Adalbert Goertz (goertz@cyberspace.org)
Back to Regions
Contents:
Q1: Where is Pommern (Pomerania)?
Q2: What was Pommern's recent history?
Q3: What were the administrative areas of Pommern (Pomerania)?
Q4: What were the court districts in Pommern province before 1900?
Q5: How do I find locations and maps for Pommern before 1945??
Q6: Are there web sites of interest to Pommern researchers?
Q7: Is there a listserv for Pommern family researchers?
Q8: When were civil registers introduced?
Q9: Are there emigration records available?
Q10: What books discuss hints and sources for East German searchers?
=======================================
Q1: Where is Pommern (Pomerania)?
A1: Pommern was a Prussian province. Its capital was Stettin
(pronounce:stet-TEEN).
Q2: What was Pommern's recent history?
A2: After the 30-Years-War (1648) Pommern consisted of
two areas: Schwedish-Pommern in the West under Swedish rule and
the Eastern area under the rule of the Brandenburg Electors.
After the defeat of Napoleon, Sweden in 1815 renounced all her claims
to areas in Germany incl. Pommern.
Pommern West of the Oder River was also called Vorpommern (Cis-Pomerania),
East of the Oder River Hinterpommern (Trans-Pomerania).
In 1938 areas from the former provinces of Westpreussen and Posen which
were lost after WWI were added in an administrative reform.
Hinter-Pommern was cleansed of its ethnic German population and given to Poland
The Western powers were silent on the ethnic cleansing.
Stettin was renamed Szczecin.
Q3: What were the administrative areas of Pommern (Pomerania)?
A3: In 1895 the province of Pommern had the following districts and
Kreise (counties):
- * marks areas totally or partially lost to Poland in 1945 -
Regierungsbezirk (district) of Stettin with 13 Kreise (counties):
Anklam,Demmin,*Greifenberg,*Greifenhagen,*Kammin,*Naugard,*Pyritz,Randow,
*Regenwalde,*Saatzig,*Stettin-Stadt,Ueckermuende,*Usedom-Wollin.
Regierungsbezirk (district) of *Koeslin with (*12) Kreise (counties):
Belgard,Bublitz,Buetow,Dramburg,Kolberg-Koerlin,Koeslin,Lauenburg,
Neustettin,Rummelsburg,Schivelbein,Schlawe,Stolp.
Regierungsbezirk (district) of Stralsund with (5) Kreise (counties):
Franzburg,Greifswald,Grimmen,Ruegen,Stralsund-Stadt.
(This area was the former Swedish-Pommern).
Each Kreis was headed by the Landrat who presided over the Landratsamt.
The Landratsamt records are deposited in the state archives.
The Landrat was in charge of passport and emigrations matters and reported
to the district Regierung who in turn gave data to the provincial
Oberpraesidium in Stettin.
Q4: What were the court districts in Pommern province before 1900?
A4: The highest provincial court was the Oberlandesgericht in Stettin.
http://www.jura.uni-sb.de/laenderberichte/meck-v.htm
The lower courts (Landgerichte) and lowest courts (Amtsgerichte) were
Landgericht Greifswald with (11) Amtsgerichte:
Anklam,Barth,Bergen,Demmin,Franzburg,Greifswald,Grimmen,Loitz,
Stralsund,Treptow,Wolgast.
Landgericht Koeslin with (12) Amtsgerichte:
Baerwalde,Belgard,Bublitz,Kolberg,Koerlin,Koeslin,Neustettin,Polzin,
Ratzebuhr,Schivelbein,Tempelburg,Zanow.
Landgericht Stargard with (14) Amtsgerichte:
Dramburg,Falkenburg,Gollnow,Greifenberg,Jakobshagen,Kallies,Labes,
Massow,Naugard,Noerenberg,Pyritz,Regenwalde,Stargard,Treptow.
