(Before the Parish Registers Start)
Copyright © 1993 Friedrich R. Wollmershäuser
Main categories of archival records.
Where to find archival records.
1. In archives
a. The way of the records to the archives.
b. Possible organization methods of archives.
c. Archives inventories and addresses.
2. In print.
3. On microfilm How to treat archival records.
I. MAIN CATEGORIES OF ARCHIVAL RECORDS
1. Administrative sources.
The present distinction between administrative and judicial functions had not been made at this time, so this category is somewhat arbitrary. Records concerning sovereignty are also included here. Lists of oaths of allegiance (Huldigungslisten) were compiled upon the accession of a new ruler. Allmen of a district were required to meet in the district seat and to take the oath of allegiance to the ruler or his deputies. Between 1600 and 1800, the names of those men were often recorded, sometimes only the names of those who were absent. Statistical records are typical for the 18th century and sometimes include household lists, which in a few cases indicate even the birthplaces of the inhabitants. Lists of inhabitants were often compiled after a fire, to assist distibution of relief. During the Age of Absolution, the central administration took over more and more functions. As a result, the proceedings of central administration increased to fill as many as six to eight volumes per year, mostly unindexed. They contain much information about individuals, but these entries are quite difficult to locate if one does not know when a certain event took place. Citizenship records contain entries on the acquisition of citizenship (in the proceedings of a municipal council, in a register of citizen, etc.) and on the renunciation of citizenship (when moving to another territory) or on the reservation of citizenship (when temporarily moving somewhere else). Some state and church archives keep duplicates of vital registers which were required before the state vital registration offices (Standesamt) were established. These duplicates, which date from approximately 1800 onwards (sometimes a little earlier), include only birth, marriage and death entries and were copied annually from the entries in the original parish registers.
2. Judicial sources.
A. Criminal jurisdiction (strittige Gerichtsbarkeit) include interrogations of the defendant and the witnesses (with biographical information) and the court decisions. Interrogations of witness (Zeugenverhöre) include up to several hundred witnesses, often giving their name, age, occupation, current and former place of residence, wealth, and the lord of whom the witness were subjects or, if serfs, to whom they belonged. Bonds not to sue for imprisonment (Urfehden) often indicate the crime and may substitute for absent court records. B. Civil jurisdiction. Registers of contracts (Kontraktenprotokolle, Briefprotokolle), included, in small districts, in the general administrative proceedings (Amtsprotokolle), list all types of contracts: real estate sales and exchanges, marriage contracts, inheritance contracts, etc. Often there is a separate series of mortgage registers. Probate records (Teilungen, Ausfauteiakten, and other terms) include the name of the deceased and of the heirs and often a detailed inventory of the inheritance.
3. Revenue sources.
Land registers (Grundbücher, Lagerbücher, Berainer, Urbare, and other terms) include the pieces of land, the owners and the taxes to be paid for these lands. Land grant registers (Lehenbücher, Bestandbücher) list the grants of fiefs to noblemen and peasants. Tax registers (Steurlisten, Steuerbücher, Bedbücher) include the names of the taxpayers and the annual amount of the tax. Registers of serfs (Leibeigenenbücher) include the names of serfs and their family members. Registers concerning release from serfdom (Manumissionsprotokolle) were maintained in addition in some dominions. Annual accounts (Amtsrechnungen) include the income and expenses of a certain office for a given year (not necessarily the calendar year). The income includes payments for having real estate, for the interest of mortgages, protection fee of residents (Beisassen), emigration tax, fees for the release from serfdom, fees for taking over or leaving a farm (Handlohn, Weglösin), fees after the death of a serf (Hauptrecht), fines and penalties. The expenses may indicate the wages paid to craftsmen, and often there is a category for the fee which could not be collected (in Abgang), telling the reason why. The enclosures (Beilagen) are also important because they may list in detail payments that appear in the main ledger only as sums.
4. Military sources.
Muster registers (Musterregister) of the 1500's and sometimes 1600's list all men liable for the defense of the country, and the weapons they own. There are very few remaining muster rolls of private soldiers serving during the 1700's and 1800's. but the rolls of officers (Stammrollen) are fairly complete.
5. Ecclesiastical sources.
This category includes lists of parish members, reports on the inspection of parishes (Kirchenvisitationsprotokolle) and concerning the moral conduct of parish members (Kirchenkonventsprotokolle, Kirchenzensurprotokolle).
II. WHERE TO FIND ARCHIVAL RECORDS
1. In archives.
a. The way of the records to the archives.
