Syllabus Beyond vital records in the German partition By Tadeusz H. Pilat MLS, AG® Lecture description The goal of this webinar is to present types of records in the Prussian partition beyond the vital records. It will focus mainly on Cadastral Records, Maps, Notary Records, Census, Property records, immigration records and census-like records. They are an excellent source of information and bring the flavor to the research. Beyond vital records in the German partition Map: Partitions of Poland - Land of Prussia 1772-1795 Map: West Prussia / Westpreussen - districts (Kreis) - Eastern district were inhabited by Old Prussians Map: East Prussia / Ostpreussen - districts (Kreis) - Almost the whole area was inhabited by Old Prussians - Królewiec / Königsberg / Kaliningrad (Калининград) - now part of Russia Map: Hinterpommern / Further Pomerania AND Vorpommern - districts (Kreis) - Further Pomerania territory is now part of Poland Map: Silesia / Schlesien / Śląsk - districts (Kreis) - Since 1742 in Prussia - Upper Silesia / Ober Schlesien - with capital in Oppeln / Opole - Lower Silesia / Nieder Schlesien - with capital in Breslau / Wrocław Map: Poznań / Posen - districts (Kreis) - 1793 the whole Wielkpolska in Prussia Map: Brandenburg - districts (Kreis) - Eastern districts now in Poland Main Polish Archives with the Prussian records WEST PRUSSIA Polish name German name - Archives in: Gdańsk Danzig 1 Gdynia Gdingen Malbork Marienburg Toruń Thorn EAST PRUSSIA Polish name German name - Archives in: Olsztyn Allenstein Królewiec Königsberg Now Russia: Калининград POMMERN Polish name German name - Archives in: Szczecin Stettin Koszalin Köslin Słupsk Stolp SILESIA Polish name German name - Archives in: Wrocław Breslau Opole Oppeln Katowice Kattowitz POZNAŃ Polish name German name - Archives in: Poznań Posen Bydgoszcz Bromberg BRANDENBURG Polish name German name - Archives in: Gorzów Wielkopolski Landsberg MAIN PRUSSIAN RECORDS REVIEW ➢ Urbarz – Taxation Records – Urbarium ➢ Karoliner Kataster – Charles VI Cadaster 1722-1726 ➢ Steuerkataster Oppeln – Oppeln Taxation 1743 ➢ Grundbuch and Grundakten – Land Records ➢ Prussian Commission ➢ Katasteramts – Cadastral Offices ➢ Maps ➢ Notary records ➢ Seelenlsite - Census ➢ Auswanderung - Immigration records ➢ Urbarz – Taxation Records – Urbarium - Sometimes start even in the 15th century - Contain names (often just first names) of the free peasants - In the early urbarium instead of the "surname" the occupation was listed 2 - May contain history of the town with privileges listed - Signatures of ancestors if they were literate ➢ Karoliner Kataster – Charles VI Cadaster 1722-1726 - list of property owners 1722-1726 - well preserved for Silesia / Schlesien - each volume contains many villages listed alphabetically - for town people there were details tax declarations ➢ Steuerkataster Oppeln – Oppeln Taxation 1743 - continuation of the Karoliner Kataster - all types of peasantry listed - available online at: https://www.szukajwarchiwach.pl/45/22/0/2/159?q=Catastrum+des+Oppelschen+Kreyses+ XARCHro:45&wynik=1&rpp=15&page=1#tabJednostka ➢ Grundbuch and Grundakten – Land Records - Start in 1783 - Grundbuch – listed all property owners (leasers) - Grundakten – contained all documentation proving the ownership (right to lease) - Often contain much older documents and privileges - super rich with information! ➢ Prussian Commission / Preußische Generalkommission - Created in 1817 - Activities: - the regulation of agrarian relations - specification of peasants' duties - division of agrarian communities and land consolidation - creation of rent settlements (villages) - assistance in the resale of plots - raising the level of agricultural culture - Mainly preserved for Silesia and West Prussia and partly for Posen ➢ Katasteramts – Cadastral Offices - START in May 1861 - STOP in January 1945 - names of the owners, class and size of land - no maps ➢ Maps 3 - usually can be found in a separate collection of documents - often go back the beginning of the 19th century - sometimes list names of the house owners ➢ Notary records - Usually start in 1850's - Wills / Testaments - Pre-marital agreements - Deeds - Cessions - Inheritance cases - Guardianship cases - Signature Acknowledgement - Interrogations Main archives with the notary records o Poznań / Posen – over 300 fonds o Bydgoszcz / Bromberg – over 250 fonds o Opole / Oppeln– over 150 fonds o Wrocław / Breslau – over 50 fonds o Szczecin / Stettin – only 50 fonds ➢ Census - Can be found under: Seelenliste, Stammrolle, Kommunikantenbuch - Stammrolle - for military purpose - Kommunikantenbuch - list of those who received Easter time communion ➢ Immigration records - Auswanderung Can be found within the: o Separate archival collections – Auswanderung o Regierung collections - Präsidialabteilung - Presidium Department o Town records Usually very difficult to find 4 .