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Research in Other Countries => Europe => Topic started by: rkraeuatzd on Saturday 14 February 26 14:07 GMT (UK)
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I'm hoping for any advice on what the best way is to search for someone who moved to Aachen, likely in the mid 1890s.
Based on a local 'census' taken in Nov 1891, I know that my great great-uncle Leonard Kreutz was living in Eupen with his father, brother and aunt in the house at Hutte 8, in Eupen, present-day Belgium. In the comments column at the end of each page, it states for Leonard simply the word "Aachen", which I believe suggests he moved there shortly afterwards. For context, he was born in Eupen on 28 Sep 1873 to father Leonard and mother Maria Barbara.
Given that Aachen was already a sizeable city divided up into multiple districts back then, I was hoping someone might have some pointers on how best to narrow the search, without for example trawling through reams of certificate or annual tables for BMDs or similar.
Thanks a million,
Richard
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1928 address book/directory of Aachen
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Thank you Fiddlerslass for the pointer! I couldn't say with any certainty that any of these are my Leonard, but ...
I did find a nice Bonn University website with multiple address books available (https://digitale-sammlungen.ulb.uni-bonn.de/topic/view/1292035), including a number from the 1890s.
In the 1893 Aachen address book, I found the below attachment, on which appears (i) a Leonard Kreutz at Hauptstrasse 56, Burtscheid, a suburb of Aachen and (ii) a Nicolaus Kreutz at Hauptstrasse 66, Burtscheid.
Now, my great-grandfather (Leonard's brother from the 1891 Eupen 'census') was called Nicolaus. Did they both move to Aachen at roughly the same time shortly after the death of their father in 1892? Very possibly. At the very least they are living only a couple of doors away from one another, but I can also see it as a fair possibility that there is a typo in the house numbers and that they were actually living together. Also, Leonard is stated as working as a "weber", which would fit with Eupen, a major centre for textile manufacturing in which industry his father worked as a fuller. Of course this could all be a coincidence, but if so too strong a coincidence not to keenly follow up on.
In the 1895 Aachen address book, Leonard is at the same address with the same occupation, but Nicolaus appears to have moved to Krugofen 9, Burtscheid, while in 1897, Leonard appears to have dropped out of the address book, and Nicolaus has moved to Karlsgraben 33, Aachen. Then in 1899, Leonard again does not feature but Nicolaus is a weaver at Baerenstrasse 1.
If this is my Leonard then the trail has again gone cold for me. Meanwhile, Nicolaus (my great grandfather) next appears in the 1901 UK census as a restaurant waiter at the Savoy Hotel in London, having very possibly travelled via Londonderry. Nicolaus subsequently married my great grandmother in Kensington in 1903
All tantalising stuff then.
But where next to look for Leonard and/or Nicolaus?
Thanks again
richard
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Oh dear.
After a flurry of great excitement ...
Both this Leonard and Nicolaus also appear in Aachen address books predating 1890 (incl 1889 attached) making it more than unlikely that this is them ... :-\
Any more ideas out there ?
richard
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Digitised marriage registers for Aachen at NorthRhine Westphalia archives
https://www.landesarchiv-nrw.de/digitalisate/Abt_Rheinland/PA_3102/PA_3102_01.html
Aachen archives may have Meldekartei or Einwohnermelderegister residential registration cards. You may need to email them to see if they have any.
https://www.aachen.de/in-aachen-leben/kultur/stadtarchiv/familienforschung/
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The Stadt Archiv Aachen recomend this site for family research
http://www.familienbuch-euregio.de/guest.html
Nicolaus Kreutz
http://www.familienbuch-euregio.de/genius/php/show.php?tab=1&tid=&sub=PublicAll&det=452449&eworec=0&bar=&ssm=&sid=33c83905b309b8b0227e2f1a20d08cf2&rid=&mod=&findlist=&lis=&tm=1771160719751
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Thank you for the pointer Fiddlerslass. Will aim to take a look this weekend, and provide any updates if I find anything useful!
THanks,
Richard