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Eldest son of Friederich Johann Philipp and Elizabeth Louise nee Steinhauer. Married Emilie Pauline Margarethe Gasteyer (04 November 1889 - 11 February 1976) on 08 August 1925

One son - Heinrich Karl Walter Heinz (known as Heinz) 01 June 1926 - 03 August 1985

We have some correspondence from Heinrich to Bill Klitz which gives some more general information about the German Tree. Unfortunately we do not have copies of Bill's replies, and sadly, because of Bill's family situation at the time communications were stopped at this vital point and were not resumed until Bob took over the archives around the 1980s. In the meantime both Heinrich and his son Heinz died, taking some of the un-written details of the family history with them.

These are copies of Heinrich's letters from 1954 which are written in Heinrich's own hand in English

Wiesbaden, Germany
Karlstrasse 7
22 November 1954

Dear Mr or Miss Klitz !

Thank you very much for your letter which I unfortunately received not till Friday last week, because it arrived via Buikebury, British Zone of occupation. My son living at Biebrich brought it to me.

I am very glad having again contact with our old relationship in England, though we stood in correspondence with Michael Klitz, London last time. The Uncle of him was Mr Stewart G. Klitz, of whom I have still letters. The aunt of the last was Miss Fanny Klitz, who visited my parents at Wiesbaden in 1901, when I was a boy. I received a lot of letters and was able to save them during the last unfortunate war.

Michael intended to pay me a visit in 1939, but the imminent war prevented it. Last he wrote to me from West India and Chartres in France.

I can tell you a lot of things about your German descends, about which Miss Fanny was very interested. I am also glad to hear from you about your English family meeting and would be very thankful for the English family Tree. The Klitz family in Swanage sent me, via an acquaintance of mine, greetings in 1936.

Please write me something about you, prename, age, your parents and so on. You can write in English.

I remain with much greetings to you and the Klitz family

Yours sincerely

Heinrich Klitz

Wiesbaden. Dec. 10th 1954

Dear Stewart William Klitz

Many thanks for your letter and the very interesting tree. I am happy to hear directly from a descendent of G. P. K. I could write to you many things of the German Klitz. But doing this I would like to tell you: I quite agree with you we did not and do not want wars! I think this says enough. None of us was in the Hitler Party. Do you know what that meant? The last war was the second that I saw and during that time I often thought to the English Klitz, mainly of Aunt Fanny who wrote to me many letters and picture postcards of Guildford, which I am still guarding, also a letter of Mr. Stewart G. Klitz and a beautiful Christmas gratulation of him.

I too deplore the loss of two Klitzes, your father's brother and a nephew. Aunt Fanny never spoke thereof. I should not like to tell this to your father because I do not want to remind him to this. I would understand the mixed feelings of some members of family if the German Klitz - there are only my brother and I - would have wanted a war. I am also awaiting a better world since long. I saw that the second war would bring terror over the whole world and that it was lost for us before it began.

Heinz was 18 and a half - now 28 and a half - when he was to be sent to the front in March 1945. After eight weeks he came in American captivity and returned home in June 1945. In February and March 1945 all our possession at Wiesbaden were destroyed by American air raids. Fortunately we had no losses of family members. My wife was buried by a bomb and I had to get her free again.

Heinz firstly wanted to study engineering at Darmstadt but now he is in the Federal office for Statistics.

I am 65 and full engineer with a great firm of electrical engineers in Francfort. Before 1914 my firm had a factory at Birmingham in England and an exposition room at London. In 1917 I was to be sent to Birmingham. The war prevented it. Now I am working in the export department. Next year I shall retire.

In the following roughly-drawn family tree you will find the ancestor of G. P. K. You will further see that the German and English generations coincide in years up to this day.

In both trees you will see the repeating of some names as Christoph (the father of G.P.K.), John, Johann, Philip, George, Charles (Karl), William (Wilhelm). These all are names of the German branches, partially from the line before G.P.K. I know several more births and deaths dates back to 1697, but I still do not know how these ancestors were related to each other. The parochial registers from the period of the Thirty Year's war do not exist any more. Registers before that time still exist. If I shall find the time I shall make further research.

Three German lines are now extinct. I knew them all personally in the previous generation. i.e. before they died - Heinz and Otto, my brother's son, were the last of the German Klitz and therefore I liked to be in touch with the English Klitz family.

G.P.K. was a brother of my great-grandfather Friederich Wilhelm and emigrated to Lymington at the end of the 1790s. Toni (see Tree) surely still has a picture of his residence and also a photo of Aunt Fanny. G.P.K. paid a visit to his brother Friederich Wilhelm in November 7th 1836, on the same day when the air-balloon "Royal Vauxhall" flew from London to Germany and landed near Weilburg on the river of Lahn. You can see this event in the museum of Weilburg. Lohnberg 3 km distance from Weilburg.

About 1862 the parents of Aunt Fanny paid a visit to my grandfather, Johann Philipp.

Aunt Fanny paid a visit to my father and uncles, Ludwig and Adolf in 1901 and ....the last of Biebrich. They were very good men.

Would it not be deplorable if that all should be forgotten? No, it cannot and shall not be.

Come to visit me next year when I shall retire. I can show you Lohnberg, the place where G.P.K. was born. I sent a photo of it to Aunt Fanny. I sometimes pay a visit to the husband of the last member of the extinct branch of the Klitz at Lohnberg. It is all painful memories and I feel that your father wrongs us.

Your writing to me alone will do. Heinz comes always to see me and also desires to be remembered to you.

Looking forward to your next letter. I am with kind regards

Yours very sincerely

Heinrich Klitz

Wiesbaden 12 February 1955

Dear Mr. S. W. Klitz!

I sent you a letter on the 10th December containing a bit of interesting family history but I am not sure if it has reached you.

I received your Christmas card announcing the birth of Bill Barbara Wendy but this did not contain any reference to my letter.

Should you not have receive it, I could send a duplicate to you. Please give me an information about this.

I would be very glad to hear from you again and remain with kindest regards

Yours sincerely

Heinrich Klitz

Wiesbaden, 4th April 1955

Dear Stewart William Klitz

I thank you very much for your letter containing a piece of most interesting family history. Aunt Fanny never wrote about it. I return it herewith and hope you have more such documents in your possession. How many pages has the book "Sketches of Life..." by Philip Klitz?

I regret very much that there was no contact between our families for such a long time. It is still time to renew it before all reminiscences are forgotten for ever and I suggest to revive the old relations. I believe it will be necessary for us to meet but how should this be arranged?

It is uncertain wether I shall go to England when I retire. Heinz has not yet my family knowledges. Therefore it would be better if one came to visit us. You may be sure that you will be very welcome.

The notice about George Klitz contains an error. He was called George Philip and was not born at Biebrich but at Lohnberg on the river of Lahn in 1777.

I am sorry to say that a famly crest is unknown to me. It will be very difficult to find out something. I will ask my sister.

I would also be glad to get a letter from your brother.

With kindest regards and wishing you happy Easter I remain

Yours sincerely

Heinrich Klitz

Heinz wishes happy Easter too

The postscript to these letters is sadly an un-dated Christmas card, without an envelope for an addressee, from Heinz with the following words:

Dear Mr Klitz

I am sorry to inform you that my father died on May 1st suddenly because of heart disease. Neither my mother nor me knew him to be ill. He took a trip to his sister's in ........(cannot read the writing!) and he died alone in Heidleberg Railway Station.

Excuse me please to write so late but I did not find your address earlier.

If possible would you be so kind to give me the address of Mr Michael Klitz?

With the kindest regards

Yours very sincerely

Heinz Klitz

A last follow up letter to this is from Heinz's wife, Martha, in reply to a letter from Bob

17.2.1987

Dear Mister Klitz

I only received your letter a few days ago, because I spent a few days in Germany. I was very pleased to have some news of the Klitz family in England.

After my husband, Heinz took his pension in 1980 he prepared the family tree. He send all the copies to your cousin Tony. During the last years we only had contact to Tony and Marjorie. (I think that name should read Margaret)

Martha then gives the addresses of Otto and all three of her children

Yours sincerely

Martha Klitz

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Heinrich Friederich