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The Family Tree German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Germanic Ancestry in Europe Paperback – March 14, 2014

by James M. Beidler (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 312 ratings
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Explore Your German Ancestry!

Follow your family tree back to its roots in Bavaria, Baden, Prussia, Hesse, Saxony, Wurttemburg and beyond. This in-depth genealogy guide will walk you step by step through the exciting journey of researching your German heritage, whether your ancestors came from lands now in modern-day Germany or other German-speaking areas of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, and enclaves across Eastern Europe.

In this book, you'll learn how to:

   • Retrace your German immigrant ancestors' voyage from Europe to America.
   • Pinpoint the precise place in Europe your ancestors came from.
   • Uncover birth, marriage, death, church, census, court, military, and other records documenting your ancestors' lives.
   • Access German records of your family from your own hometown.
   • Decipher German-language records, including unfamiliar German script.
   • Understand German names and naming patterns that offer research clues.
You'll also find maps, timelines, sample records and resource lists throughout the book for quick and easy reference. Whether you're just beginning your family tree or a longtime genealogy researcher, the Family Tree German Genealogy Guide will help you conquer the unique challenges of German research and uncover your ancestors' stories.
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Publishing Group
  4. Publication date
    March 14, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    7 x 0.61 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1440330654
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1440330650
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Publishing Group (March 14, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1440330654
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1440330650
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.61 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 312 ratings

About the author

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James Beidler

James Beidler

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James M. Beidler writes “Roots & Branches” (www.roots-branches.com). an award-winning weekly newspaper column on genealogy and is a research-reports editor for Legacy Tree Genealogists. He is also a columnist for German Life magazine.

He was President of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors from 2010 to 2012, and is the former Executive Director for the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. He served as national co-chairman for the 2008 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Philadelphia.

Beidler is also frequent contributor to other periodicals ranging from scholarly journals such as The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine to popular-interest magazines Family Tree Magazine. He also wrote the chapter on genealogy for Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth, published jointly by the Penn State Press and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

As a lecturer, he was a part of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council’s acclaimed Commonwealth Speakers program from 2002 to 2009, and has been a presenter at numerous conferences.

He sits on the selection committee for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Project and Pennsylvania’s State Historic Records Advisory Board. He is an Enrolled Agent tax preparer and previously was a copy editor for 15 years for The Patriot-News newspaper in Harrisburg, PA.

Beidler was born in Reading, PA, and raised in nearby Berks County, where he currently resides. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Hofstra University in Long Island, NY, with a BA in political science in 1982.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
312 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this genealogy guide to be a great research resource that provides many paths to follow in German research. Moreover, the book offers valuable historical context, with one customer noting it includes a chart to decipher old German scripts. However, the readableness receives mixed feedback, with several customers mentioning spelling mistakes throughout the text.

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39 customers mention "Information quality"39 positive0 negative

Customers find this genealogy guide to be a great research resource that provides many paths to follow in German research.

"...Well done. Good for the beginner but also relevant to those who have been doing this for a long time. A definite jewel in my Genealogy home library!" Read more

"...This book is an invaluable guide for helping trace your German ancestors, it covers alot of resources, some you can find online, some free and some..." Read more

"...The rest of the volume is great starting point for those that haven't considered researching their German immigrant...." Read more

"So far the book has been very good. Already helped me find a relative that was a dead end with one of the web sites he suggested." Read more

9 customers mention "History"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's historical content, with one review noting it provides a succinct history of the German people, while another mentions it includes a helpful chart for deciphering old German scripts.

"...She also gives you alot history which helps keeps things in perspective for any genealogist...." Read more

"This books provides a very good historical perspective about how German Emigrants traveled to the US...." Read more

"...Very helpful maps and history of Germany." Read more

"...I have learned so much about researching and searching for my Germany ancestors. Highly recommend!" Read more

6 customers mention "Readableness"3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book, with some finding it easy to read while others report spelling mistakes throughout the text.

