Hi Philip,

I can't get your website to open up today. I'll try again later.

In my database, I have a Wenzel Fastner married to Apollonia Sittner/Sitter on Nov. 21, 1791 or 1797 in Neugebäu, Kreis Winterberg, Böhmen/Bohemia. But I don't have this Fastner family connected to mine yet. I haven't found a common relative. But they are from the same town as my Fastner family.

My Fastners (Wenzel Fastner and siblings, their parents Johann Fastner & Magdalena Hany) immigrated from Neugebäu to Bukovina between 1841-1844. In 1887 they immigrated to America. I don't know if the Fastner/Sitter family also went to Bukovina - I'm assuming they didn't, but I'm not sure because I have no death dates for them.

Did you do research at the archive in Trebon, Czech Republic? That's where we found records for my Fastner family from Neugebäu.

In April 1999, I was in Borová Lada (German name Ferchenhaid), then biked to the top of the large hill on a paved road which later turned into a bumpy, non-paved road. We had to push our bikes through some snow on a path to Fürstenhut (an extinct town). Cars are not allowed to drive there, you need to walk or bike. The Czech name for Fürstenhut is Knizeci Plane. Biking took one hour.

At the top of the mountain was Fürstenhut which had no houses and no church remaining (destroyed in WWII).

There is a cemetery and a cross marking the site of the church, and a large WW II war memorial with a Fastner name. The cemetery has one "Familie Fastner" tombstone with no other names or dates. Buried here is a young man who died in Prague in a factory accident - he was an uncle of Herbert Fastner.

The WW II memorial lists Franz Fastner, 20 J (years).

You can also get to Fürstenhut by way of Bučina (Buchwald).

From the archive at Trebon, I have these notes referring to Ferchenhaid:

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Neugebäu (Novy Svet) - House number 5
Children of Franz Fastner* & Juliana Selner:
Baptism Book 2

Sept. 20, 1829 Alexander Fastner page 43
Dec. 6, 1830 Joanna Fastner page 45
April 7, 1833 Beatrix Fastner page 49
Juli 2, 1835 Josef Fastner page 52
Mai 11, 1837 Josef Nep. Fastner page 54 + in childhood
Nov. 15, 1839 Leopoldina Fastner page 58
Oct. 13, 1844 Eduard Fastner page 66

Baptism Book 3
Mai 3, 1847 Aloisia Fastner page 8
Nov. 18, 1849 Maria Fastner page 41

* Parents of Franz Fastner: Wenzel Fastner, profession: Maurer (stone worker) in Ferchenhaid, house number 14; and wife Apollonia Sitter.

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Baptism Book 3 - Neugebäu

1. Rubert Fastner, born March 11, 1848. Page 18. Parents: Ignaz Fastner, Häusler in Neubusk 14 and wife Anna Müller. Parents of Ignaz: Wenzel Fastner, Maurer in Neubusk, and Apollonia Sittner.

2. Anna Maria Fastner, born Mai 11, 1849. Page 33. Parents: Ignaz Fastner, Bauer in Seehaid 4, and Anna Müller. Parents of Ignaz: Wenzel Fastner, Häusler in Ferchenhaid, and Apollonia Sittner aus Freiung.

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Have a nice time on your trip to Germany!

Debbie