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  • Introduction
      Rhineland-Palatinate [puh-lat'-i-nayt] can today be found in the middle Rhine River valley in the west of Germany, bordering France and the state of Saarland to the south, Luxembourg and Belgium to the west, and the states of Nordrhein-Westfalen [North Rhine-Westphalia], Hessen and Baden-Wüttemberg to the north, east and southeast, respectively. The capital is Mainz. Other important cities are Kaiserslautern, Koblenz [Coblenz], Ludwigshafen, Pirmasens and Trier. It should not be confused with Oberpfalz [Upper Palatinate] which is part of present-day Bayern [Bavaria].  The state has an area of 19,850 square kilometers (7,664 square miles) and a population of 4.030.773 (1999) (2.055.512 women and 1.975.261 men). This are 203 persons per square kilometer.
      Prior to German unification in 1871, parts of this area were called the Rheinpfalz and was owned by the kingdom of Bavaria. See the History section for more information.
       

    Small Rheinland-Pfalz Map

    • Political Divisions
      Today's Rheinland-Pfalz districts include Koblenz, Montabaur, Rheinpfalz, Rheinhessen and Trier.

        In 1900 the Bavarian Rheinpfalz had the following (13) Bezirksaemter (counties):
        Bergzabern, Frankenthal, Germersheim, Homburg, Kaiserslautern, Kirchheimbolanden, Kusel, Landau, Ludwigshafen, Neustadt/Hardt, Pirmasens, Speyer, Zweibrücken.

        In 1890, the province of Rheinhessen (cf. History) had the following (5) Kreise (counties):
        Alzey, Bingen, Mainz, Oppenheim, Worms.

    • Religious Divisions
      In 1890 Rheinhessen's (cf. History) population was 46.3% Evangelical, 49.3% Catholic, 0.3% Jewish. There were Mennonites centered in Uffhofen (72 souls), Ibersheim (233) and Monsheim (280). [1887 figures]
    • Court Districts
      In 1900, the highest court was the Oberlandesgericht in Zweibrücken. The lower courts were
      • Landgericht Frankenthal with (6) Amtsgerichte: Duerkheim, Frankenthal, Gruenstadt, Ludwigshafen, Neustadt/Hardt, Speyer.
      • Landgericht Kaiserslautern with (9) Amtsgerichte: Kaiserlautern, Kirchheimbolanden, Kusel, Lauterecken, Obermoschel, Otterberg, Rockenhausen, Winnweiler, Wolfstein.
      • Landgericht Landau with (6) Amtsgerichte: Annweiler, Bergzabern, Edenkoben, Germersheim, Kandel, Landau.
      • Landgericht Zweibrücken with (9) Amtsgerichte: Blieskastel, Dahn, Homburg, Landstuhl, Pirmasens, St.Ingbert, Waldfischbach, Waldmohr, Zweibrücken.

        In 1890, in the province of Rheinhessen (cf. History) the highest court in the Grandduchy of Hessen was the Oberlandesgericht in Darmstadt. The provincial court for Rheinhessen was Landgericht Mainz with (11) Amtsgerichte:
        Alzey, Bingen, Mainz, Niederolm, Oberingelheim, Oppenheim, Osthofen, Pfeddersheim, Woellstein, Woerrstadt, Worms.

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    Associations and Societies

    Genealogical Associations and Societies

    Historical Associations and Societies

    • Institut für pfälzische Geschichte und Volkskunde
      Benzinoring 6, 67657 Kaiserslautern, GERMANY
    • Pennsylvania German Society
      Box 397, Birdsboro, PA 19508, USA

    Other Associations and Societies

    • ...

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    Genealogical and Historical Records

    Note: the Family History Library records system divides the region into two distinct entities, "Rhineland" and "Pfalz". The latter is listed under "Germany, Bayern" while the former can be found under "Germany, Preussen, Rhineland", i.e. a system reflecting the 1871 territorial arrangements.

