Eric Kopittke's presentations
Contact Eric at eric.kopittke@gmail.com for further details
· 19th Century emigration from Germany to Australia– During the 19thcentury, Germans migrated to most of the Australian colonies. This presentation looks at the patterns of migration in the different colonies.
· A 19th century German’s voyage to the other side of the world– Most of us have some immigrant ancestors. For those who came from the German states or surrounding areas, what would their voyage to the other side of the world during the mid 19thcentury have been like? This presentation is based on the writings of two German emigrants who told their families of their travels and experiences.
· An introduction to Danish genealogy– Tracing your family history in Denmark can be problematic because of the patronymic surnames, but there are some excellent records that are available. This presentation gives a brief overview of some of the problems and some of the resources associated with Danish research.
· Church Archives and Records for German Research - Prior to the introduction of civil registration, church records provide details of baptisms, marriages and burials. German records often give far more detail than their English equivalents. A variety of examples illustrate the use of these records.
· Civil Records in Germany - Unlike Australian and British records, German civil registration is not centrally located nor did all regions begin at the same time. Discover how to locate and use these records.
· Danish Census and Emigration - The earliest census in Denmark predates those in the British Isles - an overview of this valuable resource for Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. Also covers the Copenhagen Police Records of Emigration.
· Early Germans in Brisbane - That the first free settlers in Brisbane were a group of German missionaries is not as widely known as it should be. Some insights into their contributions and influence on the young city are described.
· Emigrant Lists for European Ancestors - An overview of the Hamburg Emigration lists – direct and indirect – why these are useful for researching your European ancestors.
· German family history in the "Information Age" - An increasing amount of material is available about people and places on the internet. This talk explores a range of resources available for places in the former German Empire.
· Getting started in German Research- An overview of key German sources to get you started researching your German ancestors.
· In the steps of my ancestor– what might I learn? – Visiting those places at which your ancestor lived and worked can give us insights into his/her life, whether these be in our local area, elsewhere in our own country, or on the other side of the earth. What resources are useful, and what might we find?
· Locating your German immigrant ancestor’s place of origin - Knowing where our ancestors came from is important no matter from where that was, but for those of us with family origins in Germanic areas it is especially important since records were recorded and stored locally, not centrally. This presentation looks at resources that can help you identify your immigrant ancestor’s place of origin.
· Maps and Gazetteers for German Research - Maps and gazetteers are essential for family historians. Knowing where our Central European families came from and locating that place in a gazetteer and on a map is extremely important as we search for records that reference them..
· Milestones in German history that impacted my ancestors– A brief overview of one thousand years of German history and how this might have impacted my ancestors’ lives.
· Overview of History of Poland - A brief overview of one thousand years of Polish history and how this might have impacted my ancestors’ lives.
· Reading German Handwriting and understanding the records - Reading the old German writing is initially daunting. Hints to help decipher the letters are given along with the opportunity to practice. As well there is an introduction to the German language.
