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[[Image:Civil_reg_1808-1815.jpg|thumb|<center>Areas where civil registration was instituted between 1798 and 1815.</center>]] | [[Image:Civil_reg_1808-1815.jpg|thumb|<center>Areas where civil registration was instituted between 1798 and 1815.</center>|alt=Areas where civil registration was instituted between 1798 and 1815.]] | ||
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[[Image:Civil_reg_1875.jpg|thumb|<center>German civil registration. Red indicates areas that began before 1876. Prussia (green) started in October 1874.</center>]] | [[Image:Civil_reg_1875.jpg|thumb|<center>German civil registration. Red indicates areas that began before 1876. Prussia (green) started in October 1874.</center>}|alt=German civil registration. Red indicates areas that began before 1876. Prussia (green) started in October 1874.]] | ||
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Between 1850 and 1876, all territories instituted civil registration. The two main time periods were October 1874, when all of Prussia begain their registers, and 1 January 1876, when the rest of the constituent members of the German Empire followed. <br><br> | Between 1850 and 1876, all territories instituted civil registration. The two main time periods were October 1874, when all of Prussia begain their registers, and 1 January 1876, when the rest of the constituent members of the German Empire followed. <br><br> | ||
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To learn more about when German civil registration began in individual provinces or states, see [[German Civil Registration Time Periods|'''German Civil Registration Time Periods''']]. | To learn more about when German civil registration began in individual provinces or states, see [[German Civil Registration Time Periods|'''German Civil Registration Time Periods''']]. | ||
[[Image:Herne Stadtarchiv Standesamt Baukau.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<center>Herne Stadtarchiv Standesamt Baukau<center>]]<br> | [[Image:Herne Stadtarchiv Standesamt Baukau.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<center>Herne Stadtarchiv Standesamt Baukau<center>|alt=Herne Stadtarchiv Standesamt Baukau]]<br> | ||
= Determining the Location of a Civil Registration Office = | = Determining the Location of a Civil Registration Office = | ||
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Many civil registration offices were merged in the 1970s, so the modern record location might be different than that listed in MeyersGaz. When writing for records, you must first find the modern civil registration office for your town. | Many civil registration offices were merged in the 1970s, so the modern record location might be different than that listed in MeyersGaz. When writing for records, you must first find the modern civil registration office for your town. | ||
*To find the '''current Standesamt''', go to the [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Hauptseite '''German Wikipedia'''] and enter the name of the town in the search box. An article about the town will likely start with a first line similar to this: "Besse with about 3200 inhabitants is the largest district of the '''''municipality Edermünde'''''..." It is probable that the Standesamt is now located in the larger '''municipality''' (in this example Edermünde). The word ''Gemeinde'' may also be listed in an infobox at the top right; the location listed with the word ''Gemeinde'' is likely the current civil registration office location. | |||
*If your town is a larger town, its German Wikipedia page may not state that the town belongs to another municipality because it is itself a municipality. If that is the case, use the town itself as your civil registration office location. | |||
*To find the '''email address''' of the current Standesamt, google the location along with the word '''Standesamt''' (for example, '''Altgernsdorf Standesamt''') and click on the civil registration office or municipality (''Gemeinde'') website, which should be one of the first results. Then look for the word '''Kontakt''' (contact), which is likely to list an email address. Alternatively, it may lead you to an online form you can fill out to submit a request, especially in the case of larger cities. | |||
You may also want to go to [https://standesamt.com/ '''Standesamt.com'''] and enter the name of the town the Standesamt is located in today into the '''Ort''' search box at the top right. This will pull up contact information; however, the contact info may be outdated, so it must be confirmed by locating the contact information on the official municipality website. | You may also want to go to [https://standesamt.com/ '''Standesamt.com'''] and enter the name of the town the Standesamt is located in today into the '''Ort''' search box at the top right. This will pull up contact information; however, the contact info may be outdated, so it must be confirmed by locating the contact information on the official Standesamt or municipality website. | ||
== Information Recorded == | == Information Recorded == | ||
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{| width="100%" border="1" cellpadding="10" "0" | {| width="100%" border="1" cellpadding="10" "0" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| width="10.5%" style="background: # | | width="10.5%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Record Type'''}} | ||
| width="10.5%" style="background: # | | width="10.5%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Birth Stamp'''}} | ||
| width="15%" style="background: # | | width="15%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Marriage Stamp'''}} | ||
| width="12.5%" style="background: # | | width="12.5%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Divorce Note'''}} | ||
| width="12.5%" style="background: # | | width="12.5%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Death Stamp'''}} | ||
| width="12.50%" style="background: # | | width="12.50%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Paternity Note'''}} | ||
| width="15%" style="background: # | | width="15%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Name Change Note'''}} | ||
| width="12.50%" style="background: # | | width="12.50%" style="background: #455f21" <th align="center">|{{color|white|'''Correction Note'''}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '''Birth''' | | '''Birth''' | ||
