Germanna Foundation

Preserving the historic heritage of the original settlers of the Fort Germanna Colonies in Virginia

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You are here: Home / Germanna Blog / 50th Anniversary of the First Germanna Descendant to Explore the Moon

50th Anniversary of the First Germanna Descendant to Explore the Moon

July 20, 2019 By Germanna 4 Comments

UPDATE: Chart showing Aldrin’s Germanna connections (pdf)

50 years ago today, July 20. 1969, Apollo 11 Astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin made the historic first landing on the Moon. After taking communion, he then descended down the ladder of the lunar module Eagle to become the first Germanna descendant to explore the Moon.

Descending from the Fischbach and Richter families who came from the village of Trupbach, Aldrin is also a direct descendant of German Reformed Church Reverend Henry Häger (1644-1737), who came from the towns of Siegen and Oberfischbach. Häger was the pastor of the Germanna colonists at Fort Germanna.

When Rev. Häger administered communion at the Oberfischbach Church in Germany with the special chalice given to the parish in 1665 by Johann Moritz, Prince of Nassau-Siegen (an exact replica of the chalice is at the Fort Germanna Visitor Center), would he have imagined that within 300 years, his descendant would also take communion, but on the Moon?

In 1970, Aldrin wrote taking communion on the Moon was, “symbolizing the thought that God was revealing Himself there too, as man reached out into the universe. For there are many of us in the NASA program who do trust that what we are doing is part of God’s eternal plan for man.” (Read his account of the event)

After landing on the Moon 50 years ago today and unstowing the communion elements from his flight packet, Aldrin radioed back, “Houston, this is Eagle. This is the Lunar Module Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.” He then took communion.

He later said, “It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the Moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements.”

The Germanna Foundation celebrates the achievements of Germanna descendant Buzz Aldrin and looks forward to the day when more Germanna descendants, perhaps descended from your Germanna line, will walk on the Moon . . . . and Mars! Consider making a donation to the Foundation to ensure that our work preserving your heritage is kept safe and stable to celebrate that in the future.

The Germanna Foundation will be working with the city of Siegen to establish a permanent exhibit to honor Buzz Aldrin and the Germanna frontier settlement.

Germanna Foundation President J. Marc Wheat gives a model of the Fort Germanna Visitor Center to Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin. See Photo Gallery of Buzz Aldrin’s 2014 visit to Germanna Community College.

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Filed Under: Genealogy, Germanna Blog, History, People

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Research your Germanna roots! Become a member of the Germanna Foundation to get access to Germanna’s exclusive genealogy database with thousands of names.

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Comments

  1. James Mace says

    July 22, 2019 at 4:45 pm

    Thanks much, this is such a cool story! Since, like Buzz, I’m also descended from the Fischbach family, I wonder if it is possible to see how Buzz is descended from them in order to determine my relationship to him?

    Reply
    • Lisa Shoaf says

      August 2, 2019 at 11:47 pm

      I was wondering that also. I am also a descendant of the Fischbachs and others.

      Reply
  2. Germanna says

    August 16, 2019 at 12:39 pm

    A chart showing his Germanna connections has been added at the top of the page.

    Reply
  3. James T. Mace says

    August 20, 2019 at 3:03 pm

    Thanks for the chart!

    Reply

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Germanna Foundation’s Mission and Stewardship

The Germanna Foundation tells America’s story of liberty through the frontier experience of her settlers and descendants using archaeological, historical, and genealogical research and interpretation. We are stewards over these important properties:

  • Fort Germanna Visitor Center campus which includes a Museum, Genealogy Library, the Hitt Archaeology Center, and the Germanna Memorial Garden
  • Siegen Forest – 170-acre Hiking and Nature Trails along the Rapidan river
  • 1714/1717 Fort Germanna Archaeology Site
  • Virginia Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood’s home “Enchanted Castle” Archaeology Site
  • 1757 Georgian-style Salubria Manor
  • 1800 Peter Hitt Farm

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  • Germanna Foundation Germany Trip Webinar

GR #5: Ancestry and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia, 1714-1750.

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Germanna Foundation

The Germanna Foundation
MAILING: P.O. Box 279
LOCATION: 2062 Germanna Highway
Locust Grove, VA 22508-0279
Phone: 540-423-1700
Fax: 540-423-1747
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Fort Germanna Visitor Center, Museum & Library

2062 Germanna Highway (Route 3)
Locust Grove, VA 22508
(Next to the Germanna Community College campus)

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
CLOSED Saturday and Sunday

Advanced reservations are required to use the library. Research time limited to 2 hours.

Masks are required in the Visitor Center at all times. Please maintain 6 feet distance. Limit of 4 people in the library; 5 people in the museum.

Out of town visitors are urged to call us at 540-423-1700 to confirm or to make special arrangements for groups.

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Hike Siegen Forest!

Behind the Fort Germanna Visitor Center is our 170-acre Siegen Forest nature and hiking trails along the Rapidan river. Trails continue to be OPEN. When visiting the trails, please practice “Leave no Trace” ethos and maintain proper social distancing. If you enjoy the trails, consider donating to the Germanna Foundation to help support their upkeep.

 

About

The Germanna Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the Colonial Virginia frontier via the historic 1714 Fort Germanna and its German colonists and their descendants.

It conducts archaeological exploration and conservation, genealogical research and publishing, and historic preservation and interpretation.

The Foundation owns and maintains several historic sites and properties, such as Salubria Manor, that were part of or closely connected to the Germanna colonies, the town of Germanna, and the other early colonial Virginia settlements and towns in the Piedmont area of Virginia.

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