Nienburg, Germany, Marriages, 1874-1937

About this collection

This collection contains marriage records and name directories from the administrative district of Nienburg covering the years 1874 up to and including 1937. The district center of Nienburg is located on the Weser River about 37 miles southeast of Bremen and about 31 miles northwest of Hannover in the modern German state of Lower Saxony. It was first mentioned in a document from the year 1025. Notable attractions include buildings from the Weser Renaissance and especially the city's architectural landmarks, the parrish church of St. Martin and the onetime moated Nienburg Castle and Stockturm (tower). During the time period of this collection, Nienburg belonged to the Prussian Province of Hanover. In addition to birth records from the city of Nienburg itself, this collection includes records from another 60 communities in the same district.

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, Given Names, Last Name, Denomination, Age, Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence/Address as well as details about his Parents and their Place of Residence
• Bride: Occupation, Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Denomination, Age, Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence/Address as well as details about her Parents and their Place of Residence
• Witnesses
• Signatures

Depending on the form used, the name directories are arranged alphabetically by the last names ot the groom and of the bride, and then chronologically within the first letter of the last name. They are bound in chronological volumes separately or with several years combined. They contain the following details:

• Sequential number
• Last Names and Given Names of the Groom and/or the Bride, sometimes their Residence is included.
• Cross-reference to marriage register

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. When name directories (Namensverzeichnis) are available for a registry office, they are separately displayed and selectable at the end of the list.