Schleswig-Holstein Vital Records

Das Standesamt (Vital Record Office
On October 1, 1874 Prussia established civil registration in its territories and in 1876, January 1, all of Germany followed suit. Each city and county had a Standesamt, big cities have several according to subdivisions. The Standesämter took over from parishes which recorded baptisms, marriages and burials as recorded by the parish clerk or the pastor himself. When the Standesamt took over, the clerk represented the state. He recorded before witnesses the beginning of the marriage for instance and its legitimacy and also to