Family Links

About Family Links

Family Links is a podcast that hopes to inspire you to find identity and belonging through exploring our own family history. Hosts, siblings Tobias Grunick and Katharina Grunick, are exploring their own family history and explore things like historical events, people and places that their family is linked to. Logo designed by Tyler Nagayama Music by Allison Kim

Publisher

Family Links

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 May 2024

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

9 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   The World That Made Him / Die Welt, die ihn formte

   Episode 1 begins at the beginning: Altmittweida, Saxony, 1876. Paul was born into a Germany that was only five years old, in a village where the Schubert family shaped the school and the church for over 60 years. First his grandfather taught at the front of the classroom, then his father. The school was also where the family lived. This episode is about the world that made him, and about a sentence Paul wrote himself: “Early on, the wish arose in me to become a teacher.” Was it really his wish? Extra Resources: The village where Paul was born (German Wikipedia): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altmittweida (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altmittweida) Historical postcards and photos of Altmittweida (German): https://www.gemeinde-altmittweida.de/historisches (https://www.gemeinde-altmittweida.de/historisches) The village church of Altmittweida (German): https://kirchgemeinde-mittweidaer-land.de/unsere-kirchen/zur-dorfkirche-altmittweida/ (https://kirchgemeinde-mittweidaer-land.de/unsere-kirchen/zur-dorfkirche-altmittweida/) On Otto von Bismarck, whose Germany Paul grew up in: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Otto-von-Bismarck (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Otto-von-Bismarck) Sound credits: “writing-chalk-short-01” by newagesoup (Freesound.org, CC BY 4.0), https://freesound.org/s/377842/ (https://freesound.org/s/377842/); “Church Organ Ending Tune” by CGEffex (Freesound.org, CC BY 4.0), https://freesound.org/s/92631/ (https://freesound.org/s/92631/) Episode Art by Tyler Nagayama (https://www.instagram.com/tylernagayama/) Music by Allison Kim (https://www.instagram.com/helloallisonkim/)

2. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Enter With Love / Mit Liebe eintreten

   This season, I'm exploring the life of my great-grandfather Paul, someone I never met. Episode 0 begins with a photograph, a suitcase full of family documents, and the question that started it all: who was this man? Paul's life spanned the German Empire, World War I, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, World War 2 Germany and a defeated and divided postwar Germany. This season, we walk through all of it with him. Extra Resources: * A good overview of the German Empire (1871-1918), the world Paul was born into: https://www.britannica.com/place/German-Empire (https://www.britannica.com/place/German-Empire) * On the bombing of Dresden in 1945, which shapes later episodes this season: https://www.britannica.com/event/bombing-of-Dresden (https://www.britannica.com/event/bombing-of-Dresden) Sound credit: church bell recording by hwwesthoff (Freesound.org, CC0) Episode Art by Tyler Nagayama (https://www.instagram.com/tylernagayama/) Music by Allison Kim (https://www.instagram.com/helloallisonkim/)

3. 

