With the Nuremberg church record indexes, ARCHION is expanding its collection to include an important genealogical research tool. The indexes cover the period from 1547 to 1875 and allow convenient research across multiple parishes in Nuremberg’s city centre.
The comprehensive card index for Nuremberg was created during the National Socialist era in the 20th century. Its purpose was to relieve the parish offices and the Nuremberg parish administration, which were overwhelmed by the large number of requests for so-called Aryan certificates (Ariernachweise). From 1933 onwards, these certificates were required by the Nazi regime for members of certain professions as part of its racist policies. Although the card index originated in this troubling historical context, this does not diminish the remarkable achievement involved in compiling such a comprehensive finding aid.
Arranged alphabetically by family name, the card indexes remain one of the most important tools for genealogical research in Nuremberg. Their greatest strength lies in their cross-parish scope, allowing researchers to locate individuals throughout Nuremberg's historic city centre and quickly identify the corresponding entries in the original parish registers. While the indexes do not replace the original records, they provide an ideal starting point for further research.
Now available digitally on ARCHION, this valuable finding aid opens up new possibilities for family history research.
We wish you every success in your research and many exciting discoveries!
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