Marriage act

A marriage act is a document issued in Brunant by the church or municipalities which is the legal certification of marriage. Marriage acts have been used in Brunant since the mid-18th century, first for religious and later for civil marriages as well.

History
The first marriage acts were issued by the Catholic Church from the mid-18th century alongside being placed in the parish register. The actual document varied from church to church, and for marriages between persons of higher socio-political importance, they were often more elaborate and decorative.

Civil marriages were permitted from 1884, and each municipality issued its own marriage acts.

During the German occupation of Brunant, the authorities introduced uniform and national birth, death and marriage certificates, in an effort to standardize them. Marriages in churches were also required to employ the same certificate as civil marriages did