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Freiburg
Includes: Herdern, Gunterstal, Betzenhausen
Geography:
Freiburg, or Freiburg im Breisgau, to give the town its full name, is 11 miles east of the Rhein River, at the point where the plains and the mountains meet. The river Dreisam is located here. Known as the capitol of the Black Forest, the town covers 153,06 square kilometers in area. The population is today at almost 200,00 inhabitants.
History:
Founded in 1091, it was first ruled by the dukes of Zahringen, who established it as a center for craftsman and merchants. Later, ruled by the House of Hapsburg, Freiburg was turned into a university town in 1456. In 1632 and 1638 Protestant Swedish troops in the 30 Years War, captured the city. It was taken by Catholic Bavarian troops in 1644. Placed back into the Austrian fold by the Peace of Aix-la-Chappelle in 1748, it recovered its rank as capitol of the Breisgau. French troops destroyed most of the city and captured the town in 1677, and again in 1733. In 1806, Freiburg was annexed by the Grand Duchy of Baden.
Despite extensive war time bombing damage, skillful restoration has help recreate the original medieval atmosphere. Towering over the rebuilt streets of the city, is its most famous landmark, the Münster, Freiburg's Gothic cathedral, which took three centuries to build. The 16th century geographer Martin Waldseemuller, who first put the name America on a map in 1597, was born in Freiburg.
From the Reformation Act of the 1970's the city acquired the following villages: Betzenhausen, Gunterstal, Herdern and Zaehringen.
Information Sources:
Freiburg (Betzenhausen)
Catholic
birth, marriage, death and burial: 1825-1870
Freiburg (Gunterstal)
Catholic
birth, marriage, death and burial: 1810-1870
Civil records
birth: 1649-1938
marriage: 1649-1784
marriage: 1786 - 1832
death: 1784
death: 1786 - 1938
Freiburg (Herdern)
Catholic
birth, marriage and burial: 1648-1907
Freiburg (records are sporadic)
Catholic
birth, marriage, death and burial: 1582-1936
Links:
History of Freiburg
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Pfaffenweiler
Geography:
The village of Pfaffenweiler is located about 15 km southwest of Freiburg in the region called Breisgau. The village is located on the eastern slope of the Schneckental (Snail Valley). The slopes of the valley are covered with forests and vineyards. The hamlet of Öhlinsweiler is part of Pfaffenweiler.
History:
Pfaffenweiler is a very old settlement, dating back to the year 717. Grapes were cultivated in the area in Alemanic times and possibly as early as Roman occupation. Wine making is an important part of the Pfaffenweiler and Öhlinsweiler communities. Although more than 100 farmers still operate around the villages, most of them do not earn their primary income from farming. Nearly every farmer grows grapes. However, individual acreage is very small. Wine is processed and sold through the local Winzergenossenschaft (wine cooperative). Batzenberg and Deurrenberg are well known local labels.
The years 1846-47 and 1851-53 were marked by failed harvests in the Pfaffenweiler area. Over 300 citizens of Pfaffenweiler emigrated during these years. The combined population of Pfaffenweiler and Öhlinsweiler dropped to 968 after the emigrations. The typical route of emigration required traveling by land to LeHavre, France, via Strasbourg, and then by ship to New York, as well as other American ports of entry. Many of Pfaffenweiler's emigrants settled in Jasper, Indiana. Jasper and Pfaffenweiler are sister cities.
The population of the village grew as follows -- 550 in 1813, 983 in 1852, 1,269 in 1895, and 1,450 in 1967. The current population is about 1,525.
The village's area comprises 890 acres of land of which 240 is forest. Although agriculture (especially in regards to wine making) is important to the local economy, most residents earn their livings in nearby cities, particularly Freiburg im Breisgau. In earlier times, local stone quarries provided some employment. Many of the villages' stone homes from the 16th and 17th centuries were made with locally quarried stone.
The parish church is named St. Columba. This name dates back to the beginning of the village. St. Columba is a patron name rarely used outside of France.
Information Sources:
Catholic parish -- Pfaffenweiler Catholic parish church is named St. Columba.
The village of Öhlinsweiler is part of the parish. Parish records begin 1647, and include a family book from 1825.
"Pfaffenweiler: 1250 Jahre Pfaffenweiler, 717-1967", hard cover, 87 page. German language only. "Pfaffenweiler: 1250 Years of Pfaffenweiler, 717-1967"
"Die Auswanderung aus Pfaffenweiler nach Afrika und Amerika im 19. Jahrhundert", September 1984, by Dorfmuseum Pfaffenweiler, 63 pages. German language only.
"Emigration from Pfaffenweiler to Africa and America in the 19th Century" .
Emigrant Surnames:
Baumann, Beck, Blattmann, Bruckner, Burget, Daiger, Daeschle, Dierenbach, Dischinger, Eckerle, Eckert, Elmlinger, Erb, Gugelberger, Gutgsell, Hafner, Hanser, Hauri, Hiss, Kiefer, Kraft, Kraus, Lang, Litschgi, Luhr, Mayer, Metzger, Mutz, Salb (Scherzingen), Schlegel, Schmidt, Schuble, Schwab, Steinle, Stoeckle, Wagner, Winterhalter.
Links:
Mike Grammelspacher
Willing to do surname lookups in the two books listed under "Information Sources"
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