PamR

My husband and I will be in Hamburg for a few days at the end of March. Part of the trip is genealogy for me, but in addition it would be nice to take in the best sites. My husband is a classical music buff -- any suggestions on that front? Perhaps a church with organ concerts? We both like art museums. Recommendations? I would like to take a harbor tour but I'm wondering if that's a good idea that time of year. Are there nice neighborhoods to walk it? Restaurants for German food? And finally, any recommended day trips? Many thanks!

hsv

I live in the city. Where will you be staying?
If you can state that, I will try to point out a few restaurants - hopefully within walking distance.

Regardless of the time of the year, a cruise of the Port is fun, particularly if you are capable of some German to understand a few anecdotes by the captains.

Regarding the music: Hamburg Opera is not that much of an impressive building (it was the first opera house to be rebuilt after the war and was funded completely privately through an initiative of some Hamburg residents) but it has undergone some renovations. Its ballet directed by American John Neumeier is highly acclaimed internationally. For singers, it is to a large extent mostly aspiring talents that are being cast. The new musical director, Simone Young from New Zealand, appears to be promising, too.

Hamburg Landmark, St. Michael's church, has a remarkable organ in its understated interior, and there are often concerts. You might be lucky. I will check to find out - just need to run right now. Check in again here sometime tomorrow and I should have been able to do some research.

Should you need recommendations for accommodation, state your budget and I'll try to come up with a few tips, too.

PamR

Thanks for your help, HSV. We already booked a hotel -- got a special rate by pre-paying the Park Hyatt hotel. One area we are definitely going to be in is Mundsburg, where my grandmother was born. If you are familiar with this area, perhaps I could tell you the exact location and you could let me know if the building is the old one, or has been replaced by a new one? (She was born in 1876)
I'll check in tomorrow, too. Very nice of you to help!

hsv

Hi Pam,

I am certainly familiar with the Mundsburg area, which is not too far from where I am living. It is close to the center of town and easily discernible by three (pretty ugly) highrises that are located atop a (slightly struggling) mall. But close to that, there are still quite a number of residential streets that are currently pretty popular because housing there is still affordable despite being located so close to the center of town and the shores of the Outer Alster Lake. If you post the address, I could easily find out whether there still is an old building or not. I hate to break this to you, but the likelihood isn't too high. Due to severe bombing during WWII, large parts of Hamburg were destroyed (though a huge number of Art Nouveau buildings was restored and is in full bloom today in certain areas). But apart from that, Hamburg's inhabitants have always been very pragmatic about their buildings - if a newer one would serve its purpose better, the old one was likely to be torn down and replaced...(on the positive side, this has led to some very remarkable modern architecture arising).

For concerts at St.Michael's, please check the following webiste (in German, but it's mainly a calendar with the themes of concerts, so it should be understandable):

http://www.michel-musik.de/?id=8c747...12517de6fe7366

For the Hamburg Opera, please check:

http://www.hamburgische-staatsoper.d...ate_opera.html

Congratulations on the choice of lodging! The Park Hyatt is a very nice hotel located in a red brick building on Hamburg's Moenckebergstr., a shopping street where the big chain stores are located (some better and more exclusive shopping can be found in the nearby area around Jungfernstieg and Neuer Wall/ Grosse Bleichen streets and along Eppendorfer Baum and Eppendorfer Landstr. in Eppendorf, where mostly independent shops offer upscale selections of products). The entrance of the Hyatt is somewhat hidden, though, in a pretty unattractive sidestreet between the "backsides" of two building rows, but never mind. Their spa in the basement is great!

Should you enjoy casual French food, there is a pretty nice caf&eacute; called <b>Caf&eacute; Paris</b> nearby - it is located on Rathausstr. 4 (close to City Hall &quot;Rathaus&quot, about 7 minutes on foot from the hotel. It often gets packed and, while noisy, is quite atmospheric.

For <b>art museums</b>, I would recommend taking a look at the small but high end <b>Bucerius Kunstforum</b> housed in the ground floor and basement of the HypoVereinsbank building right next to City Hall, which offers varying exhibitions.

<b>Hamburger Kunsthalle</b> close to Central Station (and just a five minute walk from your hotel) is also quite nice and apart from a collection of old masters features an entire building dedicated to modern art.

Located in Klein Flottbek close to Blankenese, the <b>Barlach Haus</b> mansion displays the sculptures of famous North German sculptor Ernst Barlach and is definitely worth a visit.

