Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Berlin Germany
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Berlin, Germany/Berlin, Deutschland
This page was created to offer a place to collaborate on Berlin research. You can ask questions in the comments below or offer suggestions on new resources to attach to our resources list.
How Can You Help Improve Profiles In This Region?
- There are extensive profile improvements that need to be done in this region and we could really use your help. See links, below.
- Members with knowledge of this region can answer questions and offer guidance on this page, our Google Group and on G2G.
- Ensure the information and links on this page are up-to-date (especially for archival and research site information)
- Do you live in Berlin? You can offer archive, library, church, etc. research visits for other members.
- Create new Space pages for region-specific geographical, topical, or other, that include images, history, and anything helpful for collaborating and helping other researchers.
Links
- We'd appreciate your help with sourcing, connecting, merging and fixing database errors on the profiles in this region. Click the links below to get lists of profiles in Berlin that need some love (click "get profiles" in the left column to generate a list):
- UNSOURCED PROFILES: to get a list of unsourced profiles that need reliable sources added, click HERE. For more information/instruction on sourcing, see Germany Project Sourcerers Team
- UNCONNECTED PROFILES: to get a list of unconnected profiles that need to be connected to the main tree, click HERE. For more information/instruction on connecting profiles, see Germany Project Connectors Team
- UNMERGED MATCHES: To get a list of unmerged matches that need research and sourcing, with the goal to ultimately merge or reject the match, click HERE. For more information/instruction on merging and unmerged matches, see Germany Project Arborists Team
- SUGGESTIONS: To get a list of suggestions aka database errors that need data doctor attention, click HERE. For more information/instruction on clearing database errors, see Germany Project Data Doctors Team.
Overview of Berlin
- Flag and Coat of Arms:
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- City-State of the Federal Republic of Germany: 3 Oct 1990
- English: Berlin
- German: Berlin
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Berlin location in Germany |
- Both the capital city of Germany and a state of the country, Berlin is also its largest city by both area and population. Since reunification on 3 October 1990, Berlin has been one of the three city states in Germany among the present 16 states of Germany. It is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg.
- Berlin.de: Official website
- Wikipedia: Berlin
- NationsOnline: Berlin
Maps
- Coordinates: 52°31′00″N 13°23′20″E
- Berlin.de: Stadtplan Berlin
- Meyers Gazetteer: Berlin search results
- Google Maps: Berlin Map
- Wikipedia: Berlin's 12 boroughs and their 96 neighborhoods
- Wikipedia: Berlin map
- Wikipedia: Map of Berlin in 1688
- WorldAtlas: State of Berlin, Germany
History
- Getting its start in the 13th century and according to some new archaeological findings maybe earlier, Berlin has seen a lot of history. It has always been a political power center it seems. Under Albert I, the Bear, it became a Margrave. In the 14th century it was the center of the city league of the mark of Brandenburg (founded in 1308) and joined the Hanseatic League of northern German towns. In 1411 Baron Frederick VI took control and its tenure under the Hohenzollerns lasted until the end of the 15th Century. It passed to Prussia under Frederick III, who was crowned Prussian King Frederick I and he made it his royal city. 1806-1808 it was under Napoleon’s control. In the 1800s it saw a series of uprisings driven from the working classes. Under Otto von Bismark it was the German Empire’s capital city. It was also Hitler’s capital. After WWII the city was divided with the Berlin Wall separating the Soviet areas from those of the French, British, and American Areas. In November of 1989 the Wall came down with the last sections being removed the summer of 1991 reuniting the city. Berlin is both a city state and the capital of the country of Germany today.
- Wikipedia: History of Berlin
- Local Histories: A History of Berlin
- Britannica: History of Berlin
- Berlin.de: Berlin in Brief
- This Day in History: East and West Germany reunite after 45 years
Culture
- A fusion of history, museums, arts, entertainment, politics, all wrapped up in a modern city. Cuisine features pork, goose, cucumbers, potatoes, and beans.
- Wikipedia: List of museums and galleries in Berlin
- Germany Travel: Our Capitol is Waiting for You
- German Culture: Berlin - the City of Great Changes
- Tripadvisor: German State Opera (Deutsche Staatsoper)
- European Traveler: Berlin State Museums – What Is Seen Where?
- Britannica.com: Berlin State Orchestra
- Wikipedia: Berlin State Museums
- Lonely Planet: Berlin
- German Foods: Berlin: History, Lifestyle and Home-Style Cuisine
Research Help and Regional Resources
Online Resource Compilations
- Genealogy.net: Online Familienbücher aka OFBs (regional family books). Also see THIS PAGE for Familienbücher that are not available online, but our members will do lookups for you.
