investigating the history of their Catholic forefathers originating from Alsace, France. Interestingly enough, a couple who are in their eighties who had met in America had both ancestors from little villages in Alsace.
After meeting at the train station of Strasbourg we drove to our first stop; the mayors building in Reinhardsmunster.
We were very warmly greeted by Mister Daniel Brandstetter. Mr. Brandstetter knows a lot about the history of the area and had prepared our visit there. Via him, we met the current mayor of Reinhardsmunster and Mrs. Carline Buchel who let us in their office to look and copy some old documents and maps.
When I tell you that this all took place on a cold Sunday morning, we can not be else than very thankful for this kind cooperation in their spare time.
Among many handwritten documents in French and Latin, we found some birth- and baptize certificates.
There had been a church next to the cemetery of Reinhardsmunster. It has been destroyed. Today there is just a small chapel. A little further in town a new church was built.
Parts, artifacts and building blocks from the old church were used in this church. An example is this baptismal font.
Knowing this came from the old church, we understood that this was the font used to baptize some of their family members. People we just found some old baptize documents from. Amazing!
On the cemetery, we found a lot of ancestors resting there. The family must have been numerous and important in the old days.
After lunch, we drove to a village called Epfig. Now we focussed on the forefathers of Madame. Epfig has a very interesting and beautiful little church called the Chapelle Sainte-Marguerite, a Roman church dating back to the 11-th century.
To me, it was a mystical place. Outside in the cemetery on one side, you will find a herbal garden.
In one wall of the Chapel sits a stack of bones and skulls of "unknown people" killed in a war near the village of Epfig. They are finding the last resting place in the church wall of the chapel, Sainte-Marguerite.
On the cemetery, we found lots of ancestors of the family. In the streets today there were still wineries that carried the name.
Interesting detail on the cemetery was a statue referring to people that got decapitated by a guillotine.
All and all we found lots of traces of the forefathers of both families.
For me as a guide, it was an impressive experience and lovely day.
Please contact us with your inquiry at www.jsgenealogy.com
After meeting at the train station of Strasbourg we drove to our first stop; the mayors building in Reinhardsmunster.
We were very warmly greeted by Mister Daniel Brandstetter. Mr. Brandstetter knows a lot about the history of the area and had prepared our visit there. Via him, we met the current mayor of Reinhardsmunster and Mrs. Carline Buchel who let us in their office to look and copy some old documents and maps.
Among many handwritten documents in French and Latin, we found some birth- and baptize certificates.
On the cemetery, we found a lot of ancestors resting there. The family must have been numerous and important in the old days.
To me, it was a mystical place. Outside in the cemetery on one side, you will find a herbal garden.
In one wall of the Chapel sits a stack of bones and skulls of "unknown people" killed in a war near the village of Epfig. They are finding the last resting place in the church wall of the chapel, Sainte-Marguerite.
All and all we found lots of traces of the forefathers of both families.
For me as a guide, it was an impressive experience and lovely day.
Please contact us with your inquiry at www.jsgenealogy.com
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