[APG Public List] Research into Illegitimate Births in Europe

[Melanie Holtz]

Christy said:
 
"I attended a lecture last night at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. It was given by Warren Bittner and was a fantastic discussion of researching illegitimacy in Europe. I would highly recommend Warren's presentation to anyone with illegitimate ancestors. The presentation is based on a decade (I believe he said) of research for his Master's thesis. Some of the findings were very surprising. Anyway, it was eye opening for me and I wanted to share my impressions in case anyone else gets the opportunity to attend this presentation in the future."

 
I've done some research on this subject myself although, I'm sure, not to the extent of Mr. Bittner.  My research has also focused on Italy.  For those interested, I can suggest two books, one on infant abandonment and one on midwifery.  These subjects are intertwined.
 
"Sacrified for Honor: Italian infant abandonment and the Politics of Reproductive Control" by David I. Kertzer [He's also written several articles on this subject]
 
"The Art of Midwivery: Early Modern Midwives in Europe" by Nadia Maria Filippini

Sincerely,

Melanie D. Holtz, CG
Holtz Research Services
http://holtzresearch.com


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