Historic address books are valuable sources, but they are more than just an important tool for locating individuals within a certain period of time. Address directories often give us clues about the social status of people, for example in the professional register and the details given about their profession or the information on the properties and land they own. They contain entries relating to the authorities, trade, educational institutions and associations, and complement this with excerpts from public statements, calendar overviews, genealogical tables and information about landmarks, etc.
Freiburg’s address books were first published in 1798 under the name of Bürgerlicher Schematismus der Hauptstadt Freyburg im Breisgau, then as Adreß-Kalender, Adreßbuch and Amtliches Einwohnerbuch. We have digitised the data from this important historical source up to 1970.
