This presentation will begin with a journey through Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz – highlighting their cultural and political development over the centuries. We will explore available genealogical resources, both online and in archives, that can help you uncover your family’s past. Emphasis will be on church records, civil records, and the Mecklenburg census. You will also learn about other sources, such as family records and emigration documents.

 

Andrea Bentschneider is a leading expert in German genealogy with over two decades of experience helping families connect with their German roots. She is the founder of the German Genealogy Collective (GGC), an educational membership community that provides expert guidance, Q&A sessions, and training for those navigating German ancestry research. Through live masterclasses, co-researching sessions, and a supportive network, the GGC empowers individuals to uncover their German heritage with confidence.

 

Andrea is also the founder of Beyond History, a premier genealogy research firm based in Hamburg/Germany, and has been featured on Who Do You Think You Are?, Finding Your Roots, and numerous German media outlets. Her expertise spans German ancestral research, WWII documentation, Jewish family history, and citizenship applications.

 

As president of the Association of German-Speaking Professional Genealogists since 2013 and a Director at Large for IGGP (International German Genealogy Partnership), Andrea is actively involved in shaping the field of genealogy. A passionate educator, she regularly presents at international conferences, sharing her extensive knowledge with researchers worldwide.

We are pleased to welcome Gail Blankenau of Lincoln, Nebraska who will present this webinar. 

Gail will provide tips and suggestions to further your Swiss research.
 
Handouts will be provided on the GGS Website www.ggsmn.org for GGS Members in the Member's Only section prior to the Webinar. This webinar will be recorded and available in the same location on the website. If you have forgotten your log in information, instructions of how to retrieve it are on the website.

 

 

 

 

Webinar Description: This webinar will summarize the history of Schleswig-Holstein to provide a basic understanding of how to find records in various archives. How and where to find records on the internet and/or how to contact organizations holding the original records will also be discussed.

 

The focus of the presentation will be on Protestant church books, civil registers and Danish census records. The organizational structures of the Protestant church and the civil administration in Schleswig-Holstein will be explained.

 

Bio - Dr. Kohrt was born and raised in Flensburg, Germany. He received his high school diploma in Great Britain and was a temporary soldier in the German Navy. After studying mathematics and computer science in Kiel, Germany, he worked at Siemens for 25 years in Munich. An avid traveler, he worked abroad both in the U.S. and the U.K.

Residing in Eckernförde, Germany since 2009, he has been an active family researcher for 16 years. He is a member of the following organizations: