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Everything You Need to Find, Read, and Translate Your German Ancestors’ Records —
All in One Complete Bundle.
“Before I took this course, I struggled to find where my Kern ancestors came from in Germany. All I had was that the Kerns were from Bavaria!
Little did I know that I would walk away with not only discovering where my Kerns are from but also being able to go back on that line to my 6xs great grandparents!!"
Kim C.
But somewhere along the way… it became complicated.
You knew you needed a German hometown— but didn't know how to find it.
You found the town — but the borders didn’t match modern maps.
You located a church book — but it wasn’t indexed.
You finally found your record — but the handwriting was impossible to read.
You slowly deciphered the letters — but the language still didn’t make any sense.
And instead of moving forward with excitement and clarity, you found yourself moving in circles — jumping between FamilySearch, Ancestry, and online forums — hoping you’re looking in the right place. Sound familiar?
German genealogy doesn’t just present one obstacle.
It presents layers of challenges — each one requiring a completely different skill set.
First, you have to figure out where you can even find the records.
Borders changed. Spellings varied. Records are scattered across churches, archives, and civil offices.
And once you finally find something promising…
you’re staring at a script that looks nothing like the handwriting you learned in school.
And even if you manage to read the letters?
Understanding the language is a completely different obstacle.
And with that friction and those obstacles, it's just not fun anymore.
The excitement you once felt starts to fade, replaced by hesitation and disappointment. And your family tree? It never gets done.
If you’re ready to move beyond the frustration and start making real progress in your German genealogy research — from finding records, to reading the old script, to truly understanding what your ancestors’ documents say —
The German Genealogy Course Collection
is your solution.
This comprehensive collection brings together the three essential skills every German genealogy researcher needs to fill in their family tree — so you can move forward with confidence at every stage of your journey, in a way that feels clear, supportive, and genuinely exciting.
The German Genealogy Course Collection includes three in-depth, interactive courses — each designed to support the subsequent stages of your research journey.
It's everything you need to locate, decipher, and translate your German ancestors’ records.
Learn to Find Your German Ancestors’ Records
The Complete Guide to German Genealogy is a detailed roadmap that teaches you how to find your German ancestors’ hometowns, navigate archives, and locate church records, civil records, and more — even when towns have changed, borders have shifted, or records are scattered across multiple databases.
You’ll learn how to research strategically, break through tricky brick walls, and confidently move forward to fill in your family tree.
Learn to Decipher the Script Found in Historical Records
Reading the Old German Handwriting teaches you how to recognize and read the old German script so you can finally decipher the names, dates, and life details in your ancestors’ records.
Instead of staring at records that feel impossible, you’ll be amazed that what previously looked like scribble has turned into clear words, revealing to you the important details of your ancestors' lives!
Learn to Accurately Translate Historical German Records
German for Genealogists teaches you the exact German language skills needed for genealogy records — including the vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure required to truly understand your ancestors’ documents.
You’ll move beyond word-by-word translation and gain the confidence to translate full church and civil records correctly — so you know exactly what each record says.
What You'll Learn:
The Complete Guide to German Genealogy
Learn how to locate your German records
Finding Your German Hometown
• How to identify your ancestor’s place of origin, even when records are vague or inconsistent
• How to work with incomplete or conflicting hometown information - including various spellings!
