Genealogy Is An Adventure

Tag: Krings

  • Joannes Petrus Wilhelmus Götzen 1783-1816

    A week before Christmas, Düsseldorf City Archives released digital copies of birth, marriage and death certificates starting as early as 1798. I was thrilled to see that, however I didn’t have time to dig right into the records with the holidays coming up so fast. I started with Heerdt which was an independent village until it became part of Düsseldorf in 1909. You know by know that I can identify records in Latin and German. The beginning of these records until about 1812 were in French. One good thing that came out of the French occupation was that they introduced civil registration. I studied French in school for a few years, so it’s fairly easy for me to understand the records, as long as I can read the writing. The only other problem I had was dealing with the French Julian Calendar. The dates made no sense to me so I had google figure out the Gregorian dates for me. I finished going through the marriage records until 1899 and started with the death records.

    A couple of days ago I found the record for my 3rd Great Grandfather, Joannes Petrus Wilhelmus Götzen. He died 1 September 1816 in Heerdt.

    The record is in German and gives his first and last name, his wife’s name, Helene Mühlensieb, his parents, Heinrich Götzen and Anna Catharina Böckers, and his profession as a day laborer. Johann was only 32 years old.

    I now have a complete set of records for my 3rd Great Grandfather. His baptism from 1783 in Heerdt in Latin.

    His marriage to my 3rd Great Grandmother, Helene Catharina Mühlensieb, 13 April 1809 in Düsseldorf also in Latin.

    I also have his death entry into the church book in Heerdt in Latin.

    My goal is to have a complete set of records for my direct ancestor if it’s available.

    Johannes and Helene had only three children together, Henri born in 1810, Maria Agnes in 1813 and Anna Catharina in 1816. Maria Agnes was my 2nd Great Grandmother. She married Andreas Krings and they they had four children and Anna Catharina was married to Joseph Sturm. I only found two children for them.

    Johanne’s parents were Heinrich Götzen and Anna Catharina Böckers. Johannes was the oldest of six children. His siblings were Maria Magdena, born in 1785, Wilhelmus Balthasar born in 1788, married to Maria Margareth Hamacher, they had seven children. Maria Christina born in 1791, she was married to Johann Mathias Fleur. Johannes Henricus born in 1794 and the last one, Michael Anton was born in 1802.

    The catholic church in Heerdt, St.Benedictus, where Johanne’s was baptized.

    The catholic church, St. Dreifaltigkeit, in Düsseldorf where he got married.

    Both postcards are from before WW2 and the churches still exist, just the surrounding areas look quite different.

    I have my work cut out for me, looking through all the birth, marriage and death certificates. Some of the books have indexes which makes it a lot easier to find what I am looking for.

    Have you found all the records for your direct ancestors?

    Please leave a comment below!

  • Records That Add Color

    I am participating once again in Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks challenge. This week’s headline is A Record That Adds Color.

    I do have lots of birth, marriage and death records for my ancestors and their extended families. Each record is unique and it is nice to have a copy of the original ones. Indexed records for example on the Family Search Website, will only give you dates, however you won’t find witnesses, signatures and professions. So I decided to look at all the jobs my ancestors and their extended families had starting with my paternal line.

    My Dad had his own flower wholesale business. He would pick the cut flowers up in the early morning at the auction house and then deliver them all over Düsseldorf.

    My Grandfather also had his own business. He had an upholsterer and decoration shop. His business was advertised in the 1926 Düsseldorf directory.

    My Great Grandfather was a gardener. All those beautiful parks in Düsseldorf had to be maintained.

    His name and profession were in the 1881 Düsseldorf directory. It is the second Wilhelm.

    My 2x Great Grandfather was a shoemaker and his wife, my 2x Great Grandmother had her own grocery shop. They were both in the 1855 Düsseldorf directory.

    Moving on to my parternal maternal line, my Great Grandfather, Becker, first worked for the railroad station in Hamminkeln outside of Wesel in Prussia.

    Later on he moved to Wesel and became a police officer. My 2x Grandfather Becker also worked at the rail road station in Hamminkeln. My 3x Great Grandfather Becker was a farmer in a tiny village called Messinghausen.

