Welcome!

Our association is committed to supporting our members researching their ancestors from Ostfriesland and the events and culture that shaped their lives.  We hope that you find the information on this site helpful.  Additional resources are available to our members after logging in through our Member Section page.  
 
Please check our What's New page for a summary of our latest updates and new resources.  Several new pictures have been added to our Photo Gallery if you want to check them out.
 
Please contact us if you have you have any questions about our organization or recommendations for this website or future educational programs. 

Coming Events

Members may attend the webcasts on our Events page as part of their membership benefits.  Registration is required and seats are limited so please sign up in advance but please cancel your registration if you will not be able to attend.  We hope that you enjoy these sessions.
 
Event times are based on the US Central Time zone.
 
We are planning our coming online programs now so please periodically check our Events page for updates.
 
Members can access recordings or slides some of our prior on-line sessions on our Webcasts page.
 
Please note:  We are in the early planning stages for our next conference to be held on July 25-27, 2024 at our library.  More details will follow soon and you will be able to register online through our Store or via mail.  Here's an overview of the program.

The Ostfriesland Area

Ostfriesland MapThe Ostfriesland area of Germany is located in the northwest corner of Germany, bordered by the North Sea to the north, Groningen province in the Netherlands to the west, the Jeverland and Oldenburg regions to the east and the Emsland region to the south.  This area is also referred to as East Friesland and is now part of the Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) state of Germany. 

A growing population coupled with challenging economic and social conditions in the mid-1800's led many Ostfriesens to look for new opportunities in a new land - America.  The success of many of these brave emigrants led to thousands of their relatives following their path to the land of promises.  

OGSA is committed to helping our members learn more about their ancestors and their lives.  Please explore our online resources and log-in as a member for additional member-specific information.     

Please see the About Ostfriesland page for more information about the area and its people.


Organization Summary

The OGSA a 501(c)3 non-profit, all-volunteer member-supported organization marking 26 years of helping our members find family connections and better understand the lives of their Ostfriesen ancestors in 2023. 

During this time, our members have published quarterly journals, translated many resources into English, published numerous books, imported the Ostfriesen church community books stocked in several libraries around the US, conducted internationally attended conferences and helped many people with their research.

Please see our About Us page for more information on the Association.


Membership Benefits

Annual membership dues are the primary source of support for the OGSA's operations, research library and newsletters.  Our members receive: 

  • 28-page quarterly journals containing a wealth of information about Ostfriesland, its people and the culture that shaped our ancestor's lives.
  • Opportunities to participate in OGSA events, including educational programs, webcasts and conferences.OSB Cover Image
  • Access to our research library which includes all of the published Ostfriesland Ortsippenbuchs (church family books) and images of many original records.
  • An opportunity to support and access our Emigration database. 
  • Opportunities to connect with other researchers sharing interests in your families or ancestral communities.
  • Discounts on research materials, many that have been developed by, or solely distributed in the US by OGSA.
A sample issue of our quarterly journals is available here

March 23
10:00 am
Online Research and OGSA Annual Meeting
Online Research presented by Lin Strong, OGSA President 10:00 AM Central Time   Lin will present online research sites and searching tips that could help ...