Salzhausen, Germany, Deaths, 1874-1955

About this collection

This collection contains death records and name directories from Salzhausen covering the years 1874 up to and including 1955. Salzhausen is a community in the district of Harburg in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about 12 miles west of Lüneburg and about 31 miles south of Hamburg. The first documented mention of Salzhausen was in 1057. A few historic area farm buildings from the 13th century survive today. During the time period of this collection, this community belonged (until 1946) to the Prussian Province of Hanover.

Beginning on October 1, 1874, local registry offices were made responsible for creating birth, marriage and death records in the former Prussian provinces. The collected records are arranged chronologically and usually in bound yearbook form which are collectively referred to as "civil registers." Complementary alphabetical directories of names may also have been created for Salzhausen. While churches continued to keep traditional records, the State also mandated that the personal or marital status of the entire population be recorded.

What you can find in the records

Death records were created using preprinted forms that were filled in by hand by the registrar. In each record the date of death usually differs from the date it was registered. Depending on the individual form or on the formulations used by the registrar, you may find:

• Sequential or Certificate Number
• Informant: Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Occupation, Residence/Address, Denomination
• Deceased: Occupation, Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Age, Denomination, Residence/Address, Place/Date of Birth, Spouse/Parents, Place/Date of Death, Time of Death
• Beginning in 1938, the records may also include a Cause of Death and cross references to corresponding birth and/or marriage registers
• Signatures

The name directories are arranged alphabetically according to the last name of the deceased. They are generally bound together with their respective death registers as separate volumes covering several years each. They contain the following details:

• Last Names and Given Names of the deceased
• Cross-reference to death register

More about using this collection

Each record comprises one page. Additional events from the life of the deceased were sometimes recorded later on in the margins. These notes, sometimes referred to as "narration," can contain very useful information but they have not been indexed. As a result, information from the notes will not found via the search form. The “Informant” was usually a relative of the deceased. In later years death information was often submitted by hospital administrators. These records also document casualties (Kriegssterbefälle) from the Second World War. Under "Browse this collection,” select the Year Range of the register desired. Name directories, where included, are part of the registers.