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Towns of my Ancestors - advice/input, please

Posted by (CA) on

I've posted before about our side trip to Germany, and wanting to visit the towns of my great-great grandparents. I settled on just one, Munstermaifeld, visiting Burg Eltz and taking a Rhine Cruise from Bingen-St. Goar.

I decided to join "Ancestry" to get more answers about my relatives. I was able to trace my dad's side back to 1620 and my mom's to 1709. I'd like to visit a few more (more than just Munstermaifeld) places of my ancestors if time allows. I have an afternoon Monday, 3 full days Tues-Thurs and just a tiny bit of morning on Friday. We are flying into Frankfurt Hahn,(HHN) and flying out of Frankfurt Intl. (FRA) We are renting a car in Koblenz

These are the other towns of my relatives. ( I am happy just driving through, maybe stopping for a picture with the town sign, or water tower. (If they paint the town name on it) Maybe having a meal there, or just a cup of coffee, or taking a little walk.) I don't have to see all of them, but would like to do what seems possible, and still have an enjoyable trip without feeling rushed:

Heinsberg,

Bocket,

Waldfeucht,

Kyllburg Bitburg-Prum,

Renchen Ortenaukries Baden,

Wagshurst,

Limburg Hessen,

Losnich Bernkastel Willich

Trier

Koblenz :)

Simmern (now Septfontaines) Luxembourg

If some of these places are worth more seeing than others, I'd like your input.

Posted by
2481 posts

The most interesting of those places is Trier (remains of Roman history, cathedral dating back to Roman times), followed by Limburg an der Lahn (impressive cathedral and medieval castle). Bernkastel-Kues is a wine growing community and has a small pittoresque center.

Personally, I'd concentrate on Trier and Bernkastel (only 50km apart, while Limburg is 200km away) and explore the Mosel region. That can keep you busy for several days.

Posted by
14985 posts

Hi,

From your list I have only been to Koblenz, twice actually. I'll address that.

I would suggest going from Koblenz Hbf to the Ehrenbreitstein, the Prussian fortress built a few years after the defeat of Napoleon. A bus goes from Koblenz Hbf directly there. From the top of Ehrenbreitstein you can get an aerial view of Deutches Eck where the Rhine and the Mosel converge....great view, great scenery. Ehrenbreitstein is the site of the HI hostel in Koblenz where I stayed in 1971.

It has been years since I've been back there, the last time 1987, when this military memorial plaque could be seen as you explored the premises of the fortress.

If you're interested in the history connected with Koblenz, on Deutsches Eck itself is a statue of William I on horseback The original was more flamboyant, this one somewhat less so. The original was damaged in the war when the US troops reached Koblenz.

Statues of William I (Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal) on horseback can be seen in several German cities...Köln (as the train crosses the bridge to reach Hbf,), Düsseldorf, Lübeck, Stuttgart, etc.

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