My mother was born in Oldenberg which used to be on the border near East Germany. Her family emigrated to the USA when she was only one year old so she has only the memories of the old country from her older brothers and sisters. She is now 80 and now wants to visit Germany. She even has gotten a passport so I know she's serious! It has been said that about 40% of the population of the USA has some bloodline connection to Germany.