Zur Vermeidung der Illegitimität: Taufmatrikelberichtigung – eine ungewöhnliche Annäherung an ein altes Thema

In the first half of the 19th century, children born out of wedlock were subjected to comprehensive system of legal and social discriminations. The basis of this system in Austria was the distinction between children born in and out of wedlock in baptismal registers. However, if unmarried parents succeeded in having their sons and daughters falsely registered as legitimate offspring, by law the children had to be considered legitimate until formal correction procedure of the registers took place. This article uses two such correction procedures carried out by the Lower Austrian provincial government in the first half of the 19th century as starting point to analyse the fascinating histories of the families involved. What were the backgrounds and motives of the mothers and fathers? What became of the parents and children? Finally, can new perspectives on the meaning of illegitimacy in the 19th century be gained from such case studies?