Danish Military Levying Rolls (Lægdsruller)

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Danish Lægdsruller, What are they?
Lægdsruller are records of the males who could be enlisted for service in the army or navy. These rolls have many different uses. For genealogical purposes they are used mainly to follow the registered individual's movements, identify a birthplace, find which military unit they were assigned to, and when they completed their obligation.

In 1788, adscription was repealed and the foundation was laid for a civilian service. This was done by regulation on June 20, 1788. Previously the private landowners had the obligation to provide personnel for the army. After adscription's repeal this responsibility was shifted to the king and the state. There was thus created a direct relationship between the state and the conscripts.

In subsequent years there was an agency created by the government known as a lægdsvæsen to watch over its conscripts. It was important for the government to know how large a force it possessed in case of war. Therefore it became the states responsibility to keep detailed records of the male population in lægdsruller.

The Registration Process

 * Administration and Registration Process

Strategy

 * How to follow someone in the same county.
 * How to follow someone to a different county.

Tools for using the Lægdsruller

 * List of the Lægdsnummer
 * Letter associated to the year of registration
 * Common abbreviations in the Army Lægdsruller.