Landgericht Stettin with (15) Amtsgerichte:
Altdamm,Bahn,Fiddichow,Gartz,Greifenhagen,Kammin,Neuwarp,Pasewalk,
Penkun,Poelitz,Stepenitz,Stettin,Swinemuende,Ueckermuende,Wollin.
Landgericht Stolp with (7) Amtsgerichte:
Buetow,Lauenburg,Pollnow,Ruegenwalde,Rummelsburg,Schlawe,Stolp.
The whereabouts of the records for the Landgerichte and Amtsgerichte
is unknown. Of special interest are the land deed records (Grund- und
Hypotheken-Acta) with no published survey known todate..
These records usually start with a land title history (=tituli possessionis)
going back 50 or more years from the beginning of the first deed book (1783).
Legal basis for these land records is the Prussian Hypotheken-Ordnung of 1783.
Stadt-Gericht (1802-1849), Kreisgericht (1849-1879),
Amtsgericht (after 1879).
Last testaments and wills, Erbscheine, orphan records would be
deposited in the local Amtsgericht (in the Hypotheken-Acta, if land
ownership and remarriages were involved).
A remarriage of a widower/widow was always documented in the Amtsgericht
stating in detail the estate rights of surviving children as well as
rights and duties of parents and step parents. This is a source at the
Amtsgericht which is widely unknown and untapped (and unfilmed by the LDS).
If you are looking for records which describe the life and tribulations
of your ancestors, you cannot miss looking at the court records.
Q5: How do I find locations and maps for Pommern before 1945??
A5: An atlas is usually not the best tool to locate small towns or
villages. Maps of scales 1:25,000 (Messtischblatt) or 1:100,000
(Karte des Deutschen Reiches and Kreiskarten) and gazetteers
(Ortsverzeichnis) are.
The best German gazetteer is
Meyers Orts- and Verkehrslexikon des Deutschen Reiches,1912 edition,
which is available on microfiche in the LDS Family History Centers.
There is LDS microfilm #068814 available of
Karte des Deutschen Reiches, scale 1:100000, 1km = 1cm
which may be loaned thru the LDS Family History Centers.
It covers Germany for 1914-1917.
Topographical Maps (Messtischblaetter 1:25000) may also be
purchased from
Bundesamt fuer Kartographie und Geodaesie
Stauffenbergstr.13
10785 Berlin, Germany
E-mail: kart@ifag.de
http://www.ifag.de/Kartographie/Kartenverzeichnis/I_alte_K.htm
see also
http://w3g.med.uni-giessen.de/gene/gifs/maps/
For German-Polish place name dictionary, see
http://www.atsnotes.com/other/gerpol.html
Q6: Are there web sites of interest to Pommern researchers?
A6: Here is a sampling of web sites:
+ Pommern/Pomerania:
http://dg3.chemie.uni-konstanz.de/~stuebs/pommern/
http://www.chemie.uni-konstanz.de/~stuebs/Wegweiser/
http://home.aol.com/myrondpl
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9027/pommern.html
http://www.execpc.com/~kap/pommern1.html
http://feefhs.org
http://www.qrz.com/gene/vereine/AMF/AMF.html
http://www.qrz.com/gene/reg/POM/pommern.html
http://www.hinterpommern.de/Pomerania/
+ Maps online of German regions:
http://w3g.med.uni-giessen.de/gene/gifs/maps/
+ Information on archives:
http://www.bawue.de/~hanacek/info/darchive.htm
http://dg3.chemie.uni-konstanz.de/~stuebs/pommern/Archive/
http://www.man.poznan.pl/~bielecki/geninfo6.htm
http://ciuw.warman.net.pl/alf/archiwa/
http://www.germany.net/teilnehmer/100.110994/index.htm
http://pgsa.org/archives_eng.htm
www.hinterpommern.de/Genealogie/Archive/Stett-staatsar/alte-bestaende.html
http://www.hinterpommern.de/Genealogie/Archive/Berli-geh-staatsar/#bestaende
+ Check the website of German regions:
http://www.genealogy.net/gene/reg/rindex.htm
http://www.genealogy.net/gene/reg/POM/pommern.html
http://web.nstar.net/~dwat6911/former.htm
Stiftung Martin-Opitz-Bibliothek Herne.