    Moving onto my maternal line. My Great Grandfather Sevenich also worked for the railroad, most likely in Heerdt and Neuss. Great Grandfather Schneider was a locksmith and he moved around a lot. One of my research friends had suggested that he might have helped built the world famous suspension railway in Wuppertal where he had lived.

    My 2x Great Grandfather Schneider lived in Berlin and was a master goldsmith. My 3x Great Grandfather Büttner was a sugar boiler from Steinwitz living in Berlin.

    My 2x Great Grandfather Ontrup was a damask weaver from Sandhagen living in Gadderbaum near Bielefeld and my 3rd Great Grandfather Hagemann was a shoemaker in Gütersloh.

    How do you like the variety of my ancestors professions? I absolutely love it. What jobs did your ancestors have?

    Please leave a comment below!

  • An Ancestor I admire

    For the year 2026 I am participating in Amy Johnson Johnson’s Crow 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks.

    I didn’t have to look far for the ancestor I admire, it’s my paternal Grandmother, Maria Becker Krings nee Becker. Maria was born in Hamminkeln just about 5km outside of the city of Wesel. Her parents were the policeman Johann Heinrich Becker and his wife Gertruda Johanna Görtzen. Somehow, I always thought my Grandmother came from a big family, because she had eight children herself. So far I have only been a able to find a brother and a sister. More possible birth and baptisms records are not in the public domain yet.

    My Grandmother was always calm, she always smiled and she participated in whatever her large family was up to. I never heard any unkind words from here. She attended church every Sunday.

    Grandma lived through WW1 and WW2. She married my Grandfather, Wilhelm Krings in 1907 in Wesel in the Catholic Sankt Martini Church.

    Martinikirche

    And the inside of the church

    My Grandmother was also baptized in the church and her parents got married there. Unfortunately the church was destroyed during WW2 during British Air Raids.

    My Grandparents raised their family in Düsseldorf were my Grandfather grew up. The first four children, Wilhelm, Trude, Johann and Josef were born from 1907-1914.

    Wilhelm Krings & Maria Becker With Their First Born Son Wilhelm

    My Grandfather apparently served in WW1 in France and Russia according to a document I found online. It didn’t say where exactly. Unfortunately most military records were destroyed in WW2. My Grandfather came back from WW1 but many men did not. Four more children, Mathilde, Karl (my Dad), Richard and Ursula were born between 1919 and 1929.

    My Grandmother with two of her youngest children, Ursula walking and Richard in the pram circa 1929 in Düsseldorf.

    Life was good in 1929, their family was complete. My Grandfather had his own upholstery and decoration shop and the family had a nice apartment.

    Fast forward to Christmas 1938. A picture of my Grandmother with most of her children and the first grandchild sitting on her lap.

    Life was still good in this picture before WW2 broke out in the spring of 1939. My Grandmother in the middle, her oldest daughter, Trude and her husband Heinz on the right side. The two youngest, Ursula, smiling and Richard being held by the oldest. My Grandfather on the left side was cut off. My father, Karl, directly behind my Grandmother and behind him his older sister, Mathilde. I don’t know who the young man is behind her. One of my uncles who died after the war is on the right smoking a cigarette and holding a guitar. Two sons are missing, one was Wilhelm who had to move to the mountains because of his asthma and the other one was Josef who had moved to Berlin and later was killed in Russia.

    My Dad and his younger siblings wanted to join the Hitler Youth Groups. Children and teenagers did not have to go to Saturday school if they joined. Thankfully my Grandmother didn’t allow it, otherwise her own children would have spied on her and my Grandfather. It was a very dangerous time in 1938. Freedom of speech didn’t exist.

    In 1943 my Grandmother’s Father, Heinrich Becker, was killed in an air raid in Wesel. His body probably was never recovered. His death certificate was not issued until 10 years later. The same year, one of my Grandmother’s son, Josef was killed during a battle in July in Korowina, Russia.

    Josef with his son circa 1942, location unknown

    Also in 1943 her son Karl, my Dad, was drafted into military service. He had no choice in the matter, all the young men had to serve. My Dad was sent to Russia twice, however he kept getting sick and he had an injury on his leg, they released him from military service. He was one of the lucky ones.

