Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-12-23
Getting Married in Germany.

1ulS blLllC Il W do OOuuu " OAA'
work, and so, with the best information
could procure, started off for the civi
bureau (iStdndes Anat) to ascertain pre-
cisely what was required.
Upon what business no you come !?
demanded the pompous servant at th'
door.
81 am an American citizen, and wan
to know how to get married in Germa
n.y." faltered.
He opened the door of the main Office
and shouted, "Ein Herr Amerikannel
wishes to marry himself P' and ther
showed me into large and well-flleC
waiting-room to take my turn, every oc
pupant of which gazed fixedly at me
without winking for some minutes. One
thin, dark, wiry man in-soiled linen, and
bright yellow kid gloves, had dropped il
to announce the death of his third wife
A trembling young mother was sharply
reprimanded for letting the third day
pass before announcing the death of heI
child. A somewhat seedy clerk had
come, with a radiant face, to announce
the birth of boy fourteen hours old
and to be called Johannes Conrade Her
mann Degenermeister. A a servant
girl and her lover were waiting in one
corner,-she red and giggling, he erect
dignifed, and taciturn as a head waiter
to be made man and wife. l had. plen-
ty of time to observe, for nearly an hour
passed before my turn came. AT length
l was shown into long room, with half
a dozen clerks at one. end, who twisted
their necks, adjusted their glasses, and
gazed and listened with epen-mouthed
wonder.
81 wish to get married in the very
simplest and quickest way" l said, pre-
senting my passport. will you please
tell me how TO do ?"
ut is extremely simple" said the Of
ficer. 1--WE must have a certificate of
your birth Ge5urtsscheinl sigued by the
burgomaster of the town in which you
were born, and with its seal, and wit
messed in due form. Your certificate of
baptism Tdufcheinl should also be sent,
to guard against all error, sealed and
witnessed by the present pastor or the
proper church officers. These must be
presented here by each of the contract
ing parties, with their passports, as the
first STEP"
l Icarefully noted this, and he proceed
ed:-
The parents, if living, should certify
to their knowledge and approval of the
marriage. We must also be satisfied
that there is nc obstacle. legal, moral, or
otherwise, to it; whether either of you
have been married before, and if so
whether there are children, and if so
their names and ages. The parents
names should be in full; also their resi-
dence, occupation, age, and place of
birth should of course be given for rec
ord 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 fAntge6ot] by posting
a notice of your intention ill the RGth-
hdus 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 evidence that it
has actually appeared. After the expi-
ration of this time you can be married
this office"
Must it be here?" l queried.
"Of course" he said. This is the on
ly place which the law now recognizes
loor people are content with civil mar
riage only, but all who move in good
society go from here to the church for a
religious ceremony"
rs it not possible to shorten the time p
l timidly ventured to inquire. I'VE had
made all the arrangements for an earlier
day, and are seriously incommoded by
the delay. did not know the require
ments. 1t takes four weeks to hear from
America, and then two weeks more
here, and You do not, perhaps, exact
ly understand, and yet hardly know
how TO explain. But there is really
haste. We are pressed for time"
"Haste? Pressed for timer" he re-
peated. perhaps | do not understand.
l am sorry, but it cannot possibly be
sooner You think we are slow in Ger
many. True, but we are sure. We re-
quire our people to take time to think
over the matter beforehand, and divorce
with us is far from being the easv mat
ter have heard it is in America"
January Atlantic.