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| .GENEALOGY SERVICES |
| In the recent years we can observe growing interest to know more about our roots. It is a trend throughout the world but of course the focus is on countries very rich in information which for many years were not in circulation. Poland is one of major such sites being home to many immigrants for centuries. Jews, Dutch Mennonites, German Lutherans but also Armenians, Muslim Tartars, Greeks, Ruthenians and also many dissident religious groups at a time found home in Poland and stayed there even after the dissolution of the country but eventually for one reason or another their descendants don't live on the territory of Poland any more. History of Poland was very complicated and with the time it became one of the biggest providers of immigrants many times in history. In the 19th century when the state of Poland disappeared from the map and the territory was divided between the three neighbours the fate of the citizens in these 3 parts was very different and for a number of reasons like escaping from serving in armies of the partitioning powers, improving economic situation of families, religious intollerance (the Mennonite religion was banned in Prussia and the only option was to convert or leave the country) or simply determination to try something different in life estimated 3 000 000 million people decided to immigrate mainly to the New World (USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina) but also to some European countries like Germany, Holland, France. Some people who decided to benefit from new opportunities offered by the new emperors started serving in new administrations and settled in the heart of Russia, Prussia and Habsburg Empire. Assassination of tzar Alexander II in 1881 triggered off persecutions of the Jewish community in Russia by his son Alexander III and hence was one of the big driving forces of huge immigration of the Jewish community to the USA and Palestine. Immigration from the territory of Poland continued after 1918 when Poland regained its independence. Times of the WWII rid Poland of 6 million (over 20%) of the total population of the country including the decimation of the Jewish community. But it was not the end of troubles. The new political system came to power which kept many of the Polish soldiers who fought in the Allied Forces from returning to the uncertain future at home. They often did not know whether it was safer to stay away from contacting the family in the country - sometimes they were unaware whose safety was more in danger. This new political and social situation caused that in Poland alone it was not safe or proper to dig up one's roots especially if they had something to do with land ownership, any capitalist past, or being Jewish (after 1968). So we coined a phrase 'internal immigration' - which meant that without leving the country you had to make a mental immigration if you wanted to even think about these things. After 1989 the situation changed radically and explaining some of these things to younger generations (even people at 30 today) is like talking about holidays on the Moon. However, these new times brought back old sentiments and sometimes simple desire to know the truth - what things really were like, where we are from, why this or that did happen or did not happen, why my father stayed in the country and my uncle left, what were family businesses, riches, problems etc. Here comes in modern genealogy which not only is able to trace our ancestry - even peasant ancestry - back 200-300 years or more but also offers to connect with the old country, meet the long lost relatives, see old farms from which ancestors immigrated to the new world etc. etc. If you are in one of such situations or have a complicated family history you can turn to ancestral research for help. In the next chapter I list genealogy services on offer. However, if your particular ancestral situation is not listed, you can always check whether I can help. |
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