Hans and Helga's Corner

Colored version of Alt Raudten branch Crest

Hans and Helga collected various information and items concerning the von Schweinitz family. 

• Included herein
  • Estate of Alt Raudten Photo
  • Coat of Arms of Alt Raudten von Schweinitz branch
    • Schweinitz Coat of Arms
    • Noble Shield Chart 1841
    • Signature Ring Alt Raudten branch
  • Schweinitz Family Tree
    • Schweinitz Family tree Scanned
    • Schweinitz Family Trees various
  • Schweinitz research By Lawrence de Schweinitz
    • Schweinitz Family
    • Library Atlas excerpt about Lewis David von Schweinitz
    • Genealogy Book Schweinitz
  • Thesis about Alt Raudten Estate and Village by Matgorzata Danczak
    • In Polish
    • In German
  • von Schweinitz Family Christening Pillow
  • German Surrender 29 April 1945 and Lt Col Viktor von Schweinitz
  • Lewis David de (or Von) Schweinitz
  • Vonschweinitz Family 2004 Yearbook
  • Letter: Meine Liebe Tante Lotte 19 March 1945
  • Letter: Grossmutti to Inilein 9-13 Feb 1946
  • Alt Raudten and von Schweinitz Family photos pre 1945
  • von Schweinitz family and friends photos pre 1958

Alt Raudten, Manor house on von Schweinitz estate

Estate Alt Raudten Photo

The estate of Alt Raudten is located near the village of Stara Rudna [ˈstara ˈrudna] (German: Alt Raudten) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rudna, within Lubin County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland.[1] Prior to 1945 it was in Germany. It lies approximately 12 kilometres (7 mi) north-east of Lubin, and 67 kilometres (42 mi) north-west of the regional capital Wrocław.

Family Crest

Coat of Arms of Alt Raudten von Schweinitz branch

Greater detail is included in the Compendium pdf file attached for download.

The crest above is based on a photograph of the crest on the inside lid of a golden watch found by Hans and Helga.  This design was used on Hans’ signature ring.

Schweinitz Coat of Arms 1841

This Coat of Arms was found in a chart of Noble family shields.  This is the Coat of Arms of the complete family, not just the Alt Raudten branch.  It is located on chart, third to the right of the eagle.  The caption on the bottom of the chart is “Abbildung des, ihrer Majestaet der Koenigin Elisabeth von Preussen, von 112 Schlesischien edelfrauen am 14 September 1841 zu Breslau, allerunterthaenigst ueberreichten wappenteppichs.”   Illustration of her Majesty the Queen Elisabeth of Prussia, of 112 Silesian nobles on September 14th, 1841 in Breslau, as depicted on Coat of Arms.

The banner reads “Er ist unsere hulfe und Schild” which is from Psalm 33:20-22 He is our help and shield.

Signature Ring of Alt Raudten von Schweinitz branch

When Hans and Helga were looking for a version of the Coat of Arms to use on the ring, they found an etching on the back of the lid on a pocket watch that Hans inherited from his father Hans Wilhelm von Schweinitz.  Based on finding this pocket watch, Hans developed the design to represent his family branch.  This design was used for rings made for Hans, his son Christopher, his daughter Bettina, and his grandson Matthew.  His grandson Michael received his ring in 2016 after Hans died in 2015.  A simplified version of the Coat of Arms is also on a stamp used in Letter Boxing and Geo Caching.

Schweinitz Family Tree

In December 2009, Hans had the family tree scanned in.  If you look on the bottom right section you can see the “Alt Raudten” branch of the family.  The compendium contains six variations of the tree.  It also discusses the potential beginning of the Schweinitz family tree.

