Robert Oldach, Greifswald, robert.oldach@web.de
CH-573
San Francisco, 18 augustus 2014
Dear dr. Robert Oldach,
Excuse me for writing to you in English. You may reply to me in German, if you wish.
I am very interested in your book “Gott gebe ihnen Glueck, Segen und Sieg” in Mike Hartmanns series “Grenzregion zwischen Pommern und Mecklenburg”, 8 (2013). Although I could buy the book for 12.80 euro, it is almost impossible to have it shipped to San Francisco, where I live. Before I take all the effort, I take the liberty to explain my interest.
One of the participants on the Swedish side during the Seven Years War was count Johan August von Meyerfeldt (1725-1800). In 1758 he was commander of the First German Battalion Grenadiers of 400 men divided in 4 companions. He was active in other parts of Pomerania, but Nehringen and Medrow were the big family estates since 1714. During the quiet times of the war he lived there. I am trying to find the smallest details about him in that particular time and place, because his natural son was born there around 1760. I am the greatgreatgrandson of that natural son.
Do you have the feeling that your book will help me and if not, can you give perhaps any other advice to continue my research (apart from studying the church books of Glewitz, which I did)?
Thank you in advance for any trouble taken,
Kind regards, Hugo G. von Meijenfeldt
Greifswald, 21 augustus 2014
Dear Hugo Graf v. Meijerfeldt,
I have already wrote a whole book about the Seven Years War in Swedish Pommerania (“Der Siebenjährige Krieg in Vorpommern im Spiegel des Tageregisters der Stadt Loitz 1757-1759”) but nevertheless the tyska grenadjärbataljonen or Johann August Meyerfeldt are not mentioned in the “Tageregister” of the town of Loitz – the mainsource of the book. But the german grenadiers played a very important role. I recommend you the book “Sveriges deltagande i sjuåriga kriget åren 1757-1762, Stockholm 1915” by Teofron Säve and “Der Siebenjährige Krieg in Pommern und in den benachbarten Marken. Studie des Detachments- und des Kleinen Krieges, Berlin 1867” by Karl Marschall v. Sulicki (please have a look at googlebooks: http://books.google.de/books?id=QpYwAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3&dq=Der+Siebenj%C3%A4hrige+Krieg+in+Pommern&hl=de&sa=X&ei=qBv2U_i7GMLaOvHcgNgB&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Der%20Siebenj%C3%A4hrige%20Krieg%20in%20Pommern&f=false). To get further information you have to visit the arkives, especially the krigsarkivet of Stockholm. The first step to make researches is to use the Nationell Arkivdatabas (Link with searchword “första tyska genadjärbataljonen”: http://sok.riksarkivet.se/nad?Sokord=F%C3%B6rsta+tyska+grenadj%C3%A4rbataljonen+&EndastDigitaliserat=false&BegransaPaTitelEllerNamn=false&Arkivinstitution=Alla&Typ=Alla&Huvudkategori=999&AvanceradSok=False&FacettFilter=arkis_ark_arkivinstitution%24Krigsarkivet%3A&FacettState=ts4vWA%3Ac|&f=True&page=1#tab). It seems that you can find further sources under “Tillfälliga regementen till fot Ca 52“. Our arkives especially the “Pommersches Landesarchiv” suffered a lot of losses during the end of the WW2. But i recommend you to use our ariadne-research database: http://ariadne.uni-greifswald.de/images/Ariadne/en_index.html (here I used the word “Nehringen”: http://ariadne.uni-greifswald.de/images/Ariadne/index.php4?que_str=nehringen&SID=pqgu1oju4ldvkkp07oc9eoa4j0&php_action=new&s_str=0001&e_str=9999).
Some weeks ago I wrote a small article about Johann August Meyerfeldt an his father (Generalgovernor of Swedish-Pommerania). I send you the article – maybe you can find something new or give me some advises.
I am sorry but this is all I can do for you. If you are still interested in my book, please inform me (it costs only 16,50 EUR). I wish you good luck with your researches.
Kind regards,
Robert Oldach
San Francisco, 25 augustus 2014
Dear Robert Oldach,
Thank you very much for your quick and thorough response.
Since my greatgreatgrandfather was a natural son of the last count, the title of “Graf” doesn’t apply to me.
The Ariadne surchmachine and the book of Von Sulicki are known to me. I used it for my book “The History of the Swedish noble family Meijerfeldt”. Your short article looks fine to me. My story is much longer. It is on my website www.meijenfeldt.nl as well. I have written everything in Dutch. If you master Plattdeutsch a bit, perhaps you are able to read it. If not, I can give you some interesting details.
The book of Saeve is new to me. I will try to get hold of it. I should visit the Riksarkivet once more, but that will have to wait until I will return from San Francisco.
Thank you very much,
Hugo von Meijenfeldt