This web site had been set up especially for family researchers whose family history has its origin in the former duchy of Schleswig.
Please click, if you have questions of general kind.
For more than 500 years the territory between the river Eider in the south and the Königsau (Kongeaa) in the north was a sovereign duchy, whose duke was the Danish king.
Until 1864 (annexation by Prussia) the official language in Schleswig was Danish. We therefore provide a list of Danish/German words, that shall help you interpreting the historic church registers.
Differently to other parts of Germany the Schleswig church registers (originals and microfiches) are kept in decentralized archives in the parish districts.
In Denmark the situation is much more convenient. There you can study historic church registers from all over Denmark in each of the national archives in Copenhagen, Viborg, Odense and Abenraa. Moreover many historic church registers there can be searched through via internet. Please ask for our support.
Before you make your way into the archives, make sure that the church register needed, really exists there. Please check our list, that for all parts of Schleswig, gives you the information about the oldest church register available in a specific archive.
Quite often local or regional chronicles (as well as chronicles of parish districts) are very helpful sources too. Our member Mr. Hans Walter Hansen has set up a list of these chronicles.
As an experienced family researchers he also put together references to archives documents available.