The U.S. Embassy cannot undertake genealogical research in Austria, nor does the Embassy maintain historical information or immigration records which would be useful for such a purpose. There are outlined below, however, various possibilities whereby interested persons might be able to obtain desired information. It must be emphasized that the Embassy is not in a position to assume responsibility for the quality or timeliness of the services rendered by the entities listed on this page.
- Haus-, Hof- Staatsarchiv
(Court and State Archives)
Schenkenstrasse 4
1010 Vienna
Tel.: [43](1) 531 150
maintains records in all cases in which:- a) an aristocratic title or distinction was bestowed on a person or family in the Austrian Empire between 1848 and 1918; or,
- b) a person served in the Austrian diplomatic service, either during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire or during the First Republic (1918-1938). Records on the First Republic are actually kept in the “Allgemeines Verwaltungsarchiv” (General Administrative Archives), Nottendorfergasse 2, 1030 Vienna, Austria, Tel: [43] (1) 795 400.
- Österreichisches Staats- und Kriegsarchiv (State and War Archives)
Nottendorfergasse 2
1030 Vienna
Tel.: [43](1) 795 40-400
Fax: [43](1) 795 40-109
maintains records on persons who served in the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Army. The Embassy has been informed by the War Archives that its records are not complete, however.
- Private Genealogists
If neither paragraph 1.) or 2.) above apply in the case of the research to be accomplished, the only possible recourse is to obtain the services of a private genealogist. It must be reiterated that the listing in this information sheet of private persons who have informed us they can provide genealogical research services does not constitute a recommendation on the part of the Embassy, but only an attempt to provide information to inquiring American citizens. Understandably, any arrangement made for genealogical research is a private transaction and the Embassy is not in a position to estimate fees involved. Fees must be determined by correspondence with the agent of choice.
The Embassy has been advised by the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv (an official Austrian Government entity, see paragraph 1.) above) that genealogical research in Austria is generally time-consuming, costly and quite often does not produce the desired results.
- Heraldisch-genealogische Gesellschaft “ADLER”
Dr. Hanns Jäger-Sunstenau
Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 140
1030 Vienna
Tel.: (01) 712 74 45
- Institut für historische Familienforschung
Döblinger Hauptstrasse 56
1190 Vienna
Tel.: (01) 36 74 120 - Historikerkanzlei
Dr. Karl Lueger Platz 5
1010 Vienna
Tel.: [43](1) 513 96 46
Fax: [43](1) 513 96 46 – 50
Mobil: [43](0) 650/46 20 357
E-mail: mailto:office@historiker.at
This office was founded in 2004 by four historians in cooperation with a university professor for Contemporary History at the University of Vienna and has been concerned with global genealogic-historic research from the beginning.
The service package includes among others:
-
- Procurement of (historic) diploma, birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Procurement of citizenship certificates (if desired in cooperation with lawyers also their validation)
- Search for relatives and ancestors
- Drawing up genealogical trees
- Global search for unknown heirs
- Procurement of certificates ascertaining nobility status
- Procurement of documents necessary to claim restitutio
IMPORTANT: It should also be noted that many areas included in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire are now located in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Italy, Poland, Romania and Ukraine and Russia. It is suggested, therefore, that an atlas be consulted to determine, if possible, the present sovereignty of the area involved in any research. Information regarding genealogical research in other countries may be obtained from the American Embassy in the appropriate capital. The Court and State Archives and the War Archives will, however, conduct files searches for the entire territory of the former Empire in cases falling within their purview.