Belarus "How to" Guides

How to use the guides
Select a guide from the list below based on your interests. Please note that some guides need to be completed in sequence to ensure a successful experience. Build your research knowledge and confidence with each activity you complete.

Each guide comes with three parts - Instruction, which includes a guided activity, Assignment, to test what you've learned, and an Answer key, to check how you did on the assignment. The guides are also rated as either Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. The majority are designed for beginners.

The guides are available in PDF form designed to be downloaded and printed. To view a guide, click on its title. Once the guide has opened, use the PDF tools found in your browser to print and save the document.

PLEASE NOTE: Some guides are designed to be completed using resources found in the FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. These are indicated by an * following the title of the guide. If you cannot visit the FamilySearch Library, check your local library or your local FamilySearch FamilySearch Center for availability of the resources described in the guide.

Available Guides
This is a work in progress. Please check back often for new and/or updated guides.

Maps and Gazetteers:
These resources will help you locate the town and important political and religious jurisdictions that will help you locate records.
 * RGN Gazetteer - [[Media:1.2-RGN Gazetteer-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2.2-RGN Gazetteer-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-RGN Gazetteer-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Spiski Gazetteer - [[Media:1.2-Spiski Gazetteer-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2.2-Spiski Gazetteer-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Spiski Gazetteer-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * JewishGen Communities Database and Gazetteer - [[Media:1 - Instruction - JewishGen Communities JMR.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - JewishGen Communities JMR.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - JewishGen Communities JMR (1).pdf|Answer Key]]
 * (1930s) Skorowidz Gazetteer Online - [[Media:1-Skorowidz Online-Instruction-updated.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:3-Skorowidz Online-Activity - updated.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Skorowidz Online-Answer Key - updated.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Arcanum Maps - [[Media:Online Maps Arcanum Maps HTG Instructions.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:Online Maps Arcanum Maps-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:Online Maps Arcanum Maps-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]

Russian Alphabet and Handwriting:
Many records from Belarus were recorded in Russian. These guides will help you learn how to read Russian handwriting.
 * The Russian Alphabet - Instruction, [[Media:Reading Russian Documents The Alphabet - Activity E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:Reading Russian Documents The Alphabet - Answer Key E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar - [[Media:Handwriting and Grammar - Instruction.pdf| Instruction]], [[Media:Reading Russian Documents Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar - Activity E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf| Activity]], [[Media:Reading Russian Documents Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar - Key E Vance Oct 2019 JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]

Reading Records:
Russian Orthodox Records Catholic Records - Column Style Catholic Records - Paragraph Style (Russian)
 * Reading Revision List Records - [[Media:Russian Revision Lists - Instruction E Vance 2020-270229 Jan 2020 JMR .pdf|Instruction]]
 * Reading the 1897 Census - [[Media:1897census-Instructions.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:1897 Census - Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:Reading the 1897 Census - Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Russian Orthodox Birth Records: [[Media:1- Instruction-Reading Russian Orthodox Birth Records.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Russian Orthodox Birth Records.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Russian Orthodox Birth Records.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Russian Orthodox Marriage Records: [[Media:1- Instruction-Reading Russian Orthodox Marriage Records.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Russian Orthodox Marriage Records.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Russian Orthodox Marriage Records.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Russian Orthodox Death/Burial Records: [[Media:1- Instruction-Reading Russian Orthodox Death Records.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Russian Orthodox Death Records.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Russian Orthodox Marriage Records.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Lithuanian and Belarusian Roman Catholic Birth Records Written in Russian [[Media:1- Instruction-Reading Lithuanian Birth Records Written in Russian JMR.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Lithuanian Birth Records JMR.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Lithuanian Birth Records JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Russian Language Roman Catholic Marriage Records from Lithuania and Belarus [[Media:1 - Instruction - Reading Russian Language Roman Catholic Marriage Records from Lithuania and Belarus JMR.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Russian Language Roman Catholic Marriage Records from Lithuania and Belarus JMR.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Answer Key - Reading Russian Language Roman Catholic Marriage Records from Lithuania and Belarus JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Lithuanian and Belarusian Roman Catholic Death Records Written in Russian [[Media:1- Instruction-Reading Lithuanian Death Records Written in Russian JMR.pdf|Instruction]],[[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Lithuanian Death Records JMR.pdf| Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Lithuanian Death Records JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]


 * Reading Russian Birth Records - [[Media:1-Russia Birth Records in Paragraph Format-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2-Birth Records in Paragraph Format-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Birth Records in Paragraph Format-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Russian Marriage Records - [[Media:1-Russia Marriage Records in Paragraph Format-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2-Russia Marriage Records in Paragraph Format-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Russia Marriage Records in Paragraph Format-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Russian Death Records - [[Media:1-Russia Death Records in Paragraph Format-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2-Russia Death Records in Paragraph Format-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Russia Death Records in Paragraph Format-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]

Catholic Records - Paragraph Style (Polish)
 * Reading Polish Birth Records - [[Media:1-Poland Birth Records in Paragraph Format-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2-Poland Birth Records in Paragraph Format-Assignment.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Poland Birth Records in Paragraph Format-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Polish Marriage Records - [[Media:1-Poland Marriage Records in Paragraph Format-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2-Poland Marriage Records in Paragraph Format-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Marriage Records in Paragraph Format-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Polish Death Records - [[Media:1-Poland-Death Records in Paragraph Format-Instruction.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2-Poland-Death Records in Paragraph Format-Activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3-Poland-Death Records in Paragraph Format-Answer Key.pdf|Answer Key]]

Jewish Records
 * Reading Jewish Birth Records written in Russian - [[Media:1 - Instruction - Reading Jewish Birth Records in Russian.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Jewish Birth Records.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Jewish Birth Records.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Jewish Marriage Records written in Russian - [[Media:1 - Instruction - Reading Jewish Marriage Records in Russian.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Jewish Marriage Records.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Jewish Marriage Records.pdf|Answer Key]]
 * Reading Jewish Death Records written in Russian - [[Media:1 - Instruction - Reading Jewish Death Records in Russian.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Reading Jewish Death Records.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Reading Jewish Death Records.pdf|Answer Key]]

Military Records

 * Pamyat Naroda (WWII Database) - [[Media:1- Instruction- Pamyat Naroda JMR.pdf|Instruction]], [[Media:2 - Activity - Pamyat Naroda JMR.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:3 - Key - Pamyat Naroda JMR.pdf|Answer Key]]