Leistadt was the home village of Matthias Bruch of Pennsylvania. His father, Matthes Bruch, had moved to Leistadt to help rebuild following Leistadt’s destruction in 1689. Matthes was one of several immigrants to Leistadt, including the Hoffmann Andreas Neu and the huntsman Andreas Federkeil.
In the early 18th Century, about half of Leistadt’s population were immigrants or children of immigrants. Like the rest of the Palatinate, Leistadt was soon overpopulated, leading many to emigrate to North America.
My book, Leistadt: A Personal History, tells the story of immigrants and emigrants in early 18th Century Leistadt. My research into my family’s time in the village yielded fascinating details about the different social networks, scandals, and daily struggles of our Palatine ancestors in the generation before they settled in North America.
If you would like a free PDF copy of the book, please contact me. If you would like a bound copy, you can order it from the link above (please note, you will only pay for the cost of printing and shipping – I do not make any money from the sale).
Bruch Family History 