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Germany Church Records: Difference between revisions
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Church records also often contain information on local minority faith populations. For example often Evangelical Registers in West Prussia are also populated with Mennonite data, when Mennonites lived in those regions. | Church records also often contain information on local minority faith populations. For example often Evangelical Registers in West Prussia are also populated with Mennonite data, when Mennonites lived in those regions. | ||
In general you will need to know the religion of your ancestors as different religions kept | In general you will need to know the religion of your ancestors as different religions kept separate records. The main religious division in Germany was between Catholics (''Katholische'') and Protestants, comprised mainly of Lutherans (Evangelisch) and Reformed. Catholic records are generally written in Latin, while other records will be written in the local language. | ||
In many regions, it was also common for the local church records to function in the role of Civil Registries. This is especially true in the further Eastern regions (ie. West Prussia, East Prussia). | In many regions, it was also common for the local church records to function in the role of Civil Registries. This is especially true in the further Eastern regions (ie. West Prussia, East Prussia). | ||
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*Generally, the earliest church records are in western Germany. The farther east you go, the later the church records begin. | *Generally, the earliest church records are in western Germany. The farther east you go, the later the church records begin. | ||
For more information, see [[Germany Church History|Germany Church History]] and [[Germany History|Germany History]]. | For more information, see [[Germany Church History|Germany Church History]] and [[Germany History|Germany History]]. | ||
=== Duplicate Church Records === | === Duplicate Church Records (''Kirchenbuchduplikate'') === | ||
'''Use duplicates, where available, to supplement parish registers that are missing or illegible. ''' | '''Use duplicates, where available, to supplement parish registers that are missing or illegible. ''' | ||
*Concerns about war or fire destruction led authorities in some areas to require the pastor to create a copy of each year's baptism-, marriage-, and burial entries. Most begin in the late 18th century. | *Concerns about war or fire destruction led authorities in some areas to require the pastor to create a copy of each year's baptism-, marriage-, and burial entries. Most begin in the late 18th century. | ||
*After the defeat of Napoleon in 1812, local governments often found it helpful to have access to the birth-, marriage-, and death records kept by the clergy. Soon local pastors were required to provide the town administration with a yearly copy of these records. | *After the defeat of Napoleon in 1812, local governments often found it helpful to have access to the birth-, marriage-, and death records kept by the clergy. Soon local pastors were required to provide the town administration with a yearly copy of these records. | ||
*Most are housed in '''central church archives or state archives''', not at the local church. | *Most are housed in '''central church archives or state archives''', not at the local church. | ||
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*parents' names, | *parents' names, | ||
*status of legitimacy, (sometimes by a note in the margin or an upside-down or sideways entry) | *status of legitimacy, (sometimes by a note in the margin or an upside-down or sideways entry) | ||
*names of witnesses or godparents, and | *names of witnesses or godparents (''taufzeugen, gevattern, paten''), who may be relatives, and | ||
*baptism date. <br> | *baptism date. <br> | ||
You may also find: | You may also find: | ||
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*death information, as an added note or signified by a cross. The cross alone does NOT imply that the individual died as a young child. | *death information, as an added note or signified by a cross. The cross alone does NOT imply that the individual died as a young child. | ||
<br> | |||
=== Marriages (Heiraten) === | === Marriages (Heiraten) === | ||
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*If the future spouses were from different parishes, the banns were read in each church. Before the marriage ceremony could take place, the non-local party was required to present the officiating pastor with a paper stating that the proclamations had been read, and there were no objections. A note stating that this person had been '''"dismissed" to marry elsewhere''' may be found in the marriage register. | *If the future spouses were from different parishes, the banns were read in each church. Before the marriage ceremony could take place, the non-local party was required to present the officiating pastor with a paper stating that the proclamations had been read, and there were no objections. A note stating that this person had been '''"dismissed" to marry elsewhere''' may be found in the marriage register. | ||
*The marriage banns themselves may exist in a separate record. Some parishes kept the marriage banns and other marriage information instead of marriage registers. | *The marriage banns themselves may exist in a separate record. Some parishes kept the marriage banns and other marriage information instead of marriage registers. | ||
*If a couple needed to get married | *If a couple needed to get married quickly, permission to skip the proclamations could be obtained for a fee. This special permission is called a '''dispensation.''' Common reasons for a hasty marriage include pregnancy and imminent emigration. | ||
*Formal engagements were often associated with a celebration that required the families to purchase a certain amount of alcoholic beverages from the local pub. This custom was known as the "Weinkauf". Engagement dates may be given in the parish register as '''" der Weinkauf" or "weinkaeuflich ".''' | *Formal engagements were often associated with a celebration that required the families to purchase a certain amount of alcoholic beverages from the local pub. This custom was known as the "Weinkauf". Engagement dates may be given in the parish register as '''" der Weinkauf" or "weinkaeuflich ".''' | ||
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*Berlin Evangelical Central Archive Inventory Online - The [http://www.ezab.de/kirchenbuecher/provinzen.html Evangelical Central Archive in Berlin (EZAB)] holds many Lutheran church records from Eastern areas, including Ostpreussen, Schlesien, Posen, Brandenburg, Pommern and Westpreussen. On the website the box titled "Familienforschung" (family history research) includes a link to the listing of accessible parish registers under "[http://www.ezab.de/kirchenbuecher/kirchenbuch-suche.php Kirchenbuch-Suche]". | *Berlin Evangelical Central Archive Inventory Online - The [http://www.ezab.de/kirchenbuecher/provinzen.html Evangelical Central Archive in Berlin (EZAB)] holds many Lutheran church records from Eastern areas, including Ostpreussen, Schlesien, Posen, Brandenburg, Pommern and Westpreussen. On the website the box titled "Familienforschung" (family history research) includes a link to the listing of accessible parish registers under "[http://www.ezab.de/kirchenbuecher/kirchenbuch-suche.php Kirchenbuch-Suche]". | ||
==='''FamilySearch Historical Records | ==='''FamilySearch Historical Records has these church books''':=== | ||
**{{RecordSearch|1395660|Germany, Baden, Church Book Duplicates, 1804-1877}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index | **{{RecordSearch|1395660|Germany, Baden, Church Book Duplicates, 1804-1877}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index | ||
**{{RecordSearch|2422968|Germany, Baden, Stebbach, Church Book Extracts, 1675-1951}} | **{{RecordSearch|2422968|Germany, Baden, Stebbach, Church Book Extracts, 1675-1951}} | ||