Should you be interested in architecture and city planning, the <b>Kesselhaus</b> is not so much of a museum, but rather an information centre about the concept of Hamburg's newest development area called Hafen City. I do encourage you to take a look at the extensive model of the city they display which will give you an idea what this city is going to look like in about 10 to 20 years. There are also some architecturally quite interesting new buildings to be seen along the canals that I recommend you take a look at, should you be interested in such things. The nearby ferry stop &quot;Sandtorkai&quot; offers ferry service to Landungsbruecken.

The Kesselhaus is located just opposite the <b>Miniatur Wunderland</b>. This is a museum of a different kind: A huge and extensive model-railroad with lovingly decorated houses, rivers, moving cars etc, where days are simulated about every quarter hour. It is a place for the young at heart and worthwhile, should there be a rainy day and you don't know what else to do.

For a <b>walk</b>, I'd recommend taking the ferry from Landungsbruecken (included in a public transport daypass) to the Oevelgoenne/Neumuehlen stop. From there, turn left into the small pedestrian walkway called <b>Strandweg</b> lined with old captain's houses.

Nicely restored art-nouveau buildings and shops are to be found along <b>Eppendorfer Baum</b> (Subway stop Klosterstern or Eppendorfer Baum).

Unbeatable (and probably a must) for a stroll is also a walk <b>around the Outer Alster Lake</b> in the center (approx. 5 miles for a full swing).

A few more restaurant suggestions:

<b>Austrian/ German:</b>
<i>Stocker:</i> While not inexpensive, this place is not overly expensive and offers excellent value and food of impeccable quality in a relaxed atmosphere. The style of cuisine is mixed: While they offer a couple of classically Austrian dishes, such as Tafelspitz (which I highly recommend) served with an appetizer soup, hash browns, creamy spinach, and a light chive sauce at around &euro; 17.- (which in fact is a great value), they also feature locally and French influenced classic cuisine. Their sumptuous desserts are to die for, and the wine-list extensive (I recommend a Gruener Veltliner white wine from Kremstal at around &euro; 27.- a bottle). They are located in Altona, not far from the train station, at Max- Brauer- Allee No. 80, neighboring the Theater for Children. This is place is currently my absolute favourite.
Telephone No. is 040- 38 61 50 56.

<b>Seafood</b> (Northern German)<b>:</b>
<i>Fischmarkt:</i> This seafood place is not located on Fischmarkt fish market, as its name would suggest (with Elbe 76, as decribed hereafter, located far away from Elbe, this seems to be a confusing trend here, I realize), but located a few steps down from St. Michael's church and a few steps from the port and Baumwall train stop on Ditmar- Koel- Strasse at the corner of Neust&auml;dter Neuer Weg. They don't have a view, but will present you an impressive collection of their catch of the day, which will be prepared according to your preferences in their show style kitchen. Have a glass of beer along with it, or try the dry German Riesling from Schloss Vollrads in the Rheingau region. Food is not inexpensive with a main course at around &euro; 16.- to &euro; 20.-, but served in a nice and relaxed ambiance and it's overall worth it. Tel. 040- 36 38 09.

<i>Fischereihafen Restaurant:</i>The Fischereihafen Restaurant is a Hamburg institution. Celebrities of all sorts frequent the place, among them the management of the HSV football club. The menu is focused on seafood, with a steak available for those not so much in love with the fish. The atmosphere is sedate and not too hip. However, there is a view of the River right outside the back door. While prices are high in the evenings at around &euro; 20.- per main course, they serve a surprisingly reasonable fixed lunch daily. The address is Grosse Elbstr. No. 143, Tel.: 040- 38 18 16.

<i>Fischerhaus:</i> This yellow building is very originally Hamburg. It is located right by the port below Hafenstr on Fischmarkt No. 14 (no view, though, except from their newly added modern upstairs, where the locals do not go). The food is seafood only (at least that's all I'd recommend there) and in general nothing to write home about. The interior dating back to the uninspiring 1950ies isn't either. Still, the fish is fresh and their plaice Finkenwerder Style (fried in butter and topped with chops of bacon) is huge and pretty good and filling. I'd recommend this one for lunch only, though. Tel.: 040- 31 40 53.

German/ French:
<i>Jacobs Restaurant</i> located in the hilly suburb of Blankenese on the River Elbe (which also offers a number of nice walks) and housed in the Louis C. Jacob Hotel is currently noted as the city's best restaurant and one of the top 30 in Germany scoring an impressive 18 points in the acclaimed Gault Millau Guide. The food is indeed excellent, but portions tend to be on the small side. The place offers a wine list and respective advice and service that will delight the most demanding connaisseur, but does come at steep prices. The views of the River Elbe and the passing seagoing ships is great, though. Tel.-No. is 040- 82 25 50.

