Dates in German records are not always what they appear to be. Let's start with the five calendars you are most likely to bump into when researching and how this will affect how you interpret the dates on your ancestors' records!
A mysterious church record, dangerous thunderstorms, and a centuries-old tradition that reminds us why history matters when researching our ancestors.
Decoding historical records often feels like solving a mystery. Between old German handwriting, smudged ink, and unfamiliar scripts such as Kurrent, even experienced researchers sometimes have to stop and rethink what they’re seeing.
Without church books, genealogical research in Germany would be... well, extremely limited. Going back more than a few generations would be nearly impossible without them.