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St. Markus is one of the Catholic Churches in the Bliesgau area of today's Saarland that was attended by our Scharf, Mueller, and Kihm ancestors. It sits about one-quarter of a mile from the border of Moselle, Lorraine, France. It dates back to at least 1315, and its round tower (with the "Witch's Hat" roof) is much older. It was a Roman watchtower. Even earlier, it was a "Heidenturm"; a heathen's tower, which allegedly dates back to Celtic times. This historic claim is credible since one of the oldest Celtic settlements in Europe is about 400 meters (about the length of four football fields) south of St. Markus, on the border with France. The burial of a Celtic princess was unearthed on that site, along with elaborate gold jewelry and utensils which are now in the museum at Saarbruecken. The full story with photos is told in Volume II of the family genealogy and history book.
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