Map Guide to German Parish Registers, Grandduchy of Baden
by Kevan M. Hansen
Second Edition. Published by Family Roots Publishing Co., Bountiful, UT. 2008. 272 pages.
This is not a book for beginners. This is not a beginner’s guide to conducting German research. Rather, it’s a reference. In order to derive maximum benefit, you need to already know the basics of German research, and an excellent knowledge of the German language would be very helpful. Most of the book, which is comprised of lists of towns, parishes, districts, repositories, and archives is in German. The explanatory text is in English, but there’s not a lot of explanatory text.
Leland K. Meitzler wrote the introduction. And fortunate for us that he did. He explains clearly and understandably exactly what you need to know before you try to use this book and where to find this preliminary information you need. Then he goes on to provide step-by-step instructions on how to derive the information you want by using the maps and the key codes.
Mr. Hansen furnishes Family History Library microfilm numbers associated with these towns and districts, an invaluable assist when it comes to getting to the record you’re ultimately searching for.
Basically, this is a book of maps of regions (kreis) of the Grandduchy of Baden. Each kreis map contains the parishes within its boundaries, and a code (key) to the towns in each parish. If you find your town (there is a town index of nearly 2500 town names), then you’re going to find the parishes of that locality, and neighboring ones.
This book helps you identify where your ancestor went to church based on where they lived, and identifies neighboring parishes in case your ancestor might have decided to attend a parish farther away.
This book is one of a series of map guides to German parish registers.
Other published guides are Kingdom of Prussia-- Province of Sachsen III, RB Magdeburg; Kingdom of Prussia—Province of Brandenburg I; and many others.
If you go to the Family Roots Publishing website and preview each volume, you will see a listing of places, which would be a guide for you in determining whether or not to purchase the book.
Mr Hansen has authored over 40 German guides. According to one source, there will be 54 guides when the series is complete.
As a side note: at http://www.swflgg.org/upload/files/Mapguides%20to%20German%20Parish%20Registers%203-3-12.pdf
there is a presentation handout created by Werner Ropers which enlightens the research quite nicely about these German guides and expands upon German church research generally.
Map Guide to German Parish Registers, Grandduchy of Baden may be purchased from Family Roots Publishing, Amazon, and from numerous other book sellers. Specify ISBN 1933194464.
