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== Grundherrschaft and Gutsherrschaft in Germany == | |||
Through the centuries most of our ancestors lived in rural areas and came under the auspices of a Grund- or Gutsherr (landowner). Most cultivable land was owned by them – less by small farmers, although it was possible for a Grundherr to lease land to more or less independent farmers. A Grundherr can be lord over a small area, does not have to be a nobleman and can also be a monastery. A manorial system was complex and embraced all aspects of life. A Gutsherr, also a manor lord, owned land and managed it through workers. The farmers of the surrounding area were his subordinates and their affairs were regulated by him or his administrator. | Through the centuries most of our ancestors lived in rural areas and came under the auspices of a Grund- or Gutsherr (landowner). Most cultivable land was owned by them – less by small farmers, although it was possible for a Grundherr to lease land to more or less independent farmers. A Grundherr can be lord over a small area, does not have to be a nobleman and can also be a monastery. A manorial system was complex and embraced all aspects of life. A Gutsherr, also a manor lord, owned land and managed it through workers. The farmers of the surrounding area were his subordinates and their affairs were regulated by him or his administrator. | ||
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<br>With all these regulations, obligations, stipulations etc. there are numerous records re. land transactions, regulative and obligatory actions involving our ancestors who dwelled in rural Germany. See the following examples: | <br>With all these regulations, obligations, stipulations etc. there are numerous records re. land transactions, regulative and obligatory actions involving our ancestors who dwelled in rural Germany. See the following examples: | ||
=== Grundakten (Land Records), circa 1740-1850 === | |||
==== Background ==== | |||
== Grundakten (Land Records), circa 1740-1850 | |||
=== | |||
The Grundakten (Land Records) include the records for the transfer of title for land tenure in the Kingdom of Bavaria. The records can include family data such as: | The Grundakten (Land Records) include the records for the transfer of title for land tenure in the Kingdom of Bavaria. The records can include family data such as: | ||
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Finding this family data in the records can mean reading many pages of old German legal documents, which takes a high level of expertise with both the language and the handwriting, but the result is often worth the effort. | Finding this family data in the records can mean reading many pages of old German legal documents, which takes a high level of expertise with both the language and the handwriting, but the result is often worth the effort. | ||
=== Arrangement of the Records === | ==== Arrangement of the Records ==== | ||
The Grundakten (Land Records) are arranged by Landgericht (Rural Court), and then by individual village, with a separate folder for each house in a village. The village files are arranged by house number. The files range from a few pages to more than a hundred pages. The files often include many transfers of land over an eighty to hundred year period, approximately 1740 to 1830. Many times the original documents are in the files, other times the files contain clerk’s copies of the originals. | The Grundakten (Land Records) are arranged by Landgericht (Rural Court), and then by individual village, with a separate folder for each house in a village. The village files are arranged by house number. The files range from a few pages to more than a hundred pages. The files often include many transfers of land over an eighty to hundred year period, approximately 1740 to 1830. Many times the original documents are in the files, other times the files contain clerk’s copies of the originals. | ||
=== History of the Records === | ==== History of the Records ==== | ||
The records were compiled between about 1810 and 1850. They were compiled as Bavaria surveyed the land after the huge expansion of the kingdom during the Napoleonic wars (1803-1812) and boundary changes from the congress of Vienna (1815). After these changes, the Kingdom a Bavaria began a detailed survey of each village in the kingdom. The survey began about 1810 and was not completed until about 1850. The Grundakten (Land Records) are just one of several record sets that resulted from these surveys. Other records created by these surveys included detailed maps of each village, and Kataster Steuergemeinde (Land Register Tax Lists). | The records were compiled between about 1810 and 1850. They were compiled as Bavaria surveyed the land after the huge expansion of the kingdom during the Napoleonic wars (1803-1812) and boundary changes from the congress of Vienna (1815). After these changes, the Kingdom a Bavaria began a detailed survey of each village in the kingdom. The survey began about 1810 and was not completed until about 1850. The Grundakten (Land Records) are just one of several record sets that resulted from these surveys. Other records created by these surveys included detailed maps of each village, and Kataster Steuergemeinde (Land Register Tax Lists). | ||
=== Scope of the Records === | ==== Scope of the Records ==== | ||
Records were created for every house in every village of Bavaria. Only a portion of these survive. For some areas coverage is nearly complete. In other areas almost no records survive. As an example, this researcher looked in a few villages in Mittelfranken, and Oberfranken, with good success. Searches in a few villages in the Palatine (Pfalz), and Unterfranken were not successful. | Records were created for every house in every village of Bavaria. Only a portion of these survive. For some areas coverage is nearly complete. In other areas almost no records survive. As an example, this researcher looked in a few villages in Mittelfranken, and Oberfranken, with good success. Searches in a few villages in the Palatine (Pfalz), and Unterfranken were not successful. | ||
=== Access to the Records === | ==== Access to the Records ==== | ||
None of the Grundakten (Land Records) for Bavaria are available online or on microfilm. The only access is at one of the seven branches of the Bavarian State Archives. An email could be sent to the branch archive nearest your village to ask if the Grundakten (Land Records) survive for your village. This internal link goes to the page with contact information for the [[Bavaria (Bayern) Archives and Libraries]]. | None of the Grundakten (Land Records) for Bavaria are available online or on microfilm. The only access is at one of the seven branches of the Bavarian State Archives. An email could be sent to the branch archive nearest your village to ask if the Grundakten (Land Records) survive for your village. This internal link goes to the page with contact information for the [[Bavaria (Bayern) Archives and Libraries]]. | ||
== Bannprotocoll == | === Bannprotocoll === | ||
A “Bann” describes a fenced off area around a settlement, i.e., a village, a city. For instance, a “Bannmeile” or “Bannrecht” was enforced to keep out people of a certain trade to not practice their profession within the perimeters of the Bannmeile in order to protect their own people who practiced the same profession. Administrators kept a “Bannprotokoll”, in which the owners of all properties within the Bann were listed. This book contained all houses and farms, pieces of garden, acreage and meadows. A Bannprotocoll can give the location of the village well and of all paths leading to and from the village. Bannprotocolle were revised often because the levying of taxes made it necessary to obtain more accurate information. Therefore, a Bannprotocoll is a small time capsule which will show the development and uses of the land. | A “Bann” describes a fenced off area around a settlement, i.e., a village, a city. For instance, a “Bannmeile” or “Bannrecht” was enforced to keep out people of a certain trade to not practice their profession within the perimeters of the Bannmeile in order to protect their own people who practiced the same profession. Administrators kept a “Bannprotokoll”, in which the owners of all properties within the Bann were listed. This book contained all houses and farms, pieces of garden, acreage and meadows. A Bannprotocoll can give the location of the village well and of all paths leading to and from the village. Bannprotocolle were revised often because the levying of taxes made it necessary to obtain more accurate information. Therefore, a Bannprotocoll is a small time capsule which will show the development and uses of the land. | ||
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