Silvia Mangels, Kord Holsten, and Don discussing the Kirchtimke region at Kord's home. Kord is a distant cousin, living in Westertimke, a pig farmer. Silvia was a random e-mail contact to a sports club in Westertimke, but was nice enough to set up the meeting with her friend Kord. She worked at a hotel in Bremen, but is starting a new hotel job in Hamburg. She lives in Ostertimke.

This old building in Kirchtimke was built by a Holsten in 1810 (but not on our direct branch). The building style is unique to this region. The oak timbers are set up, then filled with brick. In this home, the cement between the bricks was painted white.

Above the main entrance, you can see an inscription (better on the original print) with a Bible verse on top (not quite legible). Below it are the words "In the Year 1810 built by Cord Schnakenburg and his wife Adelbrif born Holsten" (I can't quite make out the exact names in the German script - I'll have to ask Kord to read it for me).

This is the oldest Holsten house Kord could identify, in Hepstedt, a small village about 2 miles from Kirchtimke. The house was built in 1795 by Claus Holsten (born 1745 in Kirchtimke, on a different branch of our tree). Note the roof is not brick, wood or tile; its made of grass. This roof lasts perhaps 50 years before needing replacing. Now, its used for style, but in 1795, it was cheaper than tile, and all the farmers could afford.

This intersection in Breddorf (about a mile north of Hepstedt) is the location of the farm used by Peter Holtzen in the early 1800s. This Peter is the father of Cord Holtzen, grandfather of Gustav Holtzen, and great-grandfather of Immanuel Holtzen. The houses are fairly new. The residents probably commute to Bremen or Hamburg for their jobs. This intersection is just at the edge of town, and farm land is still used only a few blocks away.

The nicest place to stay while visiting the area is in the slightly larger town of Zeven, just about 5 miles north of Kirchtimke. The hotel Landhaus Radler serves a traditional German breakfast, and the host family speaks good English.

Willenbrocks Guest House (rough Google English translation here) is the largest and oldest restaurant in Kirchtimke, and is just across the street from the church.

(click here to go to the Lambertus or Scheessel page)