Friday, July 22nd- Visit to the villages of the Wirth ancestors

Friday was the day that we set out to find and explore the three villages in Northern Alsace where our Wirt family roots are.  In the 1600- 1700's the family name was spelled Wirth, and our ancestors were  mostly linen weavers.  We hoped to find some evidence of them.

From our apartment in Riquewihr, the destination villages are about an hour or so drive North, and so we departed in our rental car in the morning. The first of the villages that we arrived at was the small hamlet of Lixheim, which actually is situated just a mile or so inside the border of the neighboring region of Lorraine.  This was the village from which our direct ancestors left, and journeyed to America in 1748.

As colorful as the Alsatian villages are, the small farming village of Lixheim is bleak and colorless.  The lack of any painted, or well maintained buildings speaks to the difference in profit that must exist  between wine growing areas to the South, and grain fields in the North.  Although the broad and sweeping landscapes between the villages in this area were stunning, the towns do not have the same warmth that we have come to appreciate in the upper Rhine areas of Alsace.

Lixheim was rather devoid of any commercial activity, save a beauty parlor, and a patisserie (which was closed for the summer vacation). No bar, no eatery, no general store. The town hall was closed.  The one church that was in town was locked!  We searched a cemetery at the edge of the village, and found no evidence of Wirths at all. This was a bit of a disappointment.  I was hoping to have some feeling of "connection" while walking the streets of this village with Chris (like I have had at other places where relatives of mine have lived), but there was no such feeling in this place.

Typical dwelling in Lixheim, France:

World War I and II memorial to the village's dead in front of Lixheim town hall:

Reformed Church in Lixheim where our ancestors worshipped:

Historical marker in Lixheim:

From family history accounts, we know that records of baptisms and other important events indicated that our ancestors worshipped at Reformed Churches in the nearby Alsatian villages of Rauwiller and Diedendorf- so we headed a few short miles in the direction of these places.

Rauwiller Reformed Church and adjacent cemetery:

 

Main intersection in Rauwiller:

Matty's Bar in Rauwiller:

Rauwiller farmer going about his business: 

Rauwiller was a more charming and inviting "burg", for sure. At Rauwiller we found the Reformed Church, but it too was locked. However, a friendly neighbor offered to help us (although there was a significant language barrier), and walked us to the residence of the Church's pastor- hoping that he could unlock the building for us.  But, it was not to be. The pastor was not answering his door. This church had a cemetery also- but very few old tombstones, and no Wirths.  Lots of Engels though! After a quick lunchtime beer at the Matty's Bar, we headed up the road to the village of Diedendorf.

Of the three villages that were part of our family's history, Diedendorf was the nicest.  The homes were brighter, and the village more vibrant- but still a farming village to be sure.  This area was not polluted with tourists, like our temporary home in the Southern Alsace!

We easily found the Reformed Church in Diedendorf, which was nicely painted on the exterior, and had a vestibule that was open, by luck.  Once inside the vestibule I experienced the feeling of connection that was missing in the previous villages.  To me it felt like I was in the presence of my extended family- much like I felt when entering the church in Mexico, PA where my great, great grandfather Daniel Wirt worshipped.

Diedendorf Reformed Church:

Inside the Diedendorf Reformed Church:

The vestibule area was floor-to-ceiling glass, and although locked, it afforded us a perfect view into the chapel, which was simple and unadorned. This sparseness is typical of the Reformed (Protestant) churches of the area, which rejected the opulence of the Catholic places of worship.

Farmer in Diedendorf:

And so the long awaited journey to the origins of our family name is complete!