Speaker: Andrea Bentschneider

Areas of focus or expertise:

  • Any aspect of German genealogy
  • German emigration abroad 19th & 20th century
  • German immigrants to the U.S.
  • German History
  • Research in German Archives
  • German Handwriting

Email contact: andrea.bentschneider@beyond-history.com

Web/social media: x

Home: Hamburg, Germany

Native language: German

Presentation language(s): German, English

Preferred presentation type: virtual and in-person

Travel preferences: nationally and Internationally

Biography

Andrea Bentschneider is a leading expert in German genealogy with over two decades of experience helping families connect with their German roots. She is the founder of the German Genealogy Collective (GGC), an educational membership community that provides expert guidance, Q&A sessions, and training for those navigating German ancestry research. Through live masterclasses, co-researching sessions, and a supportive network, the GGC empowers individuals to uncover their German heritage with confidence.

Andrea is also the founder of Beyond History, a premier genealogy research firm based in Hamburg/Germany, and has been featured on Who Do You Think You Are?, Finding Your Roots, and numerous German media outlets. Her expertise spans German ancestral research, WWII documentation, Jewish family history, and citizenship applications.

As president of the Association of German-Speaking Professional Genealogists since 2013 and a Director at Large for IGGP, Andrea is actively involved in shaping the field of genealogy. A passionate educator, she regularly presents at international conferences, sharing her extensive knowledge with researchers worldwide.

For more information on Andrea’s work:

In which societies are you a member? Board of IGGP; President of Verband deutschsprachiger Berufsgenealogen; member in several German genealogy societies

Speaking experience/references
  • IGGP conferences 2019, 2023, 2025
  • RootsTech virtually and live since 2022
  • Legacy Family Tree Webinars since 2021
    Genealogica Conference every year since 2021
  • IAJGS Conference London 2023
  • FEEFHS conference 2024
  • various talks for IGGP member societies both in North America and Germany

Recording of previous presentation OR an IGGP partner you have presented for: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6qLMOnHlKH89482ecM-ag

Payment/expense arrangements

How do you approach payment for making a presentation? I am willing to negotiate a speaking fee with clients.

Other expenses you would like to have reimbursed if you travel? travel (airfare, gas mileage) and accommodation if necessary, amounts are negotiable

Recordings/additional materials

Are you willing to prepare a handout? Yes

Would you be willing to develop a presentation on another topic? Yes

Do you have any restrictions on recording, re-use of recordings, handouts, etc? My lectures can be recorded but I prefer they only be available online for a limited period of time (usually 30-60 days ). Recordings and hand-out for a members-only access / or only available to registered attendees. Copyright restrictions apply.

Are you willing to have the presentation translated or translate it yourself? I translate it myself.

Presentation topics

All presentations are available in English and German

  • Different Calendars in German Genealogy
  • Research at a German Archive
  • Live on a Mecklenburg Manor estate in 1896
  • Live Q & A Sessions
  • Voyages of Hope: Emigration from German ports in the 19th and 20th centuries
  • Jewish Genealogy in Northern Germany
  • Live on a Mecklenburg Manor estate
  • Tear down that (German genealogy brick) wall!
  • Genealogical sources in the cosmopolitan city of Hamburg
  • Between Sails and Steam: Jewish Emigration from German Ports
  • Unlocking Your German Roots: How a Professional Genealogist in Germany Can Help
  • The secret world of genealogy for TV: Behind the scenes of “Who Do You Think You Are?”
  • Connecting Generations: Finding Living Relatives of Your German Emigrant Ancestors in Germany Today
  • Panel discussion: Unlocking German Ancestry: Expert Strategies for Finding and Interpreting German Records
  • Subjects, Citizens, and Serfs: Unpacking Germany’s Historical Social Order
  • Tying the Knot and Cutting the Cord: Weddings, Marriage Contracts & Divorces in 19th Century Germany
  • Exploring Mecklenburg’s Rich History and Genealogical Treasures
  • Uncover the secrets of your German surname