Oschersleben, Germany, Marriages, 1874-1935

About this collection

This collection contains marriage records and name directories from Oschersleben (Bode) covering the years 1874 up to and including 1935. Oschersleben is located on the Bode River about 22 miles from Magdeburg in what is now the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It was first verifiably mentioned in a document from the year 994. The city's best known modern attraction is the Motorsport Arena built in 1997. But its most notable landmark is the figure "The Sower" designed by sculptor Stephan Walter - a symbol of the fertile soils of the Magdeburge Börde plainlands. During the time period of this collection, Oschersleben belonged to the Prussian Province of Saxony. In addition to marriage records from the city of Oschersleben, this collection includes records for ten other communities according to modern districting. The timeperiods covered 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." Complementary alphabetical directories of names may also have been 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

Marriage records were created using preprinted forms that were filled in by hand by the registrar. Depending on the individual form or on the formulations used by the registrar, you may find:

• Sequential or Certificate Number
• Marriage Date
• Groom: Occupation, Last name, Given names, Denomination, Age or Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence as well as details about his Parents and their Place of Residence
• Bride: Occupation, Given names, Last name, Maiden Name, Denomination, Age or Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence as well as details about her Parents and their Place of Residence
• Witnesses
• Signatures

More about using this collection

Each document has a front and back. These are displayed one ofter the other. Additional events from the life of the couple 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. Under "Browse this collection," select the Civil Registration Office and Year Range for the desired records.