"This book Has clear and useful information on German research. I’m happy to have it" Read more

"...But be warned that if the sentence doesn't make sense, or has two of the same word together that it is just due to poor editing...." Read more

"...It is concise and easy to read with lots of great tips and sources." Read more

"...First, It is in 4-point type, which may be fashionable, but not readable...." Read more

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5 out of 5 stars
100% Satisfied
Purchased used very good condition book. I am very satisfied. Book is in great shape. Not to mention the subject matter of family research.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • P. Asche
    5.0 out of 5 stars this is an easy to use guide and helps not only with background- ...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am relatively new to genealogy, starting by going to a 2 day seminar in March of 2014 and now looking into my German grand-parentage. I also joined a German Genealogy interest group at the library. That being said, this is an easy to use guide and helps not only with background- at what was going on there in the time frame of when your ancestors left, but so much more. I found this at the library and liked it so much that I purchased a copy. It is a great resource to start the search. I have referred back to it often. So far I have been able to get church records on the internet for my grandmother, her parents, their children and their marriages and for 2 generations back from those. Now working to fill out those from other sources ie German civil records, military records, etc. This book was also recommended by the German interest group . Well done. Good for the beginner but also relevant to those who have been doing this for a long time. A definite jewel in my Genealogy home library!
    55 people found this helpful
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  • Jean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource for any German Genealogy hunter
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    All the Family Tree Genealogy Guides are a great resource your ancestry. This book is an invaluable guide for helping trace your German ancestors, it covers alot of resources, some you can find online, some free and some not.. but it helps open up avenues to your research. She also gives you alot history which helps keeps things in perspective for any genealogist. So let this book and the others from Family Tree be your first source.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Mitzi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Comes in Handy
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I've been researching for years ... and was pleased to see additional sources.
    Helpful
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  • Richard Y.
    4.0 out of 5 stars German Genealogy plus a bit of German History
    Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    There are a number of German Genealogy guides that one should seriously consider reading. This one has one benefit that the others seem to lack and that is two chapters on German history. The rest of the volume is great starting point for those that haven't considered researching their German immigrant. My great grandfather was the one that I'm researching. This book helped a bit in finding some online sources that I knew about but forgot for Baden, Germany. Since I'm also considering a research trip at some point in the next couple of years, it was helpful in that regard as well.

    There are several typos in the text that don't, generally, get in the way. But be warned that if the sentence doesn't make sense, or has two of the same word together that it is just due to poor editing. I've seen worse - as it is becoming more common with what appears to be locally produced books.

    However, I do recommend this book for anything who is seriously considering researching their German ancestors - even if you are an intermediate researcher.
    83 people found this helpful
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  • Hope Engelmann
    5.0 out of 5 stars German genealogy
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great book to add to my Genralogy on researching my German ancestors!! It gives great sights to ho yo to find information’n thank you
    Helpful
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  • Wanda Powers
    5.0 out of 5 stars Help with research in Germany
    Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    So far the book has been very good. Already helped me find a relative that was a dead end with one of the web sites he suggested.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Donald J. Krueger
    3.0 out of 5 stars Genealogy records search tips
    Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Provides info for finding genealogy records and has some good examples of the thought process one should use to find records of our ancestors in America.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Fred Shriner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This books provides a very good historical perspective about how German Emigrants traveled to the US. It explains how to apply sound genealogical practices to your searched for German ancestors.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Marjorie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Family History needs books like this
    Reviewed in Canada on August 22, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I use this book in our Family History Centre to aid patrons looking for their German ancestors. It is a very valuable tool, and bears careful reading. There are so many wonderful suggestions on how to find where your ancestor came from in this ever changing country.
    Report
  • Chris
    3.0 out of 5 stars Some useful information
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    If you are thinking of buying this book you should be aware that it has been written almost exclusively for the US market with a particular emphasis on researching German emigrants to the US. That means that there are large chunks of the book that are not at all useful for anyone outside the US researching Germans who did not emigrate to the US.
    That doesn't mean that it isn't a good book because there is some information that would be useful to anybody (I found the section on military research particular interesting) but you would need to weigh up the cost versus how useful the book could possibly be to you.
    As someone who has researched genealogy for quite a few years now, I found that there wasn't very much that I could learn from this book because non of my ancesters emigrated to the US, so it wasn't a particularly good buy for me.
    Report
  • crgrab
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on January 29, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent detail combined with practical advice.
    Report
  • A
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Very helpful with practical ideas and support for approaching archive offices and covering old script
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • Ian Johnson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A useful text for a beginner in this country's genealogical resources.
    Report