How long would it take you to get from Italy to Germany?

How long would it take to get records from Germany? Also how far do Italian records go back?

• I know my 2nd grandfather lived (and died) in Germany. I want to get records on him. I know he lived to be atleast 80 and he died around 1955. I know exactly where he lived too. How long would it take to order records from Germany and recieve them? That family line stops right at him (on my family tree) and I want to go further. I don't know how I would even send money to Germany. What do I use? credit card...cash...pounds? I live in New York. Second question, on another family line my 3rd great grandfather lived and died in Italy. I'm curious if I will be able to find other records going further back? I traced back to the marriage of my 2nd great grandfather/grandmother (in 1890) and I also managed to find a few of their siblings nephews/nieces. Ancestry has records back to about 1866 in that area (Potenza, Italy) which is not far enough and I already managed to go through every page manually (no one typed them up). I don't think I missed anything. I think they got married just a few years earlier. Is it possible theres records for pre 1866?

• Answer:

  Go on line to a site called Familysearch,org, under the Research tips tab is a tutorial that has Information on researching in Germany and in Italy. First the records will be in German, Italian and in some cases parish records might be in Latin. Second German records may be difficult to obtain because to the wars. Third Civil records in Italy are not as complete as parish records, which I believe go back to the mid 1600's. Fourth Most Italian records are not transcribed, translated or typed. Many of the Parish records are in Latin, but if you can locate them, parish records provide more Information that you can imagine, I would suggest that you check out Familysearch.org for historical records. You might also go to a Family History Center, they have access to several subscriptions sites, including world vital records and use of the facility and equipment is free. The volunteers are all experienced researcher and are very good about assisting. They will not do the research for you. In the center I volunteer at, the German Genealogical Society houses their collection and there is a volunteer from the Society there one day a week to assist with German research. I suggest that you check the Center nearest you, if they have the information available your could order it from Salt Lake City for a small fee. It information is available on line, even if all you can find is an index to records, it is more than you have and you will not be wasting time looking for basic vital statistics information. I have found that Ancestry isn't that good for European records outside the United Kingdom.