The Allenfort brothers

For the past couple of years I have been doing genealogy research on my mother's family. I knew my grandmother's maiden name and that she was born in Pomerania, an area in northern Poland that over the centuries has alternately been part of Poland and Germany. I had sent for my grandmother's birth certificate that arrived on 24 December 24. My grandmother's maiden name, ALLENFORT, is a unique name here in Germany. The German phone book lists only 22 ALLENFORTS so I decided to call each listing to find out if we are related.

The responses to my calls were mixed. While some people were just not very interested and would not provide information, others were cooperative and gave me data such as their parents, grandparents and family members. I took careful notes as I spoke to each of the ALLENFORTS that I called. Most of the information did not seem to fit into my grandmother's family as we know it.

One of the men that I talked with, a Mr. ALLENFORT from Berlin, gave his father's name as Erwin ALLENFORT. He stated that almost the entire family had fled from Pomerania during World War II. One of the brothers of his father was missing in the war and later when they searched for him they were told that he had died in Russia.

In a call on January 6 to another ALLENFORT selected from the phone book, I spoke with a Heinz ALLENFORTH who lives near Stuttgart, Germany. Heinz ALLENFORT, who is 83 years old, told me that he had searched for his Pomeranian family and had been told they were all dead. Heinz's wife died several years ago and his only son, who is disabled, lives in a nursing home. Heinz was all alone and willing to talk about his former family.

When he gave me the names of his mother and his siblings, I was shocked. The names were the same as those I had been given for Erwin ALLENFORT'S family. Although Heinz and Erwin do not appear to be members of my grandmother's family, the excitement that these two elderly men, who thought each other to be dead, may be brothers was almost more than I could control. I carefully told Heinz that I may have talked to Erwin's son in Berlin, but I think he did not believe me.

I could hardly sleep that night. The next day I again called the son of Erwin in Berlin and told him of my conversation with Heinz. He started crying and said I should call his father, Erwin, right away. I called Erwin who had already been informed about my earlier conversation with his son. Being careful to break the news as gently as possible, I told Erwin that I thought that I had found Heinz in Stuttgart. From his excited reaction on the phone I was concerned that Erwin might have a heart attack. He could hardly write down the phone number of Heinz that I gave him.

An hour later Erwin ALLENFORT called me back. Heinz is indeed his brother that he thought was dead! He had just talked to him for the first time after 60 years.

A couple of days later, I received a follow-up call from a still happy and excited Erwin telling me that on Friday, January 18, Heinz and Erwin will be reunited near Stuttgart. I have been invited to meet with them on Saturday afternoon, which I will gladly do and take pictures of them. I am so happy for them both!

At this time it does not appear that Heinz and Erwin are related to my grandmother. But, with a name like ALLENFORT, which is unique for a German, who knows? Perhaps more research will uncover a connection.

The telephone search did locate an ALLENFORT relative -- I was able to find my mother's cousin who lives in Wolfsburg, Germany. We have talked several times since.

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Vol. 5, No. 4, 23 January 2002