'Liwwät Böke' claims that she went to a Cathedral School (“Domschule”) in Osnabrück (1826-1828). But there has never been a Domschule in Osnabrück and not a course of study (3 years), where she could have obtained a certificate as a midwife.(9)

‘Liwwät Böke’ claims that she went to school “in die Lage Kloster” (at the Lage Kloster) from 1811-1821. But there was no Komtur (Abbot) and no monastery school with about 4 teachers. Since 1647 the “Kommende Lage” (prebend) only was the residence of the Komtur without Knights of the Johanniter-Orden (Knights of St. John of Jerusalem). In 1688 the Johanniter-Orden originated an elementary school, but no Knights were in Lage to teach the children. In January 1811 the French government took possession of the Kommende Lage, and in 1813-1815 the Hannover government by its Klosterkammer administrating the more than 70 farms which had belonged to the monastery. They became free since 1834. The last Komtur (abbot) was Johann Baptist Reinard Freiherr von Pfürdt zu Carspach (1800-1810), without being in residance in Lage.  The school was owned by the poor and indebted Catholic country parish of Rieste. The name of the pastor was Ludgerus Pölking (1800-1836), a Benedictine. His assistant priests have been Karl Ernst (1818-1823) and Anton Adam Strieker (1823-1828). The name of the teacher, teaching only in one room, was Pipmeyer (1793-1848). The parents of the ca. 150 Children (in 1848: 210 children!!) payed for him with money and foodstuffs. But ‘Liwwät’ knows the priests and teachers Musel, Brother Antonius, Paue Frechette and Professor Rechelle.(10)

The manuscript "My Early Life" contains passages which are written in such a poor German that it is very unlikely that the text – dated 1835 and signed by 'Liwwät Böke' - was written by a woman who is believed to have a good command of High German. The syntax of the sentences in these passages is typical of the English language so that the question arises if this text written in poor German was produced by someone whose mother tongue is English.

The translation of 'Liwwät´s' text into proper English (by L. Knapke) reveals the great similarities between the German text and English syntax, thus corroborating the assumption that the producer of the 'Liwwät' text is of English origin:

„Mit meinem Eintritt in den Lehrlingsschaft für Hebammendienst“  –

“With my entry in apprenticeship for midwife service” (53);

„Studieren und Ausübung mit Schwangerschaft und Kindes-Entbindung, dies war auch nicht anders möglich“  –

“Studying and practicing with pregnancy and child delivery made all else impossible” (53);

„Ich hätte die Prüfung bestehen und gehörig honoriert werden, so daß ich sagte: Ich bin jetzt ein Würde Hebammen“  –

“I had passed the examinations and was suitably honored so that I said: Now I am a dignified Midwife” (53);

„Die Zeiten waren jammer und hungerlich“  –

“The times were miserable and starving” (57);

„den Zug an den Gartenmusiker und Lustbarkeit“ –

“the attraction of garden musicians and amusements” (57);

„Hierauf entdeckten wir unsere Eltern und die Autorität unser Vorhaben, zur Amerika Ehebund zu geben“ –

“At this we disclosed to our parents and the authorities our intention of going to America as man and wife” (57);

„hatte ich die Freude, ... mein lieben Natz, mein Ehemann Herrn Böke fröhlich nach Bremen zu reisen, bald angestelt worden in Segelschiff“  –

“I had the  pleasure ... of seeing my beloved Natz, my husband, Herr Bernard Böke, happily journey to Bremen, soon to be installed on a sailing vessel” (60);

Baltimore Quarterly Abstracts, National Archives, 2. Quarter 1833.(11)

„trat ich ein vorausgeßt ledigen Mädchen auch in Segelschiff, und in drei monaten, unner vielen Hindernisse, in den Weg legen, zuleßt in Ausschöpfung und Müede war ich wieder bi Natz geküsset: dein herzhafter und kraftiger Kuß.“

Translated into an endurable German: Auch ich, die ich für ein lediges Mädchen gehalten wurde, betrat ein Segelschiff und in drei Monaten , nach vielen Hindernissen, die uns im Weg standen, zuletzt erschöpft und müde, wurde ich wieder von Natz geküsst: ein herzhafter und kräftiger Kuss. –

“I, a presumed unmarried maiden, also boarded a sailing ship, and in three months, in spite of obstacles along the way, exhausted and weary, at last was kissed again by Natz, a bold and effective kiss”. (60)

Luke Knapke translated the 'English-style' German text into proper English after the forger, probably from an English-speaking background, had produced the text in poor, incorrect German. The writings in poor German (“My Early Life”) and in proper German. “The Beginning of the World”, combined with the “Pictures from my Childhood”, and “A History of Christopher Columbus” are forged or plagiarized.

[9] Letter to the author from the diocese administration, September 28, 2004 (Martin Brune).

[10] Rudolf von Bruch: Die Rittersitze des Fürstentums Osnabrück. Osnabrück: H. Th. Werner 2004, 292-301 (Die Kommende Lage); Josef Dolle (Ed.): Niedersächsisches Klosterbuch. Teil II. Bielefeld: Verlag für Regionalgeschichte 2012, 895-902. See http://kkg-lagerieste.de: Das Niedersächsische Klosterbuch. Staatsarchiv Osnabrück: Rep 336, Nr. 687 (Die katholische Schulstelle zu Rieste). Bernhard Berentzen: Das Kreuz zu Lage. Geschichte  und Zeitgeschichte eines Kreuzes. Osnabrück: Fromm 1983, 39 - 47. Vgl. auch Bernd Holtmann: Der Malteserorden im Bistum Osnabrück. Osnabrück: Verlag Kirchbote 1980.

[11] "Quarterly Abstracts of Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Baltimore, MD" (National Archives Microfilm Publications, Washington D.C., M 953, Roll 1. This page (April - June 1833) hass the name "J. B. Boke", 32 years old. Johann Bernhard Böke was born Oct. 25, 1800 in Neuenkirchen (See note 22.)