June 12-15, 2025

Genealogists attending the 2025 International German Genealogy Conference are being offered an extra treat: a bus tour to German Village and the Palatines to America Collection at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

 Starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, our bus will transport us to the southern section of Columbus settled by German immigrants in the 19^th century.  Known for charming brick houses, brick streets and brick sidewalks, German Village has retained its architecture with little change over the past 175 years. Our morning tour includes stops at Trinity Lutheran Church and St Mary of the Assumption Church both established in the mid-19^th century by German Immigrants.

Then we will have a traditional German buffet at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus — bratwurst, chicken, sauerkraut, German potato salad, chunky applesauce, green beans, tossed salad and Schmidt’s famous mini cream puffs for dessert — all included in the tour registration fee.

Following lunch will be an hour-lomg guided tour of German Village highlights, including a stop at Schiller Park named in honor Friedrich Schiller, 18^th century German playwright and poet.

Our last stop is the Columbus Metropolitan Library where we will have an hour to explore the German resources in the Palatines to America Collection. Be sure to consult the online catalog prior to the tour.

We will return to Nationwide Conference Center in time for the Welcome Reception at the Vendor Exhibits.

The Presenter Committee for the 2025 IGGP Conference is pleased to announce the complete list of presenters for the 2025 IGGP Conference. We consider this to be a stellar lineup of presenters with an immense knowledge of diverse areas of German genealogy. Additionally, we are quite pleased to have ten of the presenters from outside the United States (Germany, Austria, Belgium, and Israel) to provide an opportunity for Americans to hear from an international group of presenters.

The presenters for the 2025 IGGP conference and the presentations they will be giving are:

• Edie Adam, Everything Old is New Again
• Dr. Sabine Akabayov, Citizenship and Nationality Laws in German Lands, and It’s All Hebrew to Me: Reading Jewish Gravemarkers
• James M. Beidler, The Peculiarity of Pennsylvania Germans and Matching Villages with Church Records: A Methodical Approach
• Andrea Bentschneider, From Citizenship to Serfdom: Understanding German Social Classes Before 1871 and Tying the Knot and Cutting the Cord: Weddings, Marriage Contracts & Divorces in 19th Century Germany
• Warren Bittner, Was ist Das? Little-used German Resources of the FamilySearch Library and Village Family Books (Ortsfamilienbücher): What They Are, How to Use Them, and How to Find Them
• Gail S. Blankenau, MA, Artficial Intelligence in Action: Unveiling the Potential and Pitfalls for German Genealogy and Find Family in Numbers: How to Find and Navigate German Census Records
• Ute Brandenburg, Finding Volker’s Father
• Charlotte Noelle Champenois AG®, AGL™, Locating and Decoding Swiss Censuses from the 1600s-1900s and Locating German Immigrants in the United States
• Roland Geiger, A Walk in the Woods and Civil and Church Records — Their Differences & Similarities
• Dr. Wolfgang Grams, Small Emigration Museums and Sites in Germany
• Kenneth W. Heger, Ph.D., Getting Started at the National Archives at Home
• Debra A. Hoffman, PLCGS, Early U.S. German Religious History — Learn About the Methodology and Sources and Early German Settlements on the East Coast–Their Impact and Records
• Baerbel K. Johnson, AG®, Digital Libraries — A Goldmine for German Genealogists
• Daniel R. Jones, MS, AG®, Leaving Their Mark: Finding Post-Emigration Records in the Homeland and Emigration Strategies: Revealing Chain Migration
• Christina Kaul, Emigration from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire to the U.S.: An Overview in Time and Regions
• Timo A. Kracke, Hidden Gems About Your Families in German Archives and Beyond Genealogy.net — Discover the Online Records of German Genealogy Societies
• Ursula C. Krause, Family Law According to the Prussian Civil Code 1794-1899 and Ten Things to Know Before Starting Research in Germany!
• Michael D. Lacopo, DVM, Telling Their Story: Adding Character to Your Genealogical Narrative and The German-American Immigrant Experience in the 18th Century and The Early Religious Experience of Germans in Colonial America: The Theology Behind the Records
• Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, CG®, Nineteenth-century German Migration to Midwest United States and German Village History: Your Key to Researching Beyond Church Records
• Roger P. Minert, What Else Can I find in American Church Records and Making Sense of the German Empire: Properly designating & Recording Place Names
• Greg D. Nelson, Denazification Proceedings Digitization And Keying ― A Wiesbaden/FamilySearch Project
• Günter Ofner and Angelika Schmalbach, Understanding the Differences between the Habsburg and German Empires
• Barbara Schmidt, Thyssen, Daimler, Bosch & Co. — It’s in the Corporate Archives
• Katherine Schober, AI and the Old German Handwriting: Will it Work? and Cracking the Code: Fun with German Handwriting

We are pleased to announce four speakers who have agreed to present at the 2025 IGGP Conference in Columbus, OH June 13-15, 2025. These well-known speakers are:

• • Timo Kracke
  • Michael Lacopo
  • James Beidler
  • Katherine Schober

More details below in the Presenters tab.

