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The Route of Emigration |
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| (800) 949-6362 | |||||||||||||
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Heritage, History, Culture, Landscape |
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| NONSTOP TRAVEL | |||||||||||||
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An introductory seminar and guiding services by university experts together with access to research facilities, passenger lists, databases and other archival holdings as well as a RESEARCH AND TRAVEL service package are provided. With pleasure, we design personal itineraries for customized extensions of your visit to Germany. |
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Many of the 7 million Germans who emigrated to America to seek their fortune in foreign lands originated from Oldenburg, Osnabrück / Westphalia, East-Frisia and the surroundings of the former Kingdom of Hanover. Your itinerary brings you to farms, former emigrant agencies in country-side inns and to the noble's Baroque gardens in these not yet discovered areas of Germany. During your tour, the land will speak to you of the growth of „emigration fever“. Meet people at their farm, learn about living conditions a hundred and fifty years ago, understand the motivation to leave one's home, and how the journey was organized. Sailing out of Bremerhaven and a farewell dinner in the steerage section of an old sailing vessel will complete your fantastic route through some of Germany's most important areas of emigration. | ||||||||||||
| Day 0 - Transatlantic Flight from USA to Germany or individual travel to Bremen | |||||||||||||
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Depart via any gateway city and arrive in Germany at Bremen airport the next day. All major airlines have connecting service to Bremen. Intercity Express trains from all major German cities arrive at Bremen Central station every hour. Contact Nonstop Travel for the best fares to Germany as well as for any rail rates. | ||||||||||||
| Day 1 - Welcome to Bremen, Germany | |||||||||||||
| Most incoming flights from the US arrive at Bremen airport via Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London or Hamburg. Transfer to your hotel is on your own and is best right from outside the arrival hall by taxi cab (10 minutes ride). Detailed information on hotel transfer will be provided with booking/confirmations. Your tour "The Route of Emigration" starts at 4 p.m. at your hotel. You will be greeted by your tour director during a welcome reception and an orientation on the days to come. A welcoming dinner in the hotel’s restaurant rounds up the day. Hotel: 2 nights in Bremen. R, D. |
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| Day 2 - Seminar and sightseeing in Oldenburg, Industrial - Museum "Nordwolle" in Delmenhorst | |||||||||||||
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Drive to Oldenburg for an introductory seminar featuring emigration from Germany and strategies in historical biographical / genealogical research. Optional in the afternoon: Continuation with individual research in US 19th century passenger arrival lists in the University of Oldenburg or city sightseeing with leisure time and shopping at Oldenburg's pedestrian zone. You can trace your ancestors name in the passenger lists of the 19th century. Historical-biographical research as this can be very time consuming and complicated but you might be lucky to achieve a copy of the original passenger list of the ship that brought your ancestor to America. In some cases the findings can be mailed later after additional work by the staff. Additional costs might occur. Back to Bremen via Delmenhorst industrial museum "Nordwolle". B, L. |
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| Day 3 - Emigration fever / The Linnenschmidt Inn | |||||||||||||
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Drive to Osnabrueck.
Villages and farmhouses along the way are still telling you how
"emigration-fever" grew in this area around 1830. During a
refreshment, in the beer-garden of the "Linnenschmidt Inn", a former
emigrant agency will inform you about the study of the old schedules
of the transatlantic passage. Original documents from the holdings
of this mid 19th century agency will inform you about travel
patterns, emigration policy and how the journey was organized. A
visit to an old grain mill completes your program before the tour
continues to your hotel in Osnabruecks historic town center. Dinner
at your hotel. Hotel: 2 nights in Osnabrueck. B, D. |
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| Day 4 - Meet the people in the countryside / Osnabrück | |||||||||||||
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Full day excursion in the surroundings of Osnabrück to farms, churches, churchyards and other sites of the emigration history of that area. Included is a visit to an old spinning factory and early industrial sites. Included is also a visit of the Zur Oeveste Farm and peasantry, run by descendants of John Henry zur Oeveste, emigrant to Cincinnati and a farmer in South Eastern Indiana. A German Brotzeit along with either a beer or fresh farm milk and coffee/tea with homemade cake at Rohdes Farmhouse-Café is included in your program. The evening is free to explore historic Osnabrück. B, L, C/R. | ||||||||||||
| Day 5 - The Peasant and the Landlord | |||||||||||||
