I am a genealogist in Denmark, who would like help to gain access to some church records in West Pru

KeHe1952

I am a genealogist in Denmark, who would like help to gain access to some church records in West Prussia.

Those records are not available in familysearch.org, but I believe the Family History Centres has access to those records, and they are also available on archion.de, but I am reluctant to keep paying for all the services that I would like access to, as they are too steep for me. The records in question are probably also available in the Zentralarchiv in Berlin, but I am unable to travel due to health issues.

 

How do I get help to access those records online? Do I have to show up in the Danish Family History center in person?

 

I am sorry if this post do not belong here, but I have had no idea how to get on with my research.

 

Kind regards

Keld Herbst

Copenhagen, Denmark

Robert Givens

@Keld Herbst​ - If the restriction on the records says something like "must be viewed at a Family History Center" - then that is what should be done. FamilySearch has to allow the owners of the original records to decide the level of availability that they want for their records. It would be breaking FamilySearch's contractual agreement if we were to circumvent their request that the records need to be viewed at a Family History Center. It is better that we be a little inconvenienced than to not have access to the records at all.

 

I really wish there was an other answer but this is long and short of this situation.

Jenna Smith

What parish and religion are you looking for? Are the records listed in the FamilySearch catalog but then locked?

Shari Duce

@Keld Herbst​ Keld, it might be possible for you to receive help from a Family History Center without being there. I'd consider contacting one near you. Explain your situation and ask if there is a local volunteer, or staff member who would be willing to look at records for you. A friend might also be willing to do this for you? You could communicate via e-mail and receive images/information.

KeHe1952

Thank you all for your time and interest. I realize that I have to make an appointment at the center Shari has displayed, which is no further than 8-10 kms away, so that can be done with small effort.

 

I do not remember if the exact location is displayed in FS and locked, but I guess I have seen it there, since the idea of contacting a center popped up in my mind from the start (it's a long time ago). The people named Herbst were all of the Evangelical belief as far as I know, but I am not certain about the others. I suspect the people named Golz and Fikkau may be Catholic.

 

I currently have these persons from Ohra, Kreis Danziger Höhe, West Prussia:

Benjamin Herbst, born ca. 1790, master weawer (the Address Buch says Strumpfweber B. Herbst, in Schidlitz (a part of Danzig/Gdansk). He was probably married to Rahel [Rakel?] Fikkau, and they were most likely the parents of:

Johann Heinrich Herbst, born ca. 1817, linnen and tablecloth weaver. He was married 5 jun. 1843 to Anna Albertine Elisabeth Therese Golz, a daughter of Johann Ernst Golz and his unknown wife. Johann and Anna had 6 children:

1. August Benjamin Herbst, b. 31 Aug. 1843 Ohra, Kreis Danziger Höhe, West Prussia, Germany, d. 19 Aug. 1899 Kapernaum Sogn, Sokkelund, København, Denmark
2. Carl Heinrich Herbst, b 26 Jan. 1845 Ohra
3. Heinrich Rudolf Herbst, b. 16 Jun. 1849 Ohra
4. Louise Wilhelmine Herbst, b. 28 Nov. 1850 Ohra
5. Rosalie Elisabeth Herbst, b. 6 Sep. 1854 Ohra
6. Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst, b. 9 Jan. 1858 Ohra, d. 21 Sep. 1866

The oldest son, August Benjamin Herbst went to Denmark around 1865-1870 most likely due to the serious political and economic issues in West Prussia, met his wife Christiane Muurmann, and married her on 7 feb 1875, Petri Kirke, Skt. Petri, Sokkelund, København, Denmark. They had 2 children:

1. August Herbst, b. 26 feb. 1881, d. June 1939 by suicide
2. Anna Herbst, b. 1883, d. 21 nov. 1897, Kapernaum Sogn, Sokkelund, København, Denmark, 14 years old.

The son August Herbst married Anna Margrethe Sofie Christensen 7 okt. 1904, and they had 5 children, one of them was my grandfather, Svend August Herbst, who married my grandmother Marie Viola Iris Hansen, and they had 2 children, Henning Herbst and Alice Herbst, the latter was my mother.

 

The underlined names above are the most interesting for me, as I know very little about them. All those not underlined are thoroughly researched. I would be extremely happy to learn more, even the smallest details about any of the underlined will make me happy.

 

They all appear on my website (in Danish): https://sites.google.com/site/herbstfamilytreedenmark/home/Names/Family-charts/Herbst-benjamin-2024

 

Thank you so much in advance.

Paula Meyer

Faced with a similar problem on a smaller level, I personally contacted the archivist in the city I was researching and received a great deal of important information and suggestions as to where to find more. Access to personal records in that region of Germany is notoriously difficult to obtain online, but the archived records, those that were not destroyed, are detailed and accurate. And some city officials are amazingly helpful.

Henrik Hansen Frederiksberg

Goddag Keld,

jeg hjælper til i Københavns SlægtsHistoriske Center som er nævnt ovenfor

 

Jeg har ikke nået andet end at skimme teksten, men vil lige gøre opmærksom på at centeret på Nitivej 8, kælderen, lukker klokken 12 nu på tirsdag den 17. december og yderligere er helt lukket både den 24. december og 31. december

Desværre kan vi vist ikke få rettet tiderne som står på det lille billede (info burde stå korrekt på hjemmesiden, der er link til): vi har kun åbent om tirsdagen fra 10-18!

e-mail er DK_copenhagen@ldsmail.net, men jeg ved ikke hvor ****, den bliver tjekket..

 

Du er i alle fald velkommen,

hilsen Henrik Hansen

KeHe1952

Thank you. I share your experience, but since West Prussia is now Polish, I foresee language issues, perhaps not justified, but still. I would prefer to start with the Family History Center and see what it might bring me.

LaraKF

Here is the link to the birth of Carl Heinrich Herbst. Are you able to see the record?

 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZT-V92P-M?i=236&cat=260896

LaraKF

Here is the link to the marriage record in the Ohra parish records. Johann Heinrich Herbst, son of Benjamin. The groom is Lutheran and the Bride is listed as Catholic.

 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZT-V92L-Q?i=274&cat=260896

 

 

LaraKF

 

See the attached link to the parish records of Ohra in the Family History Library catalog.

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/260896?availability=Family%20History%20Library

KeHe1952

Hi LaraKF,

• No, I can't view it. I get a message box saying: To view these images do one of the following:You may be able to view this image by visiting one of our partners' sites or the legal record custodian (fees may apply).

 

KeHe1952

Tusind tak, Henrik Hansen.

Jeg har noteret mailadressen, og vil nu se nærmere på et evt. besøg i nærmeste fremtid.

 

Med venlig hilsen

KeHe1952

Thank you all for your time and effort