👑 Prussian/ German Genealogy Help

Welcome!

If you're new to Prussian/ German (Polish, Mennonite & Shoah) research or just 'stumped' for additional clues, this page will provide new sources of hope, inspiration, and information. The 'local' ManyRoads' libraries alone contain more than 500GB of original (digital) genealogical and historical source documents.

In addition to our documents and tools, this page provides links to what I believe are the most helpful Internet research resources for conducting Prussian/ German research. I will update the contents of this page frequently based on usage patterns, comments, and client research efforts.

WW1 German POW Benefit Poster -1918, Ludwig Holheim| Public domain painting - free to use, no copyright restrictions - Picryl description

📚 ManyRoads' Core Topics & Help Pages

🗺️ Locating Places & Records (Gazetteers & Archives)

Historic Gazetteers (Essential Tools to Locate Villages)

Meyers Gazetteer (MeyersGaz.org): A vital resource based on the 1912 Meyers Orts-und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs, which includes the original gazetteer's details and interactive modern-day/historical map overlays.
Kartenmeister: Essential for towns east of the Oder and Neisse rivers (former German provinces now in Poland), providing German and Polish names, as well as parish and civil registry office information.
GOV Geschichtliches Ortsverzeichnis (GenWiki Historic Gazetteer): A comprehensive historic gazetteer covering virtually all current or former German-speaking areas.

German & Polish Online Archives (New Resources)

Resource	Focus	Type
FamilySearch Wiki & Catalog	German/Prussian Genealogy, extensive digitized/indexed church and civil records	Free
Archion	Official online portal for Protestant church registers in Germany.	Subscription (Paid)
Matricula Online	Extensive online portal for Catholic church registers (e.g., Münster, Paderborn, Luxembourg).	Free
Szukaj w Archiwach	Polish State Archives digital portal, key for records from former Eastern Provinces.	Free
Geneteka	Index of birth, marriage, and death records for all of Poland, including former Prussian areas.	Free
Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive)	Records of civil and military bodies from various eras; specific holdings for ethnic Germans resettled from Eastern Europe (EWZ).	Official Archive

📜 Historic Context & Administrative Changes

Changes in German Governmental Administrative Regions (1871- 1990)

1914 -Detailfragen Bilder u. Dokumenten 1871-1929
German Administrative History (Deutsche Verwaltungsgeschichte von der Reichseinigung 1871 bis zur Wiedervereinigung 1990 von Dr. Michael Rademacher M.A. (R.I.P.))
Territoriale Veränderungen in Deutschland und deutsch verwalteten Gebieten ~ Territorial Changes in Germany and areas under German Administration (1874-1945)

Primary Research Source Materials

Adressbücher- Address Books (Former German Eastern Provinces, West & East Prussia bias)
Prussia (Germany) Histories (West & East Prussia, Alsace, Hesse bias)
German Newspapers (Digitalized)

⚔️ Researching The Wars (WWI & WWII)

War, Holocaust & Expulsion Resources

Locating German WW1 & WW2 War Casualties & Prisoners
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge: Online search for German war graves and casualties abroad (WWI and WWII).
(Österreich) Kriegsarchiv (Austrian War Archives)
Wannsee Conference
Final Solution ~ Endlösung
Die Vertreibung/ Flucht (Post-WW2 German Expulsion from the former Eastern Provinces)
Post-WW2 Allied Control of German Peoples and Lands

WW1 & WW2 Internet Resources (External Links)

ManyRoads Caveat: We accept no responsibility for the content on any external site. We only provide these links as a convenience to our readers. * Shoah-Holocaust (Links) * Concentration Camps- Ghettos (Links) * WW1 & WW2 (Links) * Vertreibung- Expulsions (Links)

🔍 Search Tools & Language Aids

Custom Search Tools

GlobalGenSearch https://ggs.spdns.eu/
genealogy.net Meta Search https://meta.genealogy.net/

Surname Distribution Tools

Focus	Tool	Link
German/Austrian	Geogen	http://christoph.stoepel.net/ViewSoftware?id=0200
Polish	Dictionary of Surnames Currently Used in Poland	https://jri-poland.org/slownik.htm
Jewish (Poland)	Surname Distribution Mapper	http://data.jewishgen.org/maps/jrimap.asp

Language and Script Help

German Script Help: Click on the image (above) for a reference.
Translation Tool: ManyRoads’ recommends using Deepl.com for deciphering German https://www.deepl.com/translator.
First Name (Given Name) Translation(s): https://www.behindthename.com/names/translate

🖼️ Maps & Image Galleries

Maps (Cartographic Materials)

European Historical Maps: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2lo9ydifcm1vlwk/AADWNTIR0oR2fOm8ffjnbkoNa
Historical Germany: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ckqq8dry779wenf/AACuMkaxOaiV1JQJ4bK0hdGsa
Atlas des Deutschen Reiches (Ravenstein, 1883): https://search.library.wisc.edu/search/digital/browse

West-East Prussia Image Galleries

Be advised the following links will take you to image libraries many of which will load slowly! * West- und OstPreußische Dörfer/ Städte – West & East Prussian Communities * East & West Prussia (WW2-era) * Flucht und Vertreibung (Flight and Expulsion)

🔗 Comprehensive External Link Collections

ManyRoads Caveat: We accept no responsibility for the content on any external site. We only provide these links as a convenience to our readers.

German Speaking Peoples (ManyRoads Link Library): https://www.many-roads.com/link-directory/german-speaking-peoples-links/
Polish Internet Resources: https://www.many-roads.com/link-directory/polish-links/
Hans Selbach's ~2000 additional links: https://www.genealogy4you.at/download_free.htm

Credits

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.