Martel Family Reunited
A Wish Fulfilled
Widdern, Germany - November 2011
This family genealogy website was created in October 2003 in honor of my grandparents Michail and Katharina (Fuchs) Martel Jr. of Dehler (Beresowka), Russia, a colony located in the canton Kukkus of the Volga River Region. In 1909 my grandparents immagrated to the Unites States aboard the Lusitania and arrived at Ellis Island, New York on March 20, 1909 and resettled in St. Marys,Kansas. I wanted to preserve our family history and prevent any loss of this invaluable information for future generations. There also was the uncertainty as to whether my grandfather's brother Johannes Peter Martel Sr., his family or any other family members had survived in Russia. Letters to family in the United States arrived from Russia for several years after 1909 and then suddenly stopped, then for approximately the next 80 years there were no more letters or contact of any kind.
October 8, 2010. I received an e-mail from Johann Martel Sr. stating that he was the grandson of Johannes Peter Martel Sr. and that his grandfather had indeed survived, and that he had a lot of family information. Johann included his e-mail address and said to contact him if I wanted the information. Needless to say, I was thrilled beyond belief to have been contacted by Johann and to confrim that his grandfather and family had indeed survived. We exchanged family information via many e-mail and phone calls. Johann said he had been searching the internet for family in the United States for a very long time. His search was to fulfill his father's wish that our family would be reunited, and to that end Johann has fulfilled his father's wish.
Johann, his family, and other relatives left Russia in 1992 and returned to Germany to start a new life there.
November 11, 2011. I, along with my daughters Tonya and Tamika, traveled to Germany to visit with Johann Sr., his family, and other family now living in Germany. This was an extraordinary trip and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Johann Sr., wife - Vera, children - Viktoria and Johann Jr., daughter-in-law - Olga, grandchildren - Katharina, Marcel, Julia, Michelle, and Matthias (Kathrina's boyfriend) for their hospitality and wonderful time that they showed us, and a special thank you to Katharina for all the time she spent translating for the family.
I celebrated my 66th birthday while visiting and was surprised with a birthday party at Johann's home. Johann said that he was thrilled that he was able to fulfill his father's wish and that it has been 102 years since my grandparents and his grandparents ancestors had reunited. Needless to say, this brought tears to my eyes.