Here is the basic information available about the district of Birkenfeld:
Birkenfeld Kries, Rhineland, GermanyEstablished: Populated since Roman times it was ruled by the Sponheim family up until 1817 when it was annexed by the Grand Duchy of Oldenberg. In 1937 it was merged with the Sankt Wendel District (east of the river Nahe and part of the Saarland) to form the new Prussian District of Birkenfeld. Following World War II 24 more villages were ceded to the Saarland. It was not until 1970 that the district got its present borders.
District Capital: Birkenfeld town (6,900)
Cities, townships and historical communities:
Baumholder * (4,156) Berglangenbach (478) Berschweiler bei Baumholder (576) Eckersweiler (159) Fohren-Linden (368) Frauenberg (417) Hahnweiler (241) Heimbach (1,222) Leitzweiler (106) Mettweiler (309) Reichenbach (673) Rohrbach (226) Rückweiler (434) Ruschberg (875) Abentheuer (465) Achtelsbach (468) Birkenfeld * (6,814) Börfink (188) Brücken (1,270) Buhlenberg (514) Dambach (157) Dienstweiler (302) Elchweiler (97) Ellenberg (91) Ellweiler (305) Gimbweiler (441) Gollenberg (145) Hattgenstein (257) Hoppstädten-Weiersbach (2,833) Kronweiler (338) Leisel (595) Meckenbach (110) Niederbrombach (494) Niederhambach (305) Nohen (381) Oberbrombach (494) Oberhambach (269) Rimsberg (120) Rinzenberg (311) Rötsweiler-Nockenthal (500) Schmißberg (233) Schwollen (480) Siesbach (407) Sonnenberg-Winnenberg (514) Wilzenberg-Hußweiler (314) Allenbach (702) Bergen (470) Berschweiler bei Kirn (290) Breitenthal (326) Bruchweiler (537) Dickesbach (450) Fischbach (930) Gerach (258) Griebelschied (210) Herborn (489) Herrstein * (831) Hettenrodt (714) Hintertiefenbach (420) Kempfeld (842) Kirschweiler (1.126) Langweiler (268) Mackenrodt (456) Mittelreidenbach (789) Mörschied (891) Niederhosenbach (339) Niederwörresbach (995) Oberhosenbach (157) Oberreidenbach (605) Oberwörresbach (158) Schmidthachenbach (405) Sensweiler (531) Sien (584) Sienhachenbach (227) Sonnschied (131) Veitsrodt (689) Vollmersbach (549) Weiden (80) Wickenrodt (188) Wirschweiler (357) Asbach (163) Bollenbach (160) Bundenbach (1,003) Gösenroth (268) Hausen (195) Hellertshausen (211) Horbruch (350) Hottenbach (655) Krummenau (153) Oberkirn (356) Rhaunen * (2,257) Schauren (545) Schwerbach (60) Stipshausen (981) Sulzbach (333) Weitersbach (80)
Numbers in brackets are 2006 population. Towns followed by a * are county seats.
See The Wikipedia entry for Birkenfeld District (Kries) at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenfeld_(district) for more information.
Articles:
A History Of Birkenfeld (partially in German),
http://www.genealogienetz.deGrand Duchy of Oldenberg (1911 Encyclopedia Britannica article),
http://www.1911encyclopedia.orgBooks:
(These books are held by me. They may also be viewed at a library. See
http://worldcatlibraries.org/for which libraries hold copies)
DAS OLDENBURGISCHE FÜRSTENTUM BIRKENFELD ARCHIVBILDER (Archive Pictures of the Oldenburg Principality of Birkenfeld), Klaus E. Wild [ 2005. 95 pages with 160 historic photos. ]
CHRONIK DES GEMEINDEFREIEN BEZIRKS GUTSBEZIRK BAUMHOLDER LANDKREIS BIRKENFELD RHEINLAND-PFALZ BAUMHOLDER (Chronicle/History of the area/collective/municipality of Gutsbezirk, Baumholder, Landkries Birkenfeld and Rheinland-Pfalz) Hans Klebes , [1976, 277 pages, many illustrations]
FESTSCHRIFT 150 JAHRE VEREIN FÜR HEIMATKUNDE IM LANDKREIS BIRKENFELD 1843-1993 (Anniversary publication 150 years association for local history and geography in the district Birkenfeld 1843-1993) ; by Gaffga, Peter/München, Wolfgang H. (Hrsg.) Birkenfeld, 1993, 8 , 448 pages
BILDBAND LANKREIS BIRKENFELD (Birkenfeld District Book of Pictures) ; Herausgegeben vom Verein fur Heimatkunde in Landkreis Birkenfeld, 1971, 133 pages, B&W photos and an essay about Birkenfeld District in German and English.