   20 Jan 2025

   The first World War, post war Germany from our perspective

   Through some recently new discovered information, Tobi and Katha revisit their Great grandfather Paul Schubert again. While looking into his life, they explore the links to WW1, the Weimar Republic and the state that the country was in. On a personal level, they also discover a lot of life altering events in Paul’s life that had major impacts on his family. In conclusion, exploring this part of their family history, Tobi and Katha walk away with a new understanding on this Schubert side of the family.Extra Resources: Check out “The Rest is History” Podcast on two amazing series on The Murder of Prince Ferdinand (Ep. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-of-franz-ferdinand-the-killer-part-1/id1537788786?i=1000660729072) 1  (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-of-franz-ferdinand-the-killer-part-1/id1537788786?i=1000660729072)/ Ep. 2 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-of-franz-ferdinand-the-conspiracy-part-2/id1537788786?i=1000660729316) / Ep. 3 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-of-franz-ferdinand-the-victim-part-3/id1537788786?i=1000660729641) / Ep. 4 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-murder-of-franz-ferdinand-the-crime-part-4/id1537788786?i=1000661044067)) and then theRoad to the Great War (Ep. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-countdown-to-armageddon-part-1/id1537788786?i=1000661643844) 1 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-countdown-to-armageddon-part-1/id1537788786?i=1000661643844) / Ep.2 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-the-kaisers-blank-cheque-part-2/id1537788786?i=1000661644089) / Ep. 3 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-the-austrian-ultimatum-part-3/id1537788786?i=1000661644511) / Ep. 4 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-britains-fateful-choice-part-4/id1537788786?i=1000661644606) / Ep. 5 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-the-tsar-chooses-war-part-5/id1537788786?i=1000661644609) / Ep. 6 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-road-to-the-great-war-the-lights-go-out-part-6/id1537788786?i=1000661645010)) Great books on WW1 are: The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-sleepwalkers-christopher-clark?variant=32121973735458), July Crisis by Thomas Otte (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/july-crisis/3A00C973ACDEFF9546FC0CD3B369DEB0) Here is the (german) source of the numbers and stats on Saxony’s involvement in WW1: https://www.slpb.de/themen/geschichte/1871-bis-1918/der-erste-weltkrieg (https://www.slpb.de/themen/geschichte/1871-bis-1918/der-erste-weltkrieg) Fun, 10 minute video on the Weimar Republic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO-_HXO7HwY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO-_HXO7HwY)

4. 

   11 Oct 2024

   Going east to trace another ancestor line

   We are going east to Breslau, todays Wrocław and look into our Grandfathers family, the Hilbigs. In this Episode, we briefly look into the history of Silesia (Schlesien), how our ancestors got to Fürsten-Ellguth and what they did there. We then dive into World War 1 and how it effected our family life and dynamics. And in the end, Katha challenges Tobi in his way of relating to his family of origin. Extra Resources: Here is the wikipedia page to Wrocław (Breslau) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wrocław (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wroc%C5%82aw) and this is another great insight - https://enrs.eu/article/wroclaw-in-the-history-and-memory-of-poles (https://enrs.eu/article/wroclaw-in-the-history-and-memory-of-poles) and another fun approach to the city of Wrocław (Breslau) https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/wroclaw-gnomes-history-dwarves-poland (https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/wroclaw-gnomes-history-dwarves-poland) Silesia or as we refer to in German Schlesien. Take a deeper dive into its history here: https://www.britannica.com/place/Silesia (https://www.britannica.com/place/Silesia) and here is another great insight: https://culture.pl/en/article/what-is-silesia (https://culture.pl/en/article/what-is-silesia) Fürsten-Ellguth where our ancestors lived is today called Ligota Książęca. Here is the very brief wikipedia entry to it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligota_Książęca,_Opole_Voivodeship (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligota_Ksi%C4%85%C5%BC%C4%99ca,_Opole_Voivodeship) otherwise, there really isn't much. Here is a video of someone driving through the town: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGb7Nmvrx1s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGb7Nmvrx1s) Here is a good read on World War 1 from a German perspective: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/german_experience_01.shtml (https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/german_experience_01.shtml) here is a good read on the German perspective on the Somme: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/the-german-perspective (https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/the-german-perspective) Here are two Podcast suggestions I have on WW1 Not So Quiet On The Western Front: The podcast that takes you beyond the trenches and dives deep into the untold stories and surprising truths of the First World War. Join us as we lift the lid on one of the most pivotal periods in human history, busting myths and unravelling the complexities of a conflict that shaped the course of the 20th century. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-so-quiet-on-the-western-front-a-battle-guide-production/id1716885995 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-so-quiet-on-the-western-front-a-battle-guide-production/id1716885995) The Old Front Line: Walk the battlefields of the First World War with Military Historian, Paul Reed. In these podcasts, Paul brings together over 40 years of studying the Great War, from the stories of veterans he interviewed, to when he spent more than a decade living on the Old Front Line in the heart of the Somme battlefields. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-old-front-line/id1505204931 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-old-front-line/id1505204931) This read on the Christmas Truce was helpful: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-real-story-of-the-christmas-truce (https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-real-story-of-the-christmas-truce). Here is a cute video on it, though it probably wasn’t like this. And if you watch it till the end, you’ll actually see what this vide is all about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KHoVBK2EVE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KHoVBK2EVE) We mention All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen Nichts Neues in the podcast. It's originally an anti war book written by Erich Maria Remarque. Here is some history on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front) It was made into a movie and was released in 2022 that really shows how terrible war is. It’s available on netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81260280 (https://www.netflix.com/title/81260280)

