|
A GENEALOGICAL HANDBOOK OF GERMAN RESEARCH |
|
Table of Contents
Introduction
Acknowldegements
Chapter 1 Historical And Geographical
Chapter 2 Emigration Before 1800
Chapter 3 Emigration After 1800
Chapter 4 Determining The Place Of Origin L.d.s. Sources
Chapter 5 Determining The Place Of Origin U.S. Sources
Chapter 6 Determining The Place Of Origin European Sources
Chapter 7 Analyzing Surnames And Place Names
Chapter 8 Locating The Parish
Chapter 9 Determining The Present Name Of Localities
Chapter 10 Conducting An Area Search
Chapter 11 Record Repositories
Chapter 12 Naming Practices (patronymics And Occupational)
Chapter 13 Naming Practices (farm And Locality)
Chapter 14 Handwriting And Terminology Beginning
Chapter 15 Handwriting And Terminology Intermediate
Chapter 16 Handwriting And Terminology Advanced
Chapter 17 Feast Days And Calendars
Chapter 18 Finding A Birth Record
Chapter 19 Finding A Marriage Record
Chapter 20 Finding A Death Record
Chapter 21 Corresponding For Records
Chapter 22 German Genealogical And Family Organizations
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Index
A knowledge of the various types of repositories that exist in your area of research is vital in determining what records exist for that area. Far too many researchers rely solely on parish registers in doing research. There is no question as to the importance of parish registers but suppose these records
were destroyed by fire, as often happened, or lost, or damaged to such an extent that they were no longer legible. Too often when this happens, the majority of researchers stop and move on to another line thinking that no more can be done on that particular line.
What most researchers like this do not realize is that a number of records probably exist in their area that could help them extend their line back two or more generations. These other sources can be used to bridge gaps in the parish records and help substantiate or verify the parish or other records in determining a correct ancestor.
The following are some of the different types of records that exist throughout Germany in one form or another:
In Germany there is no clear determination as to which records are kept in which type of repository. For example, in one area the land records may be kept in the state archives and in the area nearby the land records may be in the city archives. There are also many kinds of record repositories in both East and West Germany. The following are some of the different ones that can be found:
The following are examples of the different record types that may be found in the various types of repositories. Again, it should not be assumed from these examples that the records that are listed here will always be found in these types of repositories.
Two useful publications which provide addresses to many archives in Germany are:
These periodicals will also show that records from one particular area may be housed in a repository completely remote from where it was made. In the state archive at Gottingen in West Germany there are records from Mecklenburg, East Prussia, West Prussia, Posen, Pommerania and even Estonia. Just because a particular record does not exist in the area where it was made, does not mean that it does not exist somewhere else. Because of the many wars, many of the records have been moved to different areas. The periodicals can aid a researcher in locating such misplaced records. The genealogical library has a large collection of these periodicals.
Previous Document Next Document
Copyright 1996, by Larry O. Jensen. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be translated or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the author. Printed in the U.S.A.
Chapter 11 Record Repositories
Addressbucher Address books
Armenregister Poor records
Auswanderungslisten Emigration records
Burgerbucher Citizen records
Einnahmsregister Receipt books
Familiengeschichten Family histories
Gerichtsbucher Court records
Grundbucher Land records
Kirchenbucher Parish records
Musterungslisten Military records
Standesamtregister Civil records
Steuerbucher Tax records
Volkszahlungslisten Census records
Zunftbucher Guild records
Adelsarchive Heraldry archives
Kirchenarchive Church archives
Parlamentsarchive Governmental archives
Staats -und Landesarchive State and land archives
Stadt -und Kreisarchive City and district archives
Universitatsarchive University archives
Werks-und Wirtschaftsarchive Occupation archives
Other places where records could be located are libraries, museums, the city hall, and even in the homes of the civil authorities.
