Unlock the Hidden Stories in Your German Family History
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Unlock the Hidden Stories in Your German Family History
International Expert Speakers. Global Perspectives. Breakthrough Discoveries.
German Roots & Records Summit Fall 2026
Saturday, September 12th, 2026
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT | 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
5 Genealogy Experts.
One Unmissable Day.
We're thrilled to bring you the German Roots & Records Summit Fall 2026 – a live online event featuring an entirely new lineup of expert speakers and specialized genealogy research you won't find in one place anywhere else.
We've brought together specialists from Germany, the United States, and New Zealand, each bringing unique expertise in some of the most challenging areas of German and Eastern European genealogy.
Whether you're trying to make sense of changing borders, locate records in Hesse, Silesia or other places in Poland, or trace German ancestors who settled on the other side of the world, you'll leave with new resources and practical strategies you can put to work in your own family research.
Here’s what you’ll get when you register:
Five expert-led sessions with live Q&A
Specialized guidance for navigating German and Eastern European family history as well as finding your German ancestors Down Under
Practical strategies for finding the correct archives, parishes, civil registry offices, and online records
Historical context to help you understand how changing borders affect where records are located
Direct access to international genealogy experts during live Q&A
Recordings of all sessions after the event, so you can revisit what you've learned
Speakers
08:00 am PT | 11:00 am ET | 03:00 am NZST(17:00 CET) Martin Jäger
09:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET | 04:00 am NZST(18:00 CET) Klaus Kohrtullet
10:00 am PT | 01:00 pm ET | 05:00 am NZST(19:00 CET) Edie Adam
11:00 am PT | 02:00 pm ET | 06:00 am NZST(20:00 CET)
12:00 pm PT | 03:00 pm ET | 07:00 am NZST(21:00 CET) Björn B. Kluger
01:00 pm PT | 04:00 pm ET | 08:00 am NZST (22:00 CET) Fiona Brooker
Confirmed Speakers & Topics:
Martin Jäger | Frankfurt, Germany
08:00 AM PT | 11:00 AM ET | 03:00 AM NZST
Researching Your Ancestors in Hesse: Territories & Sources
Discover how Hesse’s complex territorial history affects where your ancestors’ records can be found today.
Martin Jäger, age 44, lives near Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. Most of his ancestors are from Hesse too. He is member of local history associations, the German genealogical association of computer genealogy "compgen" and "Hessische Familiengeschichtliche Vereinigung".
Researching ancestors in Hesse can be more complicated than simply searching within the borders of the modern German state. Today’s Hesse was formed from a number of historical territories, each with its own administrative structures and record-keeping traditions.
In this presentation, Martin Jäger introduces the historical landscape of Hesse and explains why understanding these former territories is an important part of successful genealogical research. He will highlight useful sources for tracing Hessian ancestors and provide practical guidance on where to look for records and information.
Whether your family came from the Frankfurt area, one of Hesse’s former territories, or elsewhere in the region, this session will help you better understand the historical context behind the records and give you new directions for your research.
Dr. Klaus-D. Kohrt | Eckernförde, Germany
09:00 AM PT | 12:00 PM ET | 04:00 AM NZST
How to research in Polish (State) Archives
Learn how to find and access Polish archival records that may hold the next chapter of your German family history.
Dr. Klaus-D. Kohrt is an experienced family researcher and active leader in the German genealogy community.
He serves as chairman of the Schleswig-Holsteinische Familienforschung e.V. and deputy chairman of the Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Genealogischer Verbände e.V. (DAGV). He is also a past chairman of Pommerscher Greif e.V., an active member of the Association for Computer Genealogy, and organizer of a family research working group in Eckernförde.
For anyone trying to trace German ancestors beyond the Oder and Neisse rivers, understanding how to research in Polish archives can be essential.
In this session, Klaus will explain:
• How the Polish State Archives are structured
• The current status of digitization and free online access
• How to use the Szukaj w Archiwach portal
• Alternative ways to access digitized historical sources
• Where to find name-searchable databases maintained by regional research groups in Germany and Poland
• What additional research support is available when you get stuck
You'll leave with a clearer understanding of how to approach Polish archives — and where to begin looking for the records you need.
Edie Adam | Telford, Pennsylvania, USA
10:00 AM PT | 01:00 PM ET | 05:00 AM NZST
If it’s 1773, It must be Russia
Discover how changing borders across Eastern Europe can completely change where you need to look for your ancestors' records.
Edie Adam is a retired journalist, first-generation American, and dedicated family historian. Both sides of her extended family are ethnic Germans who lived throughout Eastern Europe, including Poland, Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall made more records accessible, Edie became serious about tracing her family's history. Her research has taken her paternal ancestors from Russia to Ukraine to Poland in the early 19th century — and even helped her reconnect with family through a DNA match after 100 years of separation.
In this session, Edie will take you on a whirlwind tour of the historical border changes that affect research into German ancestors who lived in Poland, Russia, and other areas of Eastern Europe.
