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East Prussia genealogy relates to the study of family history research in the former province of the Kingdom of Prussia, known as Ostpreußen in German. The territory existed from 1773 through 1829, and then again from 1878 until 1945 as part of the German Empire. In between 1829 and 1878, it united with West Prussia to form the province of Prussia.
The old territory of East Prussia now lies within the modern borders of Poland and Russia.
In the early 19th century, it was made up of about half ethnic Germans, a quarter ethnic Polish[1], and the remainder of residents were mostly Curonian, Latvian or Jewish. Religiously, its population was primarily Evangelical Christian with a small percentage of Roman Catholics and even smaller populations of Mennonites and Jews.[2]
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History of East Prussia
Prior to the 1300s, a Slavic people lived around the Baltic; they were called Preussen and they were kin with the Lithuanians and Latvians.[3] They were forced to convert to Christianity by the Teutonic Knights, a religious order that originated in the Middle East.[4] German peasants came to farm the land and by the mid-14th century, the majority of the population was German.[3] The land became part of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 to 1701.[5]
The Kingdom of Prussia was founded on Jan. 18, 1701, when a son of Elector of Brandenburg Friedrich Wilhelm crowned himself as Friedrich I, King of Prussia.[3] The ceremony took place in Königsberg (modern-day Kaliningrad, Russia), which became the capital city of East Prussia. His son and successor, Friedrich Wilhelm I, born in Berlin in 1688, turned Prussia into a military power known for its discipline and speed.[6]
Prussia became involved with several military conflicts, most notably:
- War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714)
- Great Northern War (1700-1721)
- War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
- Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
- Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815)
- Austro-Prussian War (1866)
- Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
At the conclusion of World War II, the northern part of East Prussia was annexed by the Soviet Union, while the remainder went to Poland or was divided into zones of occupation by the victorious allies.[7]
Geography of East Prussia
The land of East Prussia was made up of low-lying hilly terrain and wooded areas. It had numerous rivers and small lakes, and settlements were scattered around them.
Towns or villages of origin for your East Prussian ancestors can be located with Meyers Gazetteer. Use wildcard characters if you are uncertain of spelling and look for locations that end in "Ostpreussen, Preussen." This website includes maps of the region, including a modern-day map and an historical map with the old German spellings. Each town lists the Kreis (Kr) and Standesamt (StdA) to do further research. Check the Ecclesiastical tab to determine the nearest Evangelical or Catholic church. If there are several places of the same name, you may need to research each one to determine the right location.
Administrative districts
East Prussia was divided into three government regions (Regierungsbezirke): Königsberg, Gumbinnen and Allenstein. From there, it was divided into Kreise (districts), which included the following:
| Königsberg | Gumbinnen | Allenstein |
|---|---|---|
| Braunsberg | Angerburg | Allenstein |
| Fischhausen | Darkehmen | Johannisburg |
| Friedland | Goldap | Lötzen |
| Gerdauen | Gumbinnen | Lyck |
| Heiligenbeil | Heydekrug | Neidenburg |
| Heilsberg | Insterburg* | Ortelsburg |
| Königsberg* | Niederung | Osterode |
| Labiau | Oletzko | Rößel |
| Memel | Pilkallen | Sensburg |
| Mohrungen | Ragnit | |
| Preußisch Eylau | Stallupönen | |
| Preußisch Holland | Tilsit* | |
| Rastenburg | ||
| Wehlau |
*Landkreis & Stadtkreis for this location
Archives and libraries
Those researching East Prussia should consult the following archives & libraries:
- Geheimes Staatsarchive, Preußischer Kulburbersitz: Also known as the Prussian Secret State Archives, it is responsible for archiving records belonging to the old institutions of Brandenburg-Prussia.
- Evangelisches Zentralarchive in Berlin: This archive holds thousands of church registers which include the former East Prussian territory.
- Federacja Bibilotek Cyfrowych:Collection of maps, address books, and history pertaining to East Prussia.
- Archiwa Państwowe (Polish State Archives): Civil records and church records for East Prussia, some of which are digitized online.
- Szukaj w Archiwach: A useful search site to find digitized collections of Polish archives, including the old territory of East Prussia.
- Archives Portal Europe: An index of archival collections to help find records for specific places in East Prussia.
- Landesarchiv Berlin: The State Archive in Berlin has civil registry documents on site for East Prussia.
Surnames of East Prussia
Notable people from East Prussia
- Konrad Gaedeke, entrepreneur & banker
- Severin Goebel, university teacher & writer
- Alfred Gottschalk, physician & politician
- Reinhard Henkys, journalist & non-fiction writer
- Martin Kempe, author & translator
- Matthias Stojus, mathematician
- Johann Jakob Quandt, librarian, translator & theologian
- Theodor Von Schön, Prussian politician
- August Von Werder, Prussian general
- Carl Witt, classical philologist & teacher
Types of records
The primary records of East Prussia that are useful to genealogists include church records, civil registrations, and census records. Consult the archives listed above to see what is available online or in person.
The following digitized databases for both civil and church records can be useful to find your East Prussian ancestors:
- Namensindex der Standesamtsregister: Searchable list of names in civil records (birth, marriage & death) for East Prussia and West Prussia with links to digitized scans when available.
- Geneteka: Index of millions of baptisms, marriages & burials from church records in Poland, including East Prussia. Navigate to the appropriate modern-day Polish province, like Warmińsko-Mazurskie, to search for your family.
A large number of East Prussian families are well-documented in MyHeritage family trees. Search those in the box below.
Explore more about East Prussia genealogy
- Researching Ancestral Locations in Prussian Genealogy Records by Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Finding Prussian Ancestors in Online Archives by Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Genealogy of East and West Prussia by Ute Brandenburg at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
References
- ↑ Andree, Karl. Polen : in geographischer, geschichtlicher und culturhistorischer Hinsicht, pg. 218. Published in 1831. Publisher: Leipzig : Schumann.https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xgUEAAAAYAAJ/page/n227/mode/2up
- ↑ Hoffmann, Johann Gottfried. Übersicht der Bodenfläche und Bevölkerung des Preußischen Staates : aus den für das Jahr 1817 mtlich eingezogenen Nachrichten, pg. 51. Published in 1818. Publisher: Berlin: Decker. https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10001094?page=57
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Kingdom of Prussia is Founded. History Today. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/kingdom-prussia-founde
- ↑ Teutonic Knight. World History Encyclopedia.https://www.worldhistory.org/Teutonic_Knight/
- ↑ East Prussia. Britannica Encylopedia. https://www.britannica.com/place/East-Prussia
- ↑ The Unmatched Discipline of the Prussian Army Under Frederick the Great: Leuthen, 1757. War History Online. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/frederick-the-great-leuthen-1757-x.html
- ↑ The kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1918. Britannica Encylcopedia. https://www.britannica.com/place/Prussia/The-kingdom-from-1815-to-1918