Research and Travel started as a European project in Migration Studies headed by Dr. Grams at the University of Oldenburg and is well known, branded and protected as "Routes to the Roots" in Germany and in the European Union. For the US market we use the brand "Research and Travel Dr. Grams".
Dr. Grams, until 1997 professor at the Political Sience Department, started a European co-operation among migration museums, interpretive centers and research units within the Association of European Migration Institutions (AEMI) to develop projects and services in heritage travel.
In 1997 this initiative became an entrepreuer operation and resulted in the founding of Routes to the Roots / Research and Travel as a privately run institute and specialized tour operator which has become Germany's leading provider in Roots- and Heritage travel.
Research and Travel is located in the city of Oldenburg in Germany (Postal code is 26127). The office space is an annex to Dr. Grams home at Babenend 127.
"Babenend", the street's name, is a Low German term: the upper end of the street. There is also a lower end: Nedderend.
Dr. Grams
The nucleaus of Research and Travel (R&T) was a research unit (NAUSA) at Oldenburg University. Many of the former students worked in projects, some became employees of R&T and over the years have contributed their talents to our work. Special thanks go to Dr. Gerd Behrens, Martin Kühn (+), Stefanie Rühmann, Thorsten Iversen, Anna Ebel and to my long term associate and co-researcher Swantje Heuten.
Over the past years we have served many customers with research and travel services and have carried out many heritage projects in transatlantic co-operations. We also welcomed students and interns from Oldenburg's partner universities at Towson ML, Northern Colorado and Long Beach CA. Special thanks go also to colleagues and friends from Indiana and Purdue University at Indianapolis and from the University of Cinncinati OH.
"About us" would not be complete without mentioning the many individuals, working groups, heritage-, historical- and genealogical societies, local experts and numerous enthusiastic people on both sides of the Atlantic. Be it during excursions to ancestral places in Germany, in exhibitions, art-, media- or other projects, on tours with German fellow travelers to the US and Canada or aboard ships between our countries: I am thankful to contribute to creative networks, bridge academia and life and share meaningful moments with people, places and traditions.