Information for those who are interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor or both for the 2025 conference is now available. See the “Be a sponsor” and “Be a vendor” pages.

We have a large block of rooms reserved at a discounted rate. Reservations in that block are available now. The conference group rate of $145/night (plus taxes) includes a complimentary hot and cold buffet breakfast. Parking is free, and is self-parking in surface lots. Check-in starts at 3:00 pm with check-out by 11:00 am. Luggage storage will be provided, based upon availability, for guests arriving earlier than the check-in time or staying later than the check-out time.

In order to receive these group rates, reservations MUST be made directly with Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center. Discounted rates will NOT be honored for reservations made through third-party sites. Registration MUST be made either on-line (www.nwhotelandconferencecenter.com) or by phone (614-880-4300). You must use group code 363277 and specify your arrival and departure dates. Please verify that you are receiving the discounted rate. The group rate will be available for up to three days prior to, and three days following, the conference dates.

To make a reservation on-line, go to (www.nwhotelandconferencecenter.com):

• Select “BOOK TODAY.” IGNORE ANY BLACK-OUT DATES.
• Select your “Arrival Date” and the “Number of Nights.” Do NOT select an “Accommodation” yet or you will not get our group rate.
• Enter “Group ID” number 363277, and click “CHECK NOW” to open a listing of available rooms.
• Select a room type from the “ROOM AVAILABILITY” listing and “BOOK NOW” to complete your reservation.

The cutoff date for guaranteed reservations will be May 12, 2025. While guests may be able to reserve rooms after this date, the hotel cannot guarantee either room availability or the group rate after that date. If rooms are not available, the conference center will make a reservation for you in an area hotel. You may, of course, choose to book a reservation at a hotel of your choice.

What if I have special needs?

Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They have seven handicap / ADA rooms available. All handicap / ADA rooms have grab bars. Some have a roll-in shower, others have a low-step shower. If you need a handicap / ADA-compliant room, you must make that request at the time you make your reservation and should be explicit about your needs as the available rooms vary.

Are there additional charges if I bring a guest who won’t be attending the conference?

All hotel guests will receive the complimentary breakfast. Non-conference registered guests may purchase one of both buffet lunches on Friday and Saturday. Separate fees apply for the German Village tour, Friday evening PalAm anniversary German dinner, and Saturday evening IGGP anniversary celebration.

What if I need to cancel my reservation?

Cancellations must be made by 3 pm ET the day prior to arrival to avoid a charge of one night’s room and tax.

Wir haben einen großen Block von Zimmern zu einem ermäßigten Preis reserviert. Reservierungen in diesem Block sind ab sofort möglich. Der Konferenzgruppenpreis von 145 $/Nacht (zuzüglich Steuern) beinhaltet ein kostenloses warmes und kaltes Frühstücksbuffet. Der Check-in beginnt um 15:00 Uhr, der Check-out um 11:00 Uhr. Für Gäste, die früher als die Check-in-Zeit ankommen oder später als die Check-out-Zeit bleiben, wird je nach Verfügbarkeit eine Gepäckaufbewahrung angeboten.

Um diese Gruppentarife zu erhalten, MÜSSEN die Reservierungen direkt beim Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center vorgenommen werden. Die ermäßigten Preise werden NICHT für Reservierungen gewährt, die über Websites Dritter vorgenommen wurden. Die Anmeldung MUSS entweder online (www.nwhotelandconferencecenter.com) oder telefonisch (614-880-4300) erfolgen. Sie müssen den Gruppencode 363277 verwenden und Ihr An- und Abreisedatum angeben. Bitte vergewissern Sie sich, dass Sie den ermäßigten Preis erhalten. Der Gruppentarif gilt für bis zu drei Tage vor und drei Tage nach dem Konferenztermin.

Der Stichtag für garantierte Reservierungen ist der 12. Mai 2025. Auch wenn Gäste nach diesem Datum noch Zimmer reservieren können, kann das Hotel weder die Verfügbarkeit von Zimmern noch den Gruppentarif nach diesem Datum garantieren. Sollten keine Zimmer verfügbar sein, wird das Konferenzzentrum für Sie eine Reservierung in einem Hotel in der Nähe vornehmen. Sie können natürlich auch eine Reservierung in einem Hotel Ihrer Wahl vornehmen.

Was ist, wenn ich besondere Bedürfnisse habe?