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A direct relationship to the subject of the record sought should only be required in cases where the required time period has not yet elapsed. Even if there is no direct relationship, the records may be accessible if it can be shown that all "participating parties" have died at least 30 years ago. Participating parties are both parents and the child in birth records, and both spouses in a marriage record. | A direct relationship to the subject of the record sought should only be required in cases where the required time period has not yet elapsed. Even if there is no direct relationship, the records may be accessible if it can be shown that all "participating parties" have died at least 30 years ago. Participating parties are both parents and the child in birth records, and both spouses in a marriage record. | ||
===Ancestry=== | |||
Ancestry.com has many German civil registration records, which are indexed and searchable. A list of the German civil registration collections can be found in Ancestry's [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/catalog/?keyword=civil&location=3253_1652381 Card Catalog]. | Ancestry.com has many German civil registration records, which are indexed and searchable. A list of the German civil registration collections can be found in Ancestry's [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/catalog/?keyword=civil&location=3253_1652381 Card Catalog]. | ||
===FamilySearch Catalog=== | |||
FamilySearch has microfilmed many civil registration records. To find civil registration records in the FamilySearch Catalog, search the Place Search under: | FamilySearch has microfilmed many civil registration records. To find civil registration records in the FamilySearch Catalog, search the Place Search under: | ||
{{Block indent|GERMANY, [STATE], [TOWN] - CIVIL REGISTRATION}} | |||
Alternatively, type the location of your civil registration office of interest into the FamilySearch Catalog's "Keywords" search box. | Alternatively, type the location of your civil registration office of interest into the FamilySearch Catalog's "Keywords" search box. | ||
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The collections of FamilySearch continue to grow as new records are microfilmed or digitized. To view some digitized records you may need to be at a FSC or Affiliate Library, or be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | The collections of FamilySearch continue to grow as new records are microfilmed or digitized. To view some digitized records you may need to be at a FSC or Affiliate Library, or be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | ||
===FamilySearch Images=== | |||
FamilySearch Images also contains German civil registration records, which may be found by searching the location of your civil registration office of interest in [https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/ Images]. | FamilySearch Images also contains German civil registration records, which may be found by searching the location of your civil registration office of interest in [https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/ Images]. | ||
===Other Online Records=== | |||
Additional online records for the individual provinces of the German Empire are listed on the civil registration page for each province: | Additional online records for the individual provinces of the German Empire are listed on the civil registration page for each province: | ||
{|style="vertical-align:top;; padding-right:1em" | {|style="vertical-align:top;; padding-right:1em" | ||
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Civil registration records from many towns and states are available on microfilm or online. However, many civil registration records, especially those created in 1876 or later, are still only available in the local civil registration office or archive in Germany that has the originals. Civil birth, marriage, and death records may be found by contacting or visiting the local civil registration office or archive. | Civil registration records from many towns and states are available on microfilm or online. However, many civil registration records, especially those created in 1876 or later, are still only available in the local civil registration office or archive in Germany that has the originals. Civil birth, marriage, and death records may be found by contacting or visiting the local civil registration office or archive. | ||
*To e-mail the municipality to '''verify that the civil registry for your town is there'''. | |||
*#Consult this address list for the exact contact information, which should include an e-mail address: [https://www.Standesamt.com/ '''Standesamt.com''']. In the horizontal menu bar, hover over "+registry office" or "+Standesämter", then the name of the modern state, for a drop-down list of links to modern cilvil registrars. | |||
*#Send a message asking whether you have the correct office for your ancestors' home town. You can also use e-mail to request records and arrange payment. Use the [[German Letter Writing Guide|'''German Letter Writing Guide''']] to write your questions in German. | |||
Civil officials will usually answer correspondence that is written to them in German. Your request may be forwarded if the records have been sent to an archive or central repository. | Civil officials will usually answer correspondence that is written to them in German. Your request may be forwarded if the records have been sent to an archive or central repository. | ||
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You may also find archive inventories that describe the record-keeping systems and available civil registration records in Germany (see [[Germany Archives and Libraries]]). These and other guides are found in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under: <br> | You may also find archive inventories that describe the record-keeping systems and available civil registration records in Germany (see [[Germany Archives and Libraries]]). These and other guides are found in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under: <br> | ||
{{Block indent|GERMANY - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES}} | |||
{{Block indent|GERMANY, [STATE] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES}} | |||
That is, search for your German state in the FamilySearch Catalog and click on the "Archives and Libraries" heading in the search results. | That is, search for your German state in the FamilySearch Catalog and click on the "Archives and Libraries" heading in the search results. | ||
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