5. 

   21 Aug 2024

   From city living to village dwelling

   Our episode starts with a quick recap of the last episode and how we approached the discoveries we made differently. This episode takes us from the city of Dresden to a very small village named Unkersdorf. Here, we explore the life in village and what our ancestors did during that time. And we might find some of this in our own life… or not. It really depends. And then we discover a significant change in our own family line and how one of the longest book titles is connected to our own family history. Hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it!Extra Resources: Tobi mentions the Battle of Kesseldorf. Here is a link to some more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kesselsdorf (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kesselsdorf) There really isn’t much on Unkersdorf, the wikipedia page only exists in German. But here are some stock photos: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/unkersdorf.html?sortBy=relevant (https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/unkersdorf.html?sortBy=relevant) Here is a short informative article on urban living in Germany: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/life-in-rural-germany-1600-1800 (https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/life-in-rural-germany-1600-1800) The job our ancestor had was a Grundnahrungsbesitzer - good luck finding anything on that in English Here is a good article on the issue of spelling and family research - https://www.genealogy.com/articles/research/62_donna.htmlspelling (https://www.genealogy.com/articles/research/62_donna.htmlspelling) Here is the book title Tobi references in case you don’t believe him: Ramming‘s Kirchlich-statistisches Handbuch für das Königreich Sachsen oder Verzeichnis der Ober-und Mittelbehörden in geistlichen und Schulangelegenheiten, der dem königlichen Ministerium des Kultus und öffentlichen Unterrichts unmittelbar untergeordneten kirchlichen und Schulanstalten, sowie aller im Königreich Sachsen öffentlich angestellten Geistlichen, Kirchschullehrer, Lehrer, Kantoren, Organisten, Kirchner und aller Konfessionen Here is a link to the wikipedia page on Altmittweida - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altmittweida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altmittweida) And the link to the image of it: https://www.zvab.com/Rammings-Kirchlich-statistisches-Handbuch-Königreich-Sachsen-Verzeichni (https://www.zvab.com/Rammings-Kirchlich-statistisches-Handbuch-K%C3%B6nigreich-Sachsen-Verzeichni%C3%9F/31596327980/bd)ß/31596327980/bd (https://www.zvab.com/Rammings-Kirchlich-statistisches-Handbuch-K%C3%B6nigreich-Sachsen-Verzeichni%C3%9F/31596327980/bd)

6. 

   24 Jul 2024

   Dresden excursion, family links to Napoleon and ceramic‘s that turn into family traditions