    During the war in Düsseldorf my Grandmother and her family were bombed out three times. I don’t know how they managed to find shelter or food, after all they lived in the city and not in the country. There were 243 air raids on Düsseldorf. I can’t even imaging what that was like. My Grandmother lived through it with her family. Even after the war was over, the city was pretty much destroyed. Food was scarce, disease was rampant.

    In 1948 she lost another son, Johann. He died in Düsseldorf. In 1952 she came home to find my Grandfather deceased at the kitchen table.

    My Grandmother had her faith, I think this is what got her through the terrible times and she had her large family which kept growing after the war. She had 17 grandchildren. She attended all their baptisms, first communions and weddings. Her family had a big celebration for her 80th and 85th birthday.

    Grandma with her oldest son Willi and my Dad on his 50th birthday in 1974.

    Grandma and me circa 1973 at home in Düsseldorf

    When I grew up, none of the adults would talk about the war. I never even heard my Grandma talk about her parents or siblings, at least not that I can remember.

    Grandma died in 1975. All the surviving children and all her grandchildren attended her funeral. Her grave was a simple one, just like she would have liked it.

    Despite all the hardship she had to endure, she kept going and she stayed positive. I still miss her and I wished I could talk to her about her family and the war.

    Do you have an ancestor you admire? Please leave a comment below!

  • Happy Father’s Day

    Tomorrow is Father’s Day here in the USA. I will honor my Dad and his direct paternal line, meaning his father, grandfather and so on. You can read my Mother’s Day blog here.

    My Dad, Karl Franz Wilhelm Krings, was born 25 January 1924 and got married married 9 March 1946 to my Mom in Düsseldorf, Germany. He died 21 May 2006 in Bad-Neuenahr.

    Dad circa 1946

    Mom & Dad December 1968

    Dad came from a large family family. He had seven brothers and sisters. Two of them died in WW2. He was a hard worker. He apprenticed as a sales clerk in a local clothing store called C & A in the 1940’s. In the 1950’s Dad wanted to be his own boss and became a local flower wholesaler. It was a hard job. He had to be at the flower auction house at six in the morning trying to buy the flowers at a good price, stayed there until nine or ten and then delivered them to the shops. In the evening the leftovers were stored in an air conditioned warehouse. After dinner, Dad still had to do bookkeeping. He worked twelve to eighteen hours a day, including some weekends. The neighbors had the audacity to wake him up on Sunday mornings to buy some flowers from him and of course my Dad would never say no.

    Dad retired in 1984 and moved to Bad-Neuenahr, a smaller town where he would spend time with friends, go for walks and play Roulette at the casino. In 1994 we celebrated his 70th birthday.

    Dad’s 70th Birthday with his siblings.

    From left to right: Ursula, Dad, Trude and Richard

    Dad’s Father and my Grandfather, Wilhelm Eduard Josef Hubert Krings, was born 25 September 1882 and died 19 May 1952 in Düsseldorf. He married my Grandmother, Maria Becker, 13 May 1907 in Wesel.

    My Grandparents with their first child circa 1908

    Grandpa’s birth certificate

    His birth announcement in the local newspaper

    Grandpa only had one older brother. A sister had died in infancy. He fought in Russia and France in WW1 and later had his own business.

    From the 1926 Düsseldorf’s directory: – Krings, Wilhelm., Upholstery and decoration shop, Klosterstr. 112A; workshop: Kölner Street 50AU

    Grandpa suddenly died at home in 1952. I never had the pleasure of meeting him. I was born many years later.

    Grandpa’s Father and my Great Grandfather, Wilhelm Hubert Krings, was born 21 October 1840, got married to my Great Grandmother, Bertha Müller, 8 October 1869 and died 17 April 1909 in Düsseldorf.

    His birth announcement from 1840 in the newspaper. His mother’s maiden name Götzen is highlighted. Wilhelm was a professional gardener as seen in the Düsseldorf directory from 1881.

    Krings, Wilhelm, Gardener, Grafenbergerchaussee 8.

    Wilhelm died 1909 in Düsseldorf. His death certificate is below.

    Wilhelm’s Father and my 2x Great Grandfather, Andreas Daniel Josef Krings, was born 25 September 1808, got married to my 2x Great Grandmother, Maria Agnes Götzen, 12 August 1835 and died 28 October 1871 in Düsseldorf.

