Von: carlah@earthlink.net (Carla)
  Datum: 18.12.98, 21:43:38
Betreff: A Warning about "Halbert's Family Heritage"

kmiller@krl.org wrote:

> Does anyone know the address, phone number, or e-mail address for the
> following: Halberts Family Heritage, Inc.  I just heard from a relative in
> Germany who says a book of my family is by them.  Thank you.
>
>  Karen Miller

Hi Karen, and Baden-Wuerttemberg List Friends!

First, see the warning at soc.genealogy.german in their FAQ List about
Halbert's:

http://w3g.med.uni-giessen.de/gene/faqs/sgg.html#halberts

Then, be further warned. . .you are likely stumbling on to one of the pre-fab
variety "family books" which are nothing more than compilations of published
telephone listings of a given surname, all crammed together in a handsomely
bound book for which you will pay an equally handsome price.  Its value to the
family researcher is less than zero.  You might as well pay a fraction of the
price to telecommunications companies for copies of their old phone
directories, or use cost-free "people searchers" on the Internet for a given
surname.

The reason these supposed "family books" are worthless is simple: NOT EVERYONE
with the same surname is related to everyone else with that surname.  Many
people don't realize this, and the firms like Halbert's profit from it.  They
fabricate their publications knowing that you will have no means of
establishing whether any persons listed in these "family books" have any
family connection to *you,* any more than if you looked up that particular
name in the phone book and contacted someone at random.

Now, if you locate such things as German-published "ortsippenbuecher" or
similar books which deal with a specific locality in Germany and feature
detailed factual information, these are usually a sound investment.  Remember
that most American publishers do not have easy access to this kind of
information unless they want to pay someone in Germany for it---and their goal
is to make money, not spend it.

Be careful---you don't want to end up spending good money for "source
materials" of no actual value.  Always make sure you know what it is you're
buying first.  Ask for their sources.  Make them declare where they acquired
their information.  Any reputable supplier will be happy to answer your
questions.

With warmest wishes for the holidays,
Carla HELLER
Los Angeles