British born but with German father

[Dee]

After being united with family that I only dreamed about finding, I have stumbled upon some unusual names in my family tree.

My Great Uncle married a girl called Rosa Kaiser and I have since found them on the 1901 Census (they weren't married then and Rosa was living at home). However, I noticed that Rosa's father was born in Germany and, although her mother was born in the UK, her father was also born in Germany (Rosa's grandfather).

Rosa had a few brothers who would have been of eligible age to fight in The Great War, but I wondered whether anyone out there knows if they would have been allowed to fight for Britain, or would they have had to fight for Germany?

Any info on this would be much appreciated.

[Kate Wills]

Dee,

Amongst my 'collection' of musicians are several first generation English born of whole or half German parentage who went on to serve, and often die, in the British army. One of them, Walter Hahn, was born in Germany, where he spent his early years, but was recorded as a naturalised British subject by the 1901 census. He worked for a bank, and died on Gallipoli.

[Jonathan Saunders]

I have a local fatality who was illigetimate. Very shortly after his birth his mother married her lodger - a German national The child took the German surname but reverted to his mother's maiden name when he enlisted in 1915. Not conclusive I know, but I have always suspected the lodger was his biological father.

[Dee]

Hi Kate, Signals

Thanks for he info, I have decided that when I am at the PRO on 19 April, I am going to have a look for them (if I have the time) as I have seen the surname Kaiser on the CWGC site but not with the names I have on my tree.

I can't believe I have found this much family in such a short space of time and especially who I may be able to get WW1 research on. My head is buzzing that much I feel as though I have taken something

Dee

[Simon R]

Maj. Paul Petrie O.C. D bty. 245th Brigade RFA was, prior to an Army investigation into his family history and a spell away from the bty, a Steinthal from a family of German wool traders in Bradford. He went on to serve throughout WWI and after it.... hence no PRO record (yet).

[trenchwalker]

well its quite weird i have 2 relations in langermarck 1 was one of the students

and the other was english born with a german family who in 1914 went to germany and thought for the german army.

quite a thew german imgergrents from australia thought for the britsish army.

[Ian Underwood]

My paternal Grandmother was born in London to German parents, who had left Germany in the early 1880s and were a part of the large German community in the East end of London.

Her older brother George Keil served as a pilot in the RFC, crashing twice but surviving the war. His story is still being researched, but appears that he emmigrated to Canada pre-war and either enlisted in the RFC over there, or returned back to blighty to enlist. When the MICs go online for the 'K's, I'll look up the other brothers to see if they served. My scanner's broken otherwise I'd post a photo of him.

In October I started a thread on the Anti-German riots of 1915, that quickly morphed into a facinating thread on some of the pal's German/Jewish family connections and their experiences in the War and on the home front. You'll find it here.

Ian.

[Dee]

Ian

I have checked the link you provided, which I found absolutely fascinating.

The family I have found aren't actually blood relations but are relations by marriage, even so I consider that they are part of my family and they were also from the East End of London.

My initial link was through my Great Uncle, Edgar Albert Smith (brother to Percy William in my sig), Edgar was married to Rosa Kaiser, which I immediately thought was an unusual name so searched further using the 1901 Census (they are registered there) and Genes Connected.

Although Rosa was born in St Pancras, which is where all her family were settled, her father, Joseph Kaiser had come to the UK from Germany in around 1880 with his friend Albert Hahner. It appears that they found lodgings with Ferdinand Reeder (also born in Germany), who had three daughters (all born in St Pancras). Anna Reeder married Joseph Kaiser & Maria married Albert Hahner.

Joseph and Anna had several children (including Rosa) and I am now attempting to find Rosa's brothers, Ferdinand Kaiser, Ernest Kaiser and Joseph (Jnr) Kaiser, who would have all been of the right age to have served as, I have just found out, one of Albert Hahner's sons was killed during WW1 and appears on the CWGC site. I hope the MIC's for K are put online soon.

This should keep me busy for years

Dee

[Mark Hone]

As I have mentioned a couple of times on similar threads a distant relative of my wife's, Frederick Strollin (aka Friedrich Strolhein) was born in Germany, came over with his parents at the turn of the century, enlisted as a Kitchener volunteer and was killed at the Battle of the Somme. His name is on Thiepval. Two of his nephews, first generation immigrants, died serving with the RAF and Merchant Navy in World War II.