    1808 Baptism in the Sankt Martin’s church in Düsseldor-Bilk.

    He got married in the same church.

    Andreas and his family were in the census taken in Düsseldorf between the years 1854-1860.

    It contains the last and first names, professions, Andreas was a shoemaker and his wife Agnes had her own market stall. It also contained the family’s birth dates. One son, Johann, is crossed out. He probably already had died. Another child, Henricus 1838-1840, was not mentioned at all.

    Andreas as well as his wife Agnes were in the 1855 directory for Düsseldorf. Her name was mentioned right under his name. They lived on the Duisburger Street 71.

    Andreas was 63 years old when he died in 1871.

    His death card mentioned that he had been widowed for seven years and that he had left two sons and grandsons behind.

    Andreas’ father and my 3rd great grandfather, Joannes Winandus Josephus Krings, was born 10 March 1760 and died 2 May 1823 in Düsseldorf. He married my 3rd great grandmother, Maria Anna Josepha Weingartz, 27 June 1787 also in Düsseldorf.

    Baptism 1760 and Marriage 1787

    St. Lambertus Church in Düsseldorf

    Newspaper announcement after the wedding.

    Winandus died at the age of 68 in 1823.

    Winandus’ Father and my 4th Great Grandfather, Nicolaus Krings, was born 15 January 1733 in Birgelen. This small village is located 33 miles east of Düsseldorf, near the Belgium border.

    Nicolaus married my 4th Great Grandmother, Maria Clara Schadens, 26 January 1760 in Düsseldorf.

    They had only one child together, my 3rd Great Grandfather. Nicolaus got married again in 1761 to Anna Catharina Fasbender. They had three children. Nicolaus died 9 August 1781 at the age of 48 in Düsseldorf-Bilk.

    Nicolaus’ Father and my 5th Great Grandfather, Godefridus Crins, was baptized 22 March 1708 and died 18 August 1743 in Birgelen. He was married to my 5th Great Grandmother, Agnetis Leonards.

    Godefridu’s Father and my 6th Great Grandfather, Nicolaus Creins, was born circa 1680 and he was married to my 6th Great Grandmother, Sophia Greven.

    My direct paternal line ends with Godefridus for now. I have high hopes, that one day the church books will be online. The last name Krings was at one time spelled Crins and before that Creins. It really depended on how the people would pronounce their names and how the pastor would hear and record it. Some descendants might still carry the name Crins or Creins or another different spelling.

    I was able to go back eight generations for my direct paternal line.

    The first Father’s Day in the USA was celebrated 19 June 1910. In Germany Father’s Day is celebrated on Ascension Day. It’s always on a Thursday. The very first one was also celebrated in 1910.

    I do hope you enjoyed this article.

    Please leave a comment and/or subscribe! Thank you!

  • Josef Richard Heinrich Krings 1914-1943

    My paternal uncle, Josef Krings, was born 18 May 1914 in Düsseldorf, Germany and was killed 5 July 1943 during WW2 at the battle of Korowina, Bjelgrod, Russia. His parents were Wilhelm Krings and Maria Becker. I recently was able to obtain a copy of his birth certificate, which is now in the public domain, from Düsseldorf City Archives.

      His birth certificate has two Randvermerke or side notes. One is for his marriage and the other one for the death certificate. I have copies of both.

    Josef grew up in a large family with seven brothers and sisters. At one point he moved to Berlin. I don’t know exactly when and why. There, he married Antonia Sotola, 24 July 1940. She was born in Stockerau near Vienna, Austria. They had a son in 1941, named Georg, my first cousin. I have never met him.

    Uncle Josef, probably with his wife Antonia and may be his mother in law. Location unknown, probably taken in Berlin, circa 1940.

    Uncle Josef and cousin Georg circa 1942, location may be in Berlin.

    Josef and Georg 1941 in Berlin

    Cousin Georg 14 months old probably in Berlin, 1942

    Josef was killed in Korowino, Russia in July 1943. The death certificate was issued a year later, in July 1944, in Berlin.

    Josef’s wife, Antonia, together with their son Georg, moved back to Austria.

