This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/ZVC.2ACE/4118.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Mary Beth, I told you in my first reply that churches will not let people look at records later than 1874. This is due to German privacy laws. Because you indicate that you are interested in post-1874 events, you'll be wasting your time going to the church. For events after 1874, you will have to go to the local Registry Office (in German: Standesamt) and consult civil records. Bear in mind, however, that due to strict German privacy laws, the "Standesamt" will let you look at records only of people from whom you DIRECTLY descend -- that is, grandparents or great-grandparents. Robert