
Typical Landscape near Jersleben, Lower Saxony – Photo Credit: Wikipedia
A Young Boy’s Early Death
Like the seventh child, the tenth descendant of Friedrich and Emma Klopp (my grandparents) died prematurely. Hermann was born on 26 April 1890 in Jersleben near Wolmirstedt. His name is not mentioned in the Klopp family records. The sixth Klopp son was baptized by the renowned regional historian of the Altmark Dr. Friedrich Daniel, who had been a pastor in Jersleben since 1887. The date of the boy’s death could not be determined from the official towns’ records of Wolmirstedt, Jersleben and Elbeu. All relevant circumstances point to the fact that Hermann took part in mother Emma’s resettlement and move to Elsenau, West Prussia (County of Schlochau) in 1903, where he passed away shortly after their arrival in his early youth.

St. Jacob’s Church in Schlochau, the administrative centre to which the village Elsenau belonged.
The church is beautiful, but the thought of journeying down that canal is lovely. The information you offered about Herman Valentin Friedrich Klopp is a creative way of marking Valentine’s Day, too.
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Indeed, what a lovely coincidence to have Valentine’s short life story published on the day of love.
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With huge families like that, it is hard to get them all through alive and healthy. That is very sad.
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Hi Peter. Although much information regarding Hermann Valentin Friedrich Klopp has been lost, thanks to you he is not entirely forgotten. A fitting tribute to him on Valentine’s day. Des
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It is coincidence (defintitely not intended) indeed that I published the post on Valentine’s Day.
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Excellent and interesting.
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It is good to remember our history, our stories. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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How very, very sad. Why wouldn’t he have been mentioned in the family records? I am curious how you learned about his death—from your father, I assume? Do you know what was the cause of death? I am always so troubled in my own research when I see the death of such a young person.
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Every once in awhile I need to point out that I am not the author of this fascinating family research. I merely do the translating of the family chronicles written in German by my cousin Eberhard Klopp.
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Ah, yes—I do forget that. Is your cousin still alive? Maybe he knows the answers, or perhaps not if he didn’t include it in his history.
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My cousin is a very thourough researcher, but that is all he could find out about poor little Valintin Klopp.
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I know that feeling.
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It’s so sad when a child dies young, but I’m glad you documented what you knew about his short life.
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Though unfortunate, I think it is best to bring it out and face it. And, a hundred years back, it was perhaps more common than it is today.
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Infant and child mortality were indeed much higher than in today’s world of advanced medicine.
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