Das Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center erfüllt die Anforderungen des Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Es stehen sieben behindertengerechte ADA-Zimmer zur Verfügung. Alle behindertengerechten / ADA-Zimmer sind mit Haltegriffen ausgestattet. Einige haben eine Roll-in-Dusche, andere eine Dusche mit niedriger Stufe. Wenn Sie ein behindertengerechtes bzw. ADA-konformes Zimmer benötigen, müssen Sie dies bei der Reservierung angeben, und Sie sollten Ihre Bedürfnisse genau beschreiben, da die verfügbaren Zimmer variieren.

Fallen zusätzliche Kosten an, wenn ich einen Gast mitbringe, der nicht an der Konferenz teilnimmt?

Alle Hotelgäste erhalten ein kostenloses Frühstück. Gäste, die nicht an der Konferenz teilnehmen, können eines der beiden Mittagsbuffets am Freitag und Samstag kaufen. Für die Tour durch das Deutsche Dorf, das deutsche PalAm-Jubiläumsdinner am Freitagabend und die IGGP-Jubiläumsfeier am Samstagabend fallen gesonderte Gebühren an.

Was ist, wenn ich meine Reservierung stornieren muss?

Stornierungen müssen bis 15.00 Uhr ET am Tag vor der Ankunft erfolgen, um eine Gebühr von einer Übernachtung und Steuern zu vermeiden.

Save the dates now for the 5th international German genealogy conference being hosted by IGGP partner, Palatines to America. The conference will be an in-person event held in Columbus, Ohio.

The International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) will hold its fifth biennial conference in Columbus, Ohio in June 2025. The Palatines to America German Genealogy Society (PalAm), which has its national home office in Columbus, will host the event. The conference will not only celebrate our German-speaking ancestors, but will also celebrate anniversaries for both organizations, 10 years for IGGP, and a 50-year anniversary for PalAm.

The conference runs from Friday through Sunday, June 13-15, 2025. The IGGP partner leadership day will be held Thursday, June 12, 2025.

Join us in Columbus, Ohio, for the fun and the learning.

Our normal partner leadership day will NOT be held at the conference. But we will have a gathering Thursday with the partner leaders who attend the conference. If you are a partner representative, arrange your travel to arrive Wednesday in Columbus so you can participate.

If you have questions about the venue that are not answered below, please contact info@iggp.org.

The conference will be held at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Green Meadows Drive South, Lewis Center, Ohio. Lewis Center is just minutes north of the city of Columbus and located just three miles from major freeways. Amenities include complimentary parking, Wi-Fi, HDTV, pillow-top mattresses, in-room refrigerator, microwave and Keurig coffee makers. There is a well-equipped fitness center, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

The Polaris and Lewis Center neighborhoods are locally known for outdoor activities, with nearby state and municipal parks, and a wide variety of shopping and dining options.

Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center is a smoke and tobacco-free facility. Smoking is permitted only in designated areas. All guest rooms, including balconies, are nonsmoking.

How do I get there?

The conference center does not currently offer an airport shuttle service. However, it is considering offering such a service in 2025. Please check here often for updates. We will make an announcement if a shuttle service becomes available in time for the conference.

Guests flying to Columbus arrive at John Glenn International Airport, located 16 miles from the conference center. If a shuttle service is not offered, air travelers will need to arrange for a rental car, or take Uber, Lyft, or a taxi to the hotel. There are 800 complimentary parking spaces for those who drive or rent a car.

Die Konferenz findet im Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Green Meadows Drive South, Lewis Center, Ohio, statt. Lewis Center liegt nur wenige Minuten nördlich der Stadt Columbus und ist nur drei Meilen von den wichtigsten Autobahnen entfernt. Zu den Annehmlichkeiten gehören kostenloses Parken, Wi-Fi, HDTV, gepolsterte Matratzen, Kühlschrank, Mikrowelle und Keurig-Kaffeemaschine im Zimmer. Es gibt ein gut ausgestattetes Fitnesscenter sowie Innen- und Außenpools.

Die Stadtteile Polaris und Lewis Center sind bekannt für ihre Outdoor-Aktivitäten. In der Nähe befinden sich staatliche und städtische Parks sowie eine Vielzahl von Einkaufsmöglichkeiten und Restaurants.

Das Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center ist eine rauch- und tabakfreie Einrichtung. Das Rauchen ist nur in ausgewiesenen Bereichen erlaubt. Alle Gästezimmer, einschließlich der Balkone, sind Nichtraucherzimmer.

Wie komme ich dorthin?

Das Konferenzzentrum bietet derzeit keinen Flughafen-Shuttle-Service an. Es wird jedoch erwogen, im Jahr 2025 einen solchen Service anzubieten. Bitte informieren Sie sich hier regelmäßig über Neuigkeiten. Wir werden eine Ankündigung machen, wenn ein Shuttleservice rechtzeitig zur Konferenz zur Verfügung steht.

