Genealogical Resources for Researching Women

In this talk, Karen Franklin and Michael Simonson of the Leo Baeck Institute will explore resources in the archives that provide insight and information about the lives and stories of women. Through memoirs, diaries, letters, family trees and other resources, of which 90% have been digitized and are available online, the Leo Baeck Institute offers extensive documentation of the lives of German-Jewish women over the centuries.

Collections of interest to Jewish genealogists can be used in creative ways. From family trees that suggest the challenges women faced in childbirth and childcare, to newly-created indices that make maiden names easier to find, to hundreds of interviews of Austrian Jewish refugees, created over the last 20 years, to many unexpected gems, etc. this material can offer new resources for looking at the less-studied lives of our families. LBI’s Austrian Heritage Collection Gedenkdiener Ina Haider and Verena Rauch will also contribute to the discussion.