Lecture descriptions Dr. Roger Minert, FEEFHS 2021

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Austrian Family History Research (Austro-Hungarian track)

This presentation includes details collected during three years as a resident in Austria (nearly two of those years as an active family history researcher). The prime resources for genealogical research are presented and two of the finest genealogical websites anywhere are described and illustrated or demonstrated. Modern Austria is the focus, but the former crownlands (now parts of several modern countries) are also discussed.

Introduction to German Phonetics as it Applies to the Spelling of Personal Names (or: “How can Tiefendörfer and Diependerper be the same family?”) (German track)

Most researchers in German-language family history identify numerous variant spellings of personal names over time and in different locations. Despite the apparently helter-skelter variations, basic rules of Germanic phonetics are at work here. This presentation will offer linguistic explanations for specific spelling changes. With emphasis on problem-solving throughout, the presenter uses names supplied by the audience to illustrate the application of phonetic rules to the spelling of personal names in Germany and among German immigrants in North America.

Residential Registration in Germany (German track)

This presentation is based on a kind of record that is essentially unknown among Germanic researchers. From the sixteenth century on, local authorities monitored the comings and goings of strangers and foreigners, keeping ever more detailed records of newcomers—primarily for the safety of local residents. The personal details contained in such records make them a valuable resource for family history research. This presentation exhibits the form and content of residential registration and traces the historical development up to the late nineteenth century; by then, in most states every man, woman, and child was registered—whether local or from elsewhere.