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About FEEFHS

Organized in 1992, FEEFHS (The Foundation for East European Family History Studies) is an international organization which promotes genealogical research of Eastern and Central Europe without discrimination towards any ethnic, religious, or social affiliations. Formerly known as “The Federation for East European Family History Societies,” the organization started as an umbrella organization for like-focused societies. It reoriented its focus and name in 2014 to the present “The Foundation for East European Family History Studies” to help individual researchers learn what can be accomplished in the field of family history in a recognized difficult-to-research area of the world. FEEFHS has a rich history.

What FEEFHS Does

FEEFHS’ major activity is its annual conference with presentations by some of the US’s and the world’s foremost experts on Eastern European genealogy and history. Lasting several days, the conference takes place in Salt Lake City allowing easy access to the FamilySearch Library, which is adjacent to the conference hotel. Check for the latest information on our upcoming or latest conference.

Geographic Scope

FEEFHS defines Eastern Europe in the broadest, most inclusive manner, taking into consideration current and former political alliances as well as geographic designations. As such, included regions of study are:

  • The furthest extent of the former Russian Empire and Soviet Union, including even Asian republics.
  • All other European countries that were at one time considered to be behind the Iron Curtain.
  • Central European countries whose historical boundaries once extended into these same regions, such as Germany, Sweden, and Austria.
  • Other European countries physically located eastward.

FEEFHS' inclusive map of Eastern Europe, therefore, encompasses the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Governance

FEEFHS is governed by a Board. Additional volunteers and occasional contractors contribute to accomplishing the administrative tasks along with the hands-on work by the Board which keeps the organization running. The FEEFHS Constitution requires that at least one officer be non-U.S. citizen and at least one U.S. citizen to ensure international participation and mindset.

Those affiliated with FEEFHS include individuals and organizations of diverse Central and East European religious and ethnic groups. Incorporated as a Utah educational non-profit, FEEFHS is nonsectarian and not affiliated with any religious institution. Nonetheless, FEEFHS deeply appreciates religious institutions’ contributions to family history through collecting, preserving, microfilming, digitizing, and making available records of genealogical and historical interest. FEEFHS seeks to cooperate with all religious groups to increase knowledge of and access to genealogical records.

FEEFHS Website

FEEFHS is interested in working with anyone interested in creating online finding aids, databases, etc. for any Central or East European records. We also invite professional and amateur genealogists to contribute articles, case studies, lists, links, images, or other information for possible inclusion on this website. Potential submitters may review our Copyright Notice and Policy.