The Other French Germans
By 1700, one-fifth of Berlin was French-speaking, and they remained French-speaking until siding with the rest of Germany against Napoleon.
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Stefan Israel
Jul 21, 20235 min read
Fiefdom in a Desk
What challenges of reading an older document, such as a 15th century manuscript, and what can its language tell us? Who, when, where & more!
119 views
Stefan Israel
Mar 30, 20232 min read
Two Dots and an Umlaut
Unlocking the umlaut. History of the two dots.
449 views
Pamela Israel
Mar 6, 20231 min read
Milestone Favorites: Language, History & Tips
Unlock Your History launched in 2017! Check out some favorite posts about language history & translating old German, Danish, Swedish.
82 views
Stefan Israel
Jan 28, 20214 min read
Why Couldn’t My Ancestor Spell Their Name the Same?
You’re tracing your family back, and the spellings sometimes just go crazy.
648 views
Stefan Israel
Jul 29, 20203 min read
Imperial Cities of the Holy Roman Empire
At various times, there were dozens of imperial cities, from towns of a few thousand people to some of the largest cities.
2,423 views
Stefan Israel
Aug 4, 20193 min read
Dutchland? Germany?
The tribes that coalesced into Germans spoke 'the people’s/ popular language’ as opposed to Latin
7,702 views
Pamela Israel
Jan 21, 20192 min read
Beloved Son, Hurry! 1843 Letter
1843 letter in old German handwriting from my 3x great grandfather, to his son telling him to hurry from the army before his mother dies.
85 views
Pamela Israel
Oct 23, 20182 min read
German in the Cemetery
Some old cemeteries have gravestones written in German. Here are some tips to help translate some key words.
5,354 views
Stefan Israel
Sep 21, 20184 min read
Clues Hidden in "von" and "van"?
People's surnames often provide clues into their way back family history. Learn what Von and Van mean for the Dutch and Germans.
21,738 views
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