German residential records are found in archives all over Germany, and yes - many have been microfilmed and are available through the Family History Library. This book, German state by German state, details the history of these records. Tremendous numbers of these records were made, in that residential registration is a fact of life in Germany, an idea that's foreign to American researchers. The volume not only details the laws for each historic area...

"Researchers can now learn where and when German census records were compiled, as well as why and how. The author also describes state by state the content of census records and explains how surviving census documents can be located. This is groundbreaking information, of enormous value to anyone researching their German roots. Would you like additional information about your family in old country? The information found in the parish registers is...