Hi everyone!
It's time to meet another of our Wonderful WikiTreers. This week's member is Dieter Lewerenz.
Dieter became a Wiki Genealogist in May of 2020. He's an Ambassador, the Team Leader for the Germany Project's Translation Team, a G2G Integrator and a member of the Military and War Project.
What are some of the surnames you are researching?
Lewerenz, Reher, Clasen, Finnern, Petersen, Poggensee, Möller, Kruse, Studt, Pump, Rohlfs, Römer, Harm, Kaiser, Appel, Hildebrandt, Lüth, Tim, Bormann, Schnarr, Lucas, Grabow, Raunow.
What are some of the locations you are researching?
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany: Parishes Sülfeld, Segeberg, Oldesloe, Krummesse, Sandesneben; Glückstadt, Neustadt/Holstein.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Parishes Schwaan, Güstrow.
Brandenburg: Parishes Görike, Neustadt/Dosse, Wusterhausen/Dosse.
Saxony-Anhalt: Parishes Genthin, Burg, Harsleben, Dankerode, Neudorf/Harz, Hermerode, Königerode, Hötensleben, Staßfurt.
Thuringia: Parish Schmalkalden.
Lower Saxony: Parishes Ingeleben, Jerxheim.
When and how did you get interested in genealogy and family history?
It was on my own marriage in 1987. At dinner, all the older relatives talked about their weddings and weddings of ancestors who were no longer living.
Since I knew some but by far not all of these names, I later asked them to tell me about it all again in detail and took notes. I then also visited some of them and copied or photographed the documents and family Bibles they showed me. But at some point there was an end and I got no further and that made me even more curious and I went to the archives to understand the story even further backwards. And I still do that today, every new name awakens in me the interest to also look for the name of his parents and siblings; only that today I rarely go to archives but do most of it online.
Who's your favorite ancestor and why?
My paternal great grandfather - Gustav Lewerenz-; because he is the oldest ancestor I have met personally.
What are some of your interests outside of genealogy?
I read a lot and I am an active member of the local volunteer fire department as well as the regional disaster control. In the summer I spend a lot of time in my garden.
Due to the voluntary activities and the family research as well as the gardening I am fully occupied as a pensioner.
[Interview continues in comments below.]