John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 1335

The table of contents for " Researching in Germany " by Minert and Riemer includes the following topics:

• CHAPTER ONE:
  • Preparing for your visit in the land of your ancestors.
  • Reasons and goals for the trip.
  • Identifying the ancestral home town.
  • Locating the records you need.
  • Gaining access to the records you need.
  • Hiring a local expert to assist you.
  • Deciding when to make your research trip to Germany.
  • Acquiring your passport.
  • Making your travel plans (air travel, car rentals, trains).
  • Lodging.
  • Documents, literature, and equipment needed for conducting family history research in Germany (documents and printed materials to prepare you for your trip, computer preparations).
  • Non-research materials to collect and organize before leaving home (the log, letter of introduction, German handshake packet).
  • Preparing to enter a German-language environment.
  • Gifts to take along.
  • Luggage selection.
  • Packing your suitcase.

• CHAPTER TWO:
  • Getting Around in the land of your ancestors.
  • Landing at the airport in Germany.
  • You and your money in Germany (need cash? Credit cards, travelers checks, the currency conversion, hints for handling money in Germany).
  • Living between time zones.
  • Rental cars (picking up your car, pointers on driving in Germany, driving on the Autobahn, other driving pointers, parking your rental car, watching for bicycles).
  • Traveling by rail in Germany (the German railroad "alphabet game", train information, train reservations, validating the rail pass, handling luggage, conveniences on board, which is your stop, before leaving the train station).
  • Taking a taxi.
  • Using public transportation.
  • Tourist information (finding a room, gathering local information, checking out the Antiquariat).
  • Sleeping accommodations in Germany (rooms in private homes, the Gasthaus, the Gasthof, and the Pension, vacation apartments, hotels).
  • Restaurants in Germany (water, a problem for Americans).
  • Telling time in Europe.
  • Post office services in Germany (basic services and products, shipping extra items, filling out postal forms).
  • Telecommunications in Germany (public telephones, private telephones, other communication options).
  • Dealing with Emergencies.

[More to follow.  Information about locating the book was in Note Nr. 1333 .]
(16 Jan 02)