Cause of Death

Something that has struck me as very interesting for some time now is the timing of the deaths of brothers Ernst (1764-1805) and Otto (1760-1803) Holzgraefe of Schweicheln. In writing a history of the family, I have been looking at the contemporary history of Europe as well. Just after the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte rose swiftly to power becoming First Consul in the new French government before becoming an Emperor. The Napoleonic wars began in 1803 and ran until Napoleon's ultimate defeat in 1815. Much of the wars were played out on battle fields in the Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany) between the French and the Austrians, Prussians, and Russians. My theory was that Ernst and Otto may have been killed as a result of these wars! In 1807 after the deaths of Ernst and Otto, the French client state of the Kingdom of Westphalia was organized which was the precursor to the modern German state of Nordrheine-Westphalia. It was ruled by none other than Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte. Schweicheln was located within this territory which lead me to believe that Napoleon's forces suppressed this area which may have resulted in the death of the Holzgraefe brothers!

So, I decided to find out for sure. Some time ago I was asking for help translating a German record up in Salt Lake City's Family History Library. The consultants there are very good at what they do. It takes them seconds to read what it would have taken me hours to decipher. One consultant recommended a website for help in translating causes of death:

http://antiquusmorbus.com/german/german?.htm

The "?" should be replaced by the first letter of the cause of death (I haven't gotten "y" to work yet). So, I looked up the death records which have been posted on Ancestry.com to see if they might reveal how these brothers died. I found a column on the record which didn't seem to list a place, date, or name so I assumed that this might be the cause of death. After a few minutes of searching using this website as a tool I found it! Ernst had died at the age of 41 of Brustkrankheit and Otto at the age of 43 of Brustfieber! Brustkrankheit, which literally means "Breast Disease", probably meant Tuberculosis and Brustfieber (Breast Fever) probably meant Pneumonia.

So, here I am thinking of all these amazingly historically associated causes of death that would really connect my ancestors to the big picture when in reality...they died of simple preventable diseases by today's terms. It turns out, there probably was no such struggle at all in this area of Germany during the Napoleonic wars. Most of the battles took place in Southern Germany, Austria, and Prussia. The actual battle which resulted in the Treaties of Tilst (ceding much of Prussia's territory to France as French client states including Westphalia) actually occurred over 1,000 Km from Schweicheln in today's Kaliningrad, Russia!

Prussia in 1807 (orange) and its territories lost at Tilsit (other colours).

I am currently taking an Immunology class as well as a Virology class at BYU and learning about these diseases makes me glad to be alive in the 21st century! Ernst's son, Albert (1796-abt. 1845), moved from Schweicheln to a town called Haddenhausen in a different parish, so I do not as of yet have his death information. Albert's son, Friedrich (1828-1867), died at the age of 39 of Diphtheria, a perfectly preventable disease by today's standards. The Diphtheria vaccine was invented in the 1890's just a few decades after his death. Friedrich's son, Henry Louis (1859-1929), lived to the age of 70 and died of "Chronic Nephritis and Myocarditis" (a heart attack) as it states on his death record in Oregon. Henry Louis' son, Wesley (1889-1973) lived to the age of 84 and died in California of "Rheumatic Heart Disease, Atrial Stenosis, and Congestive Heart Failure". Wesley's son, Perry (1921-1994) - my grandfather lived to the age of 72 and died of "Coronary Artery Disease and Miocaridial Infarction" (a heart attack).

So, it seems that I have a genetic predisposition to heart attack, but I should be fine until about 70 or 80. I'm so grateful to be living in this day and age when medical advances can prolong lives up to twice as long! Had Friedrich lived in today's world, he may have been able to live his life two times over! Also, please vaccinate your children!!! Many of the diseases which were lethal at such a young age back in the day are now nearly extinct or easily preventable. Next time you get a runny nose and a fever, count your many blessings! AND GET VACCINATED!!!! :)