Special Helps For Locating an Ancestor's Origin in Germany
Theresa G. Gold, 19 October, 1996

These sources provide the most benefit only after exhausting all the possibilities covered in Locating an Ancestor's Place of Origin within the U.S.A.

Familienkundliche Nachrichten (FANA)
Queries published six times a year by:

• Verlag Deneger & Co.
  Postfach 1350
  91403 Neustadt/Aisch, Germany

Individuals may place queries in this publication that is distributed with German genealogical journals. You may write a brief letter in English and they will bill you, generally around $25.00 - 30.00. For surnames previously published, check with Immigrant Genealogical Society or German Genealogical Society of America.

Praktische Forschungshilfe (ProFo)
Similar to FANA, above.

• C. A. Starke Verlag
  Postfach 1310
  D-65549 Limburg/Lahn, Germany

Familiengeschichtliche Quellen
13-volume family name index of family histories published in Germany. Compiled 1926 - 50 by Oswald Spohr, reprinted by:

• Franz Heinzmann Verlag
  Am Gengelsträßchen 10
  40404 Düsseldorf, Germany

LDS book: 943 B2fg; LDS microfilm: #547,171, #496,680 - 496,682.

Glenzdorfs Internationales Genealogen Lexikon
Over 3,500 German genealogists, over 100,000 surnames and 16,000 places. Check with German Genealogical Society of America or Immigrant Genealogical Society.

Ahnenlistenkartei
Indexed ancestral charts. Check with German Genealogical Society of America or Immigrant Genealogical Society.

Deutschen Familienarchiv
Check with Immigrant Genealogical Society to see which surnames have been indexed in Volumes 1 through 100.

International Genealogical Index (IGI) and other indexes
Check at local L.D.S. Family History Center, or public or genealogical library.

Search of German telephone books
on CD-ROM for persons with a specific surname. Check with Immigrant Genealogical Society, or other sources. Service includes letter in German.

Germanic Emigrants Register
Currently has 277,000 entries for persons who departed Germany without official permit, 1895 - 1918. Check with Immigrant Genealogical Society.

Zentralstelle für Genealogie

• Käthe-Kollwitz-Straße 82
  04109 Leipzig

Address for the only genealogical organization permitted in (the former) German Democratic Republic (East Germany). You may write in English.

Immigrant Genealogical Society

• P.O. Box 7369
  Burbank, CA 91510

Has a library with many publications from Germany. Has a handout of forms for research services at a reasonable fee.

German Genealogical Society of America

• 2125 Wright Ave.
  Suite C-9
  La Verne, CA 91750-5814

Also has extensive library and does searches, but does not furnish forms for searches.

German-Texan Heritage Society

• P. O. Box 684171
  Austin, TX 78768-4171

Dues $15.00 per year; publishes a Journal and Newsletter three times a year a year. Has a genealogy consultant/editor.

For your local L.D.S. Family History Center
look in telephone directory or write to:

• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
  Family History Library
  35 North West Temple St.
  Salt Lake City, UT 84150