Local records in Germany

For those who choose to pursue their roots on their own, an invaluable resource is the records that cities, towns, and churches in Germany keep. Many cities have, in addition to birth, death, and marriage certificates, lists of emigrants and passengers on ships. Churches keep detailed records of baptisms. If you know where your family's origins are, you can contact the local tourism board there to begin searching for your roots!

An especially useful resource is the BallinStadt, Hamburg's future Emigration Museum with links to additional sources, genealogical research portals and reference materials. Click below for more information on Hamburg's new emigration museum and/or take a virtual tour and gather further information from Bremerhaven's German Emigration Center.