    I gathered the information about Josef from several source.

    • 1. Birth and death dates I learnt from my Dad who passed away in 2006
    • 2. The pictures were given to me by his younger sister, Ursula, who also passed away in 2006.
    • 3. Berlin death certificates are online from 1874-1985 at Ancestry. I didn’t know that my uncle had lived in Berlin, until I saw the certificate. From the side notes I learnt where to order the marriage and birth certificate.
    • 4. His marriage certificate from 1940, which I did not post here, I ordered from the City Archives in Berlin .
    • 5. I tried to look for his grave, but there is none. His body was never recovered. You can search for graves here at the German War Graves Commission.

    A few tips when you search at the German War Graves Commission site. The spelling of the names have to be exact. I would start with just a last name. Birth dates also have to be exact as well. German dates are written differently. For example today’s date is 5-19-25. In Germany the date would be 19-05-25.

    Every time you search the site, they want you to enter your name, address, email and so on. If you do find your relative, you then have the option of getting updates by email and/or also make donations to the website. I have never received any junk mail, only an occasional email every few years if there is something new on the battle/grave site.

    You can order military records at the Bundesarchiv (Federal Archive) in Germany. The web site is in German and English. I ordered my Dad’s service record over 10 years ago. It took two years to get them. It might even take longer nowadays. If you are looking for WW1 service records, you will have no luck. They were destroyed during WW2. The only exception are the Bavarian WW1 Personnel Records 1914-1918 which are at ancestry.

    Here is a map of where Josef was born (Düsseldorf), lived (Berlin) and died (Russia)

    In a future post I will write about Josef’s brother who was also a soldier and died shortly after the war ended. I am still gathering facts and documents.

    If you like this post, please leave a comment and/or subscribe! Thank you!

  • Petrus Josephus Weingartz 1721-?

    Petrus Josephus Weingartz was my paternal 4th Great Grandfather. His parents were Joannes Petrus Weingartz and Anna Gertrudis Bommels. Petrus was baptized 4 April 1721 in the Sankt Martin church in Düsseldorf-Bilk.

    St. Martins Church in Bilk

    Petrus had several siblings all baptized in the church above.

    • 1. Sibylla Gertrudis born 1716
    • 2. Wihelmus Henricus born 1718
    • 3. Anna Sophia born 1719
    • 4. Catharina Elisabetha born 1723, was married to Paulus Kucks.
    • 5. Joannes Henricus born 1724, was married to Anna Catharina Heinens. They had 10 children. One of them emigrated to South Africa.
    • 6. Anton Xtiantius born 1727
    • 7. Joannes Petrus born 1729. He was married to Anna Margaretha Schwan. They had 7 children
    • 8. Maria Margaretha born 1731. She was married to Joannes Angelus Wallinger
    • 9. Maria Magdalena born 1734. She was married to Franciscus Breidt.
    • 10. Joannes Petrus born 1736.

    I have found several spelling variations of the name Weingartz. Weingarts, Weingart and Wingart. The name originates from Weingarten (vinyard). May be my ancestors grew whine.

    Petrus married my 4th Great Grandmother, Anna Elisabeth Herbst (1722-1782), 4 August 1746 in Bilk.

    A week later they married a second time in the Sankt Lambertus Church in Düsseldorf. This was the church where Anna was baptized.

    St. Lambertus Church Circa 1920’s

    Petrus and Anna had 11 children, all of them were baptized in the church above.

    • 1. Anna Gertrudis Bernadina born 1747, died 1787, was married to Petrus Josephus Rebus. They had 8 children.
    • 2. Joannes Petrus born 1749.
    • 3. Christina Catharina born 1750.
    • 4. Henricus Paulus born 1752.
    • 5. Maria Sophia born 1754.
    • 6. Maria Anna Josepha, my 3rd Great Grandmother, born 17 February 1756, died 17 September 1814. She was married to my 3rd Great Grandfather, Joannes Winandus Josephus Krings. They had 9 children.
    • 7. Joannes Angelus Josephus, born 1758. He was married to Anna Wilhemina, Margareta Hellersberg.
    • 8. Joannes Henricus born 1759. He was married to Anna Catharina Hoenen.
    • 9. Magdalena Josepha born 1761.
    • 10. Anna Elisabetha Josepha born 1763.
    • 11. Henricus Antonius Bernardus born 1767.

