The Burt(t)schell families of Texas and California were represented at the 2005 Reunion of the Burt(t)schell Family International in Cernay, Alsace, France, on Pentecost Sunday, May 15. In addition to the two branches in the US, there are French and German branches. Twenty-two descendants, ten spouses, and one family friend represented the Lucas Burttschell branch of Texas. Eight descendants and one family friend represented the Francis R. Burtschell branch of California.

 

The Lucas Burttschell family came to Texas in 1846 as part of the Adelsverein and helped to settle the Mentz-Bernardo area of Colorado County. Francis R. Burtschell was a nephew of Lucas who traveled to the US on his own in 1846. He went to California in 1853 after spending time in New York and New Orleans. The French branch is descended from Stephen/Etienne, a brother of Lucas who immigrated to France in 1823. The identified German branch and the California branch are descended from Franz Joseph, another brother of Lucas.

 

Thirty of the representatives traveled with a family tour. The tour included some of the famous sites of Paris. The group enjoyed a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral and a cruise on the Seine River. However, they saw the Palace of Versailles from the outside only because of a strike by the workers there.

 

A trip to Normandy, including the Caen D-Day Memorial Museum, Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery and Memorial, was especially moving. Point du Hoc was of special interest to those with Texas A & M connections. Lt. Col. James E. Rudder, later president of A & M, led the 2nd US Army Ranger Battalion in securing that area by scaling the cliffs and knocking out the enemy guns. Currently, there is a project to restore and preserve the site.

 

In Bayeux the group viewed the famous 230 foot long embroidered tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The tapestry dates from the 11th century. The hotel in Port en Bessin offered a wonderful view of the area. The group returned to Paris for another day of sightseeing before traveling to Mulhouse near Cernay. On the last night in Paris the hotel was across from the Eiffel Tower providing a spectacular nighttime view. The trip from Paris to Mulhouse included a stop in Reims to view the Cathedral.

The tour group, the Americans traveling on their own, and German and French cousins enjoyed a program of activities on Saturday. They visited a winery and enjoyed wine tasting in the old walled town of Riquewihr where they also enjoyed a wonderful lunch and shopping. A tour of the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg and a small train ride around the city of Colmar completed the sightseeing. More cousins joined them for a dinner and visiting in the evening in Cernay.

 

The reunion day began with a tour of Cernay and the Pierre Burtschell sites. The Burtschell family was very prominent in the city with Pierre serving as mayor during a difficult time in their history. Mass for the family was held in the church of St. Etienne. Bill Treybig of Kerrville and Joe Mattei of Houston participated in the liturgy which included the three languages of the participants -- French, German, and English -- as well as Latin. Following Mass the mayor welcomed the group at the city hall. The reception included a brief history of the French branch, displays, and refreshments. The Texas branch presented a Texas tote bag and bluebonnets to the mayor.

 

A typical Alsatian meal, fellowship, and reunion activities for approximately 140 family members and guests followed at a local meeting hall. Those from the US provided representative items for the reunion raffle. Karen Brod of Bernardo, representing the Texas branch, invited the family to Texas in April, 2007. The California branch will assist with host duties.

 

Following the reunion, the tour group traveled to Germany to visit the area from which the Burttschell families immigrated to the US. The route included a stop in Heidelberg for lunch, sightseeing, and shopping. The ancestral village of Büdesheim is by Bingen on the Rhine. The group visited the Church of Sts. Aureus and Justina and the nearby cemetery. Although there are no Burttschell graves, there are Braden graves. Many of the Lucas Burttschell descendants are also Braden descendants.

 

Near Bingen is the Rochusberg, a hill on which sits the Rochus Chapel, a place of pilgrimage since 1677. The immigrants from Büdesheim to Colorado County named their German Catholic community Neu/New Mainz (now Mentz). Their church, St. Rochus (now St. Roch), was a reminder of the chapel near their ancestral village. The community itself is named for the diocese of Mainz. The stop at the Rochus Chapel included an opportunity to tour the church and also to visit with many local people who were enjoying the Pentecost Monday holiday. The Germans were surprised to learn that there are a St. Rochus church and a Mentz community in Texas.

 

The group stayed in the city of Mainz to end the tour before returning to the US. They had the opportunity to visit the Gutenberg Museum and the Mainz Cathedral following a cruise on the Rhine from Boppard to St. Goarshausen. A final stop was made in Rüdesheim, a popular tourist town across from Bingen.

 

Bingen and Büdesheim were the sites of the 2000 reunion. The 2002 reunion was held in Mentz, Texas. A number of the tour group and those traveling on their own had participated in one or both of the reunions. However, many of the cousins had never met before. The shared experiences provided an opportunity to expand their understanding of the familys history and each other.

 

The following represented the Texas branch: Eric Braden, Larry Uhlig, and Karen and Bobbie Brod of Bernardo; David and Elvera Kahlich of Weimar; Andy Harbich of Eagle Lake; Bill and Dorothy Treybig of Kerrville; Sarah and Catherine Banschbach of Midland; Ina Johnson of Cypress; Joe and Eddie Mattei and Oscar and Janet Schneider of Houston; Pat and Valerie Johnson of Plano; David and Janie Frels of Stafford, Mary Rucker of Hondo, Dennis and Carol McDaniel of Round Rock, Vicki Mascharka of Clovis, California; Len and Linda Hauff of Monument, Colorado; John and Helen Burttschell of Austin; Jennifer Burttschell of San Antonio, Helen David of San Marcos, Arliss Treybig of El Campo, Claudia Winters of Watsonville, California; and Elaine Terlinden of Meerbusch, Germany. They represented the families of Katherine Burttschell Hennecke, Otilla Burttschell Heiman, Franz Burttschell, Josephine Burttschell Brod, Joseph Burttschell, and Sophia Burttschell Kuhn.

 

The California branch was represented by Blaine Hadden and Brenda Hadden of Jemez Springs, New Mexico: Chelsea Hadden of Moscow, Idaho; Brent Burtschell and Ginger Grant of Los Alamos, New Mexico; Selene Woodward, Tara Nitschke, and Zendra Tams of North Bend, Oregon, and Ancelin Vollhals of Albertshofen, Germany. Selene, Tara, Zendra, and Ancelin are daughters of Blythe Unican who had done the research on that branch of the family and had made the original contact with the Texas branch.