Finding where to find records to Research

Susan Richards

I have a Balthazar Neukirchen who was married on 4 September 1675 to his wife Catharina Müller (Möller) in the St. Nicola(?) parish. The database I found this record on was "Germany, Prussia, Pomerania, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records, 1544-1966"

I'm trying to find what Balthazar's birth/christening dates are and who his parents are. Can anyone give me the correct database I need to look in?

I'm fairly new at doing research in German records….I need all the help I can get…..

Thanks 🤗 Susan K. Richards

Ulrich Neitzel

@Susan Richards

The record you mention comes from St. Nikolai in Stralsund, Pomerania. It is not the original marriage record, but rather a later copy written on index cards. It is said that Balthasar was born in Stralsund. Unfortunately his age at the time of his marriage is not given, so his year of birth is unknown.

The same index card collection is said to cover "over 95% of the christenings, marriages, and burials that took place in Stralsund between 1600 and 1900." 

Although I couldn't find an index card for Balthasar's christening in this collection, I found two cards that could be related to the christenings of his children:

Johann Karl Neukirch, b. 16 June 1673 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6P7Z-921?wc=M6HH-MP8%3A48065601%2C48133501%2C54247902%26cc%3D1475887&cc=1475887&lang=de&i=1315

and

Dorothea Elisabeth Neukirch, b. 14 May 1680
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6P7Z-WS4?wc=M6HH-MP8%3A48065601%2C48133501%2C54247902%26cc%3D1475887&cc=1475887&lang=de&i=1313

The father's name is given as Baltzer Neukirch which is a variation of Balthasar Neukirchen.

I also found an index card for the marriage of Baltzer Neukirchen to Anna von Neilken on 13 August 1672: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRT9-GRF?wc=M6H4-NM9%3A48065601%2C48064902%2C49689501%26cc%3D1475887&lang=de&i=547&cc=1475887

This may be the earlier marriage for Baltzer/Balthasar Neukirch(en), from which Johann Karl was born.

Susan Richards

Thank you Ulrich,

I do have a marriage for him with Catharina Möller. You can go in to FamilySearch and see what I have for him thus far. (LTJG-1ST)

Is there any way I can find a specific parish listed i.e. St. Nikolai?

I have in my records a daughter for my Balthazar named Catherine Elisabeth who I show born in 1680. Could she also be Dorothea Elisabeth?

I'm used to Swedish records; however, German records are sure more difficult to find and to read!

Susan

Ulrich Neitzel

@Susan Richards

You are right that Swedish records are much easier to research. This is mainly because they have been kept in a consistent manner over time and are all centrally archived at Riksarkivet. In Germany, however, the place of archiving depends very much on the local history and denomination (Lutheran or Catholic).

The primary database for lutheran church records is Archion, which is a subscription-based service ( https://www.archion.de/en/ ). You can check for free which church books are available for a given location. Unfortunately, the parish of St. Nikolai in Stralsund is not among them. The original records are probably not digitised yet.

Fortunately, there is the digitised collection of index cards, which were produced 1930-1980 from the original church records. All the German sources for LTJG-1ST refer to this collection of index cards, rather than the original records.

From the collection of index cards I deduce the following sequence of events:

1672 Balthasar Neukirchen marries Anna von Neilken

1673 (not 1678) Balthasar has a son Johann Karl (probably with Anna, although the mother is not named)

1676 (not 1675) Balthasar marries Catharina Müller (Anna died probably some time between 1673 and 1676)

1680 Balthasar has a daughter Dorothea Elisabeth with Catharina Müller

Some time before 1684 Balthasar moves to Stockholm.

1684 Balthasar has a son Nicolaus born in Stockholm (https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/C0056733_00302)

There is no evidence to suggest that Catharina Elisabeth (LVQV-45Q) is the same person as Dorothea Elisabeth, particularly since there is no record of Catharina's year of birth yet,

Ulrich Neitzel

Edit: I have added a full translation of Baltzar Neukirch's probate record here:

https://community.familysearch.org/discussion/166966/translation-request-for-balthasar-neukirck-b-1630-d-21-october-1716

It does not mention any daughter named Dorothea. So it may be possible that Dorothea went by the name Catharina in Sweden. Alternatively, there may have been a scribal error when copying the name from the original record to the index card.