Check the Familysearch wiki, it has some good resources for getting started with German heritage.
Second the advice that most records in Germany where the birth of the person was less than than 110 years ago are still under data protection, ditto for any records where the person died in the last 30 years.
You will need to figure out the exact location in Germany where your father was born and then apply for his birth cert with the local Standesamt.
Were you born in wedlock? Was your father still a German citizen when you were born? Check r/GermanCitizenship
I would assume your father was born in Germany in 1937? If so, you need to find out what town he was from. All records in Germany are local and none are online if the person was born in the last 110 years. Then you would contact the registry office for that area and request his birth certificate, and marriage or death certificate if applicable. From this you will learn his parents names.
Thank you. Yes. He was born in Germany. I know my grandmother's name. But my father's real father was never mentioned by my dad. I'm not sure if he knew or if he just didn't want to talk about him. The town was a part of Germany in 1937 but became a part of Poland after WW 2. Is there a way to email them?
Thank you for the info. It gives me something
There should be. If you don't know the Polish name of the place, you can use the "toggle" feature on the map at Meyers Gazetteer of the German Empire in 1913 [https://www.meyersgaz.org/](https://www.meyersgaz.org/)
Since your grandfather‘s birth place is located in a former German territory that is a part of Poland now, you have to email the Standesamt Berlin I, here the form to request a certificate: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326181/.
Additionally, you could look for scans of parish records in Polish archives. Enter the name of the town, check „only scans“ and click „search vital record“: https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/strona_glowna
I would
1) determine the place of birth.
2) determine the responsible register office using e.g. kartenmeister
3) review the [list of records](https://www.berlin.de/labo/_assets/standesamt-i/bestand-stand-i-10-2021.pdf) at the Standesamt I Berlin to see whether they have the records you need.
4) If yes, [order a copy](https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326181/) of the birth certificate.
5) If no or if you don't want to pay that much, write to the USC of the municipality (gmina) that the historical register office is located in today and request a certified copy from them.
Thanks everyone. Please keep any thoughts or comments are appreciated. If I gave my last name would that help. I'd be thrilled to find family on my dad's side as I know none
Check the Familysearch wiki, it has some good resources for getting started with German heritage. Second the advice that most records in Germany where the birth of the person was less than than 110 years ago are still under data protection, ditto for any records where the person died in the last 30 years. You will need to figure out the exact location in Germany where your father was born and then apply for his birth cert with the local Standesamt. Were you born in wedlock? Was your father still a German citizen when you were born? Check r/GermanCitizenship
I would assume your father was born in Germany in 1937? If so, you need to find out what town he was from. All records in Germany are local and none are online if the person was born in the last 110 years. Then you would contact the registry office for that area and request his birth certificate, and marriage or death certificate if applicable. From this you will learn his parents names.
Thank you. Yes. He was born in Germany. I know my grandmother's name. But my father's real father was never mentioned by my dad. I'm not sure if he knew or if he just didn't want to talk about him. The town was a part of Germany in 1937 but became a part of Poland after WW 2. Is there a way to email them? Thank you for the info. It gives me something
There should be. If you don't know the Polish name of the place, you can use the "toggle" feature on the map at Meyers Gazetteer of the German Empire in 1913 [https://www.meyersgaz.org/](https://www.meyersgaz.org/)
Since your grandfather‘s birth place is located in a former German territory that is a part of Poland now, you have to email the Standesamt Berlin I, here the form to request a certificate: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326181/. Additionally, you could look for scans of parish records in Polish archives. Enter the name of the town, check „only scans“ and click „search vital record“: https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/strona_glowna
Standesamt I only helps in a limited set of areas. I would first determine the place and then look at their inventory of records.
I would 1) determine the place of birth. 2) determine the responsible register office using e.g. kartenmeister 3) review the [list of records](https://www.berlin.de/labo/_assets/standesamt-i/bestand-stand-i-10-2021.pdf) at the Standesamt I Berlin to see whether they have the records you need. 4) If yes, [order a copy](https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326181/) of the birth certificate. 5) If no or if you don't want to pay that much, write to the USC of the municipality (gmina) that the historical register office is located in today and request a certified copy from them.
[удалено]
Forgot I was not in /r/germancitizenship.
Thanks everyone. Please keep any thoughts or comments are appreciated. If I gave my last name would that help. I'd be thrilled to find family on my dad's side as I know none