   In this episode, we are finally getting into our own family history. We will start with our mom‘s side and it takes us to the beautiful city of Dresden in 1781. Tobi & Katharina explore our connection to the city and its history through the Thormeyer Family and a potential connection to Napoleon. Another connection brings us outside of Dresden to a city called Meissen and their famous fabrication. We connect some of our family history to family traditions, which we assume does probably often happen in many families around historical facts, events, brands or specific items. Finally, both Tobi and Katharina share from their different perspectives how exploring this part of their family history has impacted their identity and belonging. A little more info on the city of Dresden - https://www.britannica.com/summary/Dresden-Germany (https://www.britannica.com/summary/Dresden-Germany) Here is some brief information on the Dresdener Kreuzkirche: https://visitsaxony.com/poi/dresden-kreuzkirche-dresden (https://visitsaxony.com/poi/dresden-kreuzkirche-dresden) Dresdener Frauenkirche is discribed as “the distinctive sandstone dome—known as the “Stone Bell”—dominated the skyline for two centuries when Dresden was considered to be Europe's most beautiful city and the Frauenkirche the jewel in the crown. The Frauenkirche withstood the Seven Years' War, the 1813 Battle of Dresden, and the Revolutions of 1848.” This quote is from this website where you can also find more info on the Frauenkirche https://www.britannica.com/place/Frauenkirche-church-Dresden-Germany (https://www.britannica.com/place/Frauenkirche-church-Dresden-Germany) Here is a picture of Gottlob Friedrich Thormeyer - https://sachsen.museum-digital.de/object/16624 (https://sachsen.museum-digital.de/object/16624). He also has Wikipedia page Here is a picture of and more info on the Brühlsche Terrasse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brühl%27s_Terrace (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%BChl%27s_Terrace) There is obviously a lot of resources out there on Napoleon. Here is a Wikipedia article on one of his visits to Dresden that I thought was interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_of_Dresden_(1812 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_of_Dresden_(1812)) If you want to see Meissner Porzellan, just go to their website. This stuff is still cool. Here is the link to their website. This particular one will send you to their history. But browse the rest of the website… maybe you end up in their store?!? https://www.meissen.com/net/geschichte (https://www.meissen.com/net/geschichte) Katharina describes what we mean by East and West Germany really well. Just thought I’d add an article to read as well that I found interesting: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54370658 (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54370658)

7. 

   19 Jun 2024

   How we found what we have on our Family History

   After explaining a little bit more of our hopes for this podcast, we dive into our research methods and ways we found out more about our family. As it turns out, the country our ancestors grew up in made our family record their own family history. We reference back to the Aryan certificate, talk about birth certificates and explain how they applied to our research. We discuss what gets in the way in the research… old lettering. We tease how AI might help us and finish the episode with another round of encouragement for you to dive into your own family research. Ariernachweis or Aryan certificate.  Here is an example: https://images.app.goo.gl/zGtxqxnALLbdgGYg8 (https://images.app.goo.gl/zGtxqxnALLbdgGYg8) Birth certificates provide some great information. Here is an example of an old german birth certificate: https://nat.museum-digital.de/object/184898 (https://nat.museum-digital.de/object/184898) Here is an example of what Sütterlin looks like: https://archaeologyarchivesoxford.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/deciphering-sutterlin/ (https://archaeologyarchivesoxford.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/deciphering-sutterlin/) And an example of Kurrent: https://www.1001fonts.com/18th-century-kurrent-font.html (https://www.1001fonts.com/18th-century-kurrent-font.html)

8. 

   15 May 2024

   Episode 1 - The Introduction of Family Links

   The hosts of Family Links, Tobi and Katharina introduce themselves and share a little about the podcast. We share our hopes and ambitions behind Family Links. We talk about our confusion of where we belong, the impact on exploring our family history and what we have been discovering. We share some of the problems we have encountered while exploring certain areas in time family members were part of and how to think about the language we are using about past events.  Finally, we share about the Ariernachweis or Aryan certificate that helped us find out about our family history how we will approach the next episodes. Katharina mentions Klaus Kordon’s books. Unfortunately, his books are only available in German. Ariernachweis or Aryan certificate.  Here is an example: https://images.app.goo.gl/zGtxqxnALLbdgGYg8 (https://images.app.goo.gl/zGtxqxnALLbdgGYg8)

9. 

   10 May 2024

   Teaser

   This is a very brief teaser with an introduction to the Family Links podcast. Episode 1 is coming out on May 15th, 2024.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

26

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

50

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.