From my point of view this family tree is a database, which is open to anyone who is in any way related or otherwise connected to one of its current members. Be it for personal research or to contribute their data. Much of the data in this family tree was given to me by Alex Himmermann from Georgsmarienhütte and Heiner Stegmann from Hilter am Teutoburger Wald. They have aggregated information from the baptismal registers, marriage certificates and death certificates of many parishes. I wish to thank them for this work. I am also very proud of the many helpers who registered with Stammbaum Anverwandte and extended this data. I want to thank especially those who have compared our data with their own research to identify and correct errors. I was glad to include several custom made family books (Familienbuch) provided to me by the families, for which I am grateful. I believe that many have data of their ancestors at home but shy away from the struggle to convert it to a web accessible form. I would like to encourage especially these relatives to send these archives to me; I will gladly transcribe them. Anyone, who is related or otherwise tied to anyone in the current family tree can register as a user and receive one of three roles with certain privileges:

1. /members/ are those who already have an entry in our genealogical database (are in the tree). They can inspect all other entries, which includes those of living individuals. They cannot make new entries.
2. /editors/ are those who can change and append new entries. Before being granted access to the whole tree candidates for this role first have to complete their own entry.
3. /administrator/; currently, there is only one administrator. But I hope to find someone to share this role sometime in the future.

So far, I have spoken to all interested people from german speaking countries before granting them access. I would like to continue this practice.

What will happen to this project when I’m gone? I’d be glad if I found someone to fill this role and continue the work. But, if I don’t find a new administrator until then, the data (including photographs and documents) shall be passed on to the OSFA (Arbeitskreis Familienforschung Osnabrück e.V.), where I am a member, under the condition to never make the data public on the internet.