Von: carlah@earthlink.net (Carla) Datum: 13.02.99, 23:20:31 Betreff: Re: FHC and Württemberg Emigration records Dear Kristen & Baden-Wuerttemberg List Friends, Here are some (rather lengthy!) answers to Kristen Eberlein's questions on the WUERTTEMBERG Emigration Index (WEI). Please note that the following information pertains ONLY to the WUERTTEMBERG Emigration Index, and is NOT applicable to the BADEN Emigration Index, which is a separate resource. For information on how to access the LDS microfilmed version of the BADEN Emigration Index, please see my Web page on the subject at: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/9485/ ======================================================= Kristen Eberlein wrote: > (1) Does anyone know if the Württemberg Emigration Index is > available ON MICROFILM through the LDS Family History Centers? I > easily found a listing for the six volume PRINTED version, but > unfortunately that doesn't circulate. Yes, the WEI *is* available on microfilm---in fact, the printed BOOK version of the WEI was created by using selected records from the *microfilmed LDS version* of the original Wuerttemberg index. All seven volumes in the book series ARE now available through the LDS Family History Library, although their on-site computer catalog still shows there are only six (I think they're a bit behind in updating the catalog, which happens only periodically). It is possible that some particular branches of the LDS library may not have received their copies of the seventh volume yet; you could phone your local branch and ask on this. The BOOK version is catalogued under the traditional Dewey Decimal System number of 943.47 W22st. Most Family History Centers have all seven volumes of the book version on permanent loan, right on the reference shelves. As far as the LDS MICROFILMS of this resource go, each available Wuerttemberg "Oberamt" (the district office where emigrants would have registered their intentions to leave) is presented on a separate roll or rolls of microfilm, catalogued individually on the on-site LDS library computers under the Oberamt name. The catalog headings for this are GERMANY-WUERTTEMBERG-Emigration and Immigration. The films which cover a given Oberamt are usually titled something along the lines of "Auswanderungsakten" or "Auswanderungsgesetze" ("Auswanderung" in German means "emigration"), and list the specific Oberamt name. However, though both versions (book and microfilm) of the WEI are available through the LDS Library, please note: the BOOK version (by Trudy Schenk and Ruth Froelke) is the only *organized* edition of the WEI, in terms of ease of research. By this, I mean that the original WEI records which were *microfilmed* by the LDS are arranged by "Oberamt," but that is the extent of the organization---the entries themselves in the original and the microfilmed version of the WEI are NOT in alphabetical (nor necessarily chronological) order, nor is there an index of names for any of the Oberamter. In order to use the individual rolls of the LDS *microfilm* of the original WEI, you would need to first know the particular Oberamt in question, and then literally plow through possibly the entire roll for that Oberamt to locate a particular name entry. This is, of course, not the most desirable or convenient method one could hope for. :-) If you elect instead to use the BOOK version, the compiled entries in that version ARE in alphabetical order by surname, so you can quickly check to see if your surnames of interest are included in a given volume which covers a group of particular Oberamter. For the benefit of those interested in researching the BOOK version of the WUERTTEMBERG Emigration Index, here is the breakdown of Oberamter currently contained in each volume of the seven volume set (note that some Oberamter entries continue in more than one volume): Volume 1: Backnang, Besigheim, Biberach, Blaubeuren, Boeblingen, Brackenheim, Calw, Horb, Rottenburg. Volume 2: More from Oberamter Backnang, Horb, and Rottenberg, plus Oberamter Rottweil, Schorndorf, Nagold, Nuertingen. Volume 3: Balingen, more Oberamt Calw, Freudenstadt, Herrenburg, more Oberamt Nagold, more Oberamt Schorndorf, and Oberamt Sulz. Volume 4: Geislingen, more Oberamt Herrenburg, Kirchheim, Leonberg, Reutlingen, Oberndorf. Volume 5: Crailsheim, Gaildorf, more Oberamt Geislingen, Gerabronn, Hall, Kuenzelsau, Mergentheim, Welzheim. Volume 6: Brackenheim, Gmuend, more Oberamt Hall, Heilbronn, Maulbronn, Neckarsulm, Oehringen, more Oberamt Schorndorf, Spaichingen, Urach, Waldsee, Weinsburg. Volume 7: Aalen, Esslingen, Heidenheim, Marbach, Muensingen, Riedlingen, Tuttlingen, and Vaihingen. The main *disadvantage* to using any volume of the BOOK version of the WUERTTEMBERG Emigration Index is that even if you research all seven volumes of the set, the records presented in these combined volumes ARE NOT AS COMPREHENSIVE as those on the microfilmed version. The book volumes available to date collectively present only 60,000 of those entries included in the *original* WEI. (While there is no official published count of the total entries contained in the original Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, estimates offer a possible number as high as 500,000-600,000. Many more of these are included on the LDS *microfilms* than in the book volumes). Mmes. Schenk and Froelke have done a considerable amount of work in starting to compile the different Oberamter entries of the WEI using the LDS microfilms of the original index, but it is still an unfinished, ongoing project, as Ms. Schenk notes in her introductory comments in each volume. It may be some time before anything approaching a comprehensive *book* version of the WEI is available. Each published volume of the book version WEI contains selected entries from *only* a certain number of Oberamter, and excludes others; and new volumes of the book set are introduced as Mmes. Schenk and Froelke complete their compilation of a given Oberamt group. It is essential to realize this. The authors offer the following important note regarding the volumes: ". . .