From - Tue Jan 06 23:14:35 1998 Received: by mail for alipskey (with Cubic Circle's cucipop (v1.21 1997/08/10 [shadow] ) Tue Jan 6 07:08:14 1998) X-From_: owner-ow-preussen-l@retsys.eics.com
PRUSSIA-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com
FAQ Preussen (Prussia)
=================================
From: Adalbert Goertz re: faq.preussen
(Prussia) January 1998 Please, send any correction and suggestions to goertza@fatalerr.com ------------------------------
CONTENTS:
Q1: What and where was Prussia?
Q2: What about the kings in Germany?
Q3: Who were the Prussian kings?
Q4: Where does the name Prussia come from?
Q5: What were the administrative areas of Prussia in
1895?
Q6: Where do I write for a birth certificate for
someone born in Prussia?
Q7: How do I find locations and maps for Prussia?
Q8: When were civil registers introduced?
Q9: Where can I get more information on the Prussian
provinces?
Q10: Are there emigration records available for
Prussian emigrants?
Q11: Is there a listserv for Prussia? =============================================
Q1: What and where was Prussia?
A1: The answer depends on the
time frame:
1a) P r u s s i a was a region
which before 1772 consisted of what was later known as East Prussia (Ostpreussen)
with its capital Koenigsberg, a duchy since 1525, a kingdom of the Hohenzollern
dynasty since 1701 and West Prussia (Westpreussen) with the Hanseatic
cities of Danzig, Elbing, Thorn, and Culm, part of Poland referred to as Polish
Prussia before 1772.
1b) In 1772 King Friedrich II of
Prussia annexed Polish Prussia (without the Danzig Territory) calling it West
Prussia (Westpreussen) and united it with East Prussia. In 1793 King
Friedrich Wilhelm II also annexed the Danzig and Thorn Territories, and during
1793/1795 larger areas of Poland which were called South Prussia (Suedpreussen)
and New East Prussia (Neu-Ostpreussen). In 1806 the old adminitrative areas
were:
I. Ostpreussen with 983,034 Einwohner:
1.Ostpreussisches Kammer-Departement included
the Kreise of Samland (Schaken),Tapiau,Brandenburg,Rastenburg,Braunsberg,Heilsberg,
Morungen,Neidenburg.
2.Litauisches Kammer-Department included the Kreise
of Insterburg, Olezko, Sebesten.
II. Westpreussen with 915,935 Einwohner:
3.Westpreussisches Kammer-Departement included the Kreise of Marienwerder,Marienburg,Kulm,Michelau,Dirschau,Danzig,Stargard,Konitz. 4.Westpreussisches Kammer-Departement fuer den Netzdistrict included the Kreise of Bromberg,Inowraclaw,Kamin,Krone.
III. Suedpreussen with 1,503,508 Einwohner:
5.Departement der Kriegs- und Domainen-Kammer zu
Posen included the Kreise of
Posen,Oborniki,Meseritz,Bomst,Fraustadt,Krebe,Schrim,Kosten,
Krotoschin,Peifern,Schroda,Gnesen,Wangrowitz,Powitz,Brzesk,Radziejow, Kowal. 6.
Departement der Kriegs- und Domainen-Kammer zu Kalisch included the Kreise of
Kalisch,Adelnau,Konin,Ostreschow,Wielun,Lumtomiersk,
Warta,Schadek,Sieradz,Petrikau,Radomsk,Czenstochau.
7. Departement der Kriegs- und Domainen-Kammer zu
Warschau included the Kreise of Warschau,Blonin,Tschersk,Rawa,Sochaczew,Gostin,Orlow,
Lenczyca,Zgierz,Brzezin.
IV. Neu-Ostpreussen with 914,610 Einwohner:
8. Departement der Kriegs- und Domainen-Kammer zu
Bialystok included the Kreise of
Lomza,Drohicin,Bielsk,Surasz,Bialystok,Bobrz,Dombrowa,Wygry, Kalwary,Marianpol.
9. Departement der Kriegs- und Domainen-Kammer zu Plozk
included the Kreise of Wyszogrod,Lipno,Mlawa,Przasnik,Pultusk,Ostrolenka.
The concept of Kreis was different in pre-1806 Prussia
and referred to the districts of the noble families ("Die Adeligen Kreise") as
well as the Immediatstaedte and royal Domainen-Aemter. The term
"Regierung" referred to the judicial (court) system before 1806 and to the
district government after 1815. This is important to understand, if researchers want to
judge the relevance of records in the Berlin and Polish archives.
