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→Historical Background
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In 1795, the old Kingdom of Poland was conquered and divided among Russia, Austria, and Prussia. The state of Poland ceased to exist. | In 1795, the old Kingdom of Poland was conquered and divided among Russia, Austria, and Prussia. The state of Poland ceased to exist. | ||
'''Duchy of Warsaw:'''In 1807 Napoleon created a new Polish state, the Duchy of Warsaw. It was fashioned out of | '''Duchy of Warsaw:'''In 1807 Napoleon created a new Polish state, the Duchy of Warsaw. It was fashioned out of territories previously seized by Prussi In 1809 Napoleon’s forces won additional Polish territory from Austria, and the enlarged Polish state was called the Duchy of Warsaw. Civil registration of births, marriages, deaths, and sometimes of marriage intentions was initiated according to the Code of Napoleon in the territory of the Duchy of Warsaw on May 1st, 1808. After the Russian government assumed control upon the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the practice of maintaining civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths continued even after Poland became an independent republic in 1918. Civil registers in the Napoleonic format are found in all of Russian Poland, in Kraków and in parts of the Prussian province of Posen, which are all formerly part of the old Grand Duchy of Warsaw. | ||
'''Civil transcripts:''' Civil registration started when the clergy were required to make civil copies of birth, marriage, and death records. These are known as civil transcripts of church records (see [[Poland Church Records]]). Because the church was involved in early civil registration, it is difficult to clearly distinguish between civil registration and church records. | '''Civil transcripts:''' Civil registration started when the clergy were required to make civil copies of birth, marriage, and death records. These are known as civil transcripts of church records (see [[Poland Church Records]]). Because the church was involved in early civil registration, it is difficult to clearly distinguish between civil registration and church records. | ||