Published October 28, 2018
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There’s been much talk in the world of genealogy programming for a decade or more that has run in parallel with the Internet-inspired growth of the hobby: Are in-person conferences still a worthwhile endeavor?
Some national conferences have turned into financial failures for both their sponsors and vendors attending them. More societies, genealogy-related businesses and libraries have moved to webinars for at least a portion of their programming. Those that remain well-attended sometimes are more havens for casually interest folk than those wanting some steak to go with their sizzle.
But on the heels of a first-ever international German genealogy conference last year in Minnesota that attracted more than 700 highly motivated family historians, registration opens Thursday for a “can’t miss” sequel event coming up next year in Sacramento, Calif., from June 15-17 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Sponsored by the International German Genealogy Partnership, more than a thousand attendees from four or more continents with an interest in German ancestry are expected to come to the get-together.
The conference is hosted by the Sacramento German Genealogy Society supported by a consortium of Germanic genealogy societies across the Golden State and has a theme of “Strike It Rich! with Connections 2 Discoveries.”
The theme is a nod to the role of Johann August Sutter, born in what was then the southwest German state of Baden, in Sacramento history (He’s known to history as John Sutter and for the sawmill where gold was found in 1848, setting off the California Gold Rush).
Whether an attendee’s top goal is hearing lectures from expert presenters from around the world, speaking to vendors about DNA tests, or attending German-themed social events – the Sacramento conference has it … and plenty of it!
As far as presentations, there are headliners such as Fritz Juengling of the Family History Library, independent researcher Michael Lacopo and Brigham Young University Professor Roger Minert. Other lecturers are using specific stories about German immigrants as jumping off points for inspiring others to learn about new sources of information (Many of the presenters are previewing their talks in short videos on the Partnership’s website).
In addition to luncheons available at the conference, there will be social times called the “Connections” hour in the evening as well as translation room available for attendees.
IGGP comprises more than 100 organizations around the world, with a mission “to facilitate German genealogy research globally as the internationally-recognized federation of German genealogy organizations.”
Germans arrived in America as early as Jamestown in 1607. In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that almost 50 million people in the United States have German roots – the largest ethnic group in the country at that time.
Registration for the conference will be limited. For information, visit the Partnership’s website at https://iggpartner.org/cpage.php?pt=73
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The Best of "Roots & Branches", Fifth Edition published July 2017, edited by Terri J. Bridgwater.
It contains a selection of columns from Beidler’s award-winning newspaper column (currently published in the Altoona Mirror), which is the only syndicated newspaper column on genealogy in Pennsylvania.
The book can be ordered online, or purchased directly from Jim when he speaks at a conference.
Michael Lee Stills
6 years ago
Thanks James! I need to find a way to get there one of these days. I have several German PA ancestors that I need to dig up information for. I think the networking is one of the best reasons to attend and more people need to know that the International German Genealogy Partnership.
If you have time, please check out the German Roots project on WikiTree is connecting folks from around the world. I would love more people to join in.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:German_Roots