    • Church Records
      The Family History Library has an excellent collection of microfilmed parish records for this region.
    • Civil Registration Records
      The Family History Library has an excellent collection of microfilmed civil records for this region.
      In the province of Rheinhessen, civil registers of births, marriages and deaths were introduced in Rheinhessen by the French in 1792. The Civil registry office is called Standesamt.
    • Other Records

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    Gazetteers and Maps

    • Gazetteers
      • Pfalz:
        After 1871 until modern times, the Pfalz was part of Bavaria. A gazetteer which covers this portion of Rheinland-Pfalz, only, is
        Ortschaften-Verzeichnis für den Freistaat Bayern: nach der Volkszählung vom 16. Juni 1925 und dem Gebietsstand vom 1. Januar 1928, Herausgegeben vom Bayerischen Statistischsen Landesamt, 1928, München: J. Lindauersche Universitätsbuchhandlung [Placename Index for the Free State of Bavaria, available as FHL microfilm 924721.]
    • Atlases and Maps
      • On-line: Maps Courtesy of the Laninger Homepage at: http://home.t-online.de/home/LLaninger/
      • FHL microfilm 068814 of the Karte des Deutschen Reiches, scale 1:100000, 1km = 1cm covers Germany for 1914-1917.
      • Topographical Maps (Messtischblaetter 1:25000) and a historical map of 1797 may be purchased from
        Landesvermessungsamt Rheinland-Pfalz, Postfach 1428, 56073 Koblenz, GERMANY.
        (Request a map catalog or Kartenverzeichnis.) (D)
      • For the former province of Rheinhessen, topographical maps (Messtischblaetter 1:25000) as well as historical maps may be purchased from
        Hessisches Landesvermessungsamt, Schaperstr. 16, Postfach 32 49, 65022 Wiesbaden, GERMANY.
        (Ask for their map catalog or Kartenverzeichnis) (D)

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    Bibliography and Literature

    • Bibliography
    • Historical Literature
    • Genealogical Literature
      • Brommer, Peter, Karl Heinz Debus and Hans-Walter Herrmann, ed., Inventar der Quellen zur Geschichte der Auswanderung 1500-1914 in den staatlichen Archiven von Rheinland-Pfalz und dem Saarland [Inventory of the Historical Sources for Emigration from 1500-1914 in the State Archives of the Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saar], 1976, Koblenz, Landesarchivverwaltung Rheinland-Pfalz, 27, Schriften zur Wanderungsgeschichte der Pfälzer, 35
      • Burgert, Annette Kunselman, Eighteenth-Century Emigrants from German-Speaking Lands to North America, Vol. 2: The Western Palatinate, Publications of the Pennsylvania Dutch Society, 19 (1985)
      • Eger, Dr. Wolfgang, Die protestantischen Kirchenbücher der Pfalz, 1960 [FHL film 845166 item 2, lists all Protestant churches in the Palatinate]
      • Hacker, Werner, Auswanderungen aus dem früheren Hochstift Speyer nach Südosteuropa und Übersee im XVIII. Jahrhundert [Emigration from the former Hochstift Speyer to Southeast Europe and Overseas in the 18th Century], 1969 Kaiserslautern, Schriften zur Wanderungsgeschichte der Pfälzer, 28
      • Hacker, Werner, Auswanderungen aus der Rheinpfalz und dem Saarland im 18. Jahrhundert [Emigration out of the Rhenish Palatinate and Saar in the 18th Century], 1987, Stuttgart, Konrad Theiss Verlag
      • Hacker, Werner, Eighteenth Century Register of Emigrants from Southwest Germany (to America and other countries), Closson Press, 1994, ISBN 1-55856-165-X [includes all the listings from his earlier book Auswanderung aus der Rheinpfalz und dem Saarland and in addition has all the listings from Auswanderung vom Unteren Neckar and all the listings that cite a destination of America from Auswanderung aus dem Hochstift Speyer, Auswanderung aus Baden und dem Breisgau, Auswanderung aus Oberschwaben and Auswanderung aus den Territorien der Reichstadt Ulm, all earlier Hacker books.]
      • Jones Jr., Henry Z., Palatine Families of New York, 2 volumes. P.O. Box 8341, Universal City, CA 91608, USA. [Includes 16,600 German Immigrants arriving in New York in 1710.]
      • Macco, Hermann Friedrich, Swiss Emigrants to the Palatinate in Germany and to America 1650-1800 and Huguenots to the Palatinate and Germany, Genealogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, [FHL microfilms 0823861 and 0823862]
      • Müller, Dr. Anton, Die Kirchenbücher der bayerischen Pfalz, 1925, München, Theodor Ackermann, [FHL film 415618, lists all Roman Catholic churches in the Palatinate]
      • Scherer, Paul, Auswanderungen aus dem Leyen'schen Amt Blieskastel, 1983, 20 pages. (out of print)
      • Stader, Stefan, Auswanderer nach Südosteuropa im 18. Jh. / Nach der Zentralkartei der Heimatstelle Pfalz [Emigrants to Southern Europe in the 18th Century], AKdFf 1978, 199 pp. (out of print)
      • Strassburger, R.B. and Hinke, W.J., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, 2 volumes. Genealogical Publishing Co., Dept. MR, 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21202-3897, USA. [Arrivals at port of Philadelphia 1727-1808. 38,500 names.]
    • Genealogical Newspaper

