German Genealogy Study Group

1. General Genealogy Resources and Link Pages for Germany

Updated 17 Dec 1999

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet--Germany

The largest site of "lists of links" on the Net.

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet--Germans From Russia

Genealogy Resources on the Internet

This site has so many URL's no one could ever check them all out! I (JoAnn) feel that we should let the class know of it as who knows--it may be that one certain link in there that opens up the search.

German Genealogy Sites & Organizations

List contains links to numerous sites including German Nobility Index, Everton letter writing aid, Schroeder & Fuelling GbR of Gummersbach, Germany (specializes in 18th - 20th century German emigration), family history research, and adoption research, and The Odessa Group (special focus on Germans from Russia, Odessa), and several others. (from Kent's Genealogy Trading Post)

German Genealogy Home Page

This sounds like a general genealogy site but it is the one source of German Genealogical information that beginner to expert must have.
As you explore it you'll find it has some of the very basics, such as the FAQ for the newsgroup soc.genealogy.german, plus lists of Q and A's for beginners as well as those seeking to go farther in German Genealogical research. There are sections dealing with and about various German states, eg. Bavaria, Saxony, Rhineland, Prussia, etc. This also includes Austrian states such as Carinthia, Tyrol, etc. Also covered are states from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire and former German territories such as Alsace, Schlesein, East Prussia, Bohemia, etc.
It is hard to list everything that is in this site. There are sections on Germans from Russia, Germans from Hungary as well as reviews of the all-important Germans To America series of References and lists of Genealogical societies in Germany.
See also the sublink: How to get German DOCs under "6. Other Internet Suggestions" below.

Soc.Genealogy.German FAQ

Good starting information and newsgroup rules. Has discussion or links to:

  How can I start researching my German or German-American family? 
  What introductory or general books should I read? 
  Can you help me with surname ABCDEF? 
  Where can I register my surnames? 
  Where is the town/village Xyz? 
  How do I find an address or phone number? 
  How can I find out what village my ancestor came from? 
  What about the German census? 
  What does my German surname mean? 
  Is my family from a town with a name like their surname? 
  How can I learn about German noble families? 
  Where can I find German military records? 
  How do I write to a German Standesamt, parish, or archive? 
  How do I find German postal codes? 
  I don't know German. What should I do? 
  I can't read German handwriting. What should I do? 
  What is the basic German genealogical vocabulary? 
  What are the German umlauts and genealogical symbols? 
  How can I send money to Germany? 
  What is the IGI? 
  Where can I find passenger lists? 
  What is _Germans to America_? 
  What German archives and/or genealogical organizations are there? 
  How do I find a book about abc or xyz? 
  What is the German genealogy server? 
  What is soc.genealogy.german? 

Genealogical Research in Germany

An FTP site on which you can read or download information and suggestions for German Genealogy Research from the EMBASSY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

Palatines To America

This is a non-profit, national genealogical society founded in 1975. The site is provided to help researchers with Germanic ancestors that have immigrated from all parts of Germany to the US. There is a fee for membership, and information to join in provided at the site. A searchable database is available for non-members, as well as useful links to other web sites. (Some of them can already be found on this page)

German Palatine Page

PAGenWeb Palatine Page

This site is a treasure trove for anyone looking for German ancestors in Pennsylvania. The people are listed as Palatinates. There are land records, naturalization records, biographies and ships' lists. What a find.

The German Genealogy Page--Mirror Site

Both German and English versions. Includes: Beginner's tips, General help, Regional Research, (leads to the main collection of pages with genealogy-related information for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, former German Territories and Settlements), German Emigration to America, Worldwide Genealogy and Private Family Pages (Collection of Links)

German World GenWeb

This is the opening page for the German Genealogy for the World GenWeb Project. It has several links to various areas including maps, State sites for queries. One sublink that should be visited is German State System This site gives an explanation of how the German state system is set up and divided. The researcher needs to do a little background checking to make the search and query easier. If the area of German is known, you just have to click on that state to submit your information. If you are not sure what state your town is in, there is a link to "GeoServ" to help you. If no town or state information is available, there is an unknown.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern GenWeb

World GenWeb pages for Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany. This includes Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. There are places to post surnames and queries pertaining to Mecklenburg, as well as history and census information.

Nordrhein-Westfalen North Rhine-Westphalia WorldGenWeb

This site (in English) is under construction (set up May 19) includes a history of the area, identifies the five regions of Arnsberg, Detmold, Dusseldorf, Koln and Munster, and has a search of surnames.

Check with for pages for each area of Germany.

Rheinland-Pfalz Germany WorldGenWeb

(in English) Site gives you access to Rheinland Pfalz - databases, surnames, queries page, published resources, and look-up volunteers. It also has links to Rheinland Pfalz.

Schleswig-Holstein, Deutschland, WorldGenWeb

(in English) Has a surname query, list of links, and also for Schleswig - history, archives, genealogy societies, volunteers and books on. Very interesting site!

NDSU German from Russia Heritage Collection

This site has a searchable index as well as info on how to subscribe to the GER-RUS List-Serve as well as articles from newspapers and magazines about the German-Russian people. It also has lists of books and other resources to explore, and much more.

(### Unavailable) German Russian Heritage Society (GRHS)

Loads of info here. Under villages, you can find people that have researched certain villages and have lots of information to share. Some of these people have e-mail addresses. I found someone that had data-bases on my family here.

(### Unavailable) American Heritage Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR)

Again lots of valuable information here.

Wandering Volhynians

German-Volhynian Newsletter and WV Surname List Index, FEEFHS sublink.

German Nobility

(Bios are still in German, but you can surname search)

Ostriesland Ancestors

This is a personal web page that deals with Ostriesland, on the North Sea coast of Germany. It has a short explanations of the history of the country and the various political changes.

FEEFHS Ethnic Page

Federation of East European Family History Societies (in English)

FEEFHS Cross-Index

for several cross-indexes of various German & other European genealogy links.

FEEFHS Search Engine

has a great search engine of their site set up for you! You can either type in a Keyword, Surname, Place Name, Cross-Index, Genealogy Society & Organiztion, Ethinic-Religious or N'tl Genealogy, Author-Subject or Title, Professional Genealogist or Translator... It is an absolutely terrific site for linking you up via surname or village (assuming it has been digitalized!)

Archives in Germany

This site is the wherewithall for the German Nation Archives. It is in German, but states it will also be in English soon.

Hanacek's Hotlist of German Genealogy

German Genealogical Form Letters, German Genealogy Helplist, German BBSs specializing in Genealogy, German/Russian References as well as European genealogical resources.
Click to get the version in English. Hanacek's hotlist of German Genealogical sites and Archives includes a description of each, lists over 150. Includes a section on Germans from Russia plus reports on Palitinate and Swabian Bavaria, Sudetenland.

Lancaster County Pennsylvania History and Genealogy

Pennsylvania Dutch (German)

Palatine and Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

Lancaster County Pennsylvania GenWeb Page

for Pennsylvania Dutch (German)

Finding your Ancestor on Line - York County Pennsylvania

for Pennsylvania Dutch (German)

E-mail Lynn (lynnd@adnc.com) with corrections or comments.

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