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Bavaria (Bayern), German Empire Church Records

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Church Records
Bavaria (Bayern),
German Empire Wiki Topics
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Getting Started
Major Bavaria (Bayern)
Record Types
Reading the Records
Additional Bavaria (Bayern)
Record Types
Bavaria (Bayern) Background
Local Research Resources
Germany Record Types
Germany Background


Church records (parish registers, church books) are an important source for genealogical research in Germany before civil registration began. They recorded details of baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. The vast majority of the population was mentioned. To learn more about the types of information you will find in church records, click on these links:


For a comprehensive understanding of church records, study the article Germany Church Records.


Finding Church Records

Parish Register Inventories

Church record inventories are essential tools for finding German records. They identify what records should be available for a specified parish and where to write for information on these records. They list the church records, their location, and the years they cover. Sometimes inventories explain which parishes served which towns at different periods of time.

1. Online Church Records

These records cover the following parishes: Alsenborn, Alsenbrück, Bann-Queidersbach, Boos, Enkenbach, Glan-Münchweiler, Ludwigshafen, Marnheim, Münchweiler, Pfalz-Schweizer, Sembach, Studernheim, Südpfalz, and Wattenheim.


Ancestry.com ($)

Other Contributors

2. Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Try to find records in the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Many microfilms have been digitized for online viewing. Gradually, everything will be digitized, so check back occasionally. Some have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:

a. Click on the the Places within Germany, Bayern.
b. Click on Places within Germany, Bayern and a list of towns will appear.
c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
e. Choose the correct record type and time period for your ancestor. "Geburten" are births. "Taufen" are christenings/baptisms. "Heiraten" are marriages. "Tote" are deaths.
f. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the microfilm is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm.

3. Research in Church and State Archives

Church records or duplicates may have been gathered from the local parishes into central archives, either by the churches or the state. Older records are frequently given to these archives for safekeeping. Some gaps in the church records of local parishes could be filled using these records.

  • Pdf Archive Inventory: "Part 1 of 2: Church records in Archives" - is an inventory of localities and the location or archive where their records should be found. The sixth column, "Archives", gives a number. To find the name and contact information, look up that number in the second column of this .pdf: Part 2: Archive Addresses.  It is not clear how up-to-date this inventory is.


Some archives offer searches for a fee. Archives might be unable to handle genealogical requests, but they can determine whether they have specific records you need, sometimes perform very brief research, such as just one record, or they may recommend a researcher who can search the records for you. Archivists are required to speak English.

Email

  • You can e-mail archives and ask whether they have records for a parish. Also, you should inquire whether they provide research services and what their fees are. You can communicate with the archives in English.

Church Archives

Catholic Archives

Bavaria Catholic Dioceses.png

Because the Catholic Church is so pre-dominant in Bavaria (Bayern), there are six dioceses. To find the correct diocese archives, look up your parish in The Catholic Directory for Germany. Click on "View Full Listing" to find the diocese for that parish.

Augsburg

Pfarrhausstrasse 4
86154 Augsburg
Germany

Phone: 0821 - 3166 8561
Fax: 0821 - 3166 8569
Email: archiv@bistum-augsburg.de

Archiv des Erzbistums Bamberg

Regensburger Ring 2
D-96047 Bamberg
Germany

Tel 0951/40747-0, Fax 0951/40747-50
Email: archiv@erzbistum-bamberg.de

Diözesanarchiv, Bistum Eichstätt

Luitpoldstr. 1
D-85072 Eichstätt
Germany

Tel: 08421/50-761, Fax: 08421/50-769
E-Mail: archiv@bistum-eichstaett.de

Archiv des Erzbistums München und Freising

Karmeliterstr. 1
D-80333 München
Germany
Mailing Address: Postfach 330360
D-80063 München
Germany

Tel: 089-2137-1346
Email: archiv@eomuc.de

Archiv des Bistums Passau

Luragogasse 4
94032 Passau
Germany

Phone: 851-393-386, Fax: 851-393-449
Email: archiv@bistum-passau.de

Bischöfliches Zentralarchiv Regensburg

St. Petersweg 11-13
D-93047 Regensburg
Germany

Phone: 49-941-597-2520
Fax: 49-941-597-2521
Email: archiv@bistum-regensburg.de

Diocesan Archives Würzburg

Domerschulstraße 17
97070 Würzburg
Germany

Phone: 0931 - 386 67 100
Fax: 0931 - 386 67 101
Email: archiv@bistum-wuerzburg.de

Evangelical Lutheran (Protestant) Archives

Landeskirchliches Archiv der Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
Veilhofstraße 8
90489 Nürnberg
Germany

E-Mail: archiv@elkb.de


State Archives

Here are the addresses for the district archive, should you decide to write there instead of or in addition to the local Standesamt. Bamberg (for Upper Franconia/Oberfranken)
Staatsarchiv Bamberg
Hainstr. 39
96047 Bamberg
Germany
Tel. 0951/26861

Postfach 2668
96017 Bamberg
Germany

Internet: Website of the State Archives


Coburg (for the city and kreis/county of Coburg, covers Saxony-Coburg)
Staatsarchiv Coburg
Herrngasse 11
96450 Coburg
Germany
Phone: 09561/92833
Internet: Website of the Staatsarchivs


Nuremberg (for Middle Franconia/Mittelfranken)
State Archives Nuremberg
Archivstr. 17
90110 Nürnberg
Tel. 0911 / 357-437
Internet: Website of the State Archives

Würzburg (for Lower Franconia/Unterfranken)
State Archives Würzburg
Residenz-Nordflügel 17
97070 Würzburg
Phone: 0931 / 35529-0
Internet: Website of the State Archives

Augsburg (for Swabia/Schwaben)
State Archives Augsburg
Salomon-Ilder-Str. 2
86159 Augsburg
Germany
Tel. 0821/575025
Internet: Website of the State Archives


Amberg (for Upper Palatinate/Oberpfalz)
Staatsarchiv Amberg
Archivstr. 3
92224 Amberg
Tel. 09621/307270
Internet: Website of the State Archives

Amberg (for Upper Palatinate/Oberpfalz)
Staatsarchiv Amberg
Archivstr. 3
92224 Amberg
Tel. 09621/307270
Internet: Website of the State Archives

Munich (for Upper Bavaria/Oberbayern)
Staatsarchiv Munich
Schöfeldstr. 5, 80539 München Germany (P.O. Box) Postfach 221 152
80501 Munich
Germany
Tel 089 / 28638-525
Internet: Website of the State Archives

Landshut (for Lower Bavaria/Niederbayern)
State Archives Landshut
Burg Trausnitz
84034 Landshut
Tel. 0871/22515
Internet: Website of the State Archives

4. Writing to a Local Priest for Church Records

Most church registers are still maintained by the parish. You might obtain information by writing to the parish. Parish employees will usually answer correspondence written in German. Your request may be forwarded if the records have been sent to a central repository.

Evangelical Lutheran (Protestant)

Catholic Addresses

Email

  • Because many churches now have known e-mail addresses, you can quickly check whether the parish records are stored at the parish church or have been moved to archives. If possible, do this before sending a more detailed inquiry or any money. Links for church addresses are found on the wiki pages for the individual states and counties of Germany.

I. Are the parish records for _________to ___________ (time period range) at your church still?  

1. Sind die Kirchenbücher für den Zeitraum von _____ bis _____ noch in Ihrer Kirchengemeinde?

2. If they have been moved to an archive, can you tell me where they are now?

2. Falls sie nun in einem Archiv sind, können Sie mir bitte sagen, wo sie sich jetzt befinden?

Writing to a Local Parish

Write a brief request in German to the proper church using this address as a guide, replacing the information in parentheses:

For a Protestant Parish:

An das evangelische Pfarramt
(Insert street address, if known.)
(Postal Code) (Name of Locality)
GERMANY

For a Catholic Parish:

An das katholische Pfarramt
(Insert street address, if known.)
(Postal Code) (Name of Locality)
GERMANY


How to Write a Letter

Detailed instruction for what to include in the letter, plus German translations of the questions and sentences most frequently used are in the German Letter Writing Guide.

Other Religious Groups

To learn how to determine the location of other religious records, namely Jewish, French Reformed, German Reformed, etc., watch Hansen’s Map Guides: Finding Records with Parish Maps beginning at 48:00 minutes, to learn how to locate these congregations. Then go back and watch from the beginning to understand how to use the reference book. Also, you can read Map Guide to German Parish Registers. This video and handout teach you how to use a set of reference books found at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

5. Compiled and Published Secondary Sources

Caution sign.png

Compiled genealogies and published genealogies are secondary sources, not original or primary sources.

As such, they are subject to human error through translation or transcription errors, mistaken interpretations, and opinion decisions of another researcher.

You should make every effort to base your research on the actual, original records or their digitized images.

Town Genealogies (Ortssippenbuch or Ortsfamilienbuch)

See the class, Online Ortsfamilienbücher at Genealogy.net, and Wiki article, Germany Town Genealogies and Parish Register Inventories on the Internet. Published town genealogies, Ortssippenbuch (town lineage book) or Ortsfamilienbuch (town family book), generally include birth, marriage, and death data for all persons found in the local records during a specified time period, compiled into families based on the opinion of the author. If one is available, it should only be used as an index or guide to finding the original records. They usually contain errors. Always verify their information in original records.

Finding an OFB

Reading the Records

  • It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in French and German to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately. Here are some resources for learning to read German records.
German Genealogical Word List
French Genealogical Word List
Latin Genealogical Word List
  • These video webinars will teach you to read German handwriting:

Downloadable Handouts

These printable handouts can be used for ready reference when reading German Handwriting.
Letters:

Vocabulary found on Specific Records:

Dates, Numbers, Abbreviations:

Miscellaneous Vocabulary:

Fraktur:

  • Fraktur Font--Many forms and books are printed in this font.

Latin Records

Records of the Catholic church will usually be written in Latin:

Feast Dates

Search Strategy

  • Search for the relative or ancestor you selected. When you find their birth record, search for the births of their brothers and sisters.
  • Next, search for the marriage of their parents. The marriage record will have information that will often help you find the birth records of the parents.
  • Search the death registers for all known family members.
  • Calculate the birth date of the parents, using age at death and/or marriage to search for their birth records.
  • Repeat this process for both the father and the mother, starting with their birth records, then their siblings' births, then their parents' marriages, and so on.
  • If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.


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