Birth location help needed--Denmark or Germany?

Question

I need help with a Germany/Denmark question. Husband and wife  Hans and Christine were both likely born in Denmark. They were both baptized in Denmark. Traveled from Germany when they came to USA. Their USA records go back and forth from born in Germany and born in Denmark. They may have lived at some point in Harreby, Schleswig, Prussia. I can't read the baptism record or the ship manifest attached to their profiles since I believe they are both in German. I have more USA sources to add, but want to sort out a birth location.

I see Christine's aunt is already on WT, also without a birth location :-) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Anholm-1

Any help appreciated!

Comments

The Wikipedia article on Schleswig-Holstein has a decent overview of the history of the area, and how it became part of Prussia in 1867.

---

Side note: In researching my own ancestors, I have found records for this area in both Danish and German.  It may be as simple as which language the person writing the information was most comfortable.

However, I suspect that my ancestors knew both languages as the Danish brothers married Swiss German sisters once within the United States.

Answer 1

Hi Emma,

You don't trust the transcriptions, probably done by computer?

The Baptism was in Sønder Hygum, Haderslev, Danmark.

The confirmation was in Hygum Sogn (Haderslev Amt) (Hygum), Multiple, Danmark (Denmark)

Both in the same place, so logical that birth was nearby as well.  Both of those are Denmark church records.  From the Wikipedia article mentioned by George, the "Germanization" of the area was not very successful, esp. in the northern part of Schleswig-Holstein, where Sonder Hygum is located.  However, Prussen is technically the correct listing for 1870 birth.  Whichever you decide to use, I would put a note that the family was Danish and the records are Danish and that the area changed jurisdiction to Prussia during that timeframe.

Somebody did a lot of work to tie those references to the same person, sorting through hundreds of Hans Christian Hansens...

Comments

His birth record is posted on FamilyTree, with the same location as the baptism.

---

Auntie Marie birth record from FamilyTree:

* "Danmark Kirkebøger, 1484-1941," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG8G-N25N : 10 March 2021), Marie Anholm, ; Birth, Vejrup, Ribe, Danmark, 16, Rigsarkivet, København (The Danish National Archives), Copenhagen.

Name	Marie Anholm
Sex	Female
Birth Date	01 Jul 1842
Father's Name	Anholm
Mother's Name	Ane Dorthea Kjarsdatter
Event Type	Birth
Event Place	Vejrup, Ribe, Danmark
Event Place (Original)	Vejrup, Ribe, Denmark
Volume	16 Since she is born before the wars, she is definitely Denmark.

---

Thankyou Rick for the information about geography. I can not see clearly, however Sønder Hygum must be very close to the northern border of the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein.

---

Sønder Hygum is in the north of the area, that was Germany from 1864 until voted back to Denmark in 1920. A number of young men emigrated from this area to avoid being drafted for the german army.

Sønder Hygum sogn

Vejrup sogn

---

Thank you everyone for your help with this question. It's very clear to me now why both Denmark and Germany are listed on records as a birth place.

Answer 2

I hope that this Map is as helpful to you as it was to me in sorting my own family who were born in the 1850’s in Rørkær, Hostrup, Slogs, Tønder, Denmark.

Comments

Thank you. This is a very clear and useful map. As well as showing the northern boundary of the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, I appreciate seeing the boundary of The Duchy of Holstein.

Answer 3

Hi Emma

I found a Jørgine Christine Antholm. Her birth is listed in the churchbook for Fole Sogn, Frøs Herred in Haderslev Amt. You can find the church record here:

https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/sogn312/churchbook/source138700/opslag15165860

Best regards, Jesper Jørgensen

Comments

Thank you, Jesper! I added this link along with the other sources.