Researching my son in laws German ancestors but haven't got far with his dad. Most of the info is either from his Australian immigration papers or his elderly mothers recollections of things her husband Paul told her. Paul died 2003.
Paul Herman Horst GEFFERT born 19 May 1936 Hamburg. Father Christian Paul Geffert, mother Marianna von Leliva
WW2 - Paul and a baby sister are being looked after somewhere in Germany by their mothers mother, nationality possibly Russian. Mother Marianna killed by bomb possibly in Minster? Munchen?, father Christian in POW camp,somewhere. His father was a mechanic but worked in the army as medical sanitator? in war and carried wounded.
After the war, Christian searches for 2 years for his children. Paul was a Ward of State and on a farm for a while. Baby sister is where?
His father Christian remarries, Paul hates the stepmother and takes off on a ship aged about 17. Possibly first to Canada or USA but lands up eventually in Australia 1955 from where I have the story.
I have searched several online records and written to the Hamburg archives but they just told me to hire a researcher to look up Paul's birth, not helpful. I would pay for them to look it up for me! Why can't they do the lookup?
Gen in Northumberland UK