2000/09/17
Dear Family and Friends:
Hallo! Hello! ¡Saludos!
As we continue to define this newsletter and how we hope to link all the Riefkohl family members and their friends, we would like to encourage all of you to send us your ideas for making this possible. The more suggestions we receive, the better our approach will be. So, please drop a note when you have a chance. Also, if you know someone who would enjoy receiving this newsletter and is not, just send me their email address and I will add it to the distribution list.
Many of us have wondered what is the proper spelling of our surname: Riefkohl, Rieffkohl, Riefköhl (with an umlaut) are three spellings that we have seen. We'd like to hear from you as to how you and your family spell it. Do you have old documents that document that spelling? I don't expect anyone to run to the Health Department and change the spelling of their name. Oftentimes, tradition dictates how a name is spelled. It would be interesting to hear from you. I'll compile all of your responses and share them with you on a future newsletter.
Riefkohl trivia: The answer to our last Riefkohl Trivia is Pastor Johann Ernst Christian Riefkohl (1783-1855).
Here is the mystery Riefkohl for this week: This woman lived in Texas during the 19th century. She married three times and had a total of nine children that we know of. Her father was the first Riefkohl to emigrate to continental United States.
"Chinese claim to have discovered tomb of Genghis Khan"
"Clues to Noah's flood turn up in Black Sea"
These are some of the many newspaper headings that we see quite often. As we look forward to conquer space and develop medicines that can cure cancer and other diseases, our human nature forces us to also look to our past to reveal the mysteries of past civilizations . Our quest for finding more information about our ancestors is probably akin to that desire to find what lies uncovered.
We have recently received pictures of documents found at the church archives in Göttingen that may point to an earlier member of the Riefkohl family. Ernesto Riefkohl is currently studying those documents and as soon as we have definitive information that we can share with you we will publish it. Tobias Cohrs has a put on his website (www.cohrs.de) many pictures of the Baetcke family. The Baetcke and Riefkohl families have ties that go back two hundred years. It is simply mind boggling that after so many years, we are still in touch--now with the aid of the Internet.
Olympic fever: I you are following the Olympic games you already know that Klete Keller, from Phoenix Swim Club, earned the bronze medal in the 400M free. Gary Hall, Jr. and Tony Ervin, also from Phoenix Swim Club, earned the silver medal in the 400M freestyle relay. Keep watching as there more to come this week.
For those in the eastern United States, we hope that hurricane Gordon does not do much damage.
Have a great week!
Raúl
Phoenix, Arizona