Planning a Research Trip to Germany II

DearREADERS,
In "Planning a Research Trip to Germany Part I" I promised researcher Patc121@aol.com some more advice on preparing for her ancestral quest to Germany this fall, so here goes:

TOP FIVE things to do to prepare! 

1. Print out and work through these research outlines created by the experts at the LDS Family History Library.  I've marked the most important with a star, though I'll admit it was hard to narrow the search.  
   

   Most notably, the outlines will advise you to determine the exact town of origin from the documents you'll find in the US concerning your ancestors.   This includes, but it not limited to: census, tax, land, military, pension, vital records, newspaper obits & social commentaries and probate records.

   For a complete list of Research Outlines available online, see my article "Best of the Internet for Genealogists: Research Outlines from the FHL" located at: http://www.dearmyrtle.com/00/ldsoutlines.htm 
   
   German Empire Map 1871-1918
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/MGermanEmpire.html  
   
   German Genealogical Word List
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/WLGerman.html  
   
   German Letter-Writing Guide
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/LGGerman.html  
   
   Germany Research Outline
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/Germany.html  
   
   Hamburg Passenger Lists, The (1850-1934)
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/Hamburg_Pass_List.html 
   
   Tracing Immigrant Origins Research Outline
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/Tracing_Immigrant_Origins.html  
   
   United States Research Outline
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/Usout.html  
   
   

2. Work through the Ancestral File, and the IGI to avoid duplication of research effort.  Its possible that someone else  has worked your ancestral lines, and submitted them to the Family History Library.
   You'll find these research outlines helpful for understanding the scope of these collections, whether online, on CD or in microfiche format (IGI only.)
   
   Ancestral File™ 
   http://www.familysearch.org/Search/searchaf.asp
   "Over 35 million names organized into families and pedigrees"

   Using Ancestral File™
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/Usingaf.html   
   
   International Genealogical Index^{®
   http://www.familysearch.org/Search/searchigi.asp}  
   "Over 600 million names extracted from vital records from throughout the world."
   
   Using the International Genealogical Index® (on compact disc)
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/Igicd.html  
   

3. Consult the FHLCatalog to view records, for two reasons:
   SURNAME SEARCH - Maybe someone has printed their compiled genealogy, and it includes a common ancestor.  If the book is well-documented (with sources cited) this may expedite your research.
   
   PLACE SEARCH  - As mentioned in part one of this series of articles, I read all sorts of microfilm of German church records right here in sunny Florida during the two-three years before my research trip.  This allowed me to spend my short three weeks in Germany focusing on those towns and churches where the records are not yet on microfilm.

   Family History Library Catalog™
   http://www.familysearch.org/Search/searchcatalog.asp
   "Over 2 million rolls of microfilm and hundreds of thousands of books and maps described and cataloged."

   Here's a copy of the category listings for Germany.  The catalog provides the following note: "German place names in this catalog are listed as they are spelled in the following gazetteer: Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs / E. Uetrecht. 1912-1913. Call number 943 Microfilm numbers 496640-496641. E5mo "  If this lengthy list is just the "categories" then imagine how many tens of thousands of resources you'll find for Germanic studies!

