Want to translate a German letter or document? Bethel Park Historical Society can help

Information contained in German hand-written letters and documents will be explored at “Unlock Your History: Germans to America,” an event that is part of the Bethel Park Historical Society’s Lecture Series.

Held in collaboration with the Senator Heinz History Center in the Strip District, the event is on German American Day, Oct. 6, at the Schoolhouse Art & History Center’s auditorium.

The history center will bring some memorabilia, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own to encourage conversation.

“If we can reach someone who inherited a box of letters or documents written in German, we are here to help them,” said Robert Stakeley, Heinz History Center affiliates program manager. “We want them to know they are not alone in this.”

They will learn about how to preserve, organize and store letters, documents and photos. They also can find out what the messages mean.

Stakeley said taking pictures of these items is a way to share them with other family members virtually. Those images can also be printed so people can see them and hold onto them — that way, the original document remains safe.

Most of the items discussed during the lecture will represent the history of Germans in Bethel Park.

During the one hour program, museum professionals and experts in history, hand-written documents and preservation will show how heirlooms, genealogy, translation and history come together to demonstrate how a person’s story matters.

The presenters will dig into the German heritage, with insight into the history and some of the unique challenges in understanding these letters and other documents, according to the Bethel Park Historical Society.

Presenters will discuss how anyone can decipher clues hidden within documents and provide guidance on when to get more help.

The workshop is multigenerational and educational for everyone. There will be opportunities to have the letters and documents transcribed and discussion about genealogy.

“We really want to get young people involved with the historical society and these lectures are educational,” said Tim Moury, who has been president of the Bethel Park Historical Society since 2016.

National German American Week is Oct. 2-8.

“It’s a way to connect with others in the community,” Moury said.

Roughly half of Western Pennsylvania residents can trace their heritage to Germany or other German-speaking countries, according to Christopher Tobias, German teacher at Bethel Park High School.

“I’m thrilled that my students have this unique opportunity to develop a greater appreciation for the contribution of German immigrants to the development of this region,” Tobias said. “I hope it will encourage them to explore their own families’ heritage, especially if it was shaped by the German language and culture they’ve chosen to study.”

Lucas Hertzel, a senior at Bethel Park, said he chose German since his family has a history from there. He said he also wanted to learn more about the culture since he had already watched German soccer and listened to music by German artists.

“I’m most interested in seeing the experience of the German immigrants,” he said via email. “Several of my family came to Pittsburgh this way, and I want to learn more about how the incoming Germans shaped the culture of western Pennsylvania.”

There will be two sessions. The first will be held at 11 a.m. for 53 students from the Bethel Park High School German club and another at 1 p.m. for the general public.

It’s free but registration is required because there is limited seating. Register at historicalsocietybp@gmail.com.

The next lecture will feature Bethel Park resident Dick Jewell speaking about President John F. Kennedy’s assassination at 1 p.m. on Nov. 18.