Book Reviews

A History of Brunswick:
Life in a German Duchy from Roman Times Through 1900
by Dan C. Heinemeier

This comprehensive history of the Duchy of Brunswick, located in Lower
Saxony (Niedersachsen), examines the influence of military campaigns
and socio-economic conditions on lower and middle-class families.
Genealogists will be interested in Heinemeier's fascinating description
of the "Hessian" soldier migration, their service in the American Revolution
and the selected list of Brunswick soldiers who remained in Canada or
America in 1783.  His detailed discussion of 18th century agricultural
conditions, peasant class distinctions, crop yields and related
economic factors is also very helpful.  This interesting survey concludes
with chapters on land ownership, taxation, Napoleonic Era reforms and
the Industrial Revolution, all of which set the stage for mass migration
from the Duchy of Brunswick (Braunschweig) during the 19th century.
Drawing extensively upon German sources and documents, this 380-page
book, written in English is indexed and includes annotated endnotes.
It is recommended.

For a free email excerpt, send request to m-dh@erols.com

Order from:

Dan C. Heinemeier
3166 Key Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201-5037

380 pp., 8.5" x 11", including maps and illustrations.  ISBN 0967182204
Price: $23.00, plus $4.00 for shipping and handling.
(VA residents, please add 5% sales tax ($1.15.)


A History of Brunswick
Reviewed by Don Heinrich Tolzmann, President
The Society for German-American Studies

This is a comprehensive history of the Duchy of Brunswick
(Herzogtum Braunschweig) with particular emphasis on the
historical factors, which would be of particular interest to those
in German-American Studies as well as historians and genealogists
seeking information on the history of Brunswick.  This work, by
SGAS member Dan C. Heinemeier, is nicely illustrated and contains
useful maps of Brunswick.  This will be of use for studying the
immigration from Brunswick to America.  Heinemeier also lists
soldiers who served in the American Revolution but did not
return to Brunswick in 1783.  According to the publishers,
this is the first in a series of books on other German states and
principalities.  If the others are as good as this one, they will be
a valuable contribution to German-American as well as German
Studies.

Excerpted from Society for German-American Studies NEWSLETTER,
December 1999, edited by Dr. La Vern J. Rippley.

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