Discover the rich tapestry of 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 unique heritage.
With over a decade of experience in family history research, I offer comprehensive services including Family History Research, Document Translation, Transcription, and Retrieval. I will dive deep into church books, archives, and online databases to trace your lineage and preserve your legacy.
Start your journey today and let My German Origin bring your family's past to life.
Hello, I’m Gunar Bodendiek, founder of My German Origin. Based in Berlin, Germany, I am a 43-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.
Contact me with details about your goals and any relevant information you already have.
I’ll provide you with a customized proposal outlining how I can best support your objectives.
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.
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.
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.
Unlike most genealogists who charge by the hour, I use a simple, results-based pricing structure focused on the individuals I discover for you.
To make the process even more affordable, I offer discounts based on the number of individuals found:
This pricing model ensures transparency and allows you to clearly see the value of each individual discovered in your family tree.
For example, a typical generation consisting of 2 parents with 4 children (with 2 children having incomplete vital data) would result in a total invoice of 440 Euro (3 x 100 Euro, 1 x 60 Euro, and 2 x 40 Euro).
Charging by individual rather than by the hour offers several benefits for both you and me. It eliminates the need for time tracking, simplifies invoicing and ensures complete transparency with no hidden costs or surprises. Most importantly, it shifts the focus to delivering results, allowing you to see clear progress with every individual discovered in your family tree.
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 40 Euro per document.
Customers will be billed in increments of 500 Euro. Once research and/or translations valued at 500 Euros have been completed, I will send an invoice for that amount. This allows for manageable payments and ensures that you are only billed for work that has been done.
You can pay via PayPal 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.
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: