A sample article from the OGSA Newsletter, 1999, Volume 2, Issue 2.

Research Tips
Submitted by Zella Mirick

To find out how many villages by a certain name there may be in Germany, use the Meyers Orts-und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs. This is a 1912 German gazetteer that lists EVERY village, town and city in the German Empire.

If you are looking under the correct spelling you will find how the village was classified e.g. D for dorf, Dom for State owned estate, Fl for flecken (a hamlet), kol. for colony, etc. The next thing listed (if in Hannover) will be the RB or regierungsbezirk - provincial district, next listed will be the Kr or kries - county, then AG or Amtsgericht - where the district court is located, then the BKDo or Besirkskommando - district military command, next is the StdA or Standesamt - civil registry location, then A or Amt - district office. In the next part of the text you will see an ev. or kath if the village had it's own ev - evangelical (non Catholic) or Kath. - Catholic church.

Example - Grosswolde D., Pr., Hann., RB. BKdo Aurich, Kr. AG Leer, (and other information about where the post, telephone, telegraph and RR. station are) 744E., StdA., ev. Pfk. Translation - Grosswolde is a Dorf (small village) in Hannover. The provincial district and military command is in Aurich, the Kreis and district office is in Leer, it has 744 residents and has it's own civil registry and an evangelical church.

When looking for a village this wonderful gazetteer, often referred to as "Meyers" or "Meyers Orts", is the answer. If there is more than one village by the same name you can find where all are located and eliminate those that are not in the correct province. Meyer's is in book form in Salt Lake City but most FHC (Family History Centers) have a copy on microfilm or microfiche. The FHC film no. for Meyers is 496,640 for A-K and 496641 for L-Z. The FHC microfiche no. is 6,000,001-6,000,029.

Our Germanic Genealogy Society here in MN also has a copy of the 3 volumes of Meyers which are located in Concordia University. This is the first place that German researchers begin when looking for information about any village. It is an invaluable source!

Faye Dearden has a book available in many of the Family History Center Libraries that will give you additional abbreviations and other helps for using this Gazeteer. If you cannot find a copy of this book, please write to this newsletter and we will give you her address

Sample01 ::  Sample02 ::  Sample03