German Genealogy Group

Speaker: Bernard N. Meisner

Topic: Learning German Genealogy Through Videos: Tools, Tips and Trusted Sources

Which is your preferred learning style: Seeing, Listening, Reading, or Doing? For those researching their German ancestors, there are many video resources available for little or no cost. This presentation will include a number of those resources, for beginning, intermediate, and even advanced, researchers. You will also learn tips for using videos effectively in German genealogy.

Speaker: Baerbel K. Johnson, AG® 

Topic: Using Historic Newspapers to Learn More About Your German Ancestor 

Historic newspapers can be a boon for family historians. They may include notices of births, marriages, or deaths, property sales, inventions, business licenses requested, intentions to emigrate, and more. Your ancestor may be mentioned in a news article. Historical information, such as local events, grocery prices, and advertisements can help you understand your ancestors’ world. Join us and learn how to use this amazing resource to enrich your family history!

Meeting: YouTube (8:48)

Presentation: Robin McDonough, Outreach & Programming Coordinator-Emerson History & Genealogy Center, St. Louis County Library

Topic: Using Ortsfamilienbücher to Research German Ancestors

Ortsfamilienbücher contain genealogical information about families within a specific town, village, or parish, sometimes going back to the beginning of written records. Learn about the Emerson History & Genealogy Center’s large collection of these books and how to use them.

Recording: YouTube (57:43)

Handout: Ortsfamilienbucher Handout

Speaker: Dr. Sabine Akabayoy

Topic: Bridging the Atlantic: German DNA for American Genealogists

Meeting: YouTube (8:33)

Speaker: Bernard Meisner

Topic: Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Into Your German Genealogical Toolkit

Recording: YouTube (1:09:14)

Handout: Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Toolkit

Speaker: Bernard Meisner

Topic: Researching Bavarian Ancestors

Meeting: YouTube (10:10)

Presentation: Researching Your Bavarian Ancestors - YouTube (55:58)

Handout: Researching Your Bavarian Ancestors

Speaker: Richard Gruetzner from the German-Texas Heritage Society

Topic: The German Free School and the German-Texan Heritage Society (GTHS) 1858 - 2025

Handout: German Free School and the GTHS 1858 to 2025

NOTE: Due to the weather, this session was virtual only.

In this presentation Richard Gruetzner discusses the historical German Free School located in Austin and how the modern operations of the GTHS reflect the cultural heritage that created it.

Meeting: YouTube (5:54)

Presentation: YouTube (53:43)

Speaker: Ann Broihier

Topic: Researching Baden-Württemberg Ancestors

We will look at resources for information about our Baden-Württemberg ancestors. The discussion will include various types of records and how to access them. The presentation will mention applicable books, free websites, pay websites, and other helpful resources.

Meeting: YouTube (5:42)

Presentation: YouTube (37:19)

• Download the handout

Speaker: Günter Ofner – President of Familia Austria

Topic: The History of the Habsburg Empire

Many German emigrants came from the Habsburg, rather than the German Empire and its precursor states.  Since the Habsburg Empire had political, administrative, linguistic, and religious structures that differed greatly from those in the German Empire, researching the former Habsburg Empire is very different.

Map of the historical territories of the Habsburgian Empire.

Meeting: YouTube (7:05)

Presentation: YouTube (1:26:15)

Speaker: Bernard N. Meisner

Topic: Understanding and Converting Calendar Dates In Genealogical Records

Which calendar(s) did your ancestors use?  You may be familiar with the Julian and Gregorian calendars, with their Old Style and New Style dates, but do you know when your ancestors’ country moved from one to the other?  Have you found records for your ancestors that include dates from the Catholic or Lutheran Liturgical Calendars or the French Republican Calendar?  Learn about these calendars and how to convert dates from one to another.

Meeting: YouTube (13:11)

Presentation: YouTube (49:57)

Handout: Understanding and Converting Calendar Dates In Genealogical Records

Topic: Resources for Finding Your German Roots At the Dallas Public Library

Genealogy & History Manager Stephanie Bennett and German Genealogy Specialist Ed Boehringer will present on how to find your German heritage at the Dallas Public Library. Learn how to maximize your research time using one of the largest genealogy collections in the United States.

