Ponickau / Ponikau

[Roy G]

I am trying to pad out the ancestry of my sister's late husband.  You would think it would be easy to trace a surname like Ponikau, said to be of an aristocratic line, so sometimes preceded by 'Von,' but I am having difficulty finding anything so cannot even get started. 

Horst Ponikau was born in Germany in 1921, served in the army, became a professional ice skater and in European skating circles was jokingly called 'Mr Minagery'  (Horse-Pony-Cow).  His father was Ernst born 7 May 1890 and mother Luci Muller born 10 January 1890.  Lucy's parents were Albert Muller (b 1862) and Freiderika Hildebrant (b 1866) if that also helps. 

It would be nice to add a little more than just this to his ancestral line, so I am hoping there is a Rootschatter out there more skilled in utilising Germanic sources, who can identify where in Germany the family may have come from (perhaps Prussia or Bavaria?) and contribute a few more names to the family line.  I would therefore be most grateful for anything that would help to kick start this research.

Regards Roy G

[aghadowey]

Most German records will not be available online so you will usually need a location in order to start searching.

Have you thought about starting from the Canadian side first? Horst is mentioned on this skating website and there is a 'contact us' option-
http://www.skatecanada.ca/mariposaeast/fr-ca/clubhistory.aspx

[Roy G]

Thanks for the info about German Ancestry not being on line, its something I was not aware of. 

Regrettably the Canadian website you suggest is my sister who is more in the dark than I am.  Horst kept a lid on his past, and other than knowing he was a POW in Kansas, we have no pre-war history to go on.   His is possibly one of those unfortunate lines that stands little chance of progression.
Roy G

[KGarrad]

Is there a Naturalisation record anywhere?
That may contain his birthplace.

Once you have that, try the Anglo-German FHS - www.agfhs.org.uk

[aghadowey]

Horst kept a lid on his past, and other than knowing he was a POW in Kansas, we have no pre-war history to go on.

Wonder if there would be any record of arrival in U.S.? I did find him leaving the U.S. in 1959 and then a marriage in England in 1960 (which would list father's name and occupation but not a location in Germany.

No clues from newspaper obituaries?

[garstonite]

out of the 77 results - over 60 are Von Ponickau
http://en.geneanet.org/search/?name=ponickau&ressource=arbre
majority look to be Dresden area

[Roy G]

Thanks for the Dresden Clue garstonite, and thanks aghadowey for the look up. 
Unfortunately, he arrived in the USA as a German POW and the authorities there (and in Germany) no longer have a record of him or his service number. 
After the war he was repatriated from the USA but for some reason opted not to return to the Eastern sector!!!! 

As for 1959-1960, I am able to remember both events having personally attended that English wedding as best man and do have a copy of that certificate.

I had hoped that as I knew his parents' names and dates of birth, I would be able to circumnavigate him and start building from them.  But as you point out, many 19th century German ancestral resources are not accessible via the Internet, and a Germanic family history society would require a location, so accessing anything without more details would be a problem.  Never mind, it was certainly worth asking and I much appreciate your advice and thoughts on the matter. 

Regards Roy G

[jorose]

You could try the ICRC:
www.icrc.org/eng/contact-archives

They may be able to help with more info on his time as a POW.  As his next of kin, your sister can request a search free of charge.

[carinthiangirl]

the info to the nobility Ponickau - to take into translator:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponickau_%28Adelsgeschlecht%29
some are extinct in the male line: http://www.schlossarchiv.de/herren/p/PO/Ponickau.htm

http://www.pohla-stacha.de/Rittergut-Pohla.htm
http://www.schoenbrunn-lausitz.de/index.php/17-jahrhundert
old maps
http://booksellers.de/pictures/m/j/mjg50ldk/025.JPG
http://booksellers.de/pictures/m/j/mjg50ldk/021.JPG
present map: https://maps.google.at/maps?q=Pohla+01877+Demitz-Thumitz,+Deutschland+%E2%80%8E&ie=UTF-8&ei=03HWUr30PKPO0QWBx4DABA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg