Birth of Konstantin Nörenberg
Konstantin Nörenberg (1889-1955) came to America in 1909. In order to find information about his birth, I took a clue from his original Confirmation certificate.
Confirmation
- Konstantin Nörenberg
- born 11 December 1889
- baptized [blank]
- Confirmed 25 April 1904 at _________ Church of Elisabethpol
- Dated Wladimir-Wol[hynia], 21 July 1904
In 1904, Konstantin Nörenberg confirmed his Baptism into the Christian faith. This original Fraktur certificate is lettered in beautiful German script.1Nörenberg, Konstantin. Fraktur (certificate). Confirmation, 1904. Printed in Gütersloh, Germany: _elsmann, n.d. Owned by the late Don Norenberg, Bemidji, Minnesota, 2012.
If his confirmation occurred at the Elisabethpol/Elizabethpol parish, was it possible that he was baptized there also?
Church Record
In America, when Konstantin filled out paperwork, he listed his birthplace as Wladimir-Wol [Vladimir-Volhynia]. Elizabethpol was a small village in Volhynia.
Fortunately, the Church of the Latter Day Saints microfilmed the Evangelical (Lutheran) church books of Elizabethpol.2Kirchenbuch,1871-1899 (Evangelische Kirche Włodzimierz (Wołyń)), Taufen 1881-1897 — Tote1881-1898 (Elizabetpol), Baptism page 33, FHL microfilm 2380038, item 2.
- Year 1889
- Day and hour of birth: 11 December, 11th hour in the evening
- Day of baptism: 12 December
- Number of baptism this year: 43
- Name of the child: Konstantin Nörenberg
- Parents: Michael Nörenberg of Elisab. [Elizabethpol] and his wife Louisa born Schröder
- Baptism Sponsors: Daniel Martin and Louisa Hennig
- Where and by whom baptized: ditto [parish pastor]
- Legitimate male
Another Record
A copy of Konstantin’s birth/baptism is recorded in the Polish state archives, Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie PL (Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw, also known as AGAD). AGAD holds Lutheran church register books of Rozyszcze, Wladimir-Wolynsk, and Lutzk parishes (all in the western or Polish part of Volhynia).
The Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe has many databases for family researchers. One of the SGGEE Public Databases is the set called: Volhynia, Kiev and Podolia Birth and Rozyszcze Confirmation Data. This other record from AGAD was indexed by SGGEE for Constantin Noerenberg.3AGAD Sygn. 14. 1889, page 290, register 2316.
- Year: 1889
- Day of birth: 11 December
- Day of baptism: 12 December
- Registry: 2316
- Name: Nörenberg, Constantin
- Parents: Michael Nörenberg and his wife Louise born Schröder of Elisabethpol
- Baptism Sponsors: Daniel Martin and Louise Hennig
- Where and by whom baptized: Church at Elisabethpol
This record seems to be a duplicate of the church record above.
What to research next?
Who were Konstantin’s parents?
How many siblings did he have?
Did any of his siblings immigrate to America?
SOURCES
- 1Nörenberg, Konstantin. Fraktur (certificate). Confirmation, 1904. Printed in Gütersloh, Germany: _elsmann, n.d. Owned by the late Don Norenberg, Bemidji, Minnesota, 2012.
- 2Kirchenbuch,1871-1899 (Evangelische Kirche Włodzimierz (Wołyń)), Taufen 1881-1897 — Tote1881-1898 (Elizabetpol), Baptism page 33, FHL microfilm 2380038, item 2.
- 3AGAD Sygn. 14. 1889, page 290, register 2316.