   Germany - Almanacs Germany - Archives and libraries Germany - Archives and libraries - Bibliography Germany - Archives and libraries - Dictionaries Germany - Archives and libraries - Directories Germany - Archives and libraries - Handbooks, manuals, etc. Germany - Archives and libraries - History Germany - Archives and libraries - Indexes Germany - Archives and libraries - Inventories, registers, catalogs Germany - Archives and libraries - Periodicals Germany - Bibliography Germany - Bibliography - Periodicals Germany - Biography Germany - Biography - Bibliography Germany - Biography - Indexes Germany - Biography - Portraits Germany - Business records and commerce Germany - Business records and commerce - Directories Germany - Business records and commerce - History Germany - Business records and commerce - Periodicals Germany - Cemeteries  Germany - Cemeteries - Maps  Germany - Census  Germany - Census - Indexes  Germany - Centennial celebrations, etc.  Germany - Chronology  Germany - Chronology - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Church directories  Germany - Church history  Germany - Church history - Archives and libraries  Germany - Church history - Bibliography  Germany - Church history - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Church history - Maps  Germany - Church history - Periodicals  Germany - Church history - Societies  Germany - Church history - Sources  Germany - Church history - Yearbooks  Germany - Church records  Germany - Church records - Bibliography  Germany - Church records - Dictionaries  Germany - Church records - Directories  Germany - Church records - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Church records - History  Germany - Church records - Indexes  Germany - Church records - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Church records - Sources  Germany - Civil registration  Germany - Civil registration - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Civil registration - History  Germany - Civil registration - Indexes  Germany - Civil registration - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Civil registration - Sources  Germany - Colonization  Germany - Concentration camps  Germany - Court records  Germany - Court records - Indexes  Germany - Description and travel  Germany - Description and travel - Guide-books  Germany - Directories  Germany - Dwellings  Germany - Dwellings - Bibliography  Germany - Emigration and immigration  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Bibliography  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Emigration and immigration - History - 18th century  Germany - Emigration and immigration - History - 19th century  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Indexes  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Law and legislation  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Maps  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Periodicals  Germany - Emigration and immigration - Sources  Germany - Encyclopedias and dictionaries  Germany - Ethnology  Germany - Ethnology - Bibliography  Germany - Ethnology - Periodicals  Germany - Folklore  Germany - Folklore - Dictionaries  Germany - Folklore - Periodicals  Germany - Gazetteers  Germany - Gazetteers - Bibliography  Germany - Genealogy  Germany - Genealogy - Almanacs  Germany - Genealogy - Bibliography  Germany - Genealogy - Bibliography - Periodicals  Germany - Genealogy - Collected works  Germany - Genealogy - Collected works - Indexes  Germany - Genealogy - Dictionaries  Germany - Genealogy - Directories  Germany - Genealogy - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Genealogy - History  Germany - Genealogy - History - Collected works  Germany - Genealogy - Indexes  Germany - Genealogy - Indexes - Periodicals  Germany - Genealogy - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Genealogy - Names, Personal - Collected works  Germany - Genealogy - Periodicals  Germany - Genealogy - Periodicals - Bibliography  Germany - Genealogy - Periodicals - Indexes  Germany - Genealogy - Societies  Germany - Genealogy - Societies - Directories  Germany - Genealogy - Societies - Periodicals  Germany - Genealogy - Sources  Germany - Genealogy - Yearbooks  Germany - Handwriting  Germany - Handwriting - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Heraldry  Germany - Heraldry - Bibliography  Germany - Heraldry - Collected works  Germany - Heraldry - Dictionaries  Germany - Heraldry - Directories  Germany - Heraldry - Encyclopedias and dictionaries  Germany - Heraldry - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Heraldry - Indexes  Germany - Heraldry - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Heraldry - Periodicals  Germany - Heraldry - Periodicals - Indexes  Germany - Heraldry - Societies  Germany - Heraldry - Societies - Periodicals  Germany - Historical geography  Germany - Historical geography - Bibliography  Germany - Historical geography - Dictionaries  Germany - Historical geography - Maps  Germany - History  Germany - History - Almanacs

