Family book
Service description
From 1958 to 2008, the family register was a register of civil status that was created after every marriage in Germany, and on request also for marriages abroad, and continued at the registry office of the place of residence. It contained information about the spouses, the dates of marriage, the names of the spouses, parents and children of the spouses and the termination of the marriage.
The family register has often been confused with the family register, which merely contains a collection of documents in private hands (marriage certificates, birth certificates, death certificates). Furthermore, it has been little used due to a lack of awareness.
With the entry into force of the amendment to the civil status law on January 1, 2009, the creation and continuation of family registers has been discontinued. Instead, the marriage entries in the marriage registers are now maintained by the marriage registry offices. The old family registers have also been handed over to these offices. Marriage certificates can be issued from the family registers to be continued as marriage entries.