Zover - do you know where it is?

[EricS]

A relative was killed in WW2 and on finding his burial details on the German war graves website it gave his birth place as "Zover". I've googled it and cannot find it anywhere! It doesn't seem to be part of Germany, or Luxembourg, Austria, etc.

If you know where this place is I would really appreciate some guidance.

Many thanks & Christmas Greetings to All,

Eric

[Sue Mackay]

What nationality was your relative? If British, my first thought was that it was a misprint for Dover.

[Geoffers]

See Sue's question above, also..........

Did he marry and have children. If he had children, where were they born? If he married, where and what is recorded in the marriage certificate? - These clues may help to point you in the right direction

If he served in the axis forces, is a service record available?

Is anything useful available at the Bundesarchiv to research this chap?

Any siblings/cousins who know of his past? Or any known relatives who also died in WW2 who are recorded in the German War Graves Commission site?

What does the entry in the 'Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge' record?

[Nicolina]

I found my husband's paternal Grandfather's death recorded (wrongly as it happens) and received, by post, what documentary evidence they had. They had his death in Poland when he actually died in Russia, according to his Commanding officer. Maybe they will send you details.

[EricS]

Sorry, I should have said that he was a Luftwaffe pilot.

I am very limited as to other family sources and unfortunately I don't have much more than what I outlined in my original message.

I am not calling him German just yet as I am not sure whether or not Zover (which is the place of birth listed by the VDK) is actually in Germany. It is possible that Zover is a place in one of the old Austro Hungarian related countries but I just don't know. I am hoping that one of our European readers spots this and knows where it is!

Any help gratefully accepted!

Many thanks,
Eric

[Nicolina]

I've had a silly thought Eric (another one). In German a V sounds like an English F, could Zover be a phonetic spelling? Further complicated by translation.

[EricS]

Hi Nicolina,

I've also been wondering about a possible spelling error in the VDK records. There is a Zolver or Zolwer in Luxembourg and I think that I've heard Luxembourg mentioned before in connection with the family.

[Nicolina]

I've been asking Michael and he says that members of the Luftwaffe came from all over Europe i.e. conquered countries. but they didn't call Luxembourg a conquest because they just marched over it.
Of course he wasn't even thought of, back then, so most of his knowledge is what he was taught in school, or read in books.

He comes in handy for translations because my German often gets mixed up with French, Swedish and Icelandic. Oh and English of course.

Just had another silly thought. The LDS Pilot scheme has Luxembourg Civil Registrations 1793 - 1923. Unfortunately there is no search facility, so you'd need to browse the images but you might strike lucky.

[EricS]

I've taken a look at the LDS site for the Civil Registrations for the Municipality which contains Zolver (Sanem). Of course with my luck the document images only go up to the 1890's and don't cover the period when my guy was born (1918), so yet another place added to the list of destinations I need to visit when I win the lottery.

[Nicolina]

I've got my Lottery win trip already worked out and the only place connected to genealogy would be the Caribbean (accompanied by several cousins) to look for the family treasure. I'd have a tour of the US to meet some cousins, Germany about the beginning of December for the Christmas markets and Oktoberfest and maybe on to Switzerland to spend time with family there.

Well there's nothing to stop me dreaming.