   Germany - History - Bibliography  Germany - History - Dictionaries  Germany - History - Encyclopedias and dictionaries  Germany - History - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - History - Indexes  Germany - History - Maps  Germany - History - Newspapers  Germany - History - Newspapers - Indexes  Germany - History - Periodicals  Germany - History - Societies  Germany - History - Societies - Directories  Germany - History - Sources  Germany - History - Sources - 843-1273  Germany - History - Sources - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - History - Yearbooks  Germany - Maps  Germany - Maps - Bibliography  Germany - Maps - Collected works  Germany - Jewish history  Germany - Jewish history - Bibliography  Germany - Jewish history - Sources  Germany - Jewish records  Germany - Jewish records - Indexes  Germany - Jewish records - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Land and property  Germany - Land and property - History  Germany - Land and property - Periodicals  Germany - Language and languages  Germany - Language and languages - Dictionaries  Germany - Language and languages - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Language and languages - History  Germany - Language and languages - Periodicals  Germany - Law and legislation  Germany - Law and legislation - History  Germany - Manors  Germany - Maps - Indexes  Germany - Medical records  Germany - Migration, Internal  Germany - Military history  Germany - Military history - Bibliography  Germany - Military records  Germany - Military records - Indexes  Germany - Military records - Periodicals  Germany - Military records - Sources  Germany - Military records - World War, 1914-1918  Germany - Minorities  Germany - Minorities - Biography  Germany - Minorities - Business records and commerce  Germany - Minorities - Directories  Germany - Minorities - Emigration and immigration  Germany - Minorities - Genealogy  Germany - Minorities - Genealogy - Sources  Germany - Minorities - History  Germany - Minorities - History - Sources  Germany - Minorities - Law and legislation  Germany - Minorities - Occupations  Germany - Minorities - Periodicals  Germany - Minorities - Periodicals - Indexes  Germany - Minorities - Population  Germany - Minorities - Religion and religious life  Germany - Minorities - Societies - Bibliography  Germany - Minorities - Statistics  Germany - Names, Geographical  Germany - Names, Geographical - Dictionaries  Germany - Names, Geographical - Periodicals  Germany - Names, Personal  Germany - Names, Personal - Dictionaries  Germany - Names, Personal - Encyclopedias and dictionaries  Germany - Names, Personal - Indexes  Germany - Names, Personal - Periodicals  Germany - Native races  Germany - Naturalization and citizenship  Germany - Newspapers  Germany - Newspapers - Bibliography  Germany - Nobility  Germany - Nobility - Collected works  Germany - Nobility - Dictionaries  Germany - Nobility - Encyclopedias and dictionaries  Germany - Nobility - Genealogy  Germany - Nobility - Genealogy - Collected works  Germany - Nobility - Genealogy - Indexes  Germany - Nobility - Genealogy - Periodicals  Germany - Nobility - Genealogy - Sources  Germany - Nobility - Heraldry  Germany - Nobility - History  Germany - Nobility - Indexes  Germany - Nobility - Periodicals  Germany - Nobility - Portraits  Germany - Nobility - Societies - Yearbooks  Germany - Nobility - Yearbooks  Germany - Obituaries  Germany - Obituaries - Indexes  Germany - Obituaries - Indexes - Periodicals  Germany - Nobility - Bibliography  Germany - Nobility - Biography  Germany - Occupations  Germany - Occupations - Dictionaries  Germany - Occupations - Indexes  Germany - Officials and employees  Germany - Officials and employees - Genealogy - Sources  Germany - Pensions  Germany - Periodicals  Germany - Periodicals - Bibliography  Germany - Politics and government  Germany - Politics and government - Bibliography  Germany - Population  Germany - Population - History  Germany - Postal and shipping guides  Germany - Public records  Germany - Public records - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Public records - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Religion and religious life  Germany - Religion and religious life - Bibliography  Germany - Religion and religious life - Periodicals - Inventories, registers, catalogs  Germany - Schools  Germany - Schools - Bibliography  Germany - Schools - Directories  Germany - Schools - Heraldry  Germany - Slavery and bondage  Germany - Slavery and bondage - History  Germany - Social life and customs  Germany - Social life and customs - Periodicals  Germany - Societies  Germany - Societies - Handbooks, manuals, etc.  Germany - Societies - History  Germany - Societies - Periodicals - Indexes  Germany - Societies - Yearbooks  Germany - Taxation

   To understand more about using the catalog of the Family History Library, and how local FHCenters figure in, you'll enjoy reading:
   
   Family History Library Catalog™ (on compact disc)
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/FSFHLC.html  
   
   Family History Library Catalog™ (on microfiche)
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/fhlc_on_microfiche.html  
   
   Family History Library™ and Family History Centers™
   http://www.familysearch.org/sg/FHL_and_FHC.html   
   
   Family History Centers™
   http://www.familysearch.org/Search/searchfhc2.asp  
   Locate the nearest Family History Center where you can access microfilm described in the Family History Library Catalog™..."
   
   

4. Study the county histories where your ancestors settled.  They'll often report on the settlement and migration patterns which give clues as to places of origin.  To locate these consult:
   
   FHLCatalog http://www.familysearch.org/Search/searchcatalog.asp  Click "Place Search" and go from there.
   
   PERSI - Periodical Source Index (Available in book format at many public libraries as well as on CD and online through Ancestry.com
   www.ancestry.com  
   
   P. William Filby's Bibliography of American County Histories, available through Genealogical Publishing Company. www.genealogybookshop.com 
   
   I also recommend consulting My. Filby's project created in collaboration with Ira A. Glazier Germans to America. Its a multi-volume set indexing passenger arrivals from 1850 forward. 
   
5. Study the siblings of your ancestors for clues about the homeland.  I've seen where the older sister of my US born ancestor reported on the trip crossing the plains, coming over from the boat, and how things were in the family's hometown in England.  You may find the sibling of your direct line ancestor is the one who inherited the family bible, or took a trip back "home." Sometimes you won't find the town of origin listed in the obituary for your ancestor, but someone may have provided it in the death certificate or newspaper report on your ancestor's brother or sister.

For Further Reading:

DearMYRTLE.  Planning a Research Trip to Germany Part I.

DearMYRTLE. Planning a Research Trip to Germany Part III.

DearMYRTLE. Planning a Research Trip to Germany Part IV.

Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Daily Genealogy Columnist
America Online Keyword: roots or myrtle
www.dearmyrtle.com  

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