Suchanfrage zur Familienforschung (Ahnenforschung) an kommunale und staatliche Archive stellen

• Archivgesetz für den Freistaat Sachsen (SächsArchivG)
• Sächsische Archivbenutzungsverordnung (SächsArchivBenVO)
• Anlage zu § 8 Absatz 2 SächsArchivBenVO – Gebührenverzeichnis
• kommunale Regelungen zur Benutzung der Archive

For genealogical or historical research, but also, for example, for proof of ownership or questions of inheritance, the Saxon State Archives and the municipal archives in towns and districts offer a wide range of source material.

The archive material is only rarely indexed by personal name, so searching is often time-consuming. As a rule, the archive holdings have to be viewed in person. Intensive preparation for a visit to the archives and a written request in advance are therefore highly recommended. If it is not possible to visit the archives in person because of a great geographical distance, the archives staff can also do the research for you.

Genealogical research and data protection

Many archive users are family researchers (genealogists) looking for information about family members. The subject of family research is personal data. Therefore, data protection must be observed when searching in recent archive holdings. This applies above all to records containing data on persons whose date of death was less than ten years ago; if this is not known, a protection period of 100 years from birth applies

If you want to search in an archive record that contains personal data worthy of protection, the archive staff must take over the search. In this case, send a search request to the respective archive. In individual cases, there may be further legal regulations on data protection which the archive must observe. Exceptions may be permitted for scientific research under certain conditions.

How to find the right archive

The archive material you are looking for may be located in different archives of the cities and districts. This depends primarily on the particular place to which your search relates - for example, a specific place of birth, place of death or place of residence.

Analogously, different departments are responsible at the Saxon State Archives. This may be due to the historical shifting of administrative boundaries, but also to factual responsibilities (Hauptstaatsarchiv Dresden for highest state offices and military, Staatsarchiv Leipzig for German Central Office for Genealogy, Bergarchiv Freiberg for mining.)

informal letter

Personal consultation in the State Archives is free of charge.

Note: The costs for processing enquiries, for personal use of the archives and reproductions are regulated in the respective fee ordinance or statute. For the Saxon State Archives, the fee schedule to the Archive Usage Ordinance applies; for municipal archives, the specific regulation of the city or district concerned applies.

Please send an informal, meaningful search request to the relevant department of the Saxon State Archives or to the municipal archive concerned. You can send your request to the authority either by letter post or by e-mail. Please also give your full postal address in the case of e-mails.

After receipt of your request, you will usually receive the following information:

• Prospects of success of the search
• References to relevant holdings
• Provision of archival materials on a specific date
• Possibility of making reproductions
• if possible, advice
• on further search

Please note: In the case of telephone enquiries, as a rule only general information on the archive material can be given, i.e. on which regions and from which institutions holdings are available and to which periods they relate.

Objection (details in the notification)