*
For historical maps see Adalbert Goertz:
"Geographical Primer of Prussia", published in Mennonite
Family History, April 1984, pp.58-61. Address:R#1,Box 20 Morgantown PA 19543-9701;
email:
masthof@ptdprolog.net
*
1)The kingdom of Prussia at this time was not part of
Germany. Koenigsberg was capital and coronation city of the Prussian kings. Terms like
German government or German army have no meaning for this time period.
2) In 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Europe and abolished the German empire and the title of Kaiser for Germany (capital:Wien or Vienna). The Kaiser in Wien-Vienna became Kaiser of Austria with no power in the rest of Germany. After Napoleon's final defeat in 1815 the kingdom of Prussia became known as "Die Vereinigten Preussischen Staaten" (United Prussian States) which now also included provinces like Schlesien/Silesia, Brandenburg,Pommern/Pomerania and areas as far west as the Rhine province. Berlin now became the Prussian capital. Until 1806 the Hohenzollern sovereign had many titles and hats from Head of the Evangelic Church to King, Elector, Grandduke, Duke for the various regions and realms under his rule. After 1806 he simply was King of Prussia. Terms like German government or German army have no meaning for this time period until 1871.
3) In 1871 Germany as an empire with a Kaiser was
reestablished with Berlin as the capital of Germany and Prussia and with the Prussian king
also having the title of German Kaiser. All monarchies in Germany were abolished in 1918,
Prussia was declared defunct in 1945 by the Allied victors. The original (East and West)
Prussia was cleansed of its ethnic German population and given to Poland and Russia. The
Western powers were silent on the ethnic cleansing of original Prussia and Eastern
Germany resulting in 12 millions of German refugees.
Q2: What about the kings in Germany?
A2: Before 1806 Germany was
one kingdom and empire with one Kaiser and one king who resided in Wien (Vienna). He was
elected by the collegium of Kurfuersten (electors) who in 1800 were the 3 archbishops of
Koeln (Cologne), Mainz and Trier and the 4 secular electors of Rhine-Pfalz, Brandenburg,
Sachsen(Saxony), and Boehmen(Bohemia). The electors of Brandenburg and Sachsen had also
ambitions to acquir German government or German army have no meaning for this time e the title of king. Since they could not acquire this title inside Germany they
succeeded outside Germany: Brandenburg by declaring themselves "King in Prussia"
at Koenigsberg in 1701, Sachsen by getting elected as King of Poland in 1697. The Kaiser
in Wien was powerless to prevent this ploy. By 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte changed all that.
Germany no longer was a kingdom and empire. The titles of Kurfuerst (elector) became
meaningless and was abolished and changed to Kings of Bohemia, Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria,
Wuerttemberg, and Hannover by Napoleon's grace. The archbishops and catholic church lost
all their secular power in 1803.
Q3: Who were the Prussian kings?
A3: Kurfuerst (Elector) Friedrich
III was crowned first king Friedrich I in Koenigsberg in 1701, died 1712, his son was King
Friedrich Wilhelm I, 1712-1740, intolerant, his son was King Friedrich II the Great
(Old Fritz), 1740-1786, his nephew was King Friedrich Wilhelm II, 1786-1797,
intolerant, his son was King Friedrich Wilhelm III, 1797-1840, his son was King Friedrich
Wilhelm IV, 1840-1861, his brother was King Wilhelm I, 1861-1888, became Kaiser in 1871,
his son was Kaiser and King Friedrich III, 1888 (99 days), his son was Kaiser and King
Wilhelm II, 1888-1918.
Q4: Where does the name Prussia come from?
A4: The Baltic tribe of the
Prussen or Pruzzen gave the name to the region called Prussia. The name means Po-Russia
(close to Russia). The Latinized name was Prussia or Borussia.
Q5: What were the administrative areas of Prussia
in 1895?
A5: There were 14 provinces
in Prussia in 1895 with their respective capitals and Reg.Bezirke (districts): The head of
the province was the Oberpraesident who presided over the Oberpraesidium office. The head
of each district was the Regierungspraesident who presided over the Regierung office. - *
marks the provinces outside the old pre-1806-Germany Ostpreussen
(East Prussia)* Koenigsberg -Ermland since 1772-
(Koenigsberg,Gumbinnen) Westpreussen (West Prussia)* Danzig since 1772/1793 (Danzig-Gdansk,Marienwerder-Kwidzyn) Berlin
(Stadtkreis) Berlin Brandenburg Potsdam (Potsdam,Frankfurt an der Oder) Pommern
(Pomerania) Stettin (Stettin,Koeslin,Stralsund) Posen* Posen (Poznan) since 1793
(Posen-Poznan,Bromberg-Bydgoszcz) Schlesien (Silesia) Breslau since 1742
(Breslau,Oppeln,Liegnitz) Sachsen (Saxony) Magdeburg (Magdeburg,Merseburg,Erfurt)
Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig since 1865/1866 (Schleswig) Hannover Hannover since 1866
(Hannover,Hildesheim,Lueneburg,Stade,Osnabrueck,Aurich) Westfalen (Westphalia) Muenster
since 1815 (Muenster,Minden,Arnsberg) Hessen-Nassau Kassel since 1866 (Kassel,Wiesbaden)
Rheinland Koeln since 1815 (Koblenz,Duesseldorf,Koeln,Trier,Aachen) Hohenzollern
Sigmaringen (Sigmaringen) In 1890 the population figures were for Germany: 49 millions,
and Preussen: 31 millions. This corresponded to about 63% of the total German
population.