(ehemals Buecherei des deutschen Ostens)
Inhalt: Ueber die Bibliothek. Die Martin-Opitz-Bibliothek....
e-mail: charly@charly.ping.de
http://w3g.med.uni-giessen.de/~geneal/kp/fome/andere/mob.html
Herder -Institut Marburg e.V. Gisonenweg 5 - 7, 35037 Marburg/Lahn
Telephon: 06421/184-0, Telefax: 184-139
e-mail: herder@mailer.uni-marburg.de....
http://www.uni-marburg.de/herder-institut/bibliohp.html
http://w3g.med.uni-giessen.de/~geneal/kp/fome/andere/herdermb.html
http://www.uni-marburg.de/herder-institut/klassi.html
Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preu_ischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin.
Archivstra_e 12-14 D-14195 Berlin (Dahlem)
Tel.: (030) 839 01141 Fax: (030) 839 011 80
http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/prmss/orte/berlgsas.html
http://dg3.chemie.uni-konstanz.de/~stuebs/pommern/Archive/berli-geh-st*
Polish Archives at Stettin ( =Szczecin):
Guides to the archival holdings :
Archiwum ksiQ?Qt szczeciqskich / Jerzy Podralski ; Naczelna
Dyrekcja Archiwsw Paqstwowych w Warszawie.
Archiwum Paqstwowe w Szczecinie.
part 1: Szczecin: 1991, pp.1 -249 ; 20 cm Bibliogr.
part 2: Szczecin: 1991, pp. 250-565
Szczecinski Informator Archiwalny Nr. 7, Naczelna Dyrekcja
Archiwom Panstwowych w Warszawie, Archiwum Panstwowe w
Szczecinie, Szczecin 1992
Genealogival sources:
http://www.feefhs.org/s&f/kbak-ae.html Sources A-E
http://www.feefhs.org/s&f/kbak-fg.html Sources F-G
http://www.feefhs.org/s&f/kbak-hk.html Sources H-K
http://www.feefhs.org/s&f/kblz-lo.html Sources L-O
http://www.feefhs.org/s&f/kblz-ps.html Sources P-S
http://www.feefhs.org/s&f/kblz-tz.html Sources T-Z
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/German_Genealogy/kbak.htm
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/German_Genealogy/kblz.htm
http://www.execpc.com/~kap/pommern1.html
http://www.szczecin.pl/Szczecin/insz/archiwa/archiwa.html
If you have no access to the Web (www), you can direct web files to
your email box by sending a request to
getweb@usa.healthnet.org
or to
www4mail@unganisha.idrc.ca
with the message HELP or
get http://.....
Consult also
Germanic Genealogy (by Edward R.Brandt et alii), 2nd edition.
1997, St.Paul MN, 517 pp.,1st edition, 1995.
Q7: Is there a listserv for Pommern family researchers?
There is a mailing list ow-preussen-l for East and West Prussia.
A7: There is a mailing list pommern-l for Pommern.
To subscribe send text:
subscribe pommern-L ( Pommern Genealogy Mailinglist)
subscribe pommern-l-digest (Pommern Genealogy Mailinglist Digest)
to: majordomo@retsys.eics.com
A more general list is PRUSSIA-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com
To subscribe send the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) as the only text in the body of a message to
PRUSSIA-ROOTS-L-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or
PRUSSIA-ROOTS-D-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
Q8: When were civil registers introduced?
A8: Civil registers of births,marriages,deaths were introduced in October
1874. The Civil registry office is called Standesamt.
Before this time, the Lutheran church records (1815-1874) or special
Dissidenten-Register (1847-1874) served as official registers, and a
duplicate copy was deposited at the local court (Amtsgericht).
