Online recordings of online connection sessions

IGGP

Over the past months, member organisations of the International German Genealogy Partnership (www.iggp.org) in Germany and Austria have conducted free Online Connection Sessions in English to assist English speakers in their genealogical research in different areas in Germany. Unfortunately, the tyranny of different time zones has meant that these presentations have been held in the early morning hours here in Australia. However the presentations have been recorded and are available on YouTube.

Westfalen (Westphalia)

The recording of the Online Connection Session about Westfalen by the Ahnenforscher Stammtisch Unna, the Westfälische Gesellschaft für Genealogie und Familienforschung (WGGF) and the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) in English language from Saturday, 5 December 2020 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIU3fHEgmh4

Pommern (Pomerania)

The Online Connection Session about Pommern, hosted by the International German Genealogy Partnership, the Pommerscher Greif and the Ahnenforscher Stammtisch Unna on 19 December 2020 is available at https://youtu.be/--QwJxFLpiQ

Schleswig-Holstein

The Online Connection Session about Schleswig-Holstein, hosted by the International German Genealogy Partnership, the SHFam and the Ahnenforscher Stammtisch Unna on 20th January 2021 is available at https://youtu.be/Duc7OzIj3tQ

Hessen (Hesse)

The Online Connection Session about Hessen hosted by the Ahnenforscher Stammtisch Unna, the Hessische familiengeschichtliche Vereinigung (HfV) and the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) on February 20th, 2021 is available at https://youtu.be/FBTa4yyv6xk

Austria

The recording of the Online Connection Session about Austria hosted by the Ahnenforscher Stammtisch Unna in cooperation with Familia Austria and the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) on Saturday, 13 March 2021 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoufsXtXtds

Conclusion

.The sessions provided excellent information about the areas covered and are well worthwhile viewing.

Geogen – a “geographical genealogy” website

The free Geogen website (http://legacy.stoepel.net/en/Default.aspx) can be used to create maps showing the distribution of surnames in Germany based on entries in the telephone directory. A large concentration of surnames in a particular area could indicate where the name originated.

Enter the surname of interest in the input field and click the research button. The German special characters (ä, ö and ü) are distinct letters, so Müller, Mueller and Muller must be looked for in separate searches. As well as producing attractive maps that could be a conversation starter, Geogen may provide the clue to allow the researcher to break down some brick walls. Enjoy its use!

An example: my great grandmother Christina E. F. Brohmann was born in a rural area near Eckernförde in Schleswig-Holstein. While I have been able to find baptisms, marriages and burials for her family, I have not been able to go back further than her great grandfather Claus Bromann who was mentioned briefly when his son, Christina’s grandfather, Claus Wilhelm Bromann was baptised in 1792. Searches for other references to the older Claus have been unsuccessful!

Entering the Brohmann name into Geogen revealed the main cluster of people by that name in Altmarkkreis Salzwedel in the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt with other individuals scattered across Germany. A similar result came when the variation Bromann was used. It could be that some Brohmann/Bromann family members moved to the Salzwedel area years ago in search of work and became established there, or perhaps the roots of my Brohmann/Bromann family might actually be near Salzwedel. Further research is clearly called for.