"Volkszählung" Census'es for Pommern and other places in Germany - Johann Friedrick RETZLAFF

    How do I find on-line census'es ("Volkszählung") throughout Germany ?
    I want to find my ancestors in and around the Pampow-Blankensee-Stoltzenberg area from 1798 and forward.
    If possible also before these years.


    Is there any public database to access?


    /Thomas

    Hi Thomas,


    just a general remark, in case you didn't know this already.


    In Britain, USA and some other english speaking countries there are regular censuses, every 10 years.
    There is nothing like this in Germany. There was an occasional census here or there, but these were regional rather than national, and as far as I have noticed so far, irregular.


    If you are very lucky, there will have been a census in areas which interest you.


    Hopefully somebody will answer here with information for Pommern.


    regards,
    Bob

    An internet search for "volkszählungen deutschland" brought up various pages.


    e.g. there is a Wiki-page here
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census_in_Germany
    https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/…%A4hlungen_in_Deutschland
    which indicates the censuses were more regular than I had thought,


    and another here (only in german)
    https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/…C3%A4hlung_in_Deutschland


    and another german page at familysearch.org:
    https://familysearch.org/wiki/…hland_Volksz%C3%A4hlungen
    This page also tells you which census are available in their archives.


    I believe many of these censuses only counted numbers;
    names, ages, birth places, occupations, etc, which we know from the english and US censuses were not always given.


    regards,
    Bob

    Hi Bob and "Seerose"


    Thanks for your answers. Yes now I understand that German census'es are quite rare and begins at a late time in history. In Denmark I can track names and families in census'es back from 1785 and forward on a regular basis. Now I see that it is quite different when I look for my German ancestors. I think it must be at the churchbooks I must set my focus.


    I have tracked my ancestors back to this family:


    Christian Friedrich Retzlaff (b. 1775 probably in Pampow) and married to:
    Dorothee Sophia Buchholz (b. 1772)


    Children:
    Caroline Louise Retzlaff (b. 4. nov. 1801) - (later probably married to Johnn Carl Rohn from Neuwarp in Pommern)
    Friedericke Louise Retzlaff (b. 9. dec. 1799 in Stralsund, Blankensee, d. 5. sept. 1800 same place
    Carl Friedrich Retzlaff (b. 2. dec. 1803 in Stralsund, Blankensee, d. 5. sept 1805 same place
    Johann Friedrick Retzlaff (b. app. 1806 and later married to Anna Charlotte Friederike Bannatz (b. app. 1810 probably in Japenzin and married 1831 in Skt. Jacobi Stettin)
    Carl Friedrich Retzlaff (b. 4. nov. 1811 in Stralsund, Blankensee, d. 12. juli 1815 same place (the parents didn't have very much succes having a boy called Carl Friedrich!)


    My concern is Johann Friedrick Retzlaff born app. 1806 - I can find all records of the rest of the family in churchbooks available at FamilySearch, but not Johann Friedrick, as the years 1806-1809 are missing in the churchbook of Stralsund, Blankensee and Stoltzenburg! I find records of him again at his wedding in 1831 and has followed the family all the way through Sweeden an later to Denmark, where I live
    As he is my direct ancestor I really want to verify that the above mentioned people is indeed his (and also my...) family.


    Any help will be greatly appreciated to verify and maybe even get further back in time in Germany.


    Thanks a lot
    Thomas