German Interest Group

The group meets on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the IGS library.

628 E Grand Ave
Des Moines IA 50309-1924

Offers the opportunity to share knowledge of German research. You will find experienced researchers, translators and travelers with extensive personal knowledge of the various regions in Germany.

GIG Coordinators Diane Mason, LuAnn Julstrom, Diane Green

For more information on the German Interest Group, contact Diane Green at dkg1300@aol.com.

Programs 2021

Mar 1  at 7:00 pm –  Zoom Only

Topic:  Using Archion and Matricula in conjunction with the Kevan Hansen Parish Map Guide series

Although the church was a major part of a Germanic person’s life, it wasn’t until the Reformation took hold that the churches (Catholic and Protestant) decided to keep track of the baptism, marriages and deaths of the common folk.  We’re seeing more collaboration by German churches of the Katholisch (Catholic) and Evangelisch (Protestant) faiths in Germany to place records on the web.  Archion represents mostly Protestant records and Matricula represents Catholic records.

If you have the village name of your ancestor but don’t know the church parish, GIG has purchased all the books published by Kevan Hansen in his Church Parish Map Guide series to help in this area.

Facilitators:  David Bartholmy and Diane Green

Note on using Zoom

I’m going to have to go back to a wait room for all.

Thanks for understanding.

 

Apr 5  at 7:00 pm –  Zoom Only

Topic:  Combo Travelogue and Tips for Traveling Germany

Travelogue/tips for first-time travelers

German Interest Group members will all be part of April’s program.  We will do a combo travelogue and tips for traveling in Germany.  Members have encouraged others in the past to travel outside of a group tour, by car or train.  But there’s also little things you don’t know unless someone advises you ahead of time that will help make the trip less stressful.  We’d like those who have traveled to German-speaking lands to give us a photo of you or family or a scene on a Germany trip (the travelogue part), and be ready with a tip to share so others don’t end up as an “ugly American.”

Facilitators:  David Bartholmy and Diane Green

Note on using Zoom

I’m going to have to go back to a wait room for all.

Thanks for understanding.

 

May 3rd  at 7:00 pm –  Zoom Only

Topic:  TBD

 

June 7th  at 7:00 pm –  Zoom Only

Topic:  TBD

 

July 5th  

No meeting for July since it’s 4th of July weekend and people may be traveling; GIG will be taking a break for the month

 

Aug 2nd  at 7:00 pm –  Zoom Only

Topic:  TBD

 

Sept 13  at 7:00 pm –  Zoom & West Wing Note a week later because of Labor Day

Topic: German heritage in Iowa using material in Special Collections & Archives. 

Speaker:  Elizabeth Riordan, Univ. of Iowa

 

GERMANS TO AMERICA Because of the many generous donations from German Interest Group members and others, IGS now has the complete set of Germans to America, consisting of 74 volumes.The Germans to America series lists passengers arriving at U.S. ports from 1840 through June 1897. For a small fee, ALL OF WHICH WILL GO TOWARD ADDITIONAL GERMAN RESEARCH MATERIALS FOR THE LIBRARY, a German Interest Group member will look up your surname in the appropriate volume(s).Include $10.00 for a search, any additional information which may help the researcher find the right person (especially the probable year of immigration and the names AND AGES of anyone likely to be traveling with your ancestor).NOTE: Some resources added to the IGS Library through these services:+++ Meyers   Orts-und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs, 3 volumes+++ subscription to several German genealogical magazines

 

Address all requests and include a SASE to: German Interest Group 628 E Grand Ave Des Moines IA  50309-1924 | 515-276-0287 | FAX: 515-727-1824 | Send us an e-mail.

General information about the group. The German Interest Group (GIG) was formed about 1992 and meets on the first Monday evening of each month. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at the Iowa Genealogical Society (IGS) library and have a freewill offering. (Meeting moves to second Monday if a holiday would conflict.) The December meeting is our traditional potluck with entertainment afterwards. Anyone interested in German research is welcome to attend, although regular attendees are requested to be Iowa Genealogical Society members. After a short business meeting there is usually a program, varying from helping each other with brick walls, members who have traveled to Germany, how to use books in the German section, internet tips, putting your history into book or scrapbook form, etc. For a small fee we offer research services using the Germans to America series. IGS’s extensive collection of German resources is due to the efforts of this group. The GIG has held many conferences in the past and will continue to do one every three-four years. Several members have also given a “Searching for Your German Roots” class at IGS. The more we learn about good research tips, the more interesting our ancestors’ lives become.