Land Archives - Baden
Addressbucher (Address books)
1813-1973
Auswanderungsakten (Emigration records)
1800-1900s
Gerichtsprotokole (Court records)
1400s-1800s
Hof Kirchenbucher (Estate church register)
1672-1888
Lagerbucher (Military levying rolls)
1200s-1800
Leichenpredigten (Funeral sermons)
1600s-1800s
Ranglisten (Military records)
1800s-1918
Stadtchroniken (City chronicles)
1500s-1900s
Testamentakten (Probate records)
1700s-1800s
Zeitungen (Newspapers)
1800s-1900s
City Archives- Ansbach
Addressbucher (Address books)
1550-1965
Aufgeboten (Marriage banns)
1727-1955
Auswanderungsakten (Emigration records)
1526-1934
Burgerbucher (Citizen registers)
1250-1874
Familienregister (Family registers)
1808-1875
Gerichtsprotokolle (Court records)
770-1940
Glockenblucher (Bell toll registers)
1439-1517
Grundbucher (Land records)
783-1902
Kirchen zweitschriften (Parish transcripts)
1761-1874
Kirchenbucher (Parish registers)
1280-1968
Lehrlingsbuicher (Apprentice records)
1530-1887
Leichenpredigten (Funeral sermons)
1500-
Polizeiregister (Police registers)
1826-1890
Stadtchroniken (City chronicles)
552-1962
Steuerbocher (Tax records)
1367-1840
Testamentakten (Probate records)
1334-1932
Zeitungen (Newspapers)
1730-1795
Land Church Archives-Braunshweig
Abendmahlgastelisten (Sacramental lists)
1510-1872
Konfirmationsregister (Confirmation record)
1658-1811
Sterberegister (Death record)
1509-1875
Taufregister (Christening record)
1509-1875
Trauregister (Marriage record)
1509-1875
Verzeichnisse. der Archivare. Neustadt/Aisch, Germany :Verlagsdruckerei, Ph. C. W. Schmidt, 1975. (943 E4v)
Minerva-Handbucher Archive Archive im Deutschprachigen Raum. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1974. (943 A5m Vols. 1-2)
Another source that should be mentioned is the German periodical (Zeitschrift). These publications make reference to different types of records and where they are housed. Because of this, they are valuable research tools. The following is an abstract taken from the table of contents from the periodical Zeitschrift fur Niedersachsische Familienkunde (periodical for Lower Saxony Family Research). This table of contents is indicative of the type of information that is found in periodicals.
Bauernsippen aus der Sudheide. Nach dem Schatzregister Der Grossvogtei Celle von 1438 und dem Celler Viehschatzregister von 1589. (Research of farmers in South Heide, from tax records of Celle in 1438 and the Celle cattle tax register of 1589)
Familienkundliche Quellen in Pfarrarchiven (family research sources in parish archives)
Verschwxgerung einiger Hamelner Burgerfamilien um 1600 (In-law relationships of some citizen families of Hameln about 1600)
Goslarer Echte und Geburtsbriefen 1653 - 1773 (Goslarer original and letters of birth (1653 - 1773)
Namensverzeichnisse zur Kopfsteuerliste der Stadt Bodenwerder 1689 (name index to the head tax for the city of Bodenwerder in 1689)
Die Familiengeschichtlichen Quellen des Landschaftlichen u. Ritterschaftlichen Archives in Stade (Family History sources of the provincial and knighthood archives in Stade)
Familienforschung zur See (Family research at sea)
Die bedeutung von ehezerten und testamenten fur die familienkunde (the importance of marriage contracts and wills in family research)
Soldatenehen aus dem siebenjahrigen Kriege (soldier marriages during the time of the Seven Years' War.)
Goslarer Burgerlisten vor 1600 - 1590-1599 (Goslar citizen lists prior to 1600 - 1590-1599)
As can be seen just from the titles alone, these books provide information about records that could be very valuable to the researcher who has lines in these areas. Some of the titles even indicate the repository where the records are housed and the articles themselves will usually give this information if the title doesn't. Many of these articles include complete extracts of the records and some are abstracts only. Many of the articles concern research problems, and they explain the procedures to follow and the records to use for solving these problems.
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/7/2001]