Die Ahnenstammkartei des

deutschen Volkes

an introduction to Kartei and Ahnentafeln

by

Thomas K. Edlundtkedlund@juno.com

Established by Dr Karl Förster as an extension of the Zentralstelle für Personen- und Familiengeschichte, Dresden 1921

Moved to Berlin 1933. Returned to Dresden 1939

By 1939 information was available on over 1.5 million people. A samle of the collection made in 1937 disclosed the following geographical distribution:

30% North German families

22% Middle German families

17% East German families

15% South German families

14% West German families

Background

ASTAKA pedigree charts and index cards in this microfilming contain approximately 2,700,000 personal names, predominately of German families. Primary period of focus is 1659-1750

All cards in the collection refer to ancestral family names and are filed phonetically in Adreßbuch fashion. This filing system attempts to collate variant spellings derived from a “root” name:

e.g. Schulze, Schultz, Schultze, Scholz and Scholzeall

all file as Schulz

Background (cont.)

Once a root name has been established for filing purposes, any name with the same sound values will be interfiled with it, even names which are not usually associated with each other. For example:

Boch = Pöge, and Feder = Vetter

Background (cont.)

General Principles

1) the entire line of any submission must be indexed on file cards

2) lines are to be recorded phonetically and organized first by surname and then by place of origin

3) all sources for the data should be accurately noted

4) conflicting data will be retained until clarified; the burden for clarification is placed on the participating family

5) records must be submitted on standard forms

ASTAKA is Organized in Two Main Sections

Part 1 includes indices:

1) Die Ahnenstammkartei [surname cards]; provides family name, given name, occupation or title, date and place of birth, marriages and death, name of spouse, religious affiliation

2) Einsenderkartei [submitter cards]

3) Ahnenlisten-Nummerenkartei [ancestor list = submission number list

4) Berühmtemkartei [celebrity/nobility list]

5) Ortskartei [locality index; lists population points based on “Meyers”

6) Sachkartei [vocation index]

7) Nummernkartei [data source codes]

Part 2 includes Ahnentafeln

Specialized Instructions

When choosing between several forms of a name, select the shortest

Henig for Hennicke and Hennig

Silent letters and diacritical marks are eliminated

Hahn becomes Han; Biene becomes Bin

Double letters are counted as a single

Haan becomes Han; Habbel becomes Habel

Silent final e is ignored; en, both within and at the end of a word, is eliminated

Bruchenhausen thus becomes Bruchaus

The suffix –sen and the genitive –s are dropped

Specialized Instructions (cont.)

e replaces ae and ä

The letter(s):

eu replaces aeu and äu

ei replaces ai and ay

Low German oe becomes u

eu replaces oi

High German oe and ö become o

u replaces ue and ü

i replaces y and j

b replaces p

c replaces ck, k, g, gh, gk, k, ch and cz

x replaces cs, chs, gs and ks

d replaces dt and t

z replaces ds, ts, dz and tz

f replaces bf and pf

h is used only when pronounced

f replaces ph

sch replaces dsch, tsch, dzsch and tzsch

schm replaces sm of Low German

Low German sl becomes scl

f replaces v and w

Rules are only valid for High German names. Low German names should be left in their dialectical form, e.g. Voss cannot become Fuchs, nor Piper Pfeifer

Converting the Name

Reading the Cards

The ASTAKA Register

Research Question

Client wants to research progenitors of g-g-g-g-g-grandmother, but does not know maiden name. Available records do not begin until progenitors’ marriage

Family name is Pfeifer, from the city of Oranienbaum

G-g-g-g-g-grandparents have given names of George Ludwig and Maria

Problem: whom did George Ludwig marry?

Step 1: Convert the Name

Pfeifer

P

f

e

i

f

e

r

Not listed, so stays the

same

Converted Name Equals

Feifer

Step 2: Find GSU film Number in Register

Listed are first and last surnames occurring on each reel

Surnames are shown in their unconverted form

Falc… – Fald…

Fedm… – Feicdn…

Feie… – Feil…

Feifer

Step 3: Locate Card Sequence of Interest

GS 1798857, title card for Pfeifer

Step 3 (cont.)

Following the title card is an alphabetical sequence of cards identifying localities where the Pfeifer name occurs in ASTAKA. Work through this sequence until you

find the locality of interest

Step 3 (cont.)

Following the locality index cards are title cards for each place specified. Proceed throught the cards until you locate Oranienbaum

Step 3 (cont.)

Following the locality card are cards indexing Ahnentafeln submissions. Proceed throught the cards until you locate the person of interest

Step 3 (cont.)

Back of card

Step 3 (cont.)

Second card from submitter

Step 3 (cont.)

Surname, Pfeifer

Given names, George Ludwig

Occupation, Tuchmachermeister

Birth

Death

Marriage 1778 to Johanna Maria Elisabeth Boas

AL number

Problem: whom did George Ludwig marry?

Step 4: Find Ahnenliste No. in Register, part 2

GS 1767364, items 1-21

Part 2 of register provides a sequential list of AL numbers and their corresponding Genealogical Society of Utah microfilm numbers

Step 5: Locate Ahnenliste

Pedigree surname

AL number

Item number

Step 5: Locate Ahnenliste (cont.)

Step 5: Locate Ahnenliste (cont.)

Alphabetical listing of surnames

Step 5: Locate Ahnenliste (cont.)

Extra Credit: Einsenderkartei

Extra Credit: Einsenderkartei (cont.)

Extra Credit: Ortskartei

Extra Credit: Sachkartei

Extra Credit: Berühmtemkartei

Extra Credit: Berühmtemkartei (cont.)

Extra Credit: Berühmtemkartei (cont.)

By pseudonym Not necessarily “German”

Questions?

tkedlund@juno.com

GSU 6055467 (2 microfiches)