Carsten H. O. Tüngler
Member in: Verband deutschsprachiger Berufsgenealogen e.V., Arbeitsgemeinschaft Genealogie Magdeburg (AGGM), Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Mitteldeutsche Familienforschung (AMF), Freunde des Stadtarchivs Magdeburg
GFG: How did you develop your interest for genealogy?
Tüngler: During a family party, i’ve been a child, one told about the history of the own family. It has been told that one of the ancestors has been a musketeer and that the name not only was written Tüngler but also Tingler. According to my childish innocence I thought of one of THE musketeers which has surely been a mistake. I wanted to follow the traces and my grandparents supported me with many family documents. After several time I was able to read the handwriting and started to visit the first parish offices and archives… All in all I grew up with genealogy. During my studies I had the possibility to make the first important contacts in the genealogy.
GFG: Is there any time left for the own family research?
Tüngler: Not only the own family history can be interesting but also in the contract research exciting stories can be found which I follow up happily. Sometimes I´m difficult to stop but also the research of the own family history should not be neglected. I have to confess that not much time is left for this but is used effectively. Occasionally you find new ancestors or archival sources that can explain the social life of already known ancestors. Also in the own family research no limits exist.
GFG: Did something exciting „fell into your hands“?
Tüngler: Genealogy is always interesting and also in simple peasant or artisan families astonishing stories happened. Some were enjoyable but most of them caused great sufferings. The significantly high mortality of children and many cholera and pest epidemics are only general examples.
Within the ancestors of my wife an interesting family can be found that over many generations governed the destinies of the city Osterwieck but that has been persecuted by judicial authorities in 1620. In this year the widow of Dr. jur. Peter Hettling and former Ratskämmerer has been arrested together with her son, the alderman Hans Hettling because of a coin delict. They should deliver Tipper and Sea-Saw coins to Leipzig. The 70-year old mother and her son were held captive for 13 weeks in the Schloss Hornburg and although no evidence was adduced, the episcopal chambers of Halberstadt confiscated article worth 400 Reichstaler and Hans Hettling lost his job as alderman. Another son of Agnes, the baroniel episcopal Hofprokurator, lawyer in Halberstadt and ancestor of my wife, Gerhart Hettling led the advocacy during the case at the Imperial Court against this arrest, requisition and release from the council. How the proceeding ended, is not yet detected. Agnes did not witness the outcome of the proceeding because she died at the age of 80 in May 1630 in Osterwieck.
A wonderfull and especially big epitaph in the church, which shows very good the aces of every family member and which endured the last 400 years without damage, still attests to the tribute and importance of this family in Osterwieck.
GFG: How many persons and ancestors did you already identify in your own research?
Tüngler: Until now I could gather at least 3000 ancestors and together with siblings and some detailed family stories already some 10.000 will be detected.
GFG: What publications did you already complete and on which ones are you working?
Next to many compiled ancestor and parent lists of different families in diverse regions, that will be published in some essays later, following projects are already realised or planned:
Published till now:
- Carsten H. O. Tüngler; „Die Geistlichen und deren Mitarbeiter an den Kirchen zu Schönebeck (Elbe) mit Eickendorf und Zens“; 2004; 53 S. (meanwhile amongst other things also incorporated into the 10 volume pastor biograms of the church province of Saxony)
Planned publications:
- „Familiengeschichtliche Untersuchungen in Westeregeln von 1393 und 1840, Ortsfamilienbuch Westeregeln“; At this moment it is on hand as an unpublished manuscript (till now 700 pages) which can be seen in its analysis of all possible documents as total genealogical analysis of the town. It is only now that a respective part of the eligible official archives emerged over the state archives in Wolfenbüttel and the state main archives (branch Wernigerode), therefore I have to transfer the publication into the future because of its systematic analysis. However, I´d love to give information from the manuscript at any time!
- „Bürgerbücher der Stadt Schönebeck und der ehemals eigenständigen Stadt Groß Salze und der Landgemeinde Frohse“. According to the analysis I can refer to Kämmerei bills respectively account books that reach back until the year 1407 for Groß Salze.
Involvement in tv shows:
- Sachsen-Anhalt Regional (MDR, 2006), Show about the subject genealogy with Andreas Mann (originally in cooperaton with Dieter Hallervorden and his family history)
- „Who do you think you are“ (CBC, 2007), Family history of Randy Bachman (Canadian musician)