• How to use FamilySearch and other key websites effectively
• Step-by-step strategies to confirm you are searching in the right place
Why Your Ancestors Left Europe
• Common reasons your German ancestors emigrated
• How to locate emigration records to find essential clues
• How to interpret emigration clues found in records
• How to trace families across borders and oceans
Understanding German History & Border Changes
• How shifting borders affect where records are kept today
• How to determine which modern country holds your ancestor’s records
• How to avoid searching the wrong archives due to political changes
• How historical context directly impacts your research decisions
Working with German Church and Civil Records
• How to find German church and civil records
• What information you can expect in baptismal, marriage, and death records
• How to navigate both column-style and paragraph record formats
• When and how to request official civil records
• How to effectively use these records to extend your research
German Surname Variations & Naming Practices
• Why surnames may "change" across records
• Common spelling variations and how to recognize them
• Traditional German naming patterns and what they mean
• How to confidently identify your ancestor even when names don’t match
Finding Records on Archion & Matricula
• How to navigate German databases Archion and Matricula
• How to locate the correct parish and church record
• How to work with unindexed records
• Guided challenges to ensure you can repeat the process for your own family members
Ortssippenbücher (Local Lineage Books)
• What Ortssippenbücher are and how they are organized
• How to locate these books for your specific town
• How to verify information found in compiled sources
• How to integrate this information into your broader research
Records You May Be Missing
• Lesser-known German record types that can unlock new clues
• Where to find these records and how to access them
• How to use specialized German websites and archives
• Hands-on challenges to practice real-world research
Breaking Through Brick Walls
• Expert tips for what to do when you get stuck
• How to reassess assumptions and avoid common mistakes
• How you CAN move forward when progress feels impossible
Reading the Old German Handwriting
Learn how to decipher the script in German records
Foundations of Old German Script
• The history and purpose of old German handwriting
• How to easily recognize lowercase and uppercase letters
• How to sight-read common letter combinations in German
• How to decipher short words with confidence
• Guided writing practice to reinforce what you learn
Reading Real Records
• How to read church baptismal, marriage, and death records
• How to read vital baptismal, marriage, and death records
• How to transcribe full historical letters
• Practice records so you can test yourself - and check your work - so you're ready to work on your own ancestors' records with confidence
Essential German Genealogy Vocabulary
• Months, numbers, and common abbreviations
• Milestone words found in birth, marriage, and death records
• Occupations and causes of death in historical documents
• Key terms you will see again and again in German records
Deciphering Strategies That Actually Work
• How to approach a document when you feel stuck
• Common spelling variations and letter swaps
• How to move from recognizing letters to reading entire records
• Proven techniques for deciphering the most difficult handwriting
German for Genealogists
Learn how to understand the language used in historical documents
Essential German Genealogy Vocabulary
• Family vocabulary to understand relationships
• Occupations of your ancestors
• Months, dates, and time words
• Milestone words found in birth, marriage, and death records
• Recurring genealogy phrases that appear again and again in records
How to Translate Church Records
• How to translate church baptismal, marriage, and death records
• How to translate both column and paragraph church records
• How to move beyond word-by-word translation and understand the entirety of a document
• Guided record practice so you can test yourself — and check your work — before working confidently on your own
German Grammar - As It Appears in Historical Records
• How German sentence structure works inside church and civil records
• How to recognize spelling variations, abbreviations, and more
• How articles (der, die, das, den, dem) can change the entire meaning of a sentence
• How to recognize relationship markers that define your family connections
How to Translate Actual Vital Records
• How to translate vital birth, marriage, and death records
• How to recognize essential phrases that consistently appear in these records
• Sample translation and transcription - so you have cheat sheets with which to work
• Guided record practice so you can test yourself — and check your work — before working confidently on your own
Guided Video Instruction
70+ Structured Video Lessons
Clear, step-by-step instruction guiding you from locating records and reading old German script to accurately translating full German records.
Each lesson builds logically on the last — so you always feel supported and confident as your skills grow.
Interactive Reinforcement
80+ Flashcards, Matching Games & Interactive Activities
Practice your understanding in a way that reinforces what you’re learning and makes that learning fun along the way!
50+ Quizzes & Game Show Challenges
Regulary test your understanding in a supportive, low-pressure way so you can see how much you’re learning as you go!
Printable Worksheets & Reference Guides
35+ Downloadable Worksheets & Reference Guides
Download alphabet keys, vocabulary lists, record guides, spelling variation sheets, transcription tips, archive directories, handwriting references, record request forms, and more curated resource lists. People want these courses for these documents alone!
These guides become your long-term German genealogy reference library — resources you can return to anytime you encounter a challenging record.
Working with Real Records
14 Guided Research Challenges
Apply what you learn through real-world genealogy challenges — including identifying hometowns, analyzing emigration documents, navigating archives, discovering matching surnames, and solving brick walls — complete with answer keys so you can verify your work before applying these skills to your own family research.
Church Records, Vital Records & Additional Resources
Learn how to work directly with historical church records, civil records, lineage books, and lesser-known German record types — including how to navigate unindexed European archives like Archion and Matricula with confidence.
Practice with Real Historical Documents
14 Practice Exercises with Actual German Records
Work directly with authentic German records and get the practice you need to grow your skills. This hands-on practice prepares you to confidently approach your own ancestors’ records and tackle them with ease!
Writing for Muscle Memory
6 Guided Handwriting Worksheet Sets
Reinforce handwriting recognition through structured writing practice with printable handwriting drills that help train your eye and hand to recognize old German script more naturally - making reading those records much easier.
Certificate of Achievement
Once you’ve finished each course, you’ll receive a certificate to celebrate all your hard work — plus the confidence that comes from truly being able to locate, read, and translate your ancestors’ records all on your own!
It’s a meaningful way to honor your progress — and to remind yourself that yes, you can do this!