    Petrus’s wife, Anna, died 21 April 1782 in Düsseldorf. Her death was mentioned in the newspaper.

    I do not have a death date for Petrus yet. The church books were only recently published online.

    Sankt Lambertus church is located only about 4.4 km or 2.73 miles north of the Sankt Martinus church. Both churches still exist and survived WW2.

    The sources I used were mainly on Ancestry and the church books from Düsseldorf which are listed here.

    If you like this article, please make a comment and/or subscribe. Thank you!

  • Godefridus Crins 1708-1743

    My paternal 5th Great Grandfather, Godefridus Crins, was baptized 22 March 1708 in Birgelen, Germany. Birgelen is a part of Wassenberg. His parents were Nicolaus Creins and Sophia Greven. The last name Crins was also spelled Creins and later became Krings in my family line. The English name for Godefridus is Godfrey.

    Godefridus had 3 siblings, Anna Maria, Arnoldus and Joannes Wernerus. I have not been able to find marriages for them. The church books are not online yet.

    Godefridus was married to my 5th Great Grandmother, Agnetis Lennards or Leonards. They had 5 children together all born and baptized in Birgelen.

    • 1. Joannes Nicolaus Crins baptized 28 June 1731
    • 2. Nicoulaus Krings, my 4th Great Grandfather, baptized 15 January 1733, died 9 August 1781 in Düsseldorf. He was married to Maria Clara Schadens. They had 1 child, my third Great Grandfather, Joannes Winandus Josepfus Krings. Nicolaus was also married to Anna Catharina Fasbender. They had 3 children together.
    • 3. Winand Krings, baptized 14 August 1735.
    • 4. Anna Sophia Crins baptized 6 September 1737
    • 5. Winand Wilhelmus Creins baptized 14 December 1739, married to Maria Meuser or Müser. They had 5 children together

    Godefridus died 18 August 1743 in Birgelen, he was only 35 years old. My 5th Great Grandmother died two years later. She was also 35. The life expectancy in Germany in the 1750’s was 38 years.

    Godefridus son and my 4th Great Grandfather, Nicolaus, left Birgelen and settled in my home town, Düsseldorf. The distance is about 63 km or 40 miles.

    I don’t have a lot of sources for this article. Most the info I received from fellow researchers.

  • Wilhelm Eduard Josef Hubert Krings 1882-1952

    The picture above is of my paternal Grandfather, Wilhelm Krings and my Grandmother Maria and their first born son, Wilhelm.

    Wilhelm was born 25 September 1882 and died 19 May 1952 in Düsseldorf, Germany. His parents were the gardener, Wilhelm Hubert Krings, and Bertha Müller. I have a copy his birth certificate.

    The certificate states the names of the Father, Mother and the given name of my Grandfather. It also states that they were catholic and they lived on the Grafenbergerchaussee street. Below a postcard from my collection of the street where he was born.

    My Grandfather had only one younger brother, Johann Krings. Through a DNA match I was able to find a descendent of Johann. I met my second cousin, Peter Hambach, in Köln (Cologne) in 2018. Wilhelm and Johann also had a sister who died in infancy.

    Wilhelm got married to my Grandmother, Maria Becker, 13 May 1907 in the Sankt Martini church in Wesel. The church was destroyed in WW2. The city archives in Wesel shared two pictures with me of the church before its destruction. One from the inside and one of the outside of the church.

    Martinikirche

    My Grandfather apparently served in WW1 in France and in Russia in 1915. I found this in a denazification file that came online recently. I had no idea that these files existed. I also found out that he had blue eyes and that he was 5 feet and 5 inches tall. The file also stated that he was not a threat to Germany before, during and after WW2.

    My Grandfather had his own business in Düsseldorf. An upholstery and decorating shop. I found him in a directory from 1926. His residence was on the Kloster street and his business on the Kölner street in Düsseldorf. No phone number was listed.

    My Grandfather and Grandmother had a large family. They had eight children together. One of them is was my Father, Karl Krings. Two of them, Hans and Josef were killed in Russia in WW2.

