Newsgroups: soc.roots
Subject: Re: TRANSLATION OF GERMAN EMMIGRATION PAPERS..
From: sturgeon_c@eis.dofasco.ca
Date: 1 Oct 92 08:24:25 GMT
Organization: Dofasco Inc, Hamilton, Ont. Can.
Nntp-Posting-User: sturgeon_c

In article <0eLsRB1w165w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca>, cmackay@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Carol MacKay) writes:
> Can anyone pass on their secrets for translating German documents...even 
> better, WHERE I can get such documents translated?  I have a stack of 
> emmigration papers dating from 1850-1880 which I fear contain a lot of 
> genealogical information that I haven't been able to decipher.  
> 
> Carol MacKay              cmackay@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca 
-- 

Some time ago I acquired the following list of German words commonly found in
documents/records..  I'm not sure if it came from CompuServe or Simtel..


 
Note:  Umlauts have been noted by : after the letter which 
       is to receive the umlaute.  For example, Bra:utigam. 
       The umlaute should apprear over the first "a". 
 
 
                     Words Found On A Marriage Record 
 
Kirchspiel = parish 
Dom = cathedral 
Heiratsdatum = marriage date 
Auszug = extract 
Bescheinigung = certificate 
Trauregister = wedding register 
Advokat - lawyer 
Heiraths-Listen = marriage list 
Ordnungs-No. = order number 
Alphabetisch(es) = alphabetic 
Vornamen = first Name 
Familiennamen = family Name 
Bornamen = groom's/bride's name [word does not exist!] 
Des Bra:utigams = of the groom 
Der Braut = of the bride 
Vater = father 
Mutter = mother 
Sohn von = son of 
To:chter von = daughters of 
 
                         Words Found On A Birth Record 
 
Geb. or Geburtsdatum = birth date 
Taufdatum = christening date 
Vater = father 
Mutter = mother 
Vornamen = first Name 
Familiennamen = family name 
Ort der Geburt = place of birth 
ehelich geboren den zwoelften = born in lawful wedlock on [questionable 
translation, provide entire sentence!] 
Alter = age 
Ein Knabe = a boy 
Ein Ma:dchen = a girl 
Geburtshelfer = obstetrician [?] 
Angezeigt durch = Announced by 
Getauft = baptized 
 
                             Occupations (Beruf) 
 
Maschinenschlosser = engine (or machine) fitter, mechanic 
Altbinder = craftsman repairing old barrels 
Geselle = "grade" of craftsman 
Zimmergeselle = carpenter 
Maurergeselle = mason 
Landmann = farmer 
Ko:thner or Ka:thner = poor farmer living on a small piece 
                       of land which is not his own 
Matrose = sailor 
Fuhrmann = carter, driver, or carrier 
Geburtshelfer = Obstetrician 
Kesseltra:ger = boiler carrier 
Zigarrenfabrikant = cigar maker, owner of a cigar factory, 
 
 
                     Words Found On Miscellaneous Documents 
 
Das Rathaus = town hall 
Bescheinigung = certificate 
Advokat = Lawyer 
Stammhaus = habitual place, ancestral seat, the house a 
            family comes from 
Gemeindeverwaltung = municipal administration 
dessen Gewerbe und Wohnort = his occupation & place of 
                            residence 
deren Gewerbe und Wohnort = her occupation & place of 
residence 
zum Wedel = place name 
Kirchspiel = parish 
Einwohner = citizen, resident 
Dom = cathedral 
Bu:rgereid = citizen's oath 
Viertel = town quarter 
Bach = small river, brook, run 
Muehle = mill 
Muehlbach = brook used for driving a mill 
Bruch = humid, moory region [can mean many other things as well] 
Sohn von = son of 
Beruf = occupation 
Kf. or Konfession = religion 
Kinder = # of children 
So:hne = sons 
To:chter = daughters 
 
             A GLOSSARY OF GERMAN WORDS USED IN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS 
 
