----- Original Message ----- From: Jerry and Fran Goertzen To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 3:23 PM Subject: Your email dated March 14,'11 Map Guides to German Parish Registers Gary; This email is for Gary Martens and the others who have asked about the Map Guides to German Parish Registers by Kevan Hansen, at web site : < www.familyrootspublishing.com/store > . With all the material we are getting from Russia, thanks to Dr. Igor Pleve, Pro. Brent Mai and many other hard workers, it is getting easier to go all the way through Russia to Germany in our search for our ancestors. But, when we get to Germany, many of us hit a deadend. This is because 'Germany' didn't exist when our ancestors left for Russia, but instead was under the Holy Roman Empire. Vital records were not kept by the state governments so we have to rely on church records. Each church register has has records on births, marriages, deaths and movement to other areas. That is where Kevan Hansen's "Map Guides to German Parish Registers" come in. This is the most comprehensive series of books on church parish data I have found. Kevan is publishing a series that will cover all of the Germanic States, Provinces, etc. of Germany when it became the German Empire (1871). He estimates it will take at least 55 volumes. He has completed 36, I believe so far. You can purchase them from the publisher by going to the website indicated above. Check for German Map Guides. They come in hardcover or softcover. The soft cover is only $35.00 each plus shipping. Each volume contains an index of all the cities, towns and villages in that book. It identifies the parish where your ancestor worshipped, according to the religion and village he lived in. The Parish is where all the vital records were kept. The volumne gives the Family History Library microfilm number for each parish (when available) so you can check their records back in history. If you go to the Family History Catalog at < www.familysearch.org > then go to the Microfilm Number Search and enter the number given in the book, you can get a list of all film numbers for that particular parish and the years included in each one. Some of these records go back to the 1500's. The Parish books list the parish maps separately for the Lutheran and Catholic churches which were the majority religions. Even though maps are not included for the minority religions, like the Reformed Faith, the church parish film numbers are given when available. Some churches would not allow the LDS to film their records due to the Parishoner's privacy. Some of the German States were so large it took several volumes to cover all the area. It took 9 volumes for Bavaria, six for Saxonly, and 4 for Württenberg. So, if you are not sure which volume might have your village, go to the map guide descriptions and click on the book illustration and it will give the index of all the villages in that volume. The parish microfilms can be ordered and viewed at your local LDS Family History Center (FHC). Go to < www.familysearch.org > to find a location near you. The parish records are naturally in German script so if you cannot read German, be sure to get someone to help you. Some of the FHC have people that can help or know of translators you can contact. Family Roots Publishing also have other good books on German history. Happy Hunting. Jerry Goertzen