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    Archives and Libraries

    • Archives
      • Institut für Pfälzische Geschichte und Volkskunde, Benzinoring 6, 67637 Kaiserslautern, GERMANY, Tel. +49 (0) 631 / 3647-302
        formerly known as Heimatstelle Pfalz-(Research Center).
        This is a record repository on over 300,000 persons who emigrated from the Rhineland-Pfalz area of Germany. Herr Roland Paul, the Director, would like help in enlarging the center's holdings. Please submit a 3x5 card per person/ancestor, their name, where settled, who they married, date/place of death, giving where buried, occupation and religion if known (perhaps including the village in the Pfalz where they immigrated from and date, if it is known.)
      • Archiv der Evangelischen Kirche im Rheinland - Archivstelle St. Martin / Boppard, Mainzerstr. 8, 56154 Boppard, GERMANY , Tel. +49 (0) 6742 / 86194, Fax +49 (0) 6742 / 86196, Open Mo-Tue 8:30 - 16:30, Wed-Thurs 8:30 - 12:00, and by appointment, price per day: 5 DM  (D)
        Has records on the evangelical church registers from the former Prussian part of the the Rhineland-Palatinate. Generally it covers Protestant (i.e. Lutheran and Reformeed) records of the former Rhine Province (Rheinprovinz) of Prussia. In other words, the area along the Rhine north of the Bavarian Palatinate (Rheinpfalz) in post-1815 terms.
        Bestandsverzeichnis: Heinz Schüler, Verzeichnis der Kirchenbücher der Archivstelle Koblenz des Archivs der Ev. Kirche im Rheinland, Landesarchivverwaltung Rheinland-Pfalz, 1971
      • Bistumsarchiv und Kirchenbuchamt Trier, Jesuitenstr. 13b, 54290 Trier, GERMANY, Tel. +49 (0) 651 / 7105-351
        Has records on the Catholic church registers from the former Prussian part of the Rhineland-Palatinate.
        Bestandsverzeichnis: Günther Molz, Bestand an katholischen Kirchenbüchern im Bistumsarchiv Trier, 1975
      • Zentralarchiv der Evangelischen Kirche der Pfalz, Domplatz 6, 67346 Speyer, GERMANY, Tel. +49 (0) 6232 / 667-180, Fax: 06232/677-234
        Has records from the evangelical church registers of the former Bavarian part of the Rhineland-Palatinate. Only german site.
        Bestandsverzeichnis: Wolfgang Eger, Verzeichnis der protestantischen Kirchenbücher der Pfalz, Landesarchivverwaltung Rheinland-Pfalz, 1960
      • Archiv des Bistums Speyer, Kleine Pfaffengasse 16-18, 67346 Speyer, GERMANY, Tel. +49 (0) 6232 / 102-256  (D)
        Has records from the Catholic church registers of Rhineland-Palatinate.
      • Dom- und Diözesan-Archiv, Mainz, Heringsbrunnengasse 4, 55116 Mainz, Postfach 1560 , 55005 Mainz, GERMANY
      • Stadtarchiv Koblenz (Municipal Archive of Coblenz)
      • A further list of even more archives is available at the Archives in Rheinland-Pfalz http://www.bawue.de/~hanacek/info/darchi11.htm, by Andreas Hanacek
    • Libraries
      • Family History Centers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