<b>Upscale North German: </b>
<i>Landhaus Scherrer</i> has been among Hamburg's best restaurant for decades and deservedly so. Chef Heinz Wehmann re-invented regional cuisine and his roast duck &quot;Vierlaender Style&quot; is famous. The interior of this mansion located on Elbchausse is formal and it's located on the &quot;wrong&quot; side of the street (not affording any views of the river Elbe), but where the cuisine is that good, the wrapping does not need to impress that much, II guess. Elbchaussee No. 130, Tel. 040- 880 13 25.

<b>Lunch places</b> (all of these within walking distance of the hotel)<b>:</b>
<i>Bratwurst stalls on Moenckebergstr.:</i> The two &quot;Moe-Grills&quot; offer Hamburg's best grilled sausages at two stalls opposite each other on Moenckebergstr. in the city center, neighbouring C&amp;A department store and Goertz shoe store (do NOT confuse it with the one at the entrance to Karstadt opposite St. Petri church!). Basically you would just have to step outside of your hotel. A delicious Thueringer style bratwurst labelled Moe- Wurst or a Schinkenwurst with a bun will set you back &euro; 2.10. A Currywurst will retail at about &euro; 2.50.

<i>Vapiano:</i> This stylish luncheon eatery decorated by Milano based designer Matteo Thun has revolutionized downtown's lunch habits and is expanding as a domestic chain. A stylish crowd gathers here to enjoy on- site freshly prepared pasta with made to order sauces. The place is self-service and you watch the chef prepare your dishes. Afterwards you can lounge on a couple of sofas at the bar in the entrance area and enjoy some freshly brewed espresso. A meal will set you back around &euro; 5.-. They are located next to the Hamburg Renaissance Hotel on Hohe Bleichen Street. I like it very much for lunch and frequent it heavily.

<i>Cha Cha:</i> This brand new place in Hamburger Hof shopping arcade is accessed from Grosse Bleichen street in the city center or from the upper floor of the mall inside. They prepare Thai food freshly and quickly (but annoyingly they often don't manage to serve two people having lunch together at the same time). It is a non-smoking zone, which is as rare as refreshing in Germany. A meal will cost around &euro; 7.50. I frequently have lunch here.

I hope this helps a bit - should you need any more ideas of what to do, or where to go, do post. I will definitely gladly check out that address, if you will let me know.

hsv

I forgot to add this to my former post - and I hate to do it, but for full disclosure I feel I have to add a <b>word of caution</b>:

For what it is, just as any cosmopolitan city, Hamburg has some areas that are best to be avoided or which require to walk the streets with caution.

This goes especially for the neighbourhoods on the Northern side of Central Station (exit Kirchenallee and tunnels leading to subway line U2 - it is the opposite side from your hotel, though!). St. Georg, as this area is called, is a multicultural neighbourhood that also has attracted large portions of the city's gay population and as such has become somewhat thriving. Lange Reihe Street here is a good example and offers quite a few pleasant bars and restaurants and is pretty safe. However, streets to the North and East of Lange Reihe in the direction of Steindamm should be avoided. They are still home to a lot of drug addicts (with a central drug ambulance being located in the Wuestenrot- building behind the Museum for Arts and Crafts) and cheap brothels. Beware – especially do not pass onto the area of Hansaplatz here!

A hub of drug dealers is also the small Park called &quot;Sternschanzenpark&quot; to the right once you exit train stop Sternschanze. This is fairly close to the hip and alternative neighbourhood of Schanzenviertel, so beware here, too.

Also be on your guard on Reeperbahn! Do not necessarily pass the street called Hamburger Berg with its sleazy bars and pubs, where a lot of criminals reside. Although there is a large presence of Police on Reeperbahn (marked and unmarked), a while ago there were stabbings of rivalling gangs that are easy to get involved with. Only over the weekend, there was a huge police raid to break up gangs of procurists – and one never knows what the consequences are going to be (not so likely that prostitution will be extinguished, but rather that other criminals are going to take over, I suppose).

Ingo

hsv - I will print this out for a future visit. You gave an unbelievable wealth of information.

And greetings to Hamburg.

Ingo

hsv

Ingo, you're welcome! Hope you will notify me, should you be in town!

