MKI Resources for Genealogists

The following are some of the resources available at the Max Kade Institute that might provide information for family historians.

Please contact Kevin Kurdylo or Antje Petty for assistance.

Materials to locate places in German-Speaking Europe:

Rudolph’s Gazetteer: created in the late nineteenth century, this gazetteer is the most comprehensive source of place names in German-speaking Europe at the time. Entries include even the smallest communities and places that were not registered towns or villages, such as estates. Names are givine in German as well as in other local languages, such as Polish, Czech, or Hungarian, if applicable. A typical entry includes the name of the place, type of place (estate, village, etc.), map coordinates, administrative jurisdiction, population size, and other information.
historic maps
Ravenstein Atlas of the German Reich (1883): http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/German/subcollections/RavensteinAbout.html
Reymann’s Special Topographical Map 1832–1870

Geneology Holdings in the Max Kade Institute Library: Search the MKI Library catalog for

family histories
primary family documents
German-American newspapers and community documents, including publications from German-American “Vereine,” churches, and businesses.

General Information on German-American Communities