You'll discover why understanding where your ancestors lived at a particular moment in history can be one of the keys to finding the records they left behind.
Björn B. Kluger | Essen, Germany
12:00 PM PT | 03:00 PM ET | 07:00 AM NZST
Researching Family History in Silesia
Learn how to navigate archives, parishes, civil registry offices, and online resources for one of Europe's most historically complex regions.
Björn Kluger has been researching his family history since 2018, with a particular focus on Silesia, where most of his ancestors originated.
Over the years, he has developed extensive experience navigating the archives, records, and online resources available for Silesian genealogy. He also hosts a regular genealogy discussion group where he shares research methods and helps others overcome genealogical challenges.
In this session, Björn will show you how to:
• Identify the correct civil registry offices and parishes
• Locate the relevant archives
• Find and access historical records
• Use valuable online resources for Silesian genealogy
• Navigate the challenges created by Silesia's complex history and changing borders
If you've struggled to figure out where your Silesian ancestors' records actually went, this session is for you.
Björn B. Kluger | Essen, Germany
12:00 pm PT | 03:00 pm ET | 07:00 am NZST (21:00 CET)
Researching Family History in Silesia
Learn how to navigate archives, parishes, civil registry offices, and online resources for one of Europe's most historically complex regions.
Björn Kluger has been researching his family history since 2018, with a particular focus on Silesia, where most of his ancestors originated.
Over the years, he has developed extensive experience navigating the archives, records, and online resources available for Silesian genealogy. He also hosts a regular genealogy discussion group where he shares research methods and helps others overcome genealogical challenges.
In this session, Björn will show you how to:
• Identify the correct civil registry offices and parishes
• Locate the relevant archives
• Find and access historical records
• Use valuable online resources for Silesian genealogy
• Navigate the challenges created by Silesia's complex history and changing borders
If you've struggled to figure out where your Silesian ancestors' records actually went, this session is for you.
Fiona Brooker | Christchurch, New Zealand
01:00 AM PT | 04:00 PM ET | 08:00 AM NZST
Researching German Families in New Zealand
Discover the records that can help you trace German immigrants and the generations they built in New Zealand.
Fiona Brooker is a New Zealand-based professional genealogist and founder of Memories in Time. She helps individuals and families research their ancestry, interpret DNA results, and preserve their discoveries for future generations.
German families have been part of New Zealand's history since the nineteenth century.
In this session, Fiona will introduce the key New Zealand records that can help you identify German immigrants, reconstruct their families, and follow the generations that made New Zealand their home.
If New Zealand appears anywhere in your German family's story, this session will give you new places to look.
Event Details:
📅 Date: Saturday, September 12th, 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT / 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
💻 Location: Live on Zoom (In English)
🎥 Can’t Attend Live? We’ve Got You Covered.
You don't have to miss the Summit just because you can't spend the entire day with us live.
Recordings of all five sessions are included with your registration, so you can catch up afterward, revisit a presentation, or go back through a session with your own family research in front of you.
Of course, we hope you'll join us live whenever you can – especially so you can take advantage of the live Q&A with our speakers.
Register for the German Roots & Records Summit Fall 2026
Five expert speakers. Five unique areas of genealogy research.
Live Q&A. Recordings included.
One day dedicated to helping you move your family history research forward.
Early Bird Registration
💥 GGC Members: Save $80
$147
$67
Early bird pricing is available through September 7th.
Why Attend the German Roots & Records Summit Fall 2026?
You can spend hours searching databases and clicking through records — but sometimes the breakthrough comes from simply knowing where else to look.
At the German Roots & Records Summit Fall 2026, you'll gain:
Specialized expertise from genealogy researchers across three continents
Live Q&A to bring your own genealogy questions to the experts
Practical tools and strategies for tackling difficult research problems
Guidance for navigating archives and records affected by changing borders and jurisdictions
New resources you can continue using long after the Summit ends
Recordings of every session so you can revisit what you've learned
Whether you're just starting your German family history journey or you've been researching for decades, you'll walk away with new resources, strategies, and insights to help move your research forward.
Ready to Discover Where Your Research Could Take You Next?
Your ancestors' records may be waiting in a place you haven't thought to look yet.
🗓️ Join us on Saturday, September 12th, 2026 for a day of expert guidance, practical research strategies, and genealogy discoveries.
Early bird pricing ends September 7th.
🤝 Hosted by the German Genealogy Collective
The German Genealogy Collective (GGC) is a community for those passionate about uncovering their German roots.
Founded by professional genealogist Andrea Bentschneider, GGC offers masterclasses, co-researching sessions, research tools, and a community of fellow German genealogy researchers who support one another throughout their family history journeys.
The German Roots & Records Summit brings that same spirit together for one focused day — connecting researchers and experts from around the world to share specialized knowledge, practical resources, and new approaches to discovering your family's story.
