Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-21
eETrINa MARRIED n eERMANY.

This time l was bound to make sure
work, and so, with the best information /
could procure, started off for the civil bu-
reau (Standes Anti to ascertain precisely
what was required.
Upon what business do you come %
demanded the pompous servant at the door.
am an American citizen, and want to
know how to get married in Germany"
faltered.
He opened the door of the main office
and shouted, Elm Herr Amerikanner
wishes to marry himself !" and then showed
me into large and well filed waiting-room
to take my turn, every occupant of which
gazed fxedly at me without winking for
some minutes. One thin, dark, wiry man in
soiled linen and bright yellow kid gloves,
had dropped in to announce the death of
bis third wife. A trembling young mother
was sharply reprimanded for letting the
legal third day pass before announcing the
death of her child. A somewhat seedY
clerk had come, with radiant face, TO an
nounce the birth of boy fourteen hours
old, and to be called johannes Conrade
Hermann Degenermeister. A servant girl
and her lover were waiting in one corner
she red and giggiing, he erect, diguitied,
and as taciturn as head waIter-to be
made man and wife. had plenty of time
to observe, for nearly an hour passed be-
fore my turn came. At length. was
shown into a long room, with half dozen
clerks at one end, who twisted their necks,
adjusted their glasses, and gazed and list
ened with open-mouthed wonder.
81 wish TO get married in the very
simplest and quickest way said, pre-
senting my passport. g Will you please
tell me how to do 1t?
sit is extremely simple, said the officer.
We must have certificate of your birth
[Geurtssoheinl signed by the burgomaster
of the town in which you were born, and
with its seal, and witnessed in due form.
Your certificate of baptism [Taufschein]
should also be sent, to guard against ell
error, sealed and witnessed by the present
pastor or the proper church officers. These
tracing parties, with their passports, as
the first STEP"
carefully noted this, and he proceeded
"The parents, if living, should certify
to their knowledge and approval of the
marriage We must also be satisfied that
there is no obstacle, legal, moral or other
wise, to it; whether either of you have
been married before, and if so, whether
there are children, and if so, their names
aud ages. The parents names should be
in full also their residence, occupation,
age and place of birth should of course be
gwen for record here"
begged for another scrap OF paper and
made further notes.
"When we have these here in this desk, :"
he continued, patting fondly that piece Of
furniture, ''then either we can publish the
bans [Aufgebot] by posting notice of your
intention in the Ratbhaus for fourteen
days, or else you can have it printed in the
journal of the place where You reside in
America, and bring US a copy here as evil
dence that it has actually appeared. After
the expiration of this time you can be mar
ried in this office"
Must it be here?" l queried.
stOf course" he said, This is the only
place which the law now recognizes. Poor
people are content with civil marriage only,
but all who move in good society go from
here to the church for religious cere-
mony."
Is it not possible to shorten the time p
l timidly ventured to inquire 1--WE had
Haue alt Jue arran SeHlen6S LOT an carrier
day, and are seriously incommoded by the
delay. did not know the requirements
1t takes four weeks to hear from America,
and then two weeks more here, and
You do not, perhaps, exactly understand,
and yet l hardly know how to explain. But
there isreally haste. We are pressed for
time"
Haste Pressed for time 2" he repeated.
Perhaps l do not understand. / am
sorry, but it cannot possibly be sooner.
You think we are slow in Germany True,
but we are sure. We require our people
to take time to think over the matter be-
forehand, and divorce with US is far from
being the easy matter l have heard it is in
America. > January Atlantic.