Abschrift = copy, extract 
Abstammungsurkunde = birth certificate 
*Advokat = see Rechtsanwalt 
alphabetisch = alphabetical 
Alter = age 
angezeigt durch = registered by 
Auszug = extract 
Bekenntnis = religion 
Beruf = occupation 
Bescheinigung = certificate 
Bestattung = funeral 
Bra:utigam = bridegroom 
Braut = bride 
Bu:rger = citizen 
*Bu:rgereid = citizen's oath 
Dom = cathedral 
Ehefrau = wife 
Ehegatte = spouse, husband 
Ehegattin = spouse, wife 
ehelich = legitimate 
ehelich geboren am = born in lawful wedlock on 
Ehemann = husband 
Ehescheidung = divorce 
Eheschlieaung = marriage ceremony, wedding 
Eid = oath 
eidesstattliche Erklng = affidavit 
Eintrag, Eintragung = entry 
Einwohner = resident 
Familienbuch = entries for a family in the Standesamtregister 
Familienname = last name, surname 
Familienstand = marital status 
Flitterwochen = honeymoon 
Friedhof = cemetary 
geborene, geb. = nemaiden name 
geboren am = born on 
Geburtsdatum = birth date 
Geburtshelfer = medical attendant at birth 
Geburtsort = place of birth 
Geburtsurkunde = birth certificate 
Gemeindeverwaltung = municipal administration 
geschieden = divorced 
getauft = baptized 
Gewerbe = trade, occupation 
Hebamme = midwife 
Heiratsdatum = date of marriage 
Heiratsliste = list of marriages 
Heiratsurkunde = marriage certificate 
Junge = boy 
Kind = child 
Kinder = children 
Kirchengemeinde = congregation 
kirchlich getraut = married in church 
*Kirchspiel = parish 
*Kirchsprengel = parish 
*Knabe = boy 
Konfession = religion 
ledig = single 
Lfd.-Nr. = consecutive number 
Ma:dchen = girl 
Ma:dchenname = maiden name 
Mutter = mother 
Nationalita:t = nationality 
*Ordnungs-Nr. = see Lfd.-Nr. 
Ort der Geburt = place of birth 
Pfarramt = clergyman's office 
Pfarrbezirk = parish 
Pfarrbuch = parish register 
Polterabend = eve-of-the wedding party 
Rathaus = town hall 
Rechtsanwalt = lawyer 
Scheidung = divorce 
So:hne = sons 
Sohn von = son of 
Staatsangeho:rigkeit = citizenship, nationality 
Stammbaum = family tree, pedigree 
Stammbuch =    book given to couples at civil wedding ceremony 
               to keep marriage, birth, and death certificates 
               of family 
Standesamt = registrar's office 
standesamtlich getraut = married in a civil ceremony 
Standesamtregister = register of births, deaths and marriages 
Standesbeamte(r) = registrar 
Sterbeurkunde = death certificate 
Taufdatum = christening date 
Taufe = christening, baptism 
To:chter = daughters 
Tochter von = daughter of 
Trauregister = wedding register 
Trauung = wedding, marriage ceremony 
unehelich = illegimate, out of wedlock 
Urkunde = document 
Urkundsbeamte(r) = see Standesbeamte(r) 
Vater = father 
verheiratet = married 
verlobt = engaged 
Verlobung = engagement 
verstorben am = died on 
Verstorbene(r) = the deceased 
verwitwet = widowed 
Viertel = town quarter 
Vorname = first name, Christian name 
Witwe = widow 
Witwer = widower 
wohnhaft in = residing at 
Wohnort = place of residence 
 
                        GERMAN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS 
 
Umlauts have been noted by ":" after the letter which is to receive the 
umlaut. For example, Ba:cker. The umlaut should appear over the preceding 
"a". 
 
Terms which are no longer in general use in present day German have been 
included where I felt they might be of importance to those genealogists 
reading older documents. These words have been marked with an asterisk and 
their modern day equivalent is referenced. 
 
*Base               see Cousine 
Bruder              brother 
Cousin              male cousin 
Cousine             female cousin 
Ehefrau             wife 
Ehemann             husband 
Eltern              parents 
Enkel               male grandchild, grandson 
Enkelin             female grandchild, granddaughter 
Gatte               formal term for husband 
Gattin              formal term for wife 
Geschwister         brother(s) and sister(s) 
Grossmutter         grandmother 
Grossonkel          great-uncle 
Grosstante          great-aunt 
Grossvater          grandfather 
Kind                child 
Kusine              see Cousine 
Mutter              mother 
Neffe               nephew 
Nichte              niece 
*Oheim              see Onkel 
Onkel               uncle 
Schwa:gerin         sister-in-law; brother's wife 
Schwager            brother-in-law; sister's husband 
Schwester           sister 
Schwiegereltern     parents-in-law 
Schwiegermutter     mother-in-law 
Schwiegersohn       son-in-law 
Schwiegertochter    daughter-in-law 
Schwiegervater      father-in-law 
Sohn                son 
Stiefmutter         stepmother 
Stiefsohn           stepson 
Stieftochter        stepdaughter 
Stiefvater          stepfather 
Tante               aunt 
Tochter             daughter 
Urenkel             great-grandson 
Urenkelin           great-granddaughter 
Urgrossmutter       great-grandmother 
Urgrossvater        great-grandfather 
Vater               father 
Vetter              male cousin 
 
 
It is very interesting for the English language genealogist to 
note that distinct terms for relationships such as first 
cousin, second cousin etc. are virtually unknown in the German 
language. In specialist circles it may be perfectly acceptable 
to say 'Cousin 2. Grades' (literally: male cousin of the 
second degree), but ordinary German speakers would be at pains 
to define that relationship. Distinctions like 'first cousin 
one removed' are, therefore, even more esoteric. 
 
Recs Jenkins 


____________________________________________________________________________

Craig Sturgeon
(sturgeon_c@eis.dofasco.ca)

Dofasco Steel Inc.                                          100 Lyons Ave.,
1330 Burlington St. East                                 Brantford, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario                                           Canada  N3R 4R4
Canada  L8N 3J5
(416) 548-4420
____________________________________________________________________________
Newsgroups: soc.roots