Sorry, I made a mistake. It is not "Hessische Landeskirche von Kurhessen Waldeck".  The right name is: "Evangelische Landeskirche von Kurhessen Waldeck".   Regards Karl --- Karl Schien <[email protected]> schrieb am Do, 14.5.2009: Von: Karl Schien <[email protected]> Betreff: Re: [HESSE] Birstein Kirchenbücher and pastoral records An: [email protected] Datum: Donnerstag, 14. Mai 2009, 15:29 Hello old members of that list! I am still alive and very busy in researching my local history.   Hello David, Birstein belongs to the "Hessische Landeskirche von Kurhessen Waldeck". That Organisation did not allow the LDS filming the church books. The church books are archived in the church office of Birstein. The Hessische Landeskirche started filming the church books some years ago, but the books of Birstein are still not filmed. I think you don't need them.   I took a look in the book: Pfarrergeschichte des Sprengels Hanau ("Hanauer Union") bis 1968, Marburg 1984, Page 522: 14. Pfarrer of Birstein HOFFMANN, Johann Christian, 1657-1662 Aus Sontra. Born in Sontra Imm. Bremen 1648, studied in Bremen 1650-1651 Pfarrverseher (?curate?) in Edenkoben-Walsheim, 1651-1653 Pfarrer in Weingarten (Pfalz), 1654-1656 Pfarrer in Langenselbold, 1657-1662 Pfarrer in Birstein und Unterreichenbach, 1667-1672 Interimspfarrer in Osthofen, 1677-1694 und 1698ff. Pfarrer in Nußloch. Das älteste der noch vorhandenen Kirchenbücher in Birstein ist von Pfarrer Hoffmann angefangen worden. The oldest church book of Birstein begins in 1657 by him. I got a list of all names registered in the old church book between 1660 and 1700. There is mentioned only: Balthasar Hofmann, Gerichtschöffe (juryman). Are you familiar with him? I don’t believe that he his something to do with Pfarrer Hofmann. Hofmann is a common name in Germany and the Birstein area.   I hope I could help you.   Greetings from Germany Karl           ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message