Unveil your family's history in Germany

Discover your family's history with MY GERMAN ORIGIN, a premier genealogy service specializing in the German-speaking regions of Europe. Whether your ancestors hail from Germany, Austria, former East Prussia, West Prussia, or Silesia, I am here to help you uncover your heritage.

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Gunar Bodendiek

About me

Hello, I’m Gunar Bodendiek, founder of MY GERMAN ORIGIN. Based in Berlin, Germany, I am a 44-year-old graduate geographer with a passion for uncovering the stories of the past.

My journey into genealogy began over ten years ago with the search for my own family history. This personal quest ignited a lifelong dedication to helping others explore their ancestral roots.

My expertise lies in the intricate and rewarding process of tracing family histories in current and former German-speaking regions, including Germany, Austria, East Prussia, West Prussia, and Silesia. With meticulous research skills and a deep understanding of historical contexts, I am committed to delivering accurate and insightful genealogical findings.

At MY GERMAN ORIGIN, I strive to connect you with your ancestors and provide a detailed and personal look into your family’s past. Join me in this fascinating journey of discovery and connection.

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My Services

With over a decade of experience in family history research, I offer comprehensive services from core research to presentation and travel planning. I work with church books, archives, and online databases to trace your lineage and preserve your legacy.

Family Research for Individuals

Personalized research to uncover your ancestors, document family lines, and turn scattered clues into a clear, sourced story.

Research Support for Professional Genealogists

Reliable German-language research support, lookups, and record retrieval to extend client projects with verified sources.

Certificates & Archive Record Acquisition

Ordering and obtaining civil, church, and military records from state and ecclesiastical archives across Germany and beyond.

Emigration Research

Tracing emigrants from German-speaking regions, connecting overseas records back to hometown origins.

Historical & Economic Background Research

Contextual reports that place your ancestors in their time—local history, occupations, migrations, and socioeconomic factors.

Transcriptions & Translations

Reading old German scripts (Kurrent/Sütterlin), transcribing and translating documents into clear, modern English or German.

Family Tree & Pedigree Chart Creation

Designed pedigree charts and family trees, prepared for high-quality printing and display.

Family History Writing

Transforming research findings into an engaging, well-structured story that preserves your family’s legacy for generations.

Family History Website

Design and creation of dedicated websites to make your family history research accessible to relatives and the public.

Ancestral Heritage Travel

Planning and accompanying journeys to the places of your ancestors, turning family history into a personal experience.

My Process

Every family story is unique. To keep the research clear and transparent, I follow a simple four-step process that guides you from first contact through to a detailed report of your ancestors.

Step 1: Reach Out

Contact me with details about your goals and any relevant information you already have.

Step 2: Free Proposal

I’ll provide you with a customized proposal outlining how I can best support your objectives.

Step 3: Research

Drawing on my expertise, I’ll gather the information you need from a wide range of sources, including church books, physical archives, online databases, and other resources — both in Germany and beyond, if required.

Step 4: Detailed Reporting

My findings will be compiled into a comprehensive written report, complete with digital copies and clearly cited sources, ensuring transparency and clarity. To organize your ancestors, I use the Sosa method. This system assigns a unique number to each of your ancestors, representing their specific position within the family lineage.

Testimonials

There are no public customer testimonials here yet, as My German Origin is brand new. But that's precisely why now is the best time to get started: personal support, full transparency, and fast execution. If you like, you can become my first real reference afterward!

Want to see if your family history research project is feasible? Contact me today for a free feasibility check and an unbeatable introductory offer!

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Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve gathered answers to the most common questions my clients ask. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out — I’ll be glad to help.

I specialize in tracing family histories in German-speaking regions, including Germany, Austria, East Prussia, West Prussia, and Silesia.

Absolutely. I specialize in tracing the origins of German emigrants and can assist in uncovering their roots in the German-speaking regions.

I utilize a variety of sources, including church books, physical archives, and online databases. I also access specialized records within Germany and relevant regions.

The duration varies based on the complexity of the research and the availability of records. After an initial assessment, I provide an estimated timeline.

The final report includes a detailed written summary of findings, digital copies of relevant documents and clearly cited sources. To avoid getting lost in your family tree, I use the Sosa method for organizing your ancestors. This system assigns a unique number to each of your ancestors, representing their specific place within the family lineage. If you are unfamiliar with this numbering method, you can find an explanation here.

Yes, I offer translation and transcription services for historical documents, ensuring you can fully understand your family’s past.

While I cannot guarantee specific results, I commit to thorough and meticulous research, providing clear documentation of all findings.

To make genealogical research transparent and flexible, I offer prepaid research packages: 5 hours, 10 hours and 20 hours. If a research path leads to a dead end and not all purchased hours are used, I will refund the unused hours.

Translations and word-by-word transcriptions can be very time-consuming. However, in most cases, a full translation or transcription is not necessary to understand key family relationships and vital data. Because of this, I offer them as an additional service for those who need more detailed documentation.

If you do require a full translation or transcription of a typical birth, marriage or death certificate or church book entry, I charge 50 Euro per document.

You can pay via PayPal, Credit Card or by bank transfer (IBAN), whichever is most convenient for you. Payment details will be provided with your invoice.

You can contact me via email at info@mygermanorigin.com or use the contact form below. Please include any known details about your ancestors and the desired scope of research.

Contact Me

Interested in your family story but don’t know where to start? Got stuck in your independent research? Feel free to get in touch, I can help!

Email: info@mygermanorigin.com

Or use the contact form below:

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