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This morning, we continue the tour to the North-Sea coastline in East Frisia. On your way you will learn about the turbulent history the rural districts have experienced. In Clemenswerth, you get an impression of splendid lifestyle but also of feudal structures of dependence while you visit the Osnabrueck prince bishop's baroque hunting castle. The route continues through the picturesque landscape of Frisia. Windmills and canals lead us to the Moor-Museum near Aurich. Seeing the poor cottages will remind you of the pioneers early sod-houses in the Midwest. This visit will give you an idea on how your forefathers coped with life when they cultivated this land 200 years ago. East Frisian specials at your Hotel. Hotel: 2 nights near Aurich. B, D. | ||||||||||||
| Day 6 - East Frisia | |||||||||||||
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A full day excursion is planned to introduce you to the history and culture of the Frisians. Knowledgeable in draining land and used to tough work many of the emigrants from East Frisia became farmers in Iowa and Illinois and turned the swampy soil of the Mississippi valley into rich farmland. We have arranged a visit to the town of Dorum to introduce you to the history of the Frisian "Peasants Republic" and for some leisure time in a wonderful small town. Dorum is also home of Mini Marx: the mother of the famous comedians Groucho, Harpo and Zipo emigrated from here in 1864. Later you will see a windmill and as a climax of this day, hear the oldest playable organ in Europe (1534) in a small romanic church in the town of Rysum. B, L. |
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| Day 7 - Emigration through Bremerhaven / Sailing | |||||||||||||
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Drive to Bremerhaven. On your way is Neustadtgoedens/Varel, birthplace of Friedrich Dirks who - as Friedrich Ernst - became the father of the German emigration to Texas. During your visit, you will learn that he was on the 'wanted list' in the Dutchy of Oldenburg before he made his way to America. Bremerhaven: the old continents most important port of embarkation. A boat trip on a historic sailing ship through the Weser River delta passes the monument to the emigrants, Columbus Quay and the Lloyd-docks and allows you to share the experience of saying good-bye (because of weather conditions, boat and crew may not be available, this excursion might be done by land-transportation and we will arrange an alternative boat ride the next day). A Farewell-Dinner in the steerage of a mid-19th-century sailing ship will complete this fascinating part of your journey. To close the day, some may want to go for a final farewell drink in the still existing "Last bar before New York“ - a picturesque harbor place. Hotel: 1 night in Bremerhaven. B, D. |
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| Day 8 - The Hanseatic Town of Bremen | |||||||||||||
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The next morning we follow the river Weser towards Bremen. Weather permitting and according to arrangements the day before this will be a bus ride or sailing. Many emigrants did this route before - be it on small barges or from 1862 onwards by railroad. In Bremen, we have arranged a reception in the historic Town Hall and a short guided walking tour of the old town starting at your centrally located hotel. There are many historical landmarks and monuments which bear witness to Bremen's great past as a Hanseatic city. And there are sites where emigrants stayed while waiting for an overseas passage. Millions of emigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe traveled through Bremen on their way to Bremerhaven. In this respect, the monument of the Bremen City Musicians, well known fairy tale characters, will gain a new meaning for you as symbol of the desire of a better life in foreign parts. Dinner at the Ratskeller and a visit to the famous wine cellars with a taste of some of the treasures kept here will round up the day and your tour in the footsteps of the emigrants. Hotel: 1 night in Bremen. B, D. |
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| Day 9 - Homeward flights or optional extensions | |||||||||||||
| The tour ends after breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Bremen airport (30 minutes) or Hamburg airport (90 minutes) for homeward flights will be on your own. Your tour director will provide every assistance that is needed. Those who depart for a homeward flight will arrive at any US destination in mid-afternoon/early evening local time. Others may want to add a visit to Ellis Island, NY or continue on a customized research trip in Germany. | |||||||||||||
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Included (land only):
Not included: Airfares, transfers upon arrival and departure, beverages others than coffee, tea, juice with breakfast, possible individual cost for research, use of archives, databases etc., customary gratuities to tour directors / drivers.
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Minimum of 18 participants is required. Should we need to cancel a tour we will send out a revised mini-group arrangement at least 4 month prior to departure or a full refund of any deposits paid. Detailed information and a consumer protection plan is available along with reservation/confirmations. |
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Optional extension - Your Personal Itinerary We have designed a special service for the individual traveler who wants to benefit from pre-travel research and arrangements: „Your Personal Itinerary“:. Based on your advance information, we check your request and start preliminary research about the possible origin of your family. A dossier with all relevant information and professional tourist service allows you to find your way to the places, records and people you like to see. Day 9 Visit your forefathers place of origin Day 10 Local Heritage program Day 11 Home Costs |
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