Support & Community
Private Course Community
Connect with fellow genealogy researchers, ask them questions, and share your new discoveries - we are all cheering for each other!
Genealogy is more enjoyable when done with others who share your passion and understand your journey!
Lifetime Access
Self-Paced Online Courses + Lifetime Access
These are completely self-paced courses with lifetime access. Move through the lessons on your own schedule and come back to them whenever you discover a new record or want to review what you’ve learned. We are always here for you!
✔ RootsTech Special – Save 30% Today!
$1,333 $937.00
or just $222 $157/mo for 6 months
(Discount automatically applied at checkout. )
Offer Ends March 7 at 11:59 PM.
What Our Students Are Saying:
About
Katherine Schober
Katherine Schober, founder and CEO of Germanology Unlocked, is a German-English genealogy translator, author, and educator. With over a decade of professional experience, she is dedicated to helping others uncover their German ancestry and preserve their family stories for future generations.
Katherine offers genealogy services such as online courses, webinars, and workshops focused on deciphering the old German handwriting and mastering German genealogy research. She is the author of "The Magic of German Church Records" and "Tips and Tricks of Deciphering German Handwriting," and the creator of the popular online courses "The Complete Guide to German Genealogy", "Reading the Old German Handwriting", and "German for Genealogists."
Katherine has been a featured speaker at major genealogy conferences such as RootsTech, NGS, and IGGP, where she shares her expertise on German records and handwriting. Her work has also been highlighted on both the History Channel and PBS' "Finding Your Roots."
Combining her deep knowledge of the German language with a passion for genealogy, Katherine's goal is to make genealogy both fun and doable for all!
A Complete Learning Path —
From Discovery to Full Understanding
The Complete German Genealogy Course Collection gives you the full German genealogy research experience — so you can confidently locate, decipher, and translate your ancestors’ records. Watch as your obstacles disappear - and you're able to fill in your family tree with confidence!
Here’s Everything You Get:
70+ Structured Video Lessons ($3,700 Value)
40+ Guided Research & Real Record Practice ($1,400 Value)
6 Guided Handwriting Worksheet Sets ($200 Value)
80+ Interactive Flashcards & Matching Games ($750 Value)
35+ Worksheets, Vocabulary Lists & Reference Guides (Value: $650 Value)
50 + Quizzes, Game Show Challenges ($950 Value)
Final Exams + Graduation Assessments ($300 Value)
Private Course Community ($100 Value)
Certificate of Achievement ($90 Value)
Lifetime Access to All Three Courses!
Total Combined Value: $8,000+
Regular Price: $1,333 or 6 payments of $222/mo
✔ RootsTech Special – Save 30% Today!
Today's Price: $937 or 6 monthly payments of $157/month
Exclusive RootsTech Price:
$937.00 or 6 monthly payments of $157/mo
(Discount automatically applied at checkout.)
Act Now to Save 30%
Offer Ends March 7 at 11:59 PM.
The Germanology Unlocked Guarantee
We stand behind the Complete German Genealogy Course Collection because we know it works.
Students have used these lessons to find missing hometowns, navigate European archives, read old German script, understand grammar inside historical records, and confidently translate documents they once thought were impossible.
But we also understand that investing in a comprehensive course collection is a big decision.
If you go through the lessons, practice the exercises, and don’t feel more confident in your German genealogy research within 14 days, we’ll refund you. We stand behind this collection 100%.
You have nothing to lose — and so many records waiting to be understood! We're excited to welcome you into our special community of German genealogy enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can keep researching the way you have been —
piecing together scattered resources, second-guessing your ancestors' life details, and wondering if you’re missing something important.
But German genealogy isn’t just one skill.
It’s the ability to move confidently through the entire process — from discovery to understanding — without getting stuck every step of the way.
The Complete German Genealogy Course Collection brings together the three essential components of successful German research:
• How to locate the correct records for your ancestor
• How to confidently read the old German script
• How to accurately understand and translate the language inside those documents - giving you the answers to your burning family questions
This bundle is a comprehensive experience, giving you the skills you need to uncover your ancestors' stories and build your family tree with confidence.
And with it, you get a complete, supportive path forward - an exact roadmap to your success.
Let's do this together.
✔ RootsTech Special – Save 30% Today!
$1,333 $937.00
or just $22 $157/mo for 6 months
(Discount automatically applied at checkout. )
Offer Ends March 7 at 11:59 PM.
Make real progress on your German genealogy journey.
With this expert step-by-step approach, you get the exact roadmap you need to fill in your German family tree. We're here for you.