Personal Archives/Genealogy
The archives of the Federal Archives contains a large number of personal records which serve, for example, to clarify length of service and nationality or that can be used for genealogical research. It is also possible that case files also contain notes on people, although they are not as a rule arranged according to name. The Federal Archives does not store civilian or ecclesiastical registers of births, marriages and deaths. These are located in register offices, rectories or church archives.
You will find further information on the reference pages of time reference section and the reference pages Military bodies and associations, Personal papers, Collections.
Special groups
Research options
Advices for reference
The regulations governing the use of the reference service are contained in the Federal Archives Act (BArchG), the Federal Archives access regulations, the Federal Archives cost regulations and the reading room regulations of the Federal Archives. Please note that specific legal and contractual provisions may apply in the case of access to personal records and archives of private origin with copyright implications. The terms specified in § 5 of the Federal Archives Act must be observed for archives relating to individual persons.
Reference locations
Several places provide a reference service for the Federal Archives:
Berlin-Lichterfelde
- German Democratic Republic
- German Reich in National Socialism
- Weimar Republic
- German Kaiserreich
Koblenz
- Federal Republic of Germany
- German Confederation and Provisional Central Power
- Holy Roman Empire
Freiburg
- Military personal records from 1867 - 1945 and from 1955
- Testimonies from members of the military
Ludwigsburg
- Records from the Central Office of the State Justice Administration for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes
Bayreuth
- Files from the burden-sharing administrations
- Documentation on the former eastern territories of Germany and the settlement areas in east and south-east Europe