Schweinitz research By Lawrence de Schweinitz

In 2006 Hans and Helga received a large box in the mail from Lawrence de Schweinitz.  Lawrence had done quite a bit of research into the Schweinitz Genealogy and had collected quite a few unique items.  For years he had been corresponding with Hans and Helga and they had exchanged information and help each other in family research.  By 2006, Lawrence’s health was failing, so he sent some unique items to Hans and Helga with a note stating “I want you to have these old family Records so they stay in the family.”  In conversations, Hans and Helga new that Lawrence also would also agree to the information being available to others.  Helga copied one unique item, an album, and asked her daughter to deliver the copies to Dr Peucker at the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.  In the box were other unique items, such as a letter from Wolfgang von Schweinitz to Lawrence dated 12-2-1979.  A book on Genealogy by David von Schweinitz printed in 1661.  This David von Schweinitz lived in Breslau and was born 1600 and died in about 1667.  And a book “Appletons’ Library Atlas and Gazetteer of the World” printed April 1894, which has a “Sketch” of a Lewis David von Schweinitz born 1780 in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.  A scan of the first few pages of the Genealogy book are attached.  And the pages for the “Sketch” in the Atlas are attached.  Every photo in the Album has been scanned and combined with the letters Helga wrote to the Moravian Archives.

Thesis about Alt Raudten Estate and Village

In 1995 Matgorzata Danczak wrote her University thesis on the history and current status of the Alt Raudten estate and village.  Her thesis is written in Polish.  Sylvia Sagajlla translated the thesis into German.  Later in 2022, Matgorzata’s book was published in Polish and excerpts are used in the Compendium about Alt Raudten and also the Compendium about Hans’ Biography (see other tabs under Hans’ Corner).

Bettina von Schweinitz

von Schweinitz Family Christening Pillow

This little booklet is a collection of information about the Christening Pillow that has been in the Alt Raudten branch of the von Schweinitz since 1872.  Helga collected enough information to create a tree of everybody who has been baptized in the pillow.  The pillow actually consists of a pillow and an outfit.  Both boys and girls use the same outfit during the baptism.

German Surrender 29 April 1945 and Lt Col Viktor von Schweinitz

This compendium is  a collection of information that Hans and Helga collected on a relative of Hans.  Victor von Schweinitz was a distant uncle of Hans.  While in the German Wermach, Lt-Col Victor von Schweinitz was in developing, signing, and delivering the first instrument of surrender of German from 24 April 1945 to 2 May 1945

At the end of this document is a section on Adam von Trott zu Solz, Perhaps best known for his participation in the infamous Operation Valkyrie plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler on 20 July 1944.

Lewis David de (or von) Schweinitz

This compendium is a collection of information Hans and Helga compiled in their research of Louis David de Schweinitz (b 1780, d 1834).  A lot has been written about David de Schweinitz, but Hans and Helga were more intrigued by David’s contribution to botany, mycology, and apothecary.

David de Schweinitz name in research is sometimes ‘von Schweinitz’ and Louis is ‘Lewis’ or ‘Ludwig’.  David de Schweinitz was born a ‘von Schweinitz’ and later started to use ‘de Schweinitz’.

Vonschweinitz Family 2004 Yearbook

This compendium contains the report that Helga ordered on 30 August  2004 from a Genealogy research company based on the family name of “Vonschweinitz” for $44.85.  Reading this report is entertaining, but not helpful in progressing the family genealogy.

Letter: Meine Liebe Tante Lotte

Written by Ulla on 19 March 1945 to her Aunt Lotte. This letter describes some of the trials and tribulations that families encountered when trying to communicate, trying to find a safe place to wait out the war, or trying to reunite.

Letter: Grossmutti to Inilein 9-13 Feb 1946

Written by Grossmutti Else to her granddaughter Ingrid (Ini) von Schweinitz. This letter describes some of the trials and tribulations that she encountered when trying to communicate, trying to find a safe place to wait out the war, or trying to reunite.

Alt Raudten and von Schweinitz Family photos pre 1945

This compendium is a collection of photos that Hans found that predated 1945 that concerned Alt Raudten and the family members that lived or visited the Schloss. This only has photos with captions. The backstories are in other compendiums, such as Coat of Arms of Alt Raudten, Hans Biography (under about Hans), and Hans Alt Raudten (under Written for Hans)

von Schweinitz family and friends photos pre 1958

List with photos of people mentioned in the various compendium about von Schweinitz family.