German Genealogy?

Question

I was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, and want to establish a family tree for when my daughter is older. I am having a difficult time getting started, as most of my German relatives are deceased. I know that obtaining accurate records pre WWII can become challenging, but any valuable advice someone who has had a similar experience would be very appreciated.

Lt. Dan - I can't contact you via e-mail without an e-mail address. :)

Answer 1

If civil records are a challenge, then consider tracking your family through religious routes. If your ancestors were either Catholic or Lutheran, the odds are that you can find baptismal, marriage and burial records without much problem. Also check for various census and land records (of course, those you'll have to go there in person to find). Over time, as you get death information, you will be able to pull probate records and get a fuller understanding of the family.

I've done a lot of research in some of the most war-torn parts of Europe. People are under the impression that everything was destroyed. But the reality is that Germany held recordkeeping as a very high priority. Many events were not only documented, but redocumented and copied for archiving. If you have the time and patience, you can find what you need. It only takes one German relative with half a clue on where people used to live and worship to get you started in the alternative routes. It also helps if someone over there is willing to visit the cemeteries for you and get headstone info to help you keep people organized.

Answer 2

Was always under the impression that Germans keep rather good records regarding ancestry. Maybe if you can track down where your family lived in Berlin (District = Bezirk) you could obtain a copy of the Familienbuch which should have a dossier about each member.

But maybe I'm wrong.

Answer 3

A lot of records can be obtained in Church records. My family is also hard to track in Deutschland. Even now, I only found a couple of people with the same last name. When I was in Munich last, I found a person with the same last name, but wasn't able to contact them.
Do you speak German still? I can get you a possible help if you contact me thru email.
Bitte melde Dich...

Answer 4

My family is also from Germany. We have tried to track ours to no avail. Here is why. Family history in the early 1900's and beyond was not registerd with an agency or library in Germany. Mothers kept the information written in what is known as the family bible which was handed down to the next generation. My grandmother had the family bible. We have no clue what happened to it. She died at age 42. Grandfather died in 1967. that same year there was a house fire where everything was lost. It is beleived the family bible was in that house when the fire took everything. Tracing our history now is not going to happen. Find your family bible and you will have answers on family names etc.

Answer 5

grew to become into constantly below the impact that Germans safeguard instead nicely records related to ancestry. consistent with probability in case you are able to visual show unit down wherein your loved ones lived in Berlin (District = Bezirk) you're able to acquire a reproduction of the Familienbuch that would desire to have a document approximately each member. yet consistent with probability i'm incorrect.

Answer 6

One place where you can talk with genealogical researchers for Germany is at WorldGenWeb. Link below. I've had luck finding folks who could help me with my German ancestors there.

Answer 7

get in touch with a german consulate and ask for the address of
STANDESAMT 1 in Berlin they have all those old records.