Podcast Summary: Family Tree Magazine Podcast

Episode: Finding Church Registers with Matricula – An Interview with Katherine Schober
Host: Lisa Louise Cook
Guest: Katherine Schober (Genealogist, Translator, CEO of Germanology Unlocked)
Date: November 15, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine "Best Websites" podcast, host Lisa Louise Cook interviews genealogy expert Katherine Schober about Matricula Online—a free, specialized digital archive of European church registers. Together, they explore how to access, search, and interpret millions of church records across Central and Eastern Europe, providing listeners with practical tips, search strategies, and language guidance. The conversation is rich with hands-on advice, personal anecdotes, and motivational encouragement for genealogy enthusiasts.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. What is Matricula Online?

[02:18]–[03:14]

• Matricula started as an Austrian-based website focusing on Austrian church records but has since grown to include Germany (now with more church books than Austria), Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Italy.
• The main focus is on church records (especially Catholic), making it a prime resource for genealogists researching in Central and Eastern Europe.

2. Scope and Denominations Covered

[03:18]–[04:02]

• Matricula primarily features Catholic church records: baptismal, marriage, and death registers.
• Some records include extras like pew assignments, confirmation, and communion records, depending on the parish.
• "Matricula is known for being Catholic, and if you have Protestant ancestors, then you would go to a different website, which is Archaeon." – Katherine Schober [03:49]
• Occasionally, Protestant or Greek Orthodox books are included.

3. Timeframes and Record Availability

[04:08]–[04:57]

• Parish records typically start from the 1500s, post-Protestant Reformation.
• The Thirty Years War (1600s) destroyed many early registers, but records often span up to 400 years.
• Accessibility depends on privacy laws and varies by country (generally up to 120 years ago).

4. How Matricula Works: Coverage and Gaps

[05:07]–[06:07]

• Matricula is hosted in partnership with the Icarus archive system:
  • Individual churches and dioceses upload their own records.
  • Coverage is not exhaustive; there can be gaps depending on what each parish makes available.
• “He works together with the Icarus archive system [...] and then the churches choose what to upload.” —Katherine Schober [05:46]

5. Searching Methods and Navigation

[06:07]–[09:03]

• You must know the exact town or parish of your ancestor, as records are organized geographically.
• Search options:
  • By town/place
  • By "Fons" tab (books), filtered by country, then state, then parish.
  • Map tool (helpful for variant spellings or historical name changes)
• Search tip: Sometimes, using the place name search fails. If that happens, use the directory approach for better results.

Notable Quote:
"My advice would be try that easy search for places first. But if no town pops up, don't give up. You can look for it the other way as well." —Katherine Schober [08:25]

Icons and Access

• Blue camera: Digitized and available online
• Black or gray camera: Exists but not digitized. You can contact the parish to request info.

6. Language and Indexing Challenges

[11:15]–[13:01]

• Records are in local languages (often German)—in old scripts even modern Germans struggle to read.
• No name-based searching: must browse books page-by-page, typically organized chronologically.
• Tips:
  • Check the front or back of books for an alphabetical index (where available) to save time.
  • With practice, parsing these old records becomes less daunting.

Memorable Quote:
"The more you expose yourself to it, the easier it gets. Your brain does get used to it." —Katherine Schober [12:11]

7. Free Access and Downloading

[13:01]–[13:53]

• Matricula is completely free and doesn't require registration.
• Drawback: Records cannot be downloaded; must be viewed in-browser.
• Maintained largely by passionate volunteers and archivists.

Notable Quote:
"Matricula is free, so it's wonderful, anybody can use it. [...] You don't even need an account." —Katherine Schober [13:26]

Additional Tips and Advice

Researching Protestant Ancestors

[10:08]–[11:15]

• Occasionally, Protestant or Greek Orthodox records appear on Matricula.
• Useful to check Catholic records in the same town for context, neighbors, or cross-references, even if ancestors were Protestant.

Dealing with Language Barriers

[11:15]–[13:01]

• Translation resources and guides are essential for deciphering old scripts.
• Katherine recommends checking for indexes in the church books and using context and repetition to get familiar.

Support and Further Learning

Germanology Unlocked Services

[14:18]–[15:48]

• Custom translations of church records, vital documents, letters, and diaries (German → English).
• Online courses:
  • Reading old German handwriting (signature course)
  • Complete Guide to German Genealogy (research-focused)
• Flexible for DIY learners and those needing expert support.

Praise:
"I just felt so much more comfortable knowing that somebody who really knew that language had taken a look at it." —Lisa Louise Cook [15:45]

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Katherine fangirling upon meeting the Matricula founder:
  "I lost my ability to talk. I was fangirling like, I just met the biggest celebrity in the world because I use matricula all the time, and he was the nicest man." —Katherine Schober [05:22]

• Why digitized access matters:
  "When I met the founder of the site, he said that was one of the things that was the most important to him was keeping it free and accessible for genealogists around the world." —Katherine Schober [13:30]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 02:18 – Introduction to Matricula and its origins/expansion
• 03:18 – Types and denominations of records
• 04:08 – Timeframes and archival challenges
• 05:07 – How Matricula is maintained and run
• 06:07 – Navigating the website and search strategies
• 08:10 – Troubleshooting search and interpreting icons
• 10:08 – Protestant records and contextual research
• 11:15 – Language barriers and translation strategies
• 13:25 – Free access and limitations
• 14:18 – Germanology Unlocked translation help and courses

Tone and Style

• The episode is friendly, approachable, and packed with practical wisdom. Lisa’s curiosity and warmth put listeners at ease, while Katherine’s expertise shines in her generous, encouraging explanations.
• The messaging is clear: With the right tools and perseverance, anyone can unlock the stories hidden in European church records.

For More Information:

• Matricula Online: https://www.matricula-online.eu
• Germanology Unlocked: https://germanologyunlocked.com