Von Pein c.o.a., and “Von”

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by springfld.arsenal, May 27, 2022.

  1. springfld.arsenal

    springfld.arsenal Store: http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/

    A relative is descended from the Von Pein family of Germany.

    1. She would like to get the family coat of arms from some reliable source to verify photos and drawings she has which are purported to be correct.

    Also, She’s heard there is a registry of persons who were assigned the title “Von” that it is an indication of special status at a particular time in the history of what is now Germany.

    2. Is there such a registry?
    3. Is there any reference to a special status for Von?
    4. If so, what is the explanation?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    The von Pein family I found are called von Pein und Wechmar.

    Wechmar is a town in Thuringia, Germany, but according in this source:
    https://www.kreis-reichenbach.de/app/download/5792051405/Das+Schloss+Wättrisch.pdf
    the family is regarded as being from the town of Breslau in Silesia. Breslau is currently Polish and known by the Polish name Wroclaw.
    The head of the family is known as Pein, Freiherr von Wechmar. A 'Freiherr' is a baron.
    The Pein von Wechmar coat of arms is in the Austrian "Wappenbuch des österreichischen Monarchie, Tyroff, 1831–1868.
    This is the coat of arms:

    upload_2022-5-28_12-30-56.jpeg
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pein_von_Wechmar_-_Tyroff_AT.jpg

    Silesia is one of those regions that changed hands quite a lot, and it was part of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy for some time, so a mention of the family in a book on Austrian coats of arms isn't unusual.
    The same one on a bookseller site:
    https://www.zvab.com/kunst-grafik-poster/Pein-Freiherren-Wechmar-Wappen-Adel-coat/22412796942/bd
    Is this what she has?
    https://www.vonpein-fienning.com/pdf2/family_crest_info.pdf

    I think it would be good for her to research if her von Pein ancestors are indeed from either Wechmar or Breslau/Wroclaw, or if they have a connection to Pinneberg near the Danish border.

    I can't find any reference in the history of Pinneberg of the name von Pein.
    The town was granted to the Earl of Schauenburg in the 12th century, and remained under the rule of the Pinneberg branch of the Schauenburgs until the late 19th century.

    There are indeed registers of nobility, but none of them official. I would recommend asking these people (site in German):
    https://www.adel-in-deutschland.de/verbaende/stiftung-deutsches-adelsarchiv
    Contact info, I'm sure they speak English:
    info@adelsarchiv.de

    In the German speaking part of the world 'von' usually indicates an aristocratic family. It indicates ownership of a certain town or region.
    This is not to be confused with the Dutch and Belgian 'van', which simply means that a family originated from a certain place.
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2022
  3. springfld.arsenal

    springfld.arsenal Store: http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/

    AJ, thanks so much, clearly we have some work to do to disambiguate the name. I’ll read over what she sent again, which points only in the direction of Pinneberg, but now that we know of the Silesian possibility we have to recheck things.
     
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  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Will you let us know?

    Just a note:
    The coat of arms in the Pinneberg link doesn't look like an old aristocratic one to me, in spite of the helmet. It is too 'fussy' to be very old, and implements usually point to a profession.
    The simple Silesian coat of arms (minus helmet and foliage) is an example of an aristocratic coat of arms, easy to recognize on the battlefield.;) Aristocratic ones are only 'fussy' if they are halved and quartered as a result of marriages or several branches of a family.

    Another example, of my great-grandmother's family, also a simple one if you ignore the helmet etc:

    upload_2022-5-28_15-29-53.jpeg
     
  5. springfld.arsenal

    springfld.arsenal Store: http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/

    Thx again. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if I transcribe some of what she sent as it definitely indicates one path. And yes the 1987 letter you linked is included in the package.

    “Henry had a a Von Pein crest, the one pictured here. He is descended from Otto Bein. The handwritten pages are from my great grandfather’s (Frederick Von Pein) journal (or that of his brother, Matthew.) One or both of them went to Germany, to the family “home” there in the early 1900’s. They were shown a Von Pein crest and drew a picture of it.” I’ll see if I can photo the “crest” and family tree and post, I think that makes it much clearer.
     
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  6. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    So maybe Otto Bein is the one to search for?
     
  7. springfld.arsenal

    springfld.arsenal Store: http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/

    Thx I’m contacting her to see what’s next. Meanwhile the Van Erp connection you show is interesting to me from a metalworking standpoint, would the famous arts and crafts metalworker Dirk Van Erp be connected?
     
  8. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    In the days of Frederick Von Pein genealogical research was difficult, and mistakes were easily made.
    Today we can visit genealogical sites like familysearch and look at old documents online. Before looking for a coat of arms, I would seach for the exact von Pein family by tracing the family back, starting with Frederick.
    The van Erp family has many branches, so you never know.
    On the other hand there are a few towns/villages that took their name from the rulers of the day, like Erp and Herpen. Many van Erps are people whose family originally came from the town of Erp.
     
  9. springfld.arsenal

    springfld.arsenal Store: http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/

  10. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I see it goes back to a Mathias von Pein, so she could trace the family origin back from him. The more usual German spelling is Matthias, double t, if that helps.
    According to the info Mathias was from Elmshorn, which is in the Pinneberg area. Both towns are in Schleswig-Holstein, a part of Germany that borders on Denmark, and was Danish on and off.

    I also see the name Emden, which is a town in East-Friesland on the Dutch border. The German-Dutch and German-Danish borders are actually quite close together. Emden has a seaport, so they could have sailed from Emden to the US.

    There is a Pinneberg museum where they may know more:
    https://pinnebergmuseum.de/pinneberg-historisch/#menuclose
    They are on Facebook, you can click on the link but I think it is all in German. They also have email: info@pinnebergmuseum.de
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2022
  11. springfld.arsenal

    springfld.arsenal Store: http://www.springfieldarsenal.net/

    Thx again, she’s tied up today but will take a serious look tomorrow and send me any questions to post. I think the valuable info you’ve posted will help answer most of our questions.
     
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