Table of Contents
Introduction 4
Part 1 Thinking Your Family Tree to German-Speaking Nations
Chapter 1 Your German-Speaking Heritage 6
Chapter 2 Identifying the German-Speaking Immigrant 28
Chapter 3 Pinpointing the Place of Origin 46
Chapter 4 The History of Germanic Lands 59
Part 2 Getting to Know the Old Country
Chapter 5 Understanding Germany's Geography 79
Chapter 6 Language, Surnames, Given Names 93
Part 3 Tracing Your Family in German-Speaking Nations
Chapter 7 Civil Registration in Germany 104
Chapter 8 German Church Records 114
Chapter 9 German Census and Court Records 133
Chapter 10 German Military Records 139
Chapter 11 Printed Records 146
Chapter 12 German-Speaking Peoples Outside of Germany 152
Part 4 Advanced Sources and Strategies
Chapter 13 Putting It All Together 161
Chapter 14 What to Do When You Get Stuck 172
Appendices
Understanding German Script 177
Sample Letters to Request Records 183
Civil Record Archives in Europe 188
Church Archives in Germany 192
U.S. Genealogy Archives and Libraries 197
Societies: German, Genealogical, & Historical 200
Publications and Websites 209
Index 223