The Jews, after few centuries of presence on the Polish territories, left here many traces of their existence. Even nowadays we can admire the architecture of synagogues and praying houses, listen to the Hassidic melodies and read Jewish literature by Julian Tuwim or Isaac Beshevis Singer. Towns and rural archives, register offices, cemetery books include whole abundance of information about that world, which almost entirely perished in the flames of the Holocaust. Discovering complicated lots of our past generations is crucial in building our personal identity. The history teaches us how to avoid the previously made mistakes, helps us predict future and understand ourselves. Finding the roots of our own families enables us to make use of the life wisdom, accumulated by our ancestors in order to pass it on for the next generations. Results of such search and visits to particular towns or villages often help you to re-establish the connection with life and territory of your fathers.
We always start our genealogical researches with an intense search through the internet available archives, its results very often facilitate the field work later on. If you decide for our services, we will ask you to send us all detailed information, concerning members of your family and places in Poland they might have been related to. Every bit of information is crucial and may help to discover and identify the requested records. There is not a required minimum of information you should provide because we have already accomplished some successful searches having one surname or name of a village only. Generally the more information you provide, the more complete the final result will be.
The process of discovering ones roots is a unique experience therefore we usually try to convince the interested family members to come to Poland personally and participate in the field search with our researcher/guide. This helps you understand the whole complexity of Central European history on the basis of your own family life experiences. Such way of research provides a chance to challenge stereotypes and facilitate reconciliation with the country of your ancestors. During field research travels you have an opportunity to see and explore exceptional towns and villages, their ambience and people. In many places not too many things were changed in the course of XX century. We always plan our itineraries in advance so during such filed research our guide shows you the most interesting historical or natural sites in the researched region.
HOW DO WE DO IT?
I STEP
Internet and Private Archive Pre-search
- searching through all available data on Jewish Genealogy, already transcribed on the Internet,
- Birth, Marriage and Death Records, City Censuses, Emigration Data, Cemetery books, Yellow Pages from different time periods etc.
II STEP
Obtaining records about your ancestors in written
In cases where data from particular archives is not available, there is a need to contact the archives and apply for certain records in written. This applies often to records no older than 100 years as they are stored in local archival units all over the country.
III STEP
Field genealogical research
The most complete and efficient version is the field work. We always encourage you take part in it personally. Researcher with all previously collected data and research plan visits particular region. He personally searches local archives available, including valuable church archives. Additionally, if needed, he interviews local people who might have been witnesses of particular family history.
In case you are unable to take part in the field research process, all materials obtained during such trip, including rich photo documentation, are processed, translated and presented to you in a clear final report .
