The Hidden Branch
Surprise — two DNA tests reveal that I’m Jewish. My Jewish husband and Jewish best friend claim they are not the least bit surprised by this news, and I can’t … Continue reading
The Benefits of Blogging
Something I’ve been hoping for has finally happened! A member of the Spielmann/Spellman family contacted me through this blog. I’m so delighted. I’d like to say a big thank you to Paul (who … Continue reading
Spielmanns at the Beach
Happy Friday, People! Here are an assortment of pictures of Spielmann family members at the beach — I hope your upcoming weekend includes something fun and relaxing too.
Why Do This, Part Deux
If you haven’t seen Bruce Feiler’s article This Life: The Stories That Bind Us in the New York Times about the importance of family history to the development of children, do yourself … Continue reading
What Happened to Hilda?
My great-grandmother Margaret had many pictures of her younger sister, Hilda. They seemed to have a lot of fun together as young women, and Hilda clearly enjoyed posing for photos. She … Continue reading
Coney Island Idyll
Happy Monday. Here’s a picture of Hilda, Leonor, and Margaret at Coney Island in 1917. The little girl in the front is, I think, Wally Keil, the daughter of my … Continue reading
LS Was a Pretty Fun Guy
I don’t know who LS was, but when he came to town with his dog, exciting things happened for the Spielmann girls. Great-grandmother Margaret received this postcard from LS in January … Continue reading
Postcards Home from WWI
My great-grand-uncle Ernst Spielmann served overseas in France during WWI. Among my great-grandmother Margaret’s things, I found these postcards from him. At the time these were written, Ernst was about 25 … Continue reading
The People of Pancho 