During a trip through Germany in 1989 I included a visit to Roeddenau, Frankenberg. With so little time on my hands, I realized that I would not be able to “research” as such – but I just wished to experience a visit to the place that had been home to my namesakes’ ancestors for so many generations.
A two-hour train ride took me from Frankfurt to Frankenberg via Marburg – a university city of 22,000 people. Imagine my excitement when en route the train stopped at a small railway siding “Simtshausen”. As I do not speak German, I had much difficulty explaining to fellow passengers that I must take a photograph – after all there was not much to photograph. What appeared to be an old farmhouse and several outer buildings (one of which had “Simtshauser” clearly marked in brickwork) and the one carriage platform, made up the siding.
The two-carriage train was packed with students attending sports camp at Frankenberg. Frankenberg with population of 10,000 people, situated on the Eder River, is renowned for its sporting and leisure activities involving spa baths. Well maintained old buildings, churches and cobbled narrow streets indicate an interesting, historic town.
Frankenberg was founded on old trade routes as a fortress by the Franks around 720 AD. About 1234 AD it was laid out as a town and quickly became a trading centre of craftsmen and farmers, and now is a centre for tourism, commerce and culture. The area is surrounded by sizeable farms with crops of wheat, barley, corn and sugar beet.
Roeddenau Village is three kilometres from Frankenberg, and along with several other villages, is considered to be a suburb of Frankenberg, all under the same local government. I was fortunate enough to obtain a car ride to Roeddenau and enjoyed two hours walking about the village, which is made up almost entirely of farm houses – complete with cows in barns beneath the houses, together with hay, tractors etc – and all beautifully cared for.
The highlight of my visit to Roeddenau was to stand in front of the Evangelic/Lutheran church (built 1209). This church has been closed for several years and all records are contained at the Frankenberg Evangelic Church Office. Our ancestors were baptised and married and all details originally recorded in the Roeddenau church.
Having enjoyed a very pleasant day in Frankenberg and Roeddenau I returned to Frankfurt asking myself, “Why would Conrad and Louisa have left this beautiful place?” But then on consideration I could appreciate why they settled and remained in the Nandewars – there is a similarity!
Winifred Simshauser