Gäste, die nach Columbus fliegen, kommen am John Glenn International Airport an, der 16 Meilen vom Konferenzzentrum entfernt liegt. Wenn kein Shuttle-Service angeboten wird, müssen sich Flugreisende um einen Mietwagen kümmern oder mit Uber, Lyft oder einem Taxi zum Hotel fahren. Es gibt 800 kostenlose Parkplätze für diejenigen, die mit dem Auto fahren oder ein Auto mieten.

The center is a short drive from John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH). It offers more than 50 direct flights from U.S. cities as well as connections to major international gateway airports including Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Das Zentrum ist nur eine kurze Fahrt vom John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) entfernt. Er bietet mehr als 50 Direktflüge von US-Städten sowie Verbindungen zu wichtigen internationalen Flughäfen wie Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, San Francisco und Los Angeles.

Photo credit: Columbus Regional Airport Authority

Downtown Columbus with its historic German Village neighborhood and restaurants is a short distance. (Video: German Village) Stop in at The North Market, Columbus’ historic public market since 1876. And there is plenty of German history all around to enjoy before or after the conference.

Das Stadtzentrum von Columbus mit seinem historischen Viertel German Village und seinen Restaurants ist nur einen Katzensprung entfernt. (Video: German Village) Besuchen Sie den North Market, Columbus’ historischen öffentlichen Markt seit 1876. Und vor oder nach der Konferenz können Sie noch viel deutsche Geschichte erleben.

German roots in Columbus

German Village is a historic neighborhood south of downtown that was settled largely by German immigrants in the mid 1800s.

Many German immigrants served in the American Civil War, earning the respect of fellow residents. By 1865, the community was flourishing with businesses, schools and churches. The schools were so good that English-speaking residents of Columbus chose to attend. Sturdy brick homes with wrought iron fences along tree-lined streets were built. The former City Park was renamed Schiller Park in 1891.

But World War I sparked anti-German sentiment, and Prohibition in the 1930s led to the closing of local breweries. The neighborhood was declining, and people were leaving for the suburbs.

Facing the threat of neighborhood demolition, the German Village Society was created in 1960 to promote its preservation and rehabilitation. Today, German Village is a success story of urban renewal and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974. Its brick homes are desirable, and the neighborhood features shops and restaurants as well as the fountains and flower beds of Schiller Park.

Deutsche Wurzeln in Columbus

German Village ist ein historisches Viertel südlich des Stadtzentrums, das Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts hauptsächlich von deutschen Einwanderern besiedelt wurde.

Viele deutsche Einwanderer dienten im amerikanischen Bürgerkrieg und erwarben sich früh den Respekt ihrer Mitbürger. Um 1865 florierte die Gemeinde mit Geschäften, Schulen und Kirchen. Die Schulen waren so gut, dass sich auch englischsprachige Einwohner von Columbus dafür entschieden, sie zu besuchen. Es wurden robuste Backsteinhäuser mit schmiedeeisernen Zäunen entlang der von Bäumen gesäumten Straßen gebaut. Der ehemalige Stadtpark wurde 1891 in Schiller Park umbenannt.

Doch der Erste Weltkrieg löste eine antideutsche Stimmung aus, und die Prohibition in den 1930er Jahren führte zur Schließung der örtlichen Brauereien. Das Viertel verfiel, und die Menschen zogen in die Vororte.

Angesichts des drohenden Abrisses des Viertels wurde 1960 die German Village Society gegründet, um die Erhaltung und Sanierung des Viertels zu fördern. Heute ist German Village eine Erfolgsgeschichte der Stadterneuerung und steht seit 1974 auf der Liste des National Register of Historic Places. Die Backsteinhäuser sind begehrt, und das Viertel verfügt über Geschäfte und Restaurants sowie die Springbrunnen und Blumenbeete des Schillerparks.

Pre-conference activities, including a partnership representative meeting, German Village tour, and a welcome reception, will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2025.

Friday evening June 13, Palatines to America will host its 50th anniversary dinner.

Saturday evening June 14 will feature the IGGP partner gala.

The last presentations are Sunday afternoon June 15.

Conference registration will open on Dec. 1, with “early bird” pricing available until Feb. 28, 2025. Regular registration will be $349, discounted to $299 during the early bird period. In addition to 40 sessions from national and international experts, the registration fee includes the welcome reception and lunch on both Friday and Saturday. Separate fees will apply to the German Village tour, Friday evening PalAm anniversary German dinner, and Saturday evening IGGP anniversary celebration.

You can subscribe to the IGGP email list to receive an announcement. Or keep a lookout on this website for details.

Coming soon!