RHENISH PRUSSIA and BIRKENFELD; Handbook prepared under the direction of the historical section of the UK Foreign Office, April 1919; Geography, History, Social/Political conditions, Economic conditions & Industry of the Rheinland-Pflaz area as of the end of WW I. (Confidential British War Office publication; 84 pages plus map in a pocket , no illustrations.
HEIMATKALANDER 1980 LANDKREIS BIRKENFELD (1980 Homeland Calendar of District Birkenfeld); Birkenfeld Local History & Geography Association, 1980, 253 pages, B&W photos, Illustrations, ads and essays about Birkenfeld district local history and geography. Text in German.
(The following books must be viewed in libraries. See
http://worldcatlibraries.org/for which libraries hold copies)
THE HELLCATS: 12TH ARMORED DIVISION 1942-1945Battery Press Inc 1978 95pp, 105 photos, 4 maps and text of the World War campaigns fought by the Hellcats including action in Birkenfeld district
MITTEILUNGEN DES VEREINS FÜR HEIMATKUNDE IM LANDESTEIL BIRKENFELD (Reports of the association for local history and geography in the region Birkenfeld) Herausgeber A. Heidrich. 80 pages
BIRKENFELD IN ALTEN ANSICHTEN (Birkenfeld in old opinions (pictures?) Band 1. 4. Auflage. by Göhl, Walter Zaltbommel, 1988.
ADRESSBUCH ALLER LÄNDER DER ERDE DER KAUFLEUTE, FABRIKANTEN, GEWERBETREIBENDEN, GUTSBESITZER ETC FÜR 1885-1888 (Directory of all countries of the earth of the buyers, manufacturer, manufacturing one, landowner etc for 1885-1888.)
DIE HUNDERTJÄHRIGE GESCHICHTE DES OLDENBURGISCHEN FÜRSTENTUMS BIRKENFELD 1817 - 1917 (The hundred-year history of the Oldenburg Principality of Birkenfeld 1817 - 1917) by Baldes, Heinrich Birkenfeld, Fillmann 1921. 303 pages
BIRKENFELD, DIE GESCHICHTE DES ORTES UND SEINER BEWOHNER (Birkenfeld. The history of the place and its inhabitants) Edited by Helmut Vesper and Dieter Engelhardt, by August ENGELHARDT. (Birkenfeld. 1980), 404 pages
DOKUMENTATION ÜBER DIE 650 - JAHR - FEIER DER STADT BIRKENFELD 1982 (Documentation on the 650th year celebration of the city of Birkenfeld 1982) by Petry, Werner 1982; 312 pages
WAPPENBUCH DES LANDKREISES BIRKENFELD (Coat of Arms book of the district Birkenfeld) by Heyen, Franz-Josef/Zimmer, Theresia (Bearb.) Koblenz,Selbstverlag, 1966, 171 pages
BIRKENFELDER JAHRBUCH 1921 Birkenfeld Yearbook 1921 The hundred-year history of the Oldenburg Principality of Birkenfeld 1817-1917, Baldes, Heinrich; 1921, 303 pages
Churches:
Evangelischen Kirche Birkenfeld
Birkenfeld, Birkenfeld Kreis, Germany
Maps:
Early Map of Birkenfeld:
http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/RHE-PFA/BIR/birk.html(Courtesy of Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft genealogischer Verbände e.V. (DAGV))
Birkenfeld 1900:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Fuerstentum_Birkenfeld_1900.jpg(Courtesy of de.wikipedia.org.de)
Birkenfeld 1971:
http://www.gauerfamily.org/img/oldenbrg.gif(from Bildband Lankreis Birkenfeld)
Surnames:
Gauer, Meurer, Kunz, Leonhardt
Additional surnames are found in the Familybooks for Birkenfeld. The Birkenfeld family books were created by Judi Jung and are available on CDROM at
http://www.rolf-freytag.de/. A list of surnames found in Rudi Jung's family books is found at
http://www.rolf-freytag.de/rudijung/namejung.htm. Note that Rudi Jung's family books cover more than just Birkenfeld so this name list covers areas not in Birkenfeld.
Websites relating to Birkenfeld District:
http://www.landkreis-birkenfeld.de/ (District of Birkenfeld official website, in German)
http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/RHE-PFA/BIR/birk.html (Courtesy of Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft genealogischer Verbände e.V. (DAGV))
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenfeld_(district) (Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org.de, in English)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landkreis_Birkenfeld(Courtesy of de.wikipedia.org.de, in German)
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