Tolksdorf Genealogical Research

Alexander Tolksdorf is a genealogist and speaker specializing in German, Dutch, and Eastern European research. His personal journey began in high school, inspired by a trip to Ellis Island and correspondence with his great uncle in Germany. All four of his grandparents immigrated to the United States in the 1950s following World War II. His family is German (from Prussian provinces of Westphalia, Posen, and East Prussia) and Eastern European (Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Lithuanian roots). He has uncovered and actively researches family lines in Ukraine, Germany, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, and Russia. Alex specializes in navigating civil and church archives, overcoming language barriers, and utilizing various forms of historical documentation to break down brick walls. He is comfortable with research across these countries and proficient in handling complex record access challenges. By day, he works as a financial analyst at Ford Motor Company and is a former President of the Ford Genealogy Club. He is active in the Ukrainian-American community of Metro Detroit, serving as treasurer of Detroitski Novyny and chairperson of the Supervisory Committee of the Ukrainian Selfreliance Michigan Federal Credit Union.