HELP PARISH REGISTERS TO A NEW LIFE! In the parishes of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC) there are thousands of archival documents dating from the first half of the 17th century to the present day. Family history data going back to the beginning of the 19th century, particularly the parish registers of births, marriages and deaths as well as parish member lists, are of inestimable value. Chronicles and visitation and church convent protocols, which contain information about the local history, can also be found in parish archives. All these documents are sources of utmost importance for genealogists and historians as well as for those who are interested in regional studies or in the history of their family. The two World Wars and the Soviet occupation were hard times for the church archives. Despite of all hardships, parishes have managed to protect and preserve the documents, but they have not been easily accessible because of their poor physical condition. Today, all the existing material has been mapped and there is a complete list of church history and family history documents that need to be conserved. If you would like to contribute to the preservation of the family history sources in the parishes of the EELC and help to make them available in „Saaga”, the digital database of family history sources, please remit your donation to the account of the Consistory of the EELC in Swedbank, Liivalaia 8, 10118 Tallinn, ESTONIA: BIC: HABA EE2X IBAN-EE932200221002160604 Information: Consistory of the EELC Mr Janis Tobreluts E-mail: janis.tobreluts@eelk.ee Tel +372 627 7371 Estonian Historical Archives Ms Ave Märjama E-mail: ave.marjama@ra.ee Tel +372 740 0494 Donators » Thank you! 01.09.2009