Many who have looked into tracing their German or Slavic family lines have quickly learned that they have their work cut out for them. Germany itself was once made up of over 300 countries, and sifting through the confusing mix can be a headache! But uncovering vital clues or discovering missing ancestors is what the Family History Library German and Slavic research team finds extremely rewarding.
Meet the Team
The team’s area covers over 20 countries and more than a dozen languages. These fearless team members include:
- Baerbel Johnson
- Camille Andrus
- Charlotte Champenois
- Daniel Jones
- Ellie Vance
- Fritz Juengling
The research team regularly hones their knowledge and skills by playing an active role in genealogical societies and networking with fellow researchers. They also take time out of their usual schedules to travel to genealogical conferences and archives throughout the United States and Europe. These conferences help them to add more handy tools to their belt for when they jump back into assisting visitors or creating more online help.
How They Can Help
The German and Slavic Research team members are determined to help patrons with researching their ancestors by teaching research strategy,paleography, and translation skills. In doing so, the team aims to help patrons become confident in their abilities to continue research on their own.
You can access the team’s research and translation help by visiting the Family History Library or by visiting online via the FamilySearch Community page. You can also access the team’s research knowledge through videos that are available in the FamilySearch learning center and articles on the FamilySearch wiki.
Whether you’ve been hunting for the same ancestor for several years or you’re still stuck on just trying to pronounce “gazetteer,” there is hope! This research team is here and eager to help!
For help with your German and Slavic Research, check out the German and Slavic Research Seminar on October 21–25. You can attend these classes at the Family History Library or watch the classes via an online webinar.
Meet the Other Area Research Teams
At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
