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Be brief and simple. Do not ask for too much at one time. | Be brief and simple. Do not ask for too much at one time. | ||
==Payment== | |||
===Waiting for Instructions=== | |||
For government offices and church or government archives, do not send money until you are advised as to the amount they expect and their preferred payment instructions. In some cases, they might have PayPal available, in some you might need to send an international bank order. Some will provide an account number where you are to transfer funds. | |||
===Donation to a Church=== | |||
When first contacting the minister of a church, it is correct and polite to send a cash donation of 20 Euros. At the same time, you will ask for advice on the cost of further research and the best method of future payment. Send bills only, no coins. Use a security envelope or thoroughly mask the cash enclosed by wrapping it in newspaper. Occasionally, your donation might get lost before arriving, but sending a personal check or bank draft, or even American cash, to the minister creates an inconvenience for him. You will wish to secure his good will for a positive correspondence experience. | |||
==Using the Translations in the Guide== | |||
The following English-to-German translations will help you compose your letter. Read the sentences in English and choose those that best express what you want to say. Be sure that your sentences are arranged logically. You may want to write your letter first in English using the following sentences, then replace the sentences with their German translations. However you proceed, make sure you type or neatly print your letter and, when necessary, add any diacritical marks and special characters (such as ä, ö, ü, ß) using your computer's wordprocessing program or a pen. | The following English-to-German translations will help you compose your letter. Read the sentences in English and choose those that best express what you want to say. Be sure that your sentences are arranged logically. You may want to write your letter first in English using the following sentences, then replace the sentences with their German translations. However you proceed, make sure you type or neatly print your letter and, when necessary, add any diacritical marks and special characters (such as ä, ö, ü, ß) using your computer's wordprocessing program or a pen. | ||