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I have been able to trace the Schwitters' name from Switzerland where it was spelled "Schwitter" without the final "s". From my research, I have concluded that due to war or religious reasons, the "Schwitter" name moved north from Switzerland to the Frisian area high-lighted in yellow. All of this area, at one time, spoke Frisian and now, only a small area of the Province Friesland in northwest Holland and Denmark speak it today. The Frisian language is its own language, not a version of Low-German (Platt), German or Dutch. Due to the naming practices in Friesland,the final "s" was then added to the name.
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The name "Schwitters" is not a common one making research relatively easy. Unfortunately, I am not a professional Genealogist and my research of microfilmed documents provided from the LDS Family History Centers and some correspondence from some Genealogy centers in Europe has left me with incomplete information. The need for a professional Genealogist and possible DNA testing may reveal more information. My research has ended with our families living approximately 15 miles away, 1857 in Wittmund, Prussia and 1817 in Dornum, Prussia. My conclusion is that I am distantly related to Kurt Schwitters.
It was in the early 1970's when I first heard of Kurt Schwitters and that he was an artist. I was told by my Grandmother that he was my Grandfather's cousin and that they met once in Amsterdam in the 1920's. My Grandmother was interviewed by Dutch media regarding this meeting. In 2000, I had time available and began to research my Genealogy to document the connection.
I found that Kurt Schwitters was born on June 20, 1887 in Hanover, Germany and died January 8, 1948 in Kendal, England as a British Citizen. His father, Eduard Hermann Schwitters was born on February 27, 1857 in Wittmund, Eastfriesland, Prussia and died at the age of 74 on May 16, 1931 in Hanover, Germany. Kurt's family continues back four generations living in the town of Wittmund.
My family emigrated to America in 1962 from Amsterdam. I can trace my family back six generations to the town of Dornum, Prussia.
One mile south of Dornum is the town of Schwittersum. My guess is that this is the town created by the first Schwitter from Switzerland who migrated to Eastfriesland and settled there.
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The red line on the right, from Wittmund to Hanover, and the red lines on the left from Dornum to Groningen and then to Amsterdam,
indicates the migrations of our families.
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