Q6: Where do I write for birth certificate for
someone born in Prussia?
A6: The answer depends on
the time frame: Before 1772 this would mean East Prussia, for 1772-1806 this
could be anywhere in East or West (or even South or New East) Prussia. After 1815 this
could be anywhere in the provinces listed above in A4.
But then, if I ask you: where do I write for birth certificate for
someone born in the USA in 1772 or 1840 or 1895, what would you answer? If all you know is
Prussia as a birth "place", nobody would be able to answer your request.
Q7: How do I find locations and maps for Prussia?
A7: The best German gazetteer is Meyers
Orts- and Verkehrslexikon des Deutschen Reiches,1912 edition, which is
available on microfiche in the LDS Family History Centers. There is LDS microfilm #068814
available of Karte des Deutschen Reiches, scale 1:100000, 1km = 1cm which may be
loaned thru the LDS Family History Centers. It covers Germany for 1914-1917. Topographical
Maps (Messtischblaetter 1:25000) may also be purchased by Institut fuer Angewandte
Geodaesie Stauffenbergstr.13 10785 Berlin, Germany or from some regional institutes in
the western parts of former Prussia.
Q8: When were civil registers introduced in
Prussia?
A8: Civil registers of
births,marriages,deaths were introduced in October 1874. The Civil registry office is called Standesamt. In some provinces civil
registers were introduced by the French before 1874: Rheinland in 1792, Hessen-Nassau in
1803, Westfalen in 1808, Hannover in 1809.
Q9: Where can I get more information on the
Prussian provinces?
A9: Try some of the web sites
like: <http://www.genealogy.com/gene/reg/rindex.htm>
<http://w3g.med.uni-giessen.de/gene/reg/rindex.htm>
<http://www.irit.fr/SSI/~Ralph.Sobek/genealogy/FAQs/>
<http://pegasus.adnc.com/~websites/lynnd/vudeu.html>
<http://pegasus.adnc.com/~websites/lynnd/gfaq.html>
Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz,
Berlin. Archivstrasse 12-14 D-14195 Berlin (Dahlem) Tel.: (030) 839 01141 Fax: (030) 839
011 80 <http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/prmss/orte/berlgsas.html>
<http://dg3.chemie.uni-konstanz.de/~stuebs/pommern/Archive/berli-geh-st*>
If you have no access to the Web (www), you can direct web
files to your email box by sending a request to getweb@usa.healthnet.org or to getweb@unganisha.idrc.ca with the message:
H E L P
or
get <http://..... >
Consult also Germanic Genealogy (by Edward R.Brandt et alii), 2nd edition. 1997, St.Paul MN, 517 pp.,1st edition, 1995.
Q10: Are there emigration records available for
Prussian emigrants?
A10: The Geh.Staatsarchiv
in Berlin has many emigration records which were filmed by the LDS FHL (mostly 19th
century). There are also provincial archives which need to be consulted. Each Kreis
(county) was headed by the Landrat who presided over the Landratsamt.The Landratsamt
records are deposited in the state archives. The Landrat was in charge of passport and
emigrations matters and reported to the Regierung who in turn gave data to the provincial Oberpraesidium. M.D.Learned gives a listing of many
emigration and passport records on the Landrat, Regierung, and provincial Oberpraesidium
level. see: Learned, Marion Dexter, 1857-1917: Guide to the manuscript materials
relating to American history in the German state archives, Washington, D.C., Carnegie
Institution of Washington. Publication no. 150 , 1912, 352 p.: -also Kraus Reprints, NY
1965- (there are a number of updates in two volumes done by the LOC Manuscript
Division,call no.L173.L4 Suppl. 1929-1932). <http://genealogy.com/gene/www/emig/GermansToAmerica.html>
Q11: Is there a listserv for Prussia?
A11: There is a mailing
list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Prussia:
PRUSSIA-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com
To subscribe send the word "subscribe" (without the quotes!) as the o n l y text in the body of a message to
PRUSSIA-ROOTS-L-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode)
or
PRUSSIA-ROOTS-D-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
12.01.1998