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Sunday, September 18, 2011

The German Wine Road ******************** Deutsche Weinstrasse

Map Weinstrasse

 

Traveling the German Wine Road, in particular the Neustadt Region, is a trip through the Homeland of the Novinger and Nabinger Family. From either Bad Duerkheim or Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, it is only 12 miles to Frankenstein, the Nabinger Home Town.

Weinstrasse - Gimmeldingen-weinberg-im-herbst-mit-weinbietThe German wine road in Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany’s oldest scenic drive; starting in the town of Bockenheim in the southwest of Germany, the 50 miles long wine road leads you through Germany’s second largest wine growing region all the way to the French border.

Autumn Vines

 

 

 

Snaking through vineyards, wine villages and the hills of the Palatinate Forest, you’ll get a great taste of the region’s 1000-year old viniculture; along the way, you can stop in wine shops, tasting rooms, and visit local wine festivals.

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One of the most charming parts of the German wine road are the quaint old towns and villages you will pass on your drive; take your time to explore their historic market squares, old world restaurants and narrow cobble stone streets. Soak up some local flavor at open-air farmer’s markets and wine festivals, which are celebrated throughout late spring, summer, and fall.

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The Palatinate wine region is blessed with a mild, Mediterranean climate; thanks to its abundance of sunny days, exotic fruits like figs, lemons, and kiwis are cultivated here – a rarity for Germany.

 
Spring Almond Tree Blossoms
 
In spring, the Palatinate countryside is ablaze with the pink and white colors of thousands of blossoming almond trees.

 

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A drive along the German wine road is also a trip back in time. Alongside medieval castles, half timbered houses, and century old abbeys, you'll find traces of even earlier epochs.

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Vines have been imported to Palatinate in Roman times, and ruins of Roman wine cellars and old taverns are vivid reminders of that legacy.

 

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The Vineyards of the Palatinate

Sunday, August 28, 2011

*******Profiles of the Nabinger Family******* HERMANN NABINGER


Hermann & Else Nabinger - Copy

HERMANN & ELSE NABINGER - Ludwigshafen, Rheinland-Pfalz

Hermann Nabinger is the subject of our first “Personal Profile” of the Nabinger-Novinger Family. Hermann is being recognized because when I began my search to establish contact between the Novingers of the United States of America and the Nabingers of Germany, it was he who responded enthusiastically, providing me with information on the genealogy of the Nabingers in Rheinland-Pfalz, or Rhineland-Palatinate as it is known in English. In addition, when I and my wife, Tracy, planned a trip to Rheinland-Pfalz in June 2011, Hermann and Else were very gracious to invite us to stay in their home and take us to visit points of interest throughout the Palatinate- Homeland of the Nabinger-Novinger Family.

Hermann Nabinger - 06-2011 (95)
After growing up in Frankenstein, Rheinland-Pfalz, Hermann attended university in Kaiserslautern, Germany, training as a Bailiff in the Courts of Germany. Upon graduation, he opened his Bailiff’s Office in Ludwigshafen, operated this office throughout his professional career, and after retiring recently, continues to live in Ludwigshafen with his wife, Else.  Else was born in one of the wine producing villages on the Weinstrasse, or German Wine Route, a wonderful road passing through the many small towns that are located in the Palatinate wine region. After graduation from her studies, Else worked for a company located on the Wine Route until she and Hermann married.
 
Hermann Nabinger - 06-2011 (74)The most important village in Germany for the Novingers of the United States and the Nabingers of Germany is the village of Frankenstein, Pflaz. Our earliest records of the Nabinger Family are from Frankenstein and Hermann can trace his blood line back to the first recorded Nabinger who settled in Frankenstein and purchased one of the 2 farms located in this valley at the center of what is now the Village. In 1722 his ancestor paid for the construction of a small church building. That 1722 wooden church is no longer standing, but a substantial church now stands in the same location and adjoining the church is the village cemetery.  Today approximately 25% of all the people buried in this cemetery are of the Nabinger Family, as Nabingers make up a large percentage of the total population of Frankenstein.
 
While visiting Frankenstein our wives took the following picture of Hermann and me. Hermann is wearing a cap I gave him which was made in 1967 to commemorate the 50th Wedding Anniversary of my Mother & Father, Frank & Maude Novinger, from Collins, Iowa, USA, and I am wearing a Brazil cap to recognize the many Nabingers who immigrated to Brazil and now form a large Nabinger Family there.
 
Hermann Nabinger - 06-2011 (83) 
Glen Novinger (Left)  -  Hermann Nabinger (Right)
Together in Frankenstein, Rheinland-Pfalz
 

Sunday, August 21, 2011

NOVINGER <> NABINGER VISIT: Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany – June 2011

Hermann Nabinger (56)
Hermann Nabinger & Glen Novinger
In May, 2010, I contacted Hermann Nabinger in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Hermann Nabinger was born in Frankenstein, Rheinland-Pfalz, the earliest known village of the Novingers & Nabingers, and now lives in Ludwigshafen, just 45 kilometers from our Family Village.
So during the 2nd week of June, 2011, my wife, Tracy and I had the pleasure of meeting and visiting Hermann and his wife, Else, in their home. During the past year Hermann and I had compared our family genealogy trees and determined that we are directly related and descended from our common Grandfather, Hans Jakob Nabinger, who was born in 1630 or 1637 and died on 01/21/1710. Hans Jakob Nabinger is our 7th Great Grandfather, or 9 generations back in time.
 
Hermann Nabinger (39)
Hermann with Else and Tracy
 
During our week with Hermann and Else we made many visits to historic cities in the Rheinland-Pfalz State.  But none was more moving than the day we spent in Frankenstein. The photo below shows Hermann and myself sitting on a stone bench on a street in Frankenstein, just 30 meters from the location of the first Nabinger’s farm in that village.
 
Hermann Nabinger (76)
 
Check this Blog soon for more postings on our
Nabinger<>Novinger Home Town, Frankenstein, Rheinland-Pfalz.

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Flag of Rheinland-Pfalz

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

FAMILY HISTORY OF THE NABINGERS OF BRAZIL


The Nabinger Family that originated in Southwest-Central and Western Germany on the border with France can trace its history origins back to the earliest part of the 1600’s.  In the 1740’s some members of the Family emigrated to the United States of America where one branch of the Family continued the use of the Nabinger spelling of the name. Another branch of the Family which immigrated to the Unites States changed the spelling of the name to Novinger.  Another immigration went to Brazil where the original spelling of the Family name was retained.  Now we have a sizeable number of Nabingers in Brazil.
Crest of Hesse, Germany                 

In 1825 Paul Nabinger, who was born in Feinsheim, Hesse, Germany, arrived in Brazil.  He took 3 sons with him to Brazil, but we don’t know whether his wife went with him or where and when she died. In Brazil Paul Nabinger married again and most of the Brazilian Nabingers are descendants of this second marriage. 
       Village in Hesse on the Rhine River

Recently we have made contact with our Nabinger Cousins in Brazil and several of them have joined our Facebook Group: “Novinger & Nabinger Family Network”.  We are very pleased to have established contact with our Family in Brazil and we invite all the Brazilian Nabingers to join our Group at the following link:

Glen Novinger – Austin, Texas

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Novinger, Missouri, COAL MINER DAYS-2011

Novinger, Missouri, is a small town in Northeastern Missouri. My ancestor moved to this area in the mid 1800's and the town of Novinger was built on his farm. The towns annual fair is called: "Coal Miner Days" in recognition of the 53 shallow draft coal mines that were worked in the area during the last century. Glen Novinger - Austin, Texas

 


Saturday, April 30, 2011

NOVINGER GENEALOGY FROM SAARLAND TO THE USA

Several people have asked me for a Family Tree that shows the Father/Son progression of the Novinger Family from Saarland to the USA. The only table I have to offer you at this point is the one I have put together for myself.  I trust that it may help you in the early years of the Family until your branch of the Family splits off from mine.  


This genealogy was prepared by Glen Novinger from various sources.
Some inconsistancies exit. I would appreciate receiving any corrections or additions you may be able to send me and I will make the necessary corrections.
Glen Novinger


"RETURN TO RHINELAND-PALATINATE", HOMELAND OF THE NOVINGER<>NABINGER FAMILY

Once again it will soon be June, my favorite month to visit our Novinger and Nabinger Homeland, the Rhineland-Pfalz region of Germany, on the border with France.







Frankenstein, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany

 
 
 
 
This year my wife, Tracy, and I are fortunate to be visiting Hermann and Else Nabinger who live in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, a city located on the west bank of the Rhine River, across from Mannheim, Germany. Hermann Nabinger and I, and most if not all of the Novingers in the United States, are related, as direct descendants from our common Nabinger ancestor, Hans Jakob Nabinger, who was born in Asweiler, Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany in 1630.

Hermann & Else will be taking us to visit the villages and cities in the Pfalz, or Palatinate, Region where the Nabingers originated and still live to this day. Hermann & Else’s photo appears below and we wish to thank them in advance for sharing the history of the Nabinger Family with us.
Hermann & Else Nabinger - Copy
Hermann & Else Nabinger
Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
 
Following our visit with Hermann and Else, we will post further information about our Family’s history on this blog site.
Flag of Rhineland-Palatinate