    My Grandfather died suddenly 19 May 1952 in Düsseldorf. I am sad that I never met him.

    Sources:

    City Archive Wesel Germany

    City Archive Düsseldorf

  • Andreas Daniel Joseph Krings 1808-1871

    Andreas Daniel Joseph Krings was my paternal second Great Grandfather. Andreas was born 23 September 1808 in Bilk and died 23 Oct 1871 in Derendorf. Both of these locations are nowadays a part of Düsseldorf, Germany. Andreas was baptized 26 October 1871 in the catholic church, Sankt Martin. His parents were Joannes Winandus Josephus Krings and Maria Anna Josepha Weingartz. Below is his baptism.

    Andreas married my second Great Grandmother, Maria Agnes Götzen, 12 August 1835 in the same church.

    Andreas and Agnes had five children together. One of them was my Great Grandfather, Wilhelm Hubert Krings.

    Andreas and his small family appeared in a census taken from 1854-1860 in Düsseldorf. It states that Andreas was a shoemaker by trade. The first child, Johann was crossed out, he probably had died.

    Andreas also appeared in an address book from 1855. Once again it states that he was a shoemaker. Schumacher is the German word for shoemaker.

    Andreas died 23 October 1871 in Derendorf.

    His obituary states, that Andreas was born in Bilk and that he had been a widower for eight years. He was survived by two sons and two grandsons. Andreas was only 63 years old.

    A map shows that Andreas pretty much lived in the same area all his life.

    Sources

    Church Books online for Düsseldorf

    Düsseldorf Census (Bürgerbücher) 1854-1860

    Obituary you can find here

    Address Book Düsseldorf 1855

  • Maria Johanna Becker 1885-1975

    Maria Johanna Becker was born 12 July 1885 in Hamminkeln and died 4 March 1975 in Schiefbahn, Germany. She was my paternal Grandmother. This is her birth certificate from Hamminkeln

    It states that her parents were the day laborer, Johann Heinrich Becker and Gertruda Johanna Görtzen. To the left is a side note that says that she died in Willich 4 March 1975 and the number of the death certificate Nr 75/1975.

    Maria was baptized in the St. Mariä Himmelfart Catholic Church in Wesel

    Above is her baptism entry in the church book. Her Godparents were Mathias Görzen and Mara Becker nee Sickel who was her Grandmother.

    Maria got married 13 May 1907 in Wesel to my Grandfather, Wilhelm Eduard Josef Hubert Krings.

    Above is the front and back page of the marriage certificate. Most of the time, marriage certificates will mention the bride and groom and their parents. On page one, the side note states that my Grandfather died in 1952. Three different side notes on the back page mention three of the children.

    My Grandmother and Grandfather had eight children between 1907 and 1929. They were all born in Düsseldorf. This picture shows them together with their first born, my uncle Willi circa 1908.

    Two of her sons died while fighting during WW2.

    Hans Krings 1911-1948

    Josef Krings 1914-1943 Shown With His Son

    My Dad missed his brothers very much and talked about them often.

    Shortly after WW2 in 1952 my Grandfather died suddenly at home. Now my Grandmother had lost three family members within a ten year period.

    My Grandmother had her faith. When I grew up, every Sunday we would pick her after church services at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Düsseldorf. She would have lunch with us at home.

    Her large family kept her very busy. She attended all the baptisms, first communions and weddings of her all her children and grandchildren. She got to fly in a very small plane for the time ever when she was 85. She would never say a bad word about anyone. Family was everything to her.

    Near the end of her life she became very frail. All three of her daughters took care of her around the clock. In the end she had to be put into a nursing home in Schiefbahn. My aunt had tried to find one in Düsseldorf but it didn’t work out. My Grandmother hated it there and told us flat out that she wouldn’t make it a year. She was right. Grandma died peacefully 4 March 1975. All the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren attended her funeral in Heerdt. Her grave doesn’t exist anymore. Graves in Germany get recycled.

    I always try to include a map

    Sources

    Stadtarchiv Hamminkeln

    Stadtarchiv Wesel

    Baptismal Church Records Wesel

    Google Maps Hamminkeln

    Stadtarchiv Düsseldorf