This is Mary's Page
Since I found out that we are moving to Germany, I wanted to find out a little bit more about my family history.  I am of German ancestry on both my mother and my father's side.  However, they both lived in Yugoslavia before coming to the United States in 1953. I also know that the Germans living in Yugoslavia, Hungry and Romania during the 1800's and early 1900's were called the Danube Swabians. Below are a couple of links to the history of the Danube Swabian people that helped me to understand a bit more about my ancestors.
The coat of arms for the Danube Swabians was created in 1950. The Eagle represents the Holy Roman Empire under Germanic Kings.  The wavy line symbolizes the Danube River, on which the German settlers traveled to Yugoslavia.  The crescent moon is the symbol of Islam, representing the Turkish occupation of Europe during th 17th and 18th centuries.  The sun is the symbol for Christ.  The fortress represents the city of Temeschburg (Timisoara).  Its six towers represent the six main settlement regions for the Danube Swabians:  Central Hungarian Highlands, Swabian Turkey, Slavonia-Syrmia, Batschka, Banat and Sathamar.  My parents and grandparents lived in the Banat region in the cities of Pardan and Ernsthausen.  The fortress in the Coat of Arms stands on the land made into fertile farms by the Danube Swabians.  Click on the coat of arms for a more complete descripton of the coat of arms and it's symbols.
Here is a good website with more details on the migration of Swabians from Germany along the Danube to Yugoslavia.  My ancestors on my Dad's side, most likely came from the Alsace-Lorrraine area of France since my maiden name (Oriold) is actually of french origin. Click here for more history.  A detailed history along with what happened to the Danube Swabians during and after WWII can be found here.
The History of My German Ancestors
Where is My Family Now?
My mother was an only child, so there are no aunts and uncles for me on her side of the family.  However her first cousin, Josef Kolling and his wife Leni and their three sons have been my closest relatives since childhood and have lived close to my family in the Detroit area.  My dad was the youngest child.  He had two brothers and a sister.  Both of his brothers died in WWII, but one of them left behind a son and two daughters.  His sister is also no longer living and had a son and two  daughters.  All but one of my first cousins are living in Germany.  However it has been many years since I have seen these relatives, although my parents wrote to them on a regular basis for the holidays.  Perhaps I will have the opportunity to connect with them again during our stay in Germany.
What will Germany be like?
Along with the possibility of reconnecting with some of my relatives, I look forward to the opportunity to travel and explore Europe with my family.  The opportunities for learning about other cultures and countries is endless and will greatly influence the lives of my children, Bill and I.  Although the transition will be difficult at times, in the long run I feel it will be an experience of a life time for all of us.