Von: carlah@earthlink.net (Carla)
  Datum: 30.10.98, 10:41:40
Betreff: Trouble Finding LDS Films?

Mary Ross wrote:

---Snip---My ggg-grandfather, Andreas SCHIMPF (b. 3 May 1787) and his son
Friedrich (b. 19 Jul 1816) and their families emigrated to America about 1850
from Hosslinsulz.  Friedrich's wife Rosina SAMMET (b. 24 Mar 1819) is
probably also from the same village. ---snip---I wasn't able to find these
families on LDS records other than on one microfilm they were listed among
those who had emigrated (1848). ---snip---

Dear Mary & Baden-Wuerttemberg List Friends,

Was it simply that you were *unable to find* LDS films of any church records
for Hosslinsulz (Catholic or Lutheran, depending upon your ancestors'
religious affiliation?)  If so, the reason could be that the actual church
which served the residents of Hosslinsulz may not have been located in
Hosslinsulz itself, but in a nearby town.  Not every German locality had its
own churches, and the LDS only films the records of those where a church
actually existed---NOT those of *every* town and village.

To find out where the parish which served Hosslinsulz was located, re-visit
your local LDS Family History Center and consult the historical gazetteers
(geographical dictionary/indexes) that they have in their permanent
collection (see below for the gazetteers you need.)  Look up Hosslinsulz, and
it will tell you where both the Catholic and Lutheran parishes which served
that community were located.  If it shows the name of a location *other* than
Hosslinsulz, then consult the LDS FHC computer catalog under that locality
name for film of the church records.

Most historical gazetteers held by the LDS are books that have been put on
microfilm.  The films of these are usually available on permanent loan in
each local LDS FHC, so you don't have to order them from the main library in
Salt Lake City.  You can then view these films without charge on the
microfilm readers at your local FHC.

For a parish originally in BADEN (now Baden-Wuerttemberg), the gazetteers of
interest to you would be:

Meyer’s Gazetteer & Directory of The German Empire  (German name "Meyers Orts
und Verkehrs Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs.")  Film Number: 496640 [Locations
A-K], 496641 [Locations L-Z].  This gazetteer will tell you WHETHER a given
German locality had a parish or parishes located within it, BUT NOT WHERE
that parish is located.  This gazetteer covers locations throughout Germany,
not just in Baden.

For parishes specifically within Baden, you should then consult the separate
gazetteer called "Die Kirchenbucher in Baden" (The Church Registers in
Baden), which I believe is edited by a man called Herman Frank.  It is
cataloged under the German title.  I don't have the microfilm number handy
for this gazetteer, but it can be easily looked up on the LDS FHC computer
card catalog (look under "Gazetteers-Germany-Baden").  Often the FHC staff
will be readily familiar with it too, and can point you to the correct film.

(For those researchers seeking information on parishes originally located
within WUERTTEMBERG, check Meyers-Orts first, and then the gazetteer to use
is "Ortschaftsverzeichnis des Koenigreichs Wuerttemberg," on LDS microfilm #
806633.  It is cataloged under the German title.)

Also, *for exact details and instructions on how to use these gazetteers* to
find a parish, see the book "Genealogical Handbook of German Research, Volume
I" by Larry O. Jensen (1980).  It's usually on the reference shelves at the
LDS FHC in their Germany section, or you can purchase it from any of the
large genealogical publishers on the Web for about $20 (Everton Publishers,
for one, has it.)   Chapter 5 is devoted to finding parishes. It is a good
idea to consult this book first if you are new to using gazetteers, and
especially if you do not read German---Mr. Jensen translates everything
you'll need to know.

In assisting other researchers at the LDS FHC, I find that about 60% of the
time, microfilms of church records for the locality being sought actually
*do* exist---it's just that if you're new to microfilm research in Germany,
you may not realize where to look for the right films.

Hope this is of help to you.  Good luck!

Best wishes,
Carla HELLER
Los Angeles