- FamilySearch: Berlin Online Genealogy Records
- The Ancestor Hunt: free online resources for international newspapers: see the section for Germany.
- Genealogy.net: GenWiki, main page
- German Roots.com: German Genealogy Resources on the Internet
- WikiTree Category: Germany Genealogy Resources
- WikiTree: Germany Project Resources
Vital Records
- Archion.de: Protestant church records ($subcription site)
- Matricula: Catholic Church records
- FamilySearch: Germany Online Genealogy Records
- FamilySearch: German Church Records
- FamilySearch: German Civil Registration
- Landesarchiv Berlin: Vital record search
- Archive Berlin
- Evangelisches Zentralarchiv
- Bethaniendamm 29
- 10997 Berlin
- Tel.: (030) 22 50 45 - 20
- Fax: (030) 22 50 45 - 40
- e-mail: archiv@ezab.de
- Protestant Church Office:
- Evangelisches Zentralarchiv
- Jebensstr 3, 10623 Berlin
- Telephone: 030-31001-107
- Catholic Church Office:
- Bistumsarchiv Berlin
- Gotzstr 65, 12099 Berlin
- Telephone: 030-757989-0
Religious Facilities
- Culture Trip: The 5 Most Beautiful Churches in Berlin
- Wikipedia: Berlin Cathedral
- Bing search: Berlin Churches
- Berlinfo: Churches in Berlin
- Central Council of Muslims (in deu. only)
- Secretcitytravel: A buddhist temple in Spandau
- Mavensearch: Synagogues in Germany
- FamilySearch: Germany Church Directories
- FamilySearch: German Jewish Records
- Wikipedia: Religion in Germany
Emigration
- Germany Genealogy Group: German Emigration Database
- Historisches Museum Bremerhaven: German Emigrant Database
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild: Transcribed Ships Manifests Departing from Germany. Ports of departure include: Altona, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Geestemunde, Hamburg, Stettin, Swinemunde (currently Swinoujscie, Poland), German Unspecified Ports
- GermanRoots.com: Online German Emigration Records, Lists and Indexes
- GermanyRoots: Ship's Database
- WikiTree Immigration/Emigration Categories:
Local Cemeteries
- Find A Grave: cemeteries in Berlin
- Wikipedia: List of cemeteries in Berlin
- Tripadvisor: Berlin Cemeteries
- Slow Travel Berlin: A Tour of Berlin’s Cemeteries
- Commonwealth War Graves: Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
- Wikipedia: Weißensee cemetery
- The Jewish Berlin Heritage Tours: Jewish Cemeteries in Berlin
- WikiMedia: Category:Cemeteries in Berlin
Libraries
- WorldCat Library Search
- Tripadvisor: Libraries in Berlin
Colleges and Universities
- They often have local records and have professors who are versed in local lore so can be a wonderful resource and many are multilingual.
- Keystone Academic Courses: Best Universities, Schools and Colleges in Berlin, Germany 2021
- Wikipedia: Universities and research institutions in Berlin
- University Guru: Universities in Berlin, Germany, Rankings & Reviews
- UniRank: Top Universities in Berlin
Local Phone Books
- Library of Congress Address/Telephone Directories from Germany
- Central and State Library Berlin: Berlin Address, Telephone and Business Directories 1707-1991/1992
Local Genealogy Groups
WikiTree Free Space Pages and One-Place Studies
- Have you created a page that you'd like included below? Add a profile comment below with a link to what you would like to contribute. The following pages were created by our project members:
- Add yours HERE
WikiTree Categories
- English: Category:Berlin, Germany
- German: Category:Berlin, Deutschland
Translation Aides
In Germany a number of different written languages and dialects were used. Below are some links to sites which may help you with old documents.
- Wikipedia: Sütterlin
- FamilySearch: Germany - Handwriting
- Wikipedia: Kurrent
- Wikipedia: Blackletter
- Wikipedia: Fraktur
- Wikipedia: ß
- WikiMedia: Brockhaus 1894 Deutsche Mundarten (map)
- Latin phrases because many old records are written in Latin this is a handy list of commonly used Latin phrases.
- WikiTree: Genealogy Glossary of multiple languages using common genealogy related words.
Last updated by Traci Thiessen: 19 Jul 2022
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