Discover Your German-Speaking Ancestors at the NGS 2012 Conference

The NGS 2012 Family History Conference will offer many opportunities for those researching German-speaking ancestors to advance their knowledge. Cincinnati was home to a large German immigrant population in the 1800s, clustered in an area called “Over-the-Rhine.” Accordingly, the conference will offer a full track on German research, a luncheon sponsored by Palatines to America, a workshop on reading German typefaces, and other sessions of interest to participants exploring their German-speaking ancestry.

Two of these opportunities require pre-registration, which closes Tuesday, 24 April. They are:

• The Palatines to America luncheon on Thursday, 10 May, featuring Marianne S. Wokeck, Ph.D., speaking on “Framing Genealogy: How Family Research Enriches the Ways in Which We See the World.” Wokeck, a noted historian and author, is an engaging speaker who brings a modern perspective to historical topics. The luncheon’s sponsor, Palatines to America, fosters genealogical research of German-speaking ancestors. Wokek’s talk will explore how combining research on kinship networks can illuminate views of the past and lead to a better understanding of the present.

• A special four-hour workshop on Saturday, 12 May, “The Fraktur Typeface: An Obstacle to German Research That Can be Overcome,” presented by John Humphrey, CG. Humphrey, one of the nation’s leading German research specialists, has written numerous books and is a popular presenter at genealogical institutes and seminars. His workshop will focus on how people with little or no knowledge of the language can learn to read and interpret what they find in German-American newspapers, German language publications, and forms and registers written in the Fraktur typeface.

If you have already registered for the conference, but would like to add the luncheon and/or workshop to your registration, follow these steps:
• Login to the NGS website with your email and password
• Click “My Account”
• Click “My Events”
• Select “Add Sessions”

The German Research track on Thursday, 10 May, will offer five sessions open to all conference attendees:
• “What’s a Palatine Anyway?” by James Beidler at 8:00 am
• “So You’ve Found Your German Town of Origin: Now What?” by Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, CG, at 9:30 am
• “The ‘www’ of German Genealogy” by John Humphrey, CG, at 11:00 am
• “German Marriage Laws and Customs” by Warren Bittner, CG, at 2:30 pm
• “Contrasting German Migrations: 18th vs. 19th Century” by James Beidler at 4:00 pm

In addition, the following sessions promise to be of particular interest for those exploring their German-speaking ancestry:
• “German Language Skills for the Genealogist” by John Humphrey, CG, on Friday at 2:30 pm
• “Success Story: Finding a European Village of Origin” by James Beidler, on Saturday at 4:00 pm

Whatever your level of experience, the NGS 2012 Family History Conference has sessions designed to help you with your German family history research. You won’t want to miss these opportunities!

Submitted by Shelley Bishop
A Sense of Family

Discover Your German-Speaking Ancestors at the NGS 2012 Conference