Greetings to Saxony!

hsv

I thought I might as well add a few suggestions of what there might be to <b>see</b> apart from the museums outlined above:

<i>Tour of the port:</i> Small and large vessels for tours leave from Landungsbruecken, which is a stop of S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains, too. I think it is best to board one of the small boats called &quot;Barkassen&quot;, as these will also take you on a tour through the channels of the historic &quot;Speicherstadt&quot; (warehouse district), where in old brick buildings spices, tea, coffee and carpets are being stored, but which also is a big development area (Hafen City, I mentioned it already on my recommendation of the Kesselhaus) much like the Docklands in London.

<i>Fischmarkt:</i> The famous fish market is held Sundays starting at around 5 a.m. It is located down by the river, not far from Reeperbahn and does not only feature fish stalls, but in fact produce and other items of all varieties at bargain prices. Usually some Jazz Music and beer is available at Fischauktionshalle (Fish Auction Hall).

<i>Strandweg in Oevelgoenne:</i> I mentioned this, too, in my &quot;walks&quot; section. Strandweg is a small pedestrian walkway in Oevelgoenne down by the River Elbe and lined with pretty neat old Captain's houses. It is best accessible by ferry from Landungsbruecken. These ferries are included in a day pass of Hamburg's public transport system called HVV. Strandweg certainly invites for a leisurely stroll along the River. At least head down until you reach the small kiosk called &quot;Strandperle&quot;. This is about as authentically Hamburg as it can get. Enjoy a beer or an &quot;Alsterwasser&quot; (beer and lemonade mix called &quot;Radler&quot; elsewhere in Germany) sitting in the sand and take in the scenario of the container ships being loaded and unloaded on the opposite shore, should the weather allow for it and should the kiosk be open already. This is also very popular on a warm evening, which admittedly you are not that likely to encounter by the end of March. You'll best find Strandperle by walking on the beach from Oevelgoenne down the River. After about 600 m you'll reach it.

Should you be willing to take a walk that's a bit longer, you might continue on Strandweg for about three quarters of an hour when you would reach the &quot;Teufelsbrueck&quot; ferry stop (below Louis C. Jacob's hotel). From there you can either take a bus along Elbchausse street back into town- or take the ferry over to the island of Finkenwerder (home of Airbus planes), switch ferries there and continue up the river to Landungsbruecken in the city.

<i>St. Michael's church:</i> St. Michael (&quot;Michel&quot is Hamburg's landmark church. It is located not far from Landungsbruecken overlooking the city and the river. A fantastic view can be enjoyed once you have climbed the numerous steps of its spire (small fee). The train stop would likely be &quot;Stadthausbruecke&quot;.

<i>Krameramtsgasse:</i> This small alley is basically the only one that survived the big fire more than a hundred years ago. It consists of small buildings reflecting street life and living in the old days. It is only steps from St. Michael and a bit tricky to find. Look for an alley just to the left of a restaurant called &quot;Krameramtsstuben&quot; a little bit below the back side of the church.

<i>City Hall:</i> City Hall is a pretty impressive structure on Rathausmarkt (U-Bahn stop) right in the center of town behind the Inner- Alster Lake. Tours are available, though I am not sure how frequently.

<i>Alster Lakes:</i> The Inner- and Outer- Alster Lakes are acutally not lakes but part of the small Alster River that has been dammed up. Located smack in the center of the city, they are one of the city's main venues for recreation. I strongly recommend a leisurely stroll along the posh neighborhoods of its Western shore, or even better: renting a sailing boat (best and easiest at the berth in front of the Hotel Atlantic on the Western shore) or a rowing boat (e.g. from Bodo's Bootssteg at the Alte Rabenstra&szlig;e berth on the Western shore, in front of the Hotel Intercontinental). Bodo's also features a nice terrace to enjoy a cup of coffee in the sun, or a small beer or &quot;Alsterwasser&quot;.
There are small white ferries that can be boarded in order to get you from one shore to the other. They also depart from Jungfernstieg (S-Bahn and U-Bahn stop) on pretty scenic tours of the widely spread canals affording intimate views into the backyards of some of Hamburg's poshest homes.

