A Planned Visit to the State Archive in Speyer
When I arrived at the State Archive in Speyer (Landesarchiv Speyer), my focus was clear: I had pre-registered, requested specific materials on my Walloon ancestors who had once settled in the Palatinate, and prepared a detailed research plan.
But history has a way of offering surprises.
Among the documents, I spotted a volume labeled Verzeichnis der Auswanderungen im Amtsbezirk Speyer — emigrants from the Palatinate. Curious, I opened it. What I found inside was a treasure trove for anyone interested in German emigration history: a register of people who had left the Palatinate in the 18th and 19th centuries.
A Rare Register of Palatinate Emigrants
The register listed:
- Names of individuals and families
- Towns and villages in the Palatinate
- Destinations and dates of emigration
- Occupation, estate and marital status
One entry read:
Bock, Heinrich, Dannstadt, Landwirt, 9 May 1876 to America, with wife (Stahl) and tree children Jakob (4 years), Barbara(2 years), Margaretha (3/4 years)
Another noted:
Rosenberg, Joh., Friesenheim, Ackerer, with wife and 5 children, 8. of september 1846 — to America
Each short entry tells a story of leaving, courage, and hope.
Tracing German Ancestors: From the Palatinate to the World
This unexpected discovery shifted my research focus. I began cross-referencing names with genealogical databases like Ancestry to identify descendants of Palatinate emigrants.
For many families in North and South America, their origins are often summarized as “from Germany” or “from the Palatinate.” This register could provide them with exact villages, dates, and migration details, turning vague family lore into documented history.
The register includes emigrants from selected communities in the Palatinate, includin, Alsheim, Assenheim, Altrip, Berghausen, Böhl, Dannstadt, Dudenhofen, Friesenheim, Fußgönheim, Hanhofen, Harthausen, Heiligenstein, Hochdorf, Iggelheim, Ludwigshafen, Maudach, Mechtersheim, Mundenheim, Mutterstadt, Neuhofen, Oggersheim, Otterstadt. Rheingönheim, Ruchheim, Schauernheim, Schifferstadt, Speier (Speyer) and Waldsee. It does not represent the entire region, but rather a partial record limited to specific areas.
The Value of Unexpected Discoveries in Historical Research
This find underscores the value of archival research — and of staying open to chance discoveries. A emigration register from the Palatinate not only enriches our understanding of migration patterns but also has the potential to reconnect families across continents and centuries.
History hides in unexpected places. Sometimes, a quiet document can bring the voices of the past back to life.
I will soon provide a selected list of names.
Mutterstadt:
Schornick, Jakob II, Ackerer, Frau, 7 Kinder, 4. Juni 1896, America