Diepholz, Germany, Residence Registration, 1874-1913

This collection includes residence registers of people who moved to and from the town of Diepholz in Lower Saxony for the years 1874 through 1913. Diepholz is located in northwestern Germany to the southwest of Bremen.

National policy in Germany requires that individuals moving to a new permanent address must register their new address with the “Einwohnermeldeamt,” or local residents’ registration office, within one week. When individuals move from this residence they are required to notify the authorities of the new address; if they move out of town they de-register the address. Registration was begun to provide authorities with better information for collecting taxes, verifying military service, compiling statistics, and prosecuting criminals, among other reasons. Today, registering a new address is a prerequisite for voting, opening a bank account, obtaining a work permit or ID card, etc.

These records are organized by date and may provide valuable information about the residents moving in and out of the area, such as:

• name
• move-in and/or move-out dates
• position or occupation
• birth date and place
• religion
• marital Status
• school and vaccination status for children