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    Other States and Places

    • Predecessor States
    • Historical Geographical Regions
    • Geographical Regions
      • Eifel (contents: Schneifel, Islek, Bitburger Land, Kyllwald, Meulenwald, Wittlicher Senke, Moselberge, Kondelwald, Voreifel, Hohe Eifel, Maifeld, Pellenz, Vulkaneifel, Neuwieder Becken, Breisiger Ländchen, Goldene Meile,
      • Westerwald (contents: Vorderwestwald, Kroppacher Schweiz, Hoher Westerwald, Kannenbecker Land) see also: Westerwald (German)
      • Taunus (contents: Limburger Becken teilweise, Einrich, Hintertaunus)
      • Hunsrück (contents: Krampen, Idarwald, Osburger Hochwald, Schwarzwälder Hochwald, Lützelsoon, Soonwald, Binger Wald, Viertäler und am westlichsten Ende Teile des Saargaus)
      • Saar-Nahe-Bergland / (Nord-)Pfälzer Bergland
      • Rheinhessen (with Rheinhessischer Schweiz und Alzeyer Hügelland)
      • Pfalz (contents: Vorderpfalz, Bienwald, Das Gäu, Weinstraße, Haardt, Leininger Land, Oberer Mundatwald, Dahner Felsenland, Pfälzerwald, Westrich, Sickinger Höhe, Landstuhler Bruch)

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    Miscellaneous

    • Calendar
      • Gregorian Calendar adoption.
        The change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian one was a major one which did not see adoption universally. Thus, in pursuing important dates with respect to ancestors, it can be helpful to know when this change occurred, particularly with respect to church records. The times of change which are known are as follows:
        • Germany (Roman Catholic): 1583-85
        • Germany (Protestant): 1700-76
      • French Revolution.
        The calendar in France was dramatically changed during the revolutionary period, 1792-1805. This was the calendar used in most places west of the Rhine during the period 1798-1806. A conversion table for this calendar system is provided by Scott E. Lee http://genealogy.org/~scottlee/calconvert.cgi .
    • Customs
    • Databases
      • The Roots Surname List (RSL) covers the world. Be sure to search in and add to it.
        A list of codes useful for this region:
        • HD,HES,DEU - Hesse-Darmstadt
        • OLD,DEU - Oldenburg
        • RHE,PRU,DEU - Rhineland, Prussia
        • USA - United States of America
      • GenDex , WWW Genealogical Index (you can use as a registered or unregistered user; registration is free)
    • Emigration Waves
      • 1689-1697 to Pennsylvania in the United States
      • 1709 a mass exodus hoping to settle in America instead wound up in in various places in Ireland. The largest Irish Palatine group was in County Limerick followed by that of Old Ross, County Wexford.
      • 1750-52 to Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada
      • 1766, to found the colony of Hirschenhof, Livonia, Russia
      • 1767, 67 Catholic families founded the colonies of Lusk, Porchowo and Frankfurt near Jamburg (Kingisepp), St. Petersburg, Russia
      • 18th century to Donauschwaben regions
      • 1803-5, 1808-10 to the Black Sea region of Russia, also to Galicia from which some traveled further to Volhynia to found the town of Gnidau
    • Mailing Lists
    • Professional Researchers
      • Warren Bittner, located in Salt Lake City, has worked in genealogical research for fifteen years, specializing in German research over the past five and concentrating exclusively on the Palatinate during the past three. May be contacted at warrenb@utah-inter.net.
      • Markus Weidenbach - e-mail: genealogie@online.de
    • Publishers
    • Regions of settlement today

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    Other Internet Resources

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    Letzte Änderung/Last update: 14-Feb-2001 (hp) 

    Warren Bittner, Bernhard Braun, Adalbert Goertz, Julian Isphording (contribution edited from soc.genealogy.german), Brian Keogh, Michael Koelges, Michael Palmer (contribution edited from Emigration page), W. Fred Rump, Arthur Teschler, Ernest Thode (contribution edited from soc.genealogy.german), Andreas Zinnow and Markus Weidenbach have contributed to this page.
    Created by: Rick Heli.
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    German Genealogy Team