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Wasn't sure where to post this, after some views please

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  • Wasn't sure where to post this, after some views please

    Hi

    My mum was born in Germany but, after the death of her father (fighting for the Germans), her mother married an English soldier and moved to the UK after the war. To my shame I don't speak German (none of my family do) but a few years ago I managed to get back into contact with my two of my mother's cousins who still live in Berlin. We only send Christmas cards every year, except when I asked (in bad German from Google) about the family history and they sent me a copy of the German side of my tree.

    Now, this is brilliant and has told me far more than I ever knew before. But, I still have so many questions. Not really in a "were our family Nazi's" type questions (actually far from it!) but more about locations of properties and things they may remember. My cousin and I have talked for years about going to Berlin, taking my mum and aunt, and talking to them directly but 1) neither of us speak German and they don't speak English! and 2) we all live in different countries and it's been too hard to organise. I can see that this will never happen.

    I wondered about writing a letter and getting it properly translated. But then I worry that it might be taken badly by them. There are some stories from the war that I would like an answer to, if they know it. So, I thought I would garner opinion in case there are any Germans out there or anybody else has any views. They seem very friendly towards us and were genuinely glad I got back in touch. I just wish I'd learnt German!

    All views gratefully received. And if anyone has any idea where I can get such a letter translated I'd be very grateful too ;D
    :D Charney Jo

  • #2
    I think we have a German member or two on FTF? They might give you a hand or be able to advise about translation. You could talk about more general family history at first and maybe ask about the war in later letters. With the language barrier letters are a good way to communicate. If you met face to face you would need someone to help otherwise both sides would get frustrated.
    Anne

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    • #3
      Here's a site for the Federation of German Translators http://www.bdue.de/en/bdue/ where you can find someone suitable if needed.

      You might also contact the local school/college where there may be a German teacher who would help.

      Margaret

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      • #4
        Thanks Anne and Margaret. Good advice re starting with general requests for information. They seem very forthcoming about information but I don't want to upset them. And thanks for the link re finding a translator.
        :D Charney Jo

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        • #5
          My sister lives and works in Germany and speaks fluent German. She also says it's one of the friendliest and most accepting place she's ever lived. I'm sure your family there won't take the letter the wrong way. You can always preface it by explaining your fears.

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          • #6
            Thank you Harry's mum. That's good to know!
            :D Charney Jo

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            • #7
              Hi, I have just come across your post and wanted to let you know that I also had a German mother and grandparents. I belong to a site called www.myheritage.com and I have have had amazing results with just posting a posting a photo of a pub my great parents owned in Berlin and within a really, really short space of time someone got back to me tell me which street corner it was on! I have also asked for translation of BMDs from Sutterlin (umlaut over the u) to modern day German. You may be lucky with a post in the "Community" forum which is down the bottom of the home page with a big red sign saying "New".
              Please feel free to PM me or post again here. (I speak a little basic German).
              hscott21c


              Searching: Buxey, Taulbut, Brown/e & Jannaway - Hampshire.

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              • #8
                Hi
                I learnt German from a phrase book from Smiths back in the late seventies as i was a Lorry Driver working in Germany Austria etc. I found that just learning a few words of inportance i got through ok. You have to speak broken German to them and they will understand trust me they realy do appreciate when the see you trying, dont be scared, they will also speak broken German to you. I ended up being able to ask my way order food understand straight on,left,right,airport,station,large,small etc etc all the inportant words you need to know first. Dont forget English is the hardest language to learn. I could also count up to 500 handy for when your shopping. Not bad for someone like me that got expelled from School at 14 in 1964.

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                • #9
                  I worked in Germany for 3 years - 1979/80/81 ( auf Weidersein Pet era as a Joiner / Carpenter / Zimmerman / Schreiber in German )and let me put your mind at rest - British and American songs are very popular in Germany and a large proportion of Berliners speak English good enough to communicate with each other . most of the schools have a Kintergarden section - usually run by Nuns and the majority of nuns speak English ... I have not been to Germany since 1981 and went in July to Dresden to watch Everton play Dynamo Dresden with my 15 yr old grandson for his birthday present - my grandson was so proud that I could talk to all the Germans and was constantly asking me to ask the German lads of around 15 all sorts of questions ...through this he has struck up half a dozen friendships with the Dresden lads on Facebook ...SO - relax - and have NO fear of visiting Berlin to visit your family ..I assure you there will be someone in a School / bar / who will help to translate - and believe it or not the local POST OFFICE ...I have never been to any post office in Germany where at least one member of staff didn'speak English ....anyway I speak German enough to live there 3 years and communicate ...but what you also have to consider is local dialect - for instance when I was in Offenbach the crane driver was Bayerische ( Bavaria as it was ) ...the Poliei ( boss ) was from Frankfurt and couldn't understand the crane driver - luckily I had worked in Neider Bayern and Frankfurt and believe it or not I had to tell the boss what the crane driver was saying and vice versa ....go to Berlin and visit your family with no fears of communicating ...you will manage comfortably...xxx
                  Last edited by garstonite; 30-09-16, 08:46.
                  Allan ......... researching oakes/anyon/standish/collins/hartley/barker/collins-cheshire
                  oakes/tipping/ellis/jones/schacht/...garston, liverpool
                  adams-shropshire/roberts-welshpool
                  merrick/lewis/stringham/nicolls-herefordshire
                  coxon/williamson/kay/weaver-glossop/stockport/walker-gorton

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