The ETB (elektronisches Telefonbuch) is Austria's official phone directory.
The OTB (online Telefonbuch) is the equivalent commercial version (white pages and yellow pages).

Both systems offer some facilities that are useful for genealogical research. The following describes some of the features of the ETB:

• Validation of surnames (i.e. might the surname still exists in today's Austria ?)
• Lookup of locations (i.e. does this town/village exist; are there several villages with this name; in which province ?)

• The input masks
• Interpreting the result listings
• A few tips and hints

The Input Masks

Most input fields may be abbreviated.
When you got to http://www.etb.at you get the following mask:

The Standard Search Mask

Input Fields	Functions
Name: Surname (mandatory but may be abbreviated) Vorname: First name (optional) Ort: Town (optional)	ERWEITERTE SUCHE Advanced search HILFE Help BENUTZUNGS- BEDINGUNGEN Conditions of use EINGABE LÖSCHEN Clear input IHRE MEINUNG Feedback IHRE TELEFONBUCH- EINTRAGUNG Your entry in the phone directory Suchen Search

There is also an advanced search mask that gives you greater control over the selection criteria and allows the listing of place names:

The Advanced Search Mask

Input Fields

Functions

Name: Surname (mandatory unless you are doing a Location List. It may be abbreviated) Vorname, Titel, etc.: First name, title (optional) Straße: Street (optional) Hausnr.: Number of house (optional) Bezirk in Wien: District, if Vienna (optional) Ort: Town (optional) Bundesland: Province (optional) Vorwahl: Area code (optional) Suchtyp Alle Einträge Privat Firma/Behöde Ortsliste Type of search All entries (default) Private Business/Institution Location list Ortsauwahl gleichnamige Orte exakter Ort Ort und Umgebung Town selection All towns with that name Just that town That town and vicinity

EINFACHE SUCHE Standard search HILFE Help EINGABE LÖSCHEN Clear input IHRE MEINUNG Feedback Suchen Search

The Result Listings

The following is an example of the type of list you would get for a directory enquiry for a surname:

Example of search result listing

    
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The format is generally:

Surname -- First name -- (optionally: spouse, title, profession, etc.) -- Street and/or house no. (small villages might have a house no. only) -- ZIP code (4 digits) -- Town (optionally province code if ambiguous) -- Area code and phone number

The following is an example for how you would address letters to a few of the above:

Hans Maier Nr. 62 A-2084 Weitersfeld Austria / Europe Hans Maier Radegunder Str. 10 A-8045 Graz Austria /Europe Hans Maier Rosseggerg. 3 A-8401 Kalsdorf bei Graz Austria /Europe etc.

If in doubt, send a note to the Austria-L with a PASTE of the subject address -- and someone will help you interpret it.

The first digit of the ZIP code usually indicates the province.
You can look up ZIP codes interactively (enter town name or ZIP code)

The area code usually indicates the province.
You can look up area codes interactively.
When dialing from abroad you dial the international access code, the country code for Austria (43) but drop the leading zero of the area code. E.g. from USA:
02946 8325 would be dialed: 011 - 43 - 2946 - 8325

Some of the frequently use abbreviations for provinces and regions:

B = Burgenland G = Graz and Graz-area I = Innsbruck City und Area K = Kärnten L = Linz City und Area NÖ/NO = Niederösterreich/Nord-Ost NÖ/NW = Niederösterreich/Nord-West NÖ/SO = Niederösterreich/Süd-Ost NÖ/SW = Niederösterreich/Süd-West O/N = Oberösterreich/Nord O/S = Oberösterreich/Süd OT = Osttirol O/W = Oberösterreich/West S = SalzburgStadt ST/N = Steiermark/Nord ST/S = Steiermark/Süd T = Tirol (without Innsbruck) T/OL = Tirol/Oberland T/UL = Tirol/Unterland V = Vorarlberg W = Wien

If you selected a search type Location List (whereby the town name may be abbreviated) then the listing might look as follows:

Example of location listing

• Abbreviated input using a " * "
  You can use e.g. HAUS* to pick up all surnames that start with "HAUS" -- e.g. HAUSER, HAUSMAIER, HAUSEGGER, etc. Minimum first 3 charcters required.
  You can abbreviate first names, towns, street names too (depending on the type of search you are performing).

• List place names
  Use the advanced search and select the Suchtyp: Ortsliste radio button. The Ort (Town) may be abbreviated, e.g. SALZ*

• Availability
  The service is not guaranteed and is overloaded at times. If you get poor response times, error messages (or no messages) just try again next day.

• Not found
  If you get a message . . . . nicht gefunden . . . or Kein Teilnehmer mit der angegebenen Kombination Name/Ort gefunden. it means that your search was unsuccessful. Try a different combination of search criteria. Keep in mind that some phone numbers are unlisted.

• German characters
  If you cannot enter German characters, substitute as follows:
  

  ä	ae
  ö	oe
  ü	ue
  ß	ss

• Useful search examples
  • Find a parish
    Use advanced search enter town, select Firma/Behörde and enter PFARR* as name (This will pick up Pfarre, Pfarrämter, etc. - but maybe some other unwanted items too)

  • Find a town hall
    Use advanced search enter town, select Firma/Behörde and as name try either RATHAUS or GEMEINDE* as name (This will pick up Gemeindeamt, Gemeindeämter, etc. - but maybe some other unwanted items too)