<i>Reeperbahn:</i> Hamburg's famous red-light district is worth a look at, whether you approve of it or not. Formerly a long alley where ropes for ships were being manufactured, it became one of the most notorious red-light districts catering to the sailors from all over the world arriving in Hamburg's port. While the area is still pretty grimy, past efforts of revitalizing the area have been pretty successful resulting in the Reeperbahn and its surroundings becoming the center of Hamburg's nightlife with clubs, a Musical Theatre, cabarets (Schmidt's and Schmidt's Tivoli as well as the newly re-opnened Hansa Theater) and countless bars blending in with traditional brothels and topless bars. While pretty unimpressive during daytime, it gains attraction once night and darkness have settled in and the lights illuminating the area settling in with a deceiving effect.

<i>Blankenese:</i> A hilly suburb down the river, this picturesque neighbourhood encourages a walk through steep alleys bordering small and beautiful houses, all overlooking the River Elbe and the majestic ocean-going vessels.

<i>Elbchaussee:</i> This is one of Hamburg's main arteries connecting the city center with the ritzy neighborhoods along the River Elbe. Wonderful old mansions along with some nice views of the container port and the River can be spotted along its meandering way out to Blankenese.

<i>Hagenbeck's Zoo:</i> This is one of Germany's first zoos and is still among its prime. Privately owned and operated, Hagenbeck is famous for being the first zoo in Germany to having introduced a presentation of animals in surroundings resembling their native conditions. During summers, &quot;Jungle Nights&quot; are pretty popular nightly shows, but i doubt that they will be on by March already.

Underhill

We really enjoyed the zoo; it's laid out to allow visitors to choose among routes for various lengths of time. Also pleasant on a nice day is the botanical garden, with its ponds and ducks.

That main shopping street...yes! I loved the big department stores--one has a terrific food hall on the top floor with a champagne bar and an excellent cafeteria.

What impressed us on our visit, which was in the 80's, was all the well-dressed citizens. Hadn't seen anything like it since San Francisco in the early '60s, when ladies still wore hats and gloves to go to work and gentlemen wore suits. I do miss those days!

PamR

HSV,
What an amazing amount of suggestions! Thank you so much. I almost feel like I am already there.
I appreciate the tips on safe and unsafe areas, too. I grew up in Chicago and now work there, and I know all about needing to be careful about where you walk. So this is all very helpful.
I am rather concerned now that my grandmother's place must have been destroyed. Her address was 41 Mundsburg. If you can find out what's there now, I would appreciate it very much. Her family was very poor, and I imagine the place was an old apartment to begin with. And that was over 130 years ago.
You have provided so many good suggestions. We love zoos too, and I now remember reading that Hamburg's was top-notch.
I have one more question. We may take a day trip to Hohenwestedt, where my grandmother's mother's family came from. I expect it is just a little village, and I saw that the train goes there. Do you know anything about it?
Best regards, and thanks again for all your help. Pam R.

hsv

Pam,

thanks for the compliments.

Are you sure about the address?

The problem is that I do only know of an area called Mundsburg that lies within a section called Barmbek-Uhlenhorst. There is also a train stop there called Mundsburg (U 2 line). Plus there is said big shopping mall/ office complex called Mundsburg Center, the name of which is displayed on one of the highrises atop of it (BTW reportedly a popular spot for suicides - Nick Hornby would likely refer to it as &quot;Toppers' Towers&quot; ;-) ).
There is also the small and very charming &quot;English Theatre of Hamburg&quot; across the street, but there is no street called Mundsburg (anymore?).

There is a strett called Mundsburger Damm right there, which is a busy thoroughfare. Number 41 Mundsburger Damm is an inconspicious apartment building from yellow bricks that looks like it was built in the 1950ies to me.

What I could imagine, though, is that there used to be a street called Mundsburg that is now covered by the shopping center. The latter must have been built in the seventies taking the style of the architecture into account. Should I find out anything, I will let you know. Please do check, whether the spelling of the address you have is correct.

I have no information to share about Hohenweststedt as I don't think I have ever been there. It is located some 85 km (or 53 miles) to the Northwest, slightly West of the town of Neumuenster. According to the webpage of the Hamburg Transit System

http://www.hvv.de (available in English, too)

it takes 1 hour and 50 minutes to get there by train. As this appears to be sort of in the middle of nowhere, you might consider renting a car in order to get there a bit faster (driving time should be about an hour). This would also give you the opportunity to explore some more of the countryside (although I cannot think of anything to special in that area - I was mandatorily in Neumuenster in the Army for a year and I did not discover too many great things there).

Ingo

Yet more to print out for me!

hsv - I'll let you know when I'm in town. By the way, what do you think of Hotel Vorbeck? They had very good rates last summer (e.g. stay 3 and pay 2) and I had considered it for a short trip (It did not work out finally).

hsv

Ingo,

are you talking about Hotel Vor<i>bach</i>?