[Not] *every* record [from every Oberamt included] has been extracted, for new records are being added constantly. The compilers have made every effort to extract an Oberamt as completely as possible, but it cannot be assumed that it is 100% complete. Check every volume of the index for the particular surname you are researching. . ." As Karen Kolb noted, the most recent edition is Volume 7, which is also the largest volume of the set, and which was published by Ancestry (a genealogical publisher whose books can be purchased on the Internet/Web or by mail) in 1998 (Volume 1 was published in 1986). Despite the book version's limitations, it IS worth checking it to see if your surnames of interest appear, and the book version is admittedly easier to use, in this case, than the LDS microfilmed version of the WEI. Neither the printed BOOK version on hand at the LDS library branches NOR the LDS microfilms of the original WEI circulate. You must perform your study of the book volumes or the microfilms in your local LDS Family History Center (LDS Library branch). Note that some PUBLIC libraries also have the WEI BOOK version (all 7 volumes), which may or may not circulate, depending on your local public library's policy. I find it in public libraries from time to time, though usually in the non-circulating Reference section or department. > (2) My great-grandfather emigrated from Züttlingen in 1854. This > very, very small town is now in the Landkreis Heilbronn; can I > safely assume that the appropriate records with which to begin > would be those of the Oberamt Heilbronn? Yes. According to my copy of Charles M. Hall's research gazetteer, "The Atlantic Bridge to Germany, Volume One: Baden-Wuerttemberg," Landkreis Heilbronn is identical (for these purposes) to Oberamt Heilbronn. In the BOOK version of the WEI, selected records from Oberamt Heilbronn appear in Volume 6. Researchers, do please note! Most people desire to search the Baden and/or Wuerttemberg Emigration Indexes to learn an ancestor's PLACE OF ORIGIN. The ONLY information found on a given emigrant in the Wuerttemberg Emigration Index is first name, surname, birthdate and birthplace, emigration application date and Oberamt name, COUNTRY of the emigrant's destination, and the LDS microfilm reference number where the entry was found. If you ALREADY KNOW any or all of this information about your ancestor of interest, (particularly if you are already fairly certain about the place of origin), it will benefit you little to seek that individual in the WEI---as no additional information beyond the above is included. If you DO already know an ancestor's village, town or city of origin, you would most likely prefer to check with your local LDS Family History Center branch to see if CHURCH or CIVIL records of birth/baptism, marriage and death/burial have been microfilmed for the parishe(s) which served your ancestor's German place of origin (normally Catholic or Lutheran, which were the chief religious denominations represented in the Germany of our ancestors). The LDS microfilms of the church records, if available for the locality you seek, usually contain highly detailed, multi-generational information on individuals and their families, assuming they were born in that parish and spent the better part of their lives there. It is highly recommended that you pursue this form of research in lieu of examining the emigration indexes if you already know the ancestor's place of origin (note that you must know the EXACT TOWN or VILLAGE and region of origin in Germany to do this---an awareness of the ancestor being from Baden or Wuerttemberg or any other German REGIONAL ENTITY, ALONE, is NOT SUFFICIENT to undertake this kind of research). Hope this information is of interest and help to Wuerttemberg researchers! Warmest regards, Carla HELLER Los Angeles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Von: ToySchach@aol.com () Datum: 14.02.99, 00:02:26 Betreff: Re: FHC and Württemberg Emigration records In a message dated 2/13/99 6:08:59 PM EDT, kristeneberlein@mindspring.com writes: << (1) Does anyone know if the Württemberg Emigration Index is available ON MICROFILM through the LDS Family History Centers? I easily found a listing for the six volume PRINTED version, but unfortunately that doesn't circulate. >> No in the most recent catalog it is not available on microfilm. There is a Stuttgart Passport list available on 2 microfilms but it just covers passports issued in Stuttgart. << (2) My great-grandfather emigrated from Züttlingen in 1854. This very, very small town is now in the Landkreis Heilbronn; can I safely assume that the appropriate records with which to begin would be those of the Oberamt Heilbronn? >> Yes the Zuettlingen records should be in Vol 6 of