Out of the Whirlwind: Resources for Holocaust Research

Jewish genealogical research in Germany differs significantly from researching protestants and Catholics due to the distinct legal, social, and religious status of Jews over the centuries, which shaped the types of records created and preserved. This presentation introduces the Top 8 Resources for Jewish Genealogy in Germany, offering a roadmap to the most essential repositories and tools for uncovering Jewish family history. We will examine Holocaust-era collections, including records not only of persecution and loss but also of those who fled Germany and rebuilt their lives abroad. More than a century before WWII, Napoleon waged war in Europe, which led to the emancipation of Europe's Jews and also transformed record-keeping. Among the resources discussed will be vital registers, databases, local, regional, and international archives, as well as international Holocaust-related collections and Jewish cemeteries, which often preserve genealogical information that is unavailable elsewhere. By the end of the session, participants will understand both the opportunities and challenges of Jewish research in Germany and will be equipped with practical knowledge of where to begin and how to proceed.

Description, overview, and brief walkthrough of my top 10 free resources For Jewish genealogy: JewishGen, JRI-Poland, Gesher Galicia, LitvakSIG, the Alex Krakovsky archives, Routes to Roots FamilySearch, USHMM, Yad Vashem, and the Arolsen Archives.