Non-current records of government authorities are stored in the basement or attic of the office building for some time (usually about 30 years), and after this time they are either discarded or forwarded to an archive. Usually state authorities hand their records to state archives, municipal authorities to municipal archives, and so on. When a government authority is dissolved, the files are either given to the succeeding authority or to an archive or are destroyed. The files of a single authority may end up at differnt places, as the following example shows:
- The monastery of Salem maintained an administration office in Ehingen. The office could only accept petitions and maintain proceedings and accounts, but had to forward all petitions to Salem for a decision. All cases are therefore listed in the proceedings of Ehingen and in the proceedings of the Salem central authorities.
- The proceedings of these authorities were transferred to the Karlsruhe state archive after Salem itself became part of Baden.
- The judicial proceedings and records were transferred to the archive of Prince Thurn und Taxis, who became lord of the Salem estates around Ehingen in 1803. These archives were first in the buildings of the former monastery of Obermarchtal; in the 1950's they were provisionally deposited in the Sigmaringen state archive; there are presently plans to transfer them to the archive of Prince Thurn und Taxis in Regensburg. Many of the older land registers and revenue records had and will have the same destiny.
- Prince Thurn und Taxis was forced to cede his revenues to the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1848. All files still in the Ehingen office at that time became the property of Württemberg. The annual accounts were transferred to the archive of the Württemberg ministry of finances, then to the Ludwigsburg state archives; they are now in the Stuttgart state archive. the other files were forwarded directly to the Ludwigsburg state archives and are now also in the Stuttgart state archive.
In other words, the files of one consistent administratration may now be spread over two or three different archives.
b. Principles of archival organization.
- Provenance: all files created by a certain authority are assembled in one record group.
- Pertinence: all files pertaining to a certain topic (a town, a surname, a crime or historical event) are assembled in one record group.
- Select: all records of one type (land registers, maps, volumes, parchment charters, vital registers) are consolidated in one record group.
Usually the structure of a given archive is a mixture of these three priciples. This makes it quite difficult to locate all records pertaining to a given topic.
c. Archive inventories and addresses
Most larger, and some smaller, archives have published outlines of their record groups, which help a researcher to determine if anything helpful may be there. The addresses of archives are listed in the following volumes:
- Verein deutscher Archivare (ed.), Archive und Archivare in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz (14th ed.; München: Verein deutscher Archivare, 1986) (lists addresses and phone numbers of numerous archives in the German-speaking area).
- Minerva Handbücher Archive. Archive im deutschsprachigen Raum (2nd ed.; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1974) (includes addresses and surveys of the holdings of numerous archives in the German-speaking area, but is somewhat obsolete about the locations and phone numbers now).
- Amt für wissenschaftliche Forschung (ed.), Archive, Bibliotheken und Dokumentationsstellen der Schweiz (4th ed.; Bern: Eidgenössisches Beschaffungsamt, 1976) (archives and libraries in Switzerland).
2. In print. Many of the older archival records have been published. Most deeds before 1200 have been published in full transcripts, and many others before 1500 in abstract (Regesten) these publications have indexes which enable the researcher to consult the records without ever going to an archive.
3. On microfilm. Many genealogical sources are accessible on microfilm, either through the LDS branch libraries or in the archives themselves (often, the original records are no longer accessible to researchers) or by the purchase of a microfilm of the needed records.
III. HOW TO WORK IN AN ARCHIVE.
Before you go to an archive at all, prepare your visit by the following steps:
- Become aware what your actual research problem is, with what type of records it may be solved and where these records are.
- Try to find out if the projected archive has the requesed file at all. If this is the case, find out if these items have been microfilmed by the LDS church, and in this case you better check them in America, so you are one step further when you start in Germany.
- Make sure by a phone call that the archive is open the day you plan to come, and inquire for the opening hours.
The rules how to use archival records are more or less the same for all archives, and you acknowledge them when you sign the application for using the archives. the important points are as follows:
- When you come in, leave your coat and baggage in lockers in a room (Garderobe). Ask for the reading room (Lesesaal, Benützersaal) and identify yourself by showing your passport.
- Tell your problem to the archivist. He may answer you that there is no chance to solve it, or he may hand you out some record catalogues or direct you to a catalogue room.
- Pick up the numbers of the files you want to see, write them on order slips and submit these to the archivist. Usually there are fixed hours when records are fetched, and in some archives, the number of records per day is limited.
- When the records are handed out to you, take them to your desk and check them. When you have finished, return them to the archivist or to a place designed for this purpose.
- It is not the archivist's job to read and translate entries for you, so make sure about your reading and language abilities before you decide to order a record.
- Do not eat, drink, smoke or talk loudly in the reading room.
- Do not use documents as a layer for writing.
- Reproductions of documents on paper or microfilm are provided upon request, but only for private use. The copyright of archival records remain with the archive, and you need written permission if you want to forward the copy to anyone else or publish it. If you publish archive's material, you have to submit a free copy of the publication to the archive.
- Many archives may refer you to a local or regional professional genealogist who is available for further research.