Ancestor queries (Germany)

Please contact me if you have any information about my German ancestors, at Mats Carlin.

Grundel, Bohemia (Böhmen) > Estonia (Estland) > Copenhagen (København) > Stockholm, 1394-1690

The Swedish Grundel family is according to legend descendants of a Bohemian fisherman Hans Grundel who in 1394 freed the Bohemian king Venceslaus (Wenzel) from his prison in Vienna (Wien) and was granted nobility in 1402 by the same king. Grundel is the name of one type of fish in German.

One of his descendants, Johan Grundel, German warcolonel was in 1565 sent by the German emperor Maximilian 2 to guard the Baltics against the Russian tsar Ivan and was granted property at Joala in Estonia for his favours. Johan was killed in 1571 outside Tallin (Reval) in Estonia. He was married to Maria Anna Kettler, who is said to be niece of the German warlord Gotthard Kettler, later duke of Courland (Kurland). Maria Anna was killed in 1571 at Joala. All details according to legend.

Peter Zeiger Grundel, 156?->1607, royal watchmaker in Sweden, appeared in Stockholm in 1582 claiming to be the son of Johan Grundel. He had his education in Copenhagen. Peter had 3 sons:

  1. Jakob Grundel, 1590-1663, mayor in Stockholm, numerous descendants who were granted nobility shortly after Jakobs death with the names Grundel and Grundel-Helmfelt.
  2. Henric Grundel, 1594-1674, silversmith in Stockholm.
  3. Lorens Grundell, Västerås, Sweden.
Henric had at least two children :
  1. Petter Grundel ->1687, goldsmith in Örebro.
  2. Elsa Grundel 162(5?)-1679, married to Henric Müller Jr., 1610-1690, goldsmith in Stockholm, born in Lübeck, who had numerous descendants of which some were granted nobility taking the name Grundelstierna.
The information is taken from the Swedish Nobility Records according to Anrep and later Elgenstierna.

Wittkopff, Stade > Stockholm, 1685-1741

I am seeking the ancestors of Rudolph Wittkopff d.Ä., born in Stade, Germany, dead 18.April 1722 in Stockholm, arrived in Sweden before 1685, goldsmith master in Stockholm in 1687, ältermann 1711-1722, married 1687 to Anna Maria Müller, born 1659, dead 18.February 1692. Anna Maria and Rudolph had 4 children. Rudolph remarried 31.July 1692 (childless) to Brita Pihlman, dead 14.March 1706. Rudolph remarried 1.November 1706 to Maria Kammecker, born 1679, dead 1741. Rudolph and Maria had 3 children.

Rudolph Wittkopff was known as an excellent silversmith with several major pieces displayed in museums and churches in Stockholm, Uppsala, Moscow etc.

Sources :

Merkern, Stralsund > Delsbo, 1770-1840

I am seeking the ancestors of Rebecka Eleonora Merkern, born 5.April 1770 in Stralsund (?), Germany, dead 1840, daughter of an "Kaufmann" in Stralsund.
Married to Henric Gerhard Ronander, born 1.July 1752 in Stockholm, dead 15.March 1818 in Delsbo, magistrate in Stralsund until 1802, later in Delsbo, Sweden.
Henric and Rebecka had 6 children.

According to family legend did the parents of Rebecka put hidden gold coins in her maiden dress as a security before her journey to the barbaric north. Parts of this dress is kept among descendants of Rebecka as a family clenodium.

Sources :

Müller, Lübeck > Stockholm, c1600-1690

I am seeking the ancestors of Henrik Müller d.Ä., "Stadtrat" in Lübeck ca. 1600. Henrik d.Ä. has a son, Henrik Müller d.J., born ca.1615 in Lübeck, dead 1690, who was goldsmith master in Stockholm with some magnificient pieces, married in Stockholm 1646 with Elsa Grundel, born 162(5), dead 1679. Elsa and Henric had 15 children.

Sources :

Reichen, Germany > Visby, 1644-1708

I am seeking the ancestors of Syndicus Joachim Reichen, born 5.March 1644 in Germany, arrived in Sweden 1673, still alive 1708. Notarius publicus in Visby, Gotland, Sweden, married to Lyttegård Jöransdotter. Joachim and Lyttegård had at least one child, Petronella Dorothea Reichen.

Sources :

Revised 26 May 2005 by Mats Carlin.