I wish to include a disclaimer for this history. I have no intention to create historically accurate information. I am not a historian nor do I wish to be. This history came about as the result of sit down interviews with James Keith Wenzel, a WWII veteran and descendant of peoples who came from Germanic areas of Europe. It also contains interview material from Alice Florence Ruschmeyer-Wenzel his wife who’s family were of similar descent.
I will reference an anthropological study written by David Warren Sabean who was at the publishing date of 1990 the Professor of European Social and Cultural History at Cornell University. His work helped me to answer questions about cultural norms and practices which I related back to the cultural norms of my family as I saw them as a child. I am sure Professor Sabean never saw me coming but I greatly appreciate the way he was able to open the door to the past of people similar to my ancestors. His focus was the daily life and land ownership of peasants from Neckarhausen from seventeen hundred to eighteen seventy. Keep this in your mind as I will reference this village on occasion.
I will ask all readers to refrain from comments to this section which correct my historical errors but I would enjoy comments from anyone who can add to this history in ways that other readers will enjoy as well as myself. I will title all parts of this writing with a history number so you can skip these blogs if you wish.
My purpose is to pass on verbally related historical information to family while I explore what I find interesting about the world around one immigrant family from eastern Europe.
