3 comments about Jewish Roots in Poland: Pages from the Past and Archival Inventories.

1. I just received the newly published book by Miriam Weiner, "Jewish Roots in Poland - Pages from the Past and Archival Inventories."

   Upfront, I must say I am an unabashed admirer of Miriam Weiner, since before she "found" four generations of my KUSHNER family going back to the mid eighteenth century in Podolia. I had look forward to the publication of this book for a long time, expecting it to be something special because I know, from experience, just how amazing Miriam's level of detail can be. But, I honestly had no idea how wonderful and valuable the book would be in actuality. It is overwhelming.

   First off, this is an incredible book for Poland researchers, wishing to retrieve archival documents for their ancestors who lived in Polish towns and cities. It lists, archive by archive, all the known archival holdings (of genealogical significance) - by type and time period, for each Polish town.

   In addition, it offers a wonderful pictorial view of Jewish Poland at both the beginning and end of the 20th century. Especially fascinating were photos of the same place taken "now" and "then."

   Even if one never visits an archive or intends to visit an archive, this book is a treasure! " After the first glance, it will probably not be relegated to the genealogy resource shelf of your library; more probably will spend time on the coffee table as well.The artistic detail and printing are exquisite




2. Jewish Roots In Poland is an incredible masterpiece, full of invaluable information and experiences for both the researcher in the quest for roots and the ordinary reader who wants to visit those roots. It has the careful and elaborate detail necessary for serious research and the beautifully rich illustration necessary for serious visualization and enjoyment. A portion of the book is devoted to explaining and listing exactly what material is available for the genealogist (professional or amateur) who is looking for family. Ms Weiner not only tells what is available and where it is located, but also details exactly how to access it. She has the help of those very experts who are in charge of the archives for these explanations. There are, in addition, illustrations of every kind of record that is available. This in itself - the consideration of the kinds of records that were kept and the various ways of keeping them - is a fascinating dimension. Another substantial segmented is devoted to the uniquest of travel literature. There are a number of pages devoted to each of the 28 cities now within the Polish border that had a pre-Holocaust population of 10,000 or more. For each city there is a remarkable collection of photographs: the city before the Holocaust and now, its synagogue(s), its cemeterie(s), its holocaust memorial. For each there is also a bibliography. The archival holdings in Poland are indexed by town and by repository. The contribution of a number of experts in the field enriches the text, and from beginning to end Ms Weiner's collection of photographs enriches the page. Marching up and down the outer edge of the appendix pages are more towns, cemeteries, archives and synagogues. This is a gift to the Jewish community - worth many times its price.



3. This is a unique book that must be read by anyone interested in Jewish life in Poland before the Holocaust.

4 comments about Polish First Names.

1. I bought several baby's names book at tha same time, and to tell the truth I was expecting much more of this book, I know that the author try her best, but there is very few names on each letter that I think it is not going to help much to find the perfect name I was looking for...Although there is lack of variety on names, the ones that they appear come in a very organized manner, by gender and alphabetical order, and sometimes include a pronunciation description... Since this is not really what I was expecting I'll try to return it.



2. Polish First Names begins with a brief history of Polish names. The first period is from ancient times to the acceptance of Christianity in 966; the second is from 966 to the present. The importance of the baptismal saint is explained, that is, the feast day for the saint which falls on the date of the child's birth (or the feast day of the saint the parents have chosen). The child would fall under the protection of that saint. There are about 200 main entries for girls' names and about 250 for boys. The entries list the name in Polish, the English equivalent if there is one, the language of origin, the meaning, and some background information. If there are diminutives, they are listed. Finally, the feast days for the name are given (some names have more than one feast day). For example,

   "Klementyna. Clementine. Latin. Feminine form of Klemens (Clement). "Merciful." The name became popular in Poland during the 18th century. Maria Klementyna was the granddaughter of King Jan Sobieski (1674-1696). Klementyna nee Tanska Hoffmanowa (1798-1845) was a well-known Polish author who wrote for women and children. DIMINUTIVE: None FEAST DAYS: September 9, November 23"

   Language sources of the names include: Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Latin, Old German, Slavic, and Swedish. While there are many books on first names and many that include at least some Polish names, this is the most complete book on Polish names, at least in English, that I have seen. This publication will be welcomed by genealogists, onomasts, and those interested in Polish culture. It is a fine contribution and should be welcomed by libraries with onomastic and genealogical collections. The author, heritage editor for the Polish-American Journal is to be commended.




3. Polish First Names by S. Hodorowicz Knab is a real must for everyone interested in the correct spelling of the Polish first names. You'll find not only 400 Polish girls' and boys' names, but also their English equivalents (if they exist), and diminutives, and other interesting facts (like frequency and feast days).

   These 400 names are not all of the Polish first names, of course. I miss some at least historically important first names like Ambrozy (i.e. Ambrose), and some diminutives like Dawidek (for Dawid).

   However, this book is a great value for its cost!




4. "Polish First Names" by Sophie Hodorowicz Knab is a collection of about 400 Polish girls' and boys' first names. For each name, the English spelling is given as well as various spellings the name has had over the centuries. Additionally, the meaning, history, diminutives, and feast days of each name is given.

   I read this book cover to cover and found it very interesting. Unfortunately, some Polish names were excluded from the book. Nonetheless, this book is a great reference on Polish names and their meaning.

No comments about The Naturalized Jews of the Grand Duchy of Posen in 1834 and 1835.

No comments about Jewels and Ashes.

No comments about A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Kingdom of Poland.

1 comments about One Family: Before and During the Holocaust.

1. Now in its second edition, One Family Before And During The Holocaust is an account of the personal lives of members of a Jewish family. Written by the son of a Holocaust survivor, One Family Before And During The Holocaust draws upon personal testimony, archival sources, photographs, and official documents to draw a vivid picture of how encroaching restrictions curtailed the family further and further until they were forced to attempt to run or hide, in effort to forstall deportation and execution. A profound and moving testimony, and a welcome contribution to Holocaust literature, the message of One Family Before And During The Holocaust is superbly summarized in its final words: "At least for those who survived, it can be said, their lives were not cut short by murderous hate. For those relatives whose lives were cut short I can only wonder what they could have accomplished if they had lived a full life."

1 comments about Jews in Poland-Lithuania in the Eighteenth Century: A Genealogy of Modernity.

1. It is well worth reading but I wish it was longer and more detailed. And, would it be so terrible if it were discovered that changes to Jewish religious practice in 18th Century Poland were borrowed or influenced from sources outside the Jewish religion? Maybe one day we will know more.

1