the WEI which has Heilbronn. Kent Schach ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Von: carlah@earthlink.net (Carla) Datum: 14.02.99, 00:14:32 Betreff: Re: FHC and Württemberg Emigration records ToySchach@aol.com wrote: > > In a message dated 2/13/99 6:08:59 PM EDT, kristeneberlein@mindspring.com > writes: > > << > (1) Does anyone know if the Württemberg Emigration Index is > available ON MICROFILM through the LDS Family History Centers? I > easily found a listing for the six volume PRINTED version, but > unfortunately that doesn't circulate. > >> > No in the most recent catalog it is not available on microfilm. Dear Kent, Kristen, and Baden-Wuerttemberg List Friends, In reading Kent's message (excerpted above), I just realized that the way I expressed my comments in my earlier post on this subject may have confused the issue (not an UNTYPICAL problem in my case). Let me clarify, in accordance with Kent's above statement: the BOOK version of the WEI by Schenk and Froelke, as such, is NOT ITSELF available on LDS microfilm, but rather ONLY in the standard BOOK form---the latter of which IS available at most LDS Family History Centers on their reference shelves (and in some public libraries as well). The LDS MICROFILMS of which I spoke do exist, but are of the ORIGINAL Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, not the edited book version, organized by individual Oberamt, and catalogued under "Germany-Wuerttemberg-Emigration and Immigration," and in the subsequent listings which appear for that heading, are shown according to the individual Oberamt names. The exact title for these emigration records varies between "Auswanderungsakten" and "Auswanderungsgesetze" (or similar variations), containing the Oberamt name somewhere in the entry, and the year range the records cover---which is how one can recognize the films in question in the LDS card catalog. At least 17 Wuerttemberg Oberamter have individual rolls of LDS microfilmed emigration index entries. Hope this explains things a little better. Sorry for any confusion! Best wishes, Carla HELLER Los Angeles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Von: ToySchach@aol.com () Datum: 14.02.99, 09:38:49 Betreff: Re: FHC and Württemberg Emigration records In a message dated 2/14/99 4:17:53 AM EDT, carlah@earthlink.net writes: << The LDS MICROFILMS of which I spoke do exist, but are of the ORIGINAL Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, not the edited book version, organized by individual Oberamt, and catalogued under "Germany-Wuerttemberg-Emigration and Immigration," and in the subsequent listings which appear for that heading, are shown according to the individual Oberamt names. The exact title for these emigration records varies between "Auswanderungsakten" and "Auswanderungsgesetze" (or similar variations), containing the Oberamt name somewhere in the entry, and the year range the records cover---which is how one can recognize the films in question in the LDS card catalog. At least 17 Wuerttemberg Oberamter have individual rolls of LDS microfilmed emigration index entries. >> Carla, I don't totally agree with the above statement. The microfim holdings of the LDS are not the "ORIGINAL Wuerttemberg Emigration Index". They are not an INDEX; they are microfilm of the "ORIGINAL Wuerttemberg Emigration APPLICATIONS". The reason for the Trudy Schenk's index was that most of these rolls were not indexed. They are arranged by Oberamt [districts] and are in date groups. They are very hard to work with without the 7 vol. WEI. Many people applied after emigration to help settle estates in Germany. These people still apear in the index but will apear in a later date group in the applications. << The bookvolumes available to date collectively present only 60,000 of those entries included in the *original* WEI. (While there is no official published count of the total entries contained in the original Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, estimates offer a possible number as high as 500,000-600,000. Many more of these are included on the LDS *microfilms* than in the book volumes). >> My understanding is that only about 60,000 names exists in the originals which were filmed in Ludwigsburg. These 60,000 are nearly all in the 7 volume WEI. There were about 800,000 who emigrated from Wuerttemberg. Many of the records have been lost or misplaced and are not on microfilms, other did not apply. If anyone communicates with Trudy Schenk I would like to know which microfilms have not been included in her index. What percent of the microfilms have been competed for the index? Will the series have more that 7 volumes? In the 7 volume WEI you will find very few from Stuttgart. The original applications from Stuttgart are not available on microfilm from what I can determine. The LDS FHL staff has made a 2 microfilm index to those who applied in Stuttgart from the original list of those who applied for passports in Stuttgart. The original is just a list of names and not the applications. The index is Microfilm #'s 1125018,1125019. These cover 1845-1920 but few entries are pre 1890. The first film is A-R and the 2nd is R-Z. Dates, age, home and destinations are included I believe. Our local FHC does NOT have the WEI. I did not know that it could be ordered in book form from the FHL for a FHC. I do have all 7 volumes at home. Kent Schach ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~