The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-25
Getting Married in eermany.

This time was bound 10 make sure
work, and 30, with the best Information
! could procure. started of for the civil
bureau (Standes ANTI TO ascertain pre-
cisely what was required.
Upon what business do you GOMEZ"
demanded the rompous servant at the
door.
~ am an American citizen, and want
to know how to get married In Ger
many" tailored.
He opened the door of the main office,
and shouted, "Ein Herr Amerikanner
wishes to marry hlmselfl" and then
showed me into large aud well-iilled
waiting-room to take my turn,
every occupant of which gazed fixedly
at me without winking for some min
utes.. One thin, dark, wiry man in
soiled linen and bright yellow kid gloves
had dropped In TO announce the death
OF his 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 a
radiant face, to announce the birth of a
boy fourteen hours old, and to be called
Johannes Conrade Herman DeRener-
meister. A servant girl and her lover
giggling, he erect. dignified and taciturn
as head waiter--to be made man and
wife. had plenty Of time to observe,
for nearly an hour passed before my turn
came. At length l was shown into a
long room. with half dozen clerks ut
one end, who twisted their necks, ad-
justed their glasses, and eazed and lis
tened with open-moutbed wonder.
:" wish to get married in the very
simplest and quickest way" said, pre-
enting my passport. Will you please
tell me how to do itP"
1T Is extremely simple, said the
officer. I'VE must have certificate OF
your birth [Geburtsschein1 signed by the
burgomaster OF the town in which you
were born, and with his seal, and wit
messed in due form. Your certificate OF
baptism Taufsshein), 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 con-
tracing parties, with their passports, as
the first STEP"
l carefully noted this, and he proceed
ed:
THE parents, II living, should GER
tify to their knowledge and approval oil
the marriage. We must also be salts
fiid that there Is no obstacle, legal,
moral or otherwise, to it; whether
either OF you have been married before,
and If 80, whether there are children.
and if SO their names and ages. The
parents names should be in full; also
their residence, occupation, age and
place OF birth should of course be given
for record here"
l begged for another scrap of paper
and made further notes.
"When we have these here in this
desk, lie continued, patting fondly that
we can publish the bans (Aufgebot) by
Rdthhdas for fourteen days, or else you
can have it printed in the journal of the
place where you reside in America, and
bring US copy here as evidence that 1t
has actually appeared. After the ex-
piration of this time you can be married
in this office :"
'Must it be herep" queried.
"Of course" he said. "This Is the
only place which the law now receg-
Mics. Poor people are content with
civil marriages only, but all who move
In good society go from here TO the
church for religious ceremony"
Is it not possible to shorten the
timer" timidly ventured to inquire.
II" We had made all the arrangements for
an earlier day, and are seriously incom.
NODDED by the delay. l 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
hardly know how to explain. But there
is really haste. We are pressed for
time"
"Hastep Pressed for timer" he re-
peated. Perhaps do not understand.
am sorry, but it cannot possible 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 easy mat.
ter / have heard IL is in America. ~
Atlantic MOuthlv.