Germany, East Prussia, Königsberg, Funeral Sermons - FamilySearch Historical Records

Germany East Prussia

What is in this Collection?
This collection includes recorded sermons given at funerals of people who from or died in Königsberg, East Prussia between 1597 and 1794. They are all in German. These sermons are unique and could include a number of different genealogically significant facts about the person who died and their family. A funeral sermon at this time was very similar to a eulogy. The sermons are typed in Fraktur Typeset, which may take little practice in reading. Königsberg—a German city at the time—was a city in East Prussia during the time of these funeral sermons. Since then, it is now located in present day Russia and is called Kaliningrad. Please note that typically the middle and wealthy classes were far more likely to have a funeral sermon recorded than people from the lower classes.

Sample Images
Funeral Sermons may contain the following information:
 * Name of decedent
 * Date of death or burial
 * Places of birth and death
 * Family members
 * Life history
 * Ancestors of significance

How do I Search the Collection?
To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the " Leichenpredigt Nummer " category which takes you to the images Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

What do I do Next?

 * The best way to find ancestors in this time period, is to utilize church records. Königsberg was a large city, therefore, many churches were located there. You will need to identify which church your ancestors attended in order to trace them. Many of these church records are available on microfilm through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. They can be identified in the FamilySearch Catalog and then can be ordered to your local Family History Center for a small fee (to cover shipping costs).

What if I can't find who I'm looking for?

 * Keep in mind that not everyone had a recorded funeral sermon. A prestigious community member was more likely to have one than a tenant farmer.
 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, German Civil Registration records or German Church records may be useful.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Citing this Collection: Image Citation: