Hindemith's Ancestors
In 1924 Hindemith began conducting research into the origins of his paternal ancestors. He succeeded in tracing his family tree, with hardly any gaps, back into the 17th century, whereby some dates extend as far back as 1572. From his research it follows that the homeland of his paternal ancestors was a tightly circumscribed area, comprising hardly over 50km², in West Silesia between Lauban in the west and Jauer in the east.
They lived in cities for the most part and practiced professions in the fields of commerce or crafts. Thus one finds amongst his relatives leaseholders of breweries and wine cellars, horn turners, yarn suppliers, vendors, ploughmen and soldiers of the Emperor. A strikingly large number of his ancestors revealed musical talent, even though none applied this talent professionally.
Hindemith's maternal ancestors, on the other hand, were primarily from southwest Lower Saxony, from the region of the Solling hill range and the upper Weser River. Most of them lived in the country and were active in the areas of agriculture and sheep farming.