Most Standesamt (Polish: Urzed Stanu Cywilnego) records remained in the
old offices and were taken over by the Polish authorities in the areas annexed
They are listed in the Gazetteer of Polish People's Republic Localities.
The full title is SPIS MIEJSCOWOSCI POLSKIEJ RZECZYPOSPOLITEJ LUDOWEJ,
published in Warsaw 1968, and on LDS microfilm #844,922.
Q9: Are there emigration records available?
A9: The state archives have many emigration records.
For details see:
Learned, Marion Dexter, 1857-1917:
Guide to the manuscript materials relating to American history
in the German state archives, Washington, D.C.,
Carnegie Institution of Washington. Publication no. 150 , 1912, 352 p.:
-also Kraus reprints NY 1965-
p.164-167:StA Stettin (AP Szczecin)
re: Ships leaving the port of Stettin:
Printed and handwritten ship passenger lists compiled by the various
shipping companies that transported emigrants to America survive
among the record groups Pommersches Polizeipraesidium and
Schifffahrtsdirektion Stettin in
Vorpommersches Landesarchiv
Martin-Andersen-Nex=F6-Platz 1
D-17489 Greifswald
Germany
Email: LAGreifswald@t-online.de
The lists cover the years 1869-1902, and contain about 500-800
passengers per year.
Q10: What books discuss hints and sources for East German searchers?
A10: Wegweiser fuer Forschung nach Vorfahren aus den Ostdeutschen und
Sudetendeutschen Gebieten sowie aus den deutschen Siedlungsraeumen
in Mittel-,Ost- und Suedosteuropa (AGoFF-Wegweiser):
Verlag Degener &Co, 91413 Neustadt, Germany (1991 and later)
(The out-of-print English edition is being revised presently)
Germanic Genealogy (by Edward R.Brandt et alii), 2nd edition.
1997, St.Paul MN, 517 pp.,1st edition, 1995.
W.Krallert: Atlas zur Geschichte der deutschen Ostsiedlung,
Velhagen &Klasing, Bielefeld-Berlin-Hannover 1958.
There have been some calls recently for books in English on
the German exodus and ethnic cleansing in East Germany and
Eastern Europe:
Thorwald, Jurgen: Es begann an der Weichsel. 1951
Das Ende an der Elbe. 1952.
English: Flight in the winter;
[New York] Pantheon [1951] 318 p. 22 cm.
CALL #: 940.542 T52F
De Zayas, Alfred M.
Anmerkungen zur Vertreibung der Deutschen aus dem Osten.
English: The German expellees : victims in war and peace /
Alfred-Maurice De Zayas ; [original German version
translated by John A. Koehler].
New York : St. Martin's Press, 1993.
xlii, 177 p., [24] p. of plates : ill., map ; 22 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [161]-169) and
index. CALL #: DJK 28.G4D413 1993
De Zayas, Alfred M.
Anmerkungen zur Vertreibung der Deutschen aus dem Osten.
English: A terrible revenge : the "ethnic cleansing" of the east
European Germans, 1944-1950 / Alfred-Maurice de Zayas ;
[original German version translated by John A. Koehler].
1st pbk. ed. with additions.
New York : St. Martin's Press, 1994.
xlii, 179 p. : ill., maps ; 21 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [153]-171) and
index. CALL #: DJK 28.G4D413 1994
OTHER ENTRIES: Germans Europe, Eastern History 20th century.
World War, 1939-1945 Refugees.
World War, 1939-1945 Atrocities.
Population transfers Germans.
http://www.rollenhagen.de/Pommern/maps/saatzig.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~radde/FlightDanzig.html
http://members.tripod.com/~radde/ProcessExpulsionStolp.html http://memb
http://www.meaus.com/Expulsion_of_Germans.html
http://www.codoh.com/incon/incontrans.html
Suggestions for improvements are appreciated.
Adalbert Goertz (goertz@cyberspace.org)
Sponsored by the VU German Study Group Page
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