I would put this in the open thread -but there isn't one up at the moment. I am trying to research my ancestors and have finally found the name of the village my Kruse ancestors came from. It is Hanstedt, Germany. I found the village by way of expedia.com in Lower Saxony, Niedersachsen. What does that mean? Is Niedersachen a state, and Lower Saxony a province?
The woman he married, Dorothea Buhr, her death certificate stated she was from the Ellerndorf province. Isn't this near Hanover? I know Germany looked different in 1882. This is the year they departed Bremen for the United States, but can you explain to me the organization of Germany in terms of villages, provinces, states etc.