Christian, who lives in Deauville, France, began exploring his genealogy over thirty years ago.
Among the few traces left behind by his paternal grandfather — who died ten years before he was born — one letter, dated December 26, 1939, had long piqued his curiosity.
In this wartime letter addressed to his father, a certain Hedda was mentioned.
Christian Felumb
A rediscovered letter, a lingering mystery
But who was she?
For a long time, Christian believed she might have been the daughter of Raoul Nordling, the Swedish diplomat known for playing a crucial role in the preservation of Paris at the end of World War II.
Nordling had famously negotiated with German forces in August 1944 to prevent the destruction of the French capital. He was also Christian’s father’s godfather — something Christian knew.
With no concrete evidence, Christian had added Hedda to a separate branch of his family tree, believing she was a daughter to Raoul Nordling, unable to clearly connect her to his own family.
Who are the unnamed people in your old family photos? The mysterious mentions in yellowed letters? MyHeritage helped Christian solve his 30-year mystery—see what answers are waiting in your family’s past with a free trial.
Letter from René Felumb to his son Roger, dated December 26, 1939: “Hedda has gone to Saint-Jean until the 2nd for the holidays…”
A Silent Father and Backward Discoveries
Christian uncovered everything on his own: his paternal family’s Norwegian roots, the move to Paris of his great-grandfather Edvard Felumb, a dental surgeon, and the fact that his grandfather René Felumb had followed the same profession.
His own father was a general practitioner who once suggested that Christian become a dentist — without ever mentioning that both his father and grandfather had been in the same field.
“My father never told me anything. I didn’t even know he had a half-sister. That tells you how secretive he was,” Christian recalls.
René Felumb, Christian’s grandfather. Photo enhanced and colorized by MyHeritage.
His interest in genealogy took him to Denmark and Norway, where he conducted in-depth research with a Danish cousin, exploring archives, churches, and cemeteries, tracing the family line back to 1490.
He chose MyHeritage for its international scope and uploaded his entire tree to the platform.
Birth of Christian’s great-grandfather, Edvard Mathias Felumb, in Arendal, Norway, on May 11, 1844. Church Records of Norway, 1815–1938, MyHeritage collections.
An unexpected match
One day, while browsing his MyHeritage account, Christian received a Smart Match notification.
It pointed to a genealogical match with a woman named Catherine, linked to him through their shared grandfather, René Felumb.
The discovery was a shock: Catherine turned out to be his first cousin.
And Hedda?
She wasn’t Raoul Nordling’s goddaughter… but rather Christian’s father’s half-sister. An entire chapter of family history had just resurfaced.
Christian’s life changed with one notification. He wasn’t looking for a cousin that day—he didn’t even know she existed. Sometimes the most meaningful discoveries find you. Try MyHeritage free and see what surprises your family tree holds.
Hedda, the aunt Christian never knew. Photo enhanced and colorized by MyHeritage.
“I was completely surprised. My father was 12 years old when Hedda was born, and I was 6 when she passed away. I could have known her.”
Tragically, Hedda died in a car accident at the young age of 30.
“Christian and Catherine, cousins reunited in Paris”
A reunion and a treasured bond
Since the revelation, Christian and Catherine have developed a strong connection. “We write to each other almost every day,” he says.
They’ve met twice in Paris. Catherine is Christian’s only first cousin — a late discovery, but an especially meaningful one.
Now retired, Christian travels often: to Norway, to Australia where his daughter lives, and to the United States where other Felumb cousins reside.
But this family discovery remains one of the most powerful moments in his genealogical journey.
“My father was extremely secretive. Thanks to MyHeritage, I gained a cousin. A real one. A lovely first cousin.”
They write to each other almost every day now. Two strangers who became family at 70. Christian thought he knew his family story, but the best chapter was still unwritten. Your family might be larger than you think—and closer than you know.
Discover who’s waiting to connect with you. Try MyHeritage free today.