Meeting Recording: YouTube (5:02)

Presentation Recording: YouTube (49:43)

Handout: German Research By Location

Speaker: Kent Cutkomp, Germanic Genealogy Society in Minnesota

Topic: German Pronunciation for Genealogists

Note: Kent will be presenting remotely.

The goal is to teach you to improve your pronunciation by comparing German sounds to English sounds. This will be standard German pronunciation unless otherwise mentioned. Different regions will pronounce words slightly differently.

Recordings

• Meeting - YouTube (5:37)
• Presentation
  • Note: This recording was deleted on 13 March 2024.

Speaker: Bernard N. Meisner

Topic: Using Hansen’s Map Guides To Locate Your Ancestor’s Parish Records

Hansen’s Map Guides to Parish Registers simplify the process of locating the parish registers containing the records of your ancestors. The Guides contain detailed information about Catholic and Lutheran jurisdictions for locations within the former German Empire (including areas now in Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Denmark, and France), Switzerland and Luxembourg, and also some information about Jewish congregations in those areas. Given your ancestor’s hometown, learn how to identify the most likely parish(es) with the records, then check the online availability of the registers on FamilySearch, Archion and/or Matricula.

Recordings

• Meeting
• Presentation: Hansen’s Map Guides to Parish Registers

Handouts

• Complete List of Hansen’s Map Guides
• Using Hansen’s Map Guides To Locate Your Ancestor’s Parish Records

Speaker: Ann Broihier

Topic: Using German genealogy societies/special interest groups to break your brick wall

Are you encountering difficulties with your German research? Have you considered reaching out to a local genealogy society for assistance? Let's explore some prominent German genealogy societies and special interest groups (s) in the US. Additionally, we will delve into the genealogy groups in Germany providing insights on how to locate and connect with them effectively.

Recording (YouTube - 50:23)

Handout

Speaker: Brenda Watlington

Title: German and Eastern European Research on FamilySearch

Summary: How to find your ancestor’s records in the war-torn countries of Germany and Eastern Europe. Tips for locating their place of birth and finding their immigration, church, and civil records on FamilySearch. 

Meeting: (YouTube - 1:23:28)

Handout

Location: 6th floor Classroom  D 

Speaker: Ann Broihier & Bernard N. Meisner

Topic: Compgen.de

An introduction to Compgen.de, Germany's Genealogy free mega website, managed by the Association for Computer Genealogy. Although the primary language of the site is German, much of its content is also available in English and the translation tools available in your Web browser and online can help with the rest. The site includes links to millions of names in public family trees, a village gazetteer of most of central Europe that includes the political entities to which your ancestors’ home villages belonged, thousands of city directories and searchable village genealogies, and much more. Bernard and Ann will review the various features of the site and demonstrate how it can help you with your research.

Meeting (YouTube - 52:21)

Handout

January 14, 2023

Speaker: Bernard N. Meisner

Topic: Hiring A Researcher To Search For Records in German Archive

Meeting (YouTube - 1:13)

Handout

Topic: How to use Archion.de

Handout

Topic: Taking a Research Trip to Germany

Speaker: Ann Broihier, Secretary, Dallas Genealogical Society.

Meeting (YouTube - 55:15)

Handout

Chat

Topic: German Genealogy Resources at the Clayton Library

Speaker: Susan Kaufman, Senior Manager Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research in Houston, Texas.

Meeting (YouTube - 1:24:25)

Chat

Handout

Topic: 11 Tips to Help You Transcribe German Church Records

Speaker: Theresa Berns of Theresa Berns Translations (https://www.tb-translations.com/)

The webinar provides tips on transcribing German church records and information on helpful resources that facilitate the transcription process.

Meeting (YouTube - 5:12)

The recording of the presentation by Tresa Berns was only available throuugh March 26th 2022.

• Theresa Berns Translations - https://www.tb-translations.com/

Topic: Group Discussion: German Genealogy Books

Group members are invited to discuss the books that have proved most useful in their German research.  After the meeting, a list of the books mentioned will be made available to the Group.

