PART ONE: GERMAN GENEALOGY BASICS
CHAPTER 1 BEGINNING YOUR GERMAN RESEARCH
Kick-start your genealogical journey with this chapter’s information about the basics of German research and the Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
CHAPTER 2 RESEARCHING GERMAN GENEALOGY ON THE INTERNET
Learn the dos and don’ts of online German genealogy. This chapter will outline key Web resources and help you set realistic expectations for your research.
CHAPTER 3 UNTANGLING GERMAN PLACE NAMES AND SURNAMES
Decode your ancestors’ garbled name and place of origin with these translation tools and keys to understanding botched German spelling and phonetics.
PART TWO: TOP GERMAN GENEALOGY WEBSITES
CHAPTER 4 FAMILYSEARCH.ORG: THE LARGEST FREE GENEALOGY WEBSITE
Explore the Internet’s largest free resource for family records. This chapter unpacks the more than 50 million German records housed by FamilySearch.org.
CHAPTER 5 ANCESTRY.COM: THE ULTIMATE ÜBER-SITE
Pinpoint your ancestors’ records in the vast collection of databases held by Ancestry.com and its affiliate sites. This chapter unpacks what the world’s largest genealogy website can do for you.
CHAPTER 6 GENEALOGY.NET: TWO WEBSITES IN ONE
Discover what the German (Genealogy.net) and English (GenWiki) versions of this valuable resource can offer you.
CHAPTER 7 MYHERITAGE: A FOREST OF FAMILY TREES
Scour MyHeritage’s vast collection of family trees for information about your own German ancestors.
CHAPTER 8 ARCHION: PROTESTANT CHURCH RECORDS GALORE
Master Archion’s invaluable collection of Protestant church records from across modern Germany.
PART 3: ANSWERS TO YOUR RESEARCH QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 9 HOW DO I IDENTIFY MY ANCESTORS’ PLACE OF ORIGIN?
Trace your ancestors to the homeland. This chapter contains passenger lists and emigration databases that will help you follow your family to the old country.
CHAPTER 10 WHERE ELSE CAN I ACCESS CHURCH RECORDS?
Seek out even more birth, marriage, and death records created by your ancestors’ place of worship with the resources in this chapter.
CHAPTER 11 HOW DO I CONTACT PEOPLE AND PLACES IN GERMANY?
Reach out to researchers on the other side of the Atlantic. This chapter gives you tips for contacting professional genealogists, heads of archives, and even long-lost relatives in Germany.
CHAPTER 12 WHAT ORGANIZATIONS AND ARCHIVES CAN HELP MY RESEARCH?
Obtain key records left behind by your ancestors and learn more about their lives through German archives and historical and genealogical societies. This chapter details how and where to search and write for more information.
CHAPTER 13 HOW CAN SOCIAL MEDIA SITES HELP?
Delve into the world of likes and hashtags with this guide to using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter in your German research.
CHAPTER 14 WHAT ELSE SHOULD I ADD TO MY TOOLBOX?
Broaden your research horizons with these resources you might not have thought to check.