If so, I think I like it a lot. It is located right next to the campus of Hamburg's University in a residential area that is quite upscale. It is housed in three Art Nouveau buildings and is rated as a three star. Dammtor Station (a very nice option to board ICE trains) is within walking distance. You could also walk to the Outer Alster Lake (10 mins.) and the city center (15/ 20 mins.).
I don't know the rooms, but the Hotel in general has a good reputation.

hsv

Pam,

I did some research on the web. According to the wepages of &quot;mundsburgtower.de&quot; that feature pictures as well as webcams and an outline of the history of that quarter, I cannot find evidence that there ever was a street called &quot;Mundsburg&quot;.

The area was acquired in the second half of a wealthy trader by the last name of Mund. He erected a factory there, the headquarters of which were called Mundsburg (&quot;Mund's Castle). Thus the name..
There also used to be housings for the poor and even today, I believe there is a welfare institution housing the elderly nearby.
The whole area was heavily bombed in 1943, though, and thus the new office complex and shopping mall were completed in 1973.

You might enjoy the pictures of the Hamburg Picture Archives:

http://www.bildarchiv-hamburg.de/ham...sen/hamburger/

Should your ancestors have emigrated through the port of Hamburg, you might also enjoy research at

http://linktoyourroots.hamburg.de/

Hope I have not spoiled your trip - probably everything can still be sorted out by verifying the address.

Ingo

Sure, it is Hotel Vorbach. Sorry. Thanks a lot for the information. So I will watch out for good rates

PamR

Hi HSV,
Thanks for your help. I will find my grandmother's original certificates and see if the street could be something else. It was written in old German script, and a little hard to read. But I was pretty sure at the time that it said Mundsburg. You may be right that there used to be a street with that name, but it no longer exists. Yes, that would be disappointing for me, however I just as soon know now rather than arrive there and find a shopping center where I thought my grandmother's old building would be! We are having American Thanksgiving now, and are busy cooking, but I will take some time out to check on this and get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks for the websites, too. They look quite good. And renting a car to go to Hohenwestedt might be a good option for us. It sounds like it really is in the middle of nowhere!
Best regards,
Pam R.

travlsolo2

hsv -- What a treasuretrove of information you've put in this post! It's wonderful! I'll print it out for future reference! So you live in Hamburg, and
Ingo, where do you live in Saxony? (I have friends living in Lueneburg and Hannover.)

hsv

Pam and travlsolo,

happy Thanksgiving to you!

I hope I haven't ruined your trip, Pam, by stating that I cannot find that street. And saying that Hohenwestedt (your spelling of that was correct, mine was wrong) was in the middle of nowhere may have been a bit arrogant - at least ignorant. Just because I don't know anything about it doesn't make it a bad place, after all . It cannot be that bad since it is even part of the recently extended Hamburg Transit System (which still surprised me). Still getting a car might be your better option as it would also make you independent from train schedules. Cars can be obtained very close to your hotel at Central Station (Hauptbahnhof), which is only steps away.
You might want to check with
http://www.eurocar.com
http://www.sixt.com
for competitive rates, should you not want to go through a consolidator (which mostly are able to get you some bargains, but which I being European am not that familiar with).

travlsolo,
yes I am based in Hamburg - and Ingo, if I may speak in his name here, is the acclaimed Dresden expert of this board. He posts a wealth of information on most threads dealing with that city (apart from his knowledge of Switzerland) and the region around it.

travlsolo2

hsv -- oops, sorry, that's right, I forgot -- there is Sachsen and Niedersachsen.

PamR

HMV,
Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes. We had a nice &quot;full&quot; one. I checked my grandmother's documents, and it turns out her mother's death certificate was at the address I gave you (41 Mundsburg), which looks like a bust from what you've said. However I also found out that my grandmother was born in another location. The birth document includes the text &quot;wohnhaft zu Billw&auml;rder Verschlag, Billhorner R&ouml;hrendamm 157&quot;, which a German translator told me was their address in the town of Billw&auml;rder Verschlag,
Billhorner R&ouml;hrendamm 157. She wrote that &quot;today this is a suburb of Hamburg. Billw&auml;rder is today Billwerder and is part of Rothenburgsort in the south of
Hamburg.&quot; Would you know if the rest of the address is a street? Would be nice to locate some trace of my grandmother's home! Thank you so much, Pam R.