Handout:  List of German Genealogy Group's Favorite Books

Video: YouTube (51m)

• Speaker: Garry Finkell, Immediate Past President, New York Chapter, Palatines to America
• Topic: From the Rhine Valley to the Hudson Valley

Garry's presentation will cover the departure of the "Palatines" from the various states in the Rhineland, their trip to London, and their arrival in East Camp and West Camp in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York.

Handouts: Palatines to America, From the Rhine Valley to the Hudson Valley

Video: YouTube (1:10:58)

• Speaker: Bernard Meisner
• Topic: Early German Immigrants to Texas

The Republic’s desire to populate the new country resulted in a concerted effort to bring German settlers to Texas. By 1850 German immigrants were a significant ethnic group, the result of group and chain migration. Many lived in ethnic enclaves, while others were drawn to the towns in a band stretching from the coastal plain to the Hill Country. Records of these Germans can be found in many books and county, state and national Web sites.

Handout: Early German Settlements in Texas

Video: YouTube (1:00:45)

Topic - Open Discussion.

View the Recording

Speaker: Natalie Igunbor ( https://ancestorconnect.net/ )

Topic: “Tracing Surnames and Occupations”

Presentation: YouTube - 49:10

Handout: Resources for German Research

Speaker: Bernard N. Meisner

Topic: Incorporating Surname Maps into Your German Research

Learn how surname maps can enable you to determine where to look for your ancestors - both individuals and couples - suggest alternate spellings of their names, and perhaps identify their religion.  Surname maps can also aid in the transcription of records by confirming the names of relatives, friends, associates and neighbors who might be mentioned in the records.  Learn what surname maps are available, and how to assess their utility for your research.

Handouts:

• Incorporating Surname Maps Into Your Research
• Surname Map Web Sites
• View a Recording of This Meeting (YouTube) - 1:15:38

• Speaker: Duane Stabler, President, North Texas Chapter of Germans from Russia (https://ntgfr.com)
• Topic: In Search of Freedom: The Germans from Russia Story: This presentation is intended to be an overview of a group of people who immigrated from various parts of modern-day Germany to undeveloped territories in the Volga River valley and South Russia.  Years later, with changes that occurred in Russia, many immigrated to the Americas in search of a homeland that would offer them freedom and the ability to establish themselves.  Come hear about this story and how this small group of immigrants has impacted their new homeland through the past century.
• Handouts:
  • North Texas Chapter of Germans from Russia Flyer
  • American Historical Society of Germans From Russia Brochure.pdf
  • Germans From Russia Heritage Society Brochure.pdf
• View a recording of the meeting (YouTube) - 1:45:39

Speaker: Kevin Klaus, Information Specialist, Archives and Records, Texas General Land Office

• Topic: German Immigrants to Texas in the General Land Office’s Records: The oldest state agency in Texas, the General Land Office was formed to determine who owned what and where after the Texians and Tejanos won independence. The German Collection of the General Land Office represents not only land records, but gives insight into those settlers willing to leave their homeland, escape hardships and all they knew for a chance at a new start. Kevin will discuss techniques for tracing German ancestors using the General Land Office’s records
• Handouts
  • German Texas Genealogy Research
  • German Collection of the Texas General Land Office
• Watch the video of Kevin's Presentation (YouTube, 1:12:07)

Speaker: Fritz Juengling, Ph.D., AG, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Research Consultant at the FHL

• Topic: "The Genealogical Value of German Guild Records"
• Handout: Guild Records in Germany

This meeting was cancelled due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus.

The German Genealogy Group held a meeting on  January 18th at 10:30 pm in the Hamon Training Room on the 5th floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas TX 75201

View a recording of the meeting (YouTube: 1:21:37)

Handouts for this meeting:

• Pushes, Pulls and the Records: A Brief Review of the Various Waves of German Immigrants to the United States
• Finding German Church Records

The first meeting of the German Genealogy Group was held on  Nov 2nd at 1:30 pm in the Hamon Training Room on the 5th floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas TX 75201

The meeting was recorded and can be viewed now (YouTube - 1:32:23)

Handouts for this meeting:

• Identifying Your Immigrant German Ancestor  - Bernard Meisner
• Translation Help - Ann Broihier