In most areas, local governments began recording births, marriages, and deaths between 1792 and 1876. Although most records are kept in local offices, a few have been turned over to the state archives.

People who lived in small communities or villages usually registered in the nearest town, city, or municipality. Large cities and metropolitan areas are divided into civil registration districts.

Civil registration records are not open for public inspection, but abstracts or photocopies are issued to direct descendants. If a particular archive does not have the records you seek, it will usually refer you to the correct archive. For more information about civil records, see the “Civil Registration” section of this outline.

Church Parish Offices

Most church records are kept at local parish offices. Some are sent to the area's central archive. If the Family History Library does not have the records that you need, you should first write (in German) to the local parish in the town where your ancestor lived. If the records have been moved, the local parish can usually tell you which archive currently has the records, and you can then write to that archive. See the “Church Records” section of this outline for more information.

Historical and Genealogical Societies

Dozens of German historical and genealogical societies exist in Germany and elsewhere. These groups have libraries or archives that collect valuable records. For more information, including addresses of the more prominent societies, see the “Societies” section of this outline.

Archive Addresses

The following are good directories of German archive addresses:

International Directory of Archives = Annuaire international des archives. München: K. G. Saur, 1992. (FHL book 020.5 Ar25 v. 38; computer number 36460.) You will need to update the postal codes in this directory by using the postal code book cited in the "Gazetteer" section of this outline.

1993 Updated Addresses to German Repositories. Burbank, Calif.: Immigrant Genealogical Society, 1993. (FHL book 943 D27gr 1993; computer number 712482.) Alphabetical by city.

Inventories, Registers, Catalogs

Some archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before you visit or use the records of an archive so that you can use your time effectively.

The following source is an overall guide to the collections of archives and libraries in Germany:

Minerva-Handbücher. Archive: Archive im deutschsprachigen Raum (Minerva handbooks, archives in German-speaking areas). 2 vols. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1974. (FHL book 943 A5m 1974 Vol.1-2; computer number 245597.)

For a much shorter but more current list:

Pies, Eike. Aktuelle Adressen und Informationen für Familienforscher (Addresses and information for genealogists). Solingen: Verlag E. & U. Brockhaus, 1993. (FHL book 943 D24pe; computer number 720664.) Mainly includes German state archives, state-wide church archives, and genealogical society archives.

These guides are available at the Family History Library. They may also be available at your public or university library or through interlibrary loan.

The Family History Library has copies of some published inventories as well as guides, catalogs, and directories for other libraries. The following are examples of such sources:

Wermes, Martina, et al. Bestandsverzeichnis der Deutschen Zentralstelle für Genealogie Leipzig (Inventory of the German Center for Genealogy in Leipzig). 2 vols. Neustadt/Aisch: Degener, 1991-1992. (FHL book 943.21/L2 K23w pt. 1 and pt. 2; computer number 640469 and 332537.)

Hope, Anne, and Jörg Nagler. Guide to German Historical Sources in North American Libraries. Washington, DC: German Historical Institute, 1991. (FHL book 970 A3ho; computer number 625316.)

These types of records are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under one of the following headings:

GERMANY - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGSGERMANY, [STATE] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGSGERMANY, [STATE], [TOWN] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS