Tips & Advice
German is the language spoken in Austria; letters to Austrian institutions are more likely to be answered if they are written in German. Check the form letters and translation services.
See the LDS German Letter-Writing Guide.
Remember that research costs time and money. When making snail-mail inquiries, as a matter of courtesy, always enclose 2 international reply coupons and an addressed envelope.
Problems reading old documents ? Click here.
Genealogical research in Austria tends to be difficult for a number of reasons:
- Genealogy has a slightly negative "flavour" in Austria. It is often associated with the misuse of genealogical research during the Nazi era and many Austrians unfortunately consider it as old fashioned and as a pastime for nobility and would-be-aristocrats.
- Austrian data privacy laws are very strict; lookups are difficult and frequently require valid powers of attorney, proof of descent, etc.
- The boarders of Austria have changed over the centuries. Austria used to be a large empire; today Austria is a small country and a member of the European Union.
Please keep in mind that I maintain this site as a hobby. I, like many of you, am not a professional researcher.
If you have queries, please post them here.
Important: researching can be difficult -- but never give up. If you're down, just click on the smile:
