Merry Christmas, Everyone—and Happy Holidays.

I’m thinking of all of you celebrating with your families and the impressive posts and research so many in the family history and genealogy community have done over the past year to share their stories and knowledge.

I’m also thinking back to 101 years ago, when my grandfather, Josef Gärtz, boarded a train in Austro-Hungary to start his fateful path to America and the terror he experienced on that journey.

In honor of the 101st anniversary of that trip, I’m adding a link to the post I made on Christmas Eve last year to mark the centennial of his departure.

Click Terror Atop the Train to read the story of this twenty-one year-old’s audacious manner of getting to the port of Bremen  and my discovery of the diary which allowed me to share his story with all of you.

All the best in 2012.