Halle (Saale), Germany, Births, 1874-1903

About this collection

This collection contains birth records from Halle (Saale) covering the years from 1874 up to and including 1903. Halle, also known as "Halle on the Saale," was already a major city by 1890. It is situated in the modern German state of Saxony-Anhalt about 25 miles northwest of Leipzig. The first documentary mention of Halle was in 806. It was chartered in 961 and developed rapidly into an important trade center for salt and fabrics. Halle is the seat of one of the oldest universities in Germany. One of the city's notable landmarks on the market square is the Rote Turm (Red Tower), a clock tower built in 1506. During the time period of this collection, Halle belonged to the Prussian Province of Saxony. This collection includes records from 13 communities which are today boroughs of modern Halle. The date ranges of records from these communities may vary.

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." For most of the communities included in the collection, corresponding alphabetical directories of names were also created. 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

Birth records were created using preprinted forms that were filled in by hand by the registrar. In each record the date of a birth 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
• Registration Date
• Informant: Occupation, Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Residence/Address, Denomination
• Mother: Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Denomination, Residence/Address
• Child: Birth Date, Time of Birth, Sex, Given Names
• Signatures

More about using this collection

Each record comprises one page. Additional events from the life of the child 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 be found via the search form. The “Informant” was often a midwife or the child's father. Under "Browse this collection,” select the Registration Office and Year Range of the register desired.