Czechia Land and Property: Difference between revisions

'''Raabization-'''This idea was put forth by Councilman Frantisek Antonian Raab, an Austrian national economist in mid 1700s. In his plan churches and other large landholders would rent family sized plots to serf farmers (these farmers were called familanti) and could buy themselves out of required serf labor. This idea did not enjoy widespread success. Some records exist from the Raabization period  

One of the important aspects of the abolition of serfdom which generated many records was the process of Land Releasment. In this process, the government and the serfs each paid part of the price to buy their land and compensate lords for lost labor, land, and duties.  

'''Accessibility: '''Through correspondence with archives in the Czech Republic, a local agent or by personal search. These books are located in various archives and collections, and sometimes locating a particular one requires thorough research. Some of these books have been destroyed, but many still survive.  

== Feudal Estate Books (Patrimoniální knihy, Soupisy poddaných)  ==

'''Location: '''State regional archives [''státní oblastní archívy''], district archives [''okesní archívy'']. Many are included in distinct family collections of the archives.<br>Research use: These records can enhance the effective use of church records. They establish residence, ages, and relationships which are valuable for pedigree links.  

== Cadastral Surveys  ==

Cadastral surveys are also useful in researching past landholdings as old land records were destroyed when a property no longer existed, However written reports and cadastral maps of the former property are kept in document collection called a “shirka”. More recent land records are kept in local notary offices.  

E) Apart of above mentioned farmers in common sense, there were people without any property who worked for very low reward on the farmers´ land. They were so called PODRUH in Czech, or INWOHNER, resp.INMAENNER in German. In English we can say FARM LABOURER or CO-DWELLER or IN-DWELLER. They lived somewhere in a farmer's house, or in a barn or shed.  

== First Bohemian Cadaster (Berní rula)  ==

The ''berní rula'' was formulated during the reign of Ferdinand III of Habsburg (ruled 1637-57), that is, not long after the end of the Thirty Years' War. The ''berní ruly'' are lists of tax payers based on the records of the estate owners or nobility. First completed in 1653-1654, these tax lists were prepared to study inequities in the tax structure. Properties were surveyed to determine dwellings, fields, and animals of the taxpayers. Other surveys were made in 1683-84, 1746, 1757, and 1792. These lists can be of help in genealogical research by locating the domicile of one's ancestor, and are of value for demographic studies, but they cannot be considered as a complete survey of the population. These lists do not include the poor who were without property or trade. Also, only heads of households are listed without indication of dependents. The ''berní ruly'' are available only for the the "Czech lands" of the Czech Republic (or the province of Bohemia), and not for the province of Moravia and Austrian Silesia. All text is in the Czech language. Tax lists have been deposited in various archives but are not readily accessible to researchers. Some tax lists have been published:  

=== Publication  ===

The following volumes were published:  

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The following volumes were not yet published:  

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=== General Index to All 1654 Tax Lists  ===

Berní rula&nbsp;: generalní rejstřík ke všem svazkům- General Index to all 1654 tax lists (published and unpublished), supplemented with the 1651 census if tax lists missing. The Family History Library has a copy of the general index (FHL INTL Book 943.71 X2cc vol. 1-2).  

== Town books  ==

<br>Established in Bohemia around end of 13th century or beginning of 14th<br>Concern rights of towns and townsmen, some include property records, testaments, marriage agreements, debentures, trade records, criminal, military, political,and orphan books<br>Smaller towns, less information, established later<br>Many new Books were created in 1849 after the abolition of serfdom. The types of records in these new books are listed below. Records still varied widely from place to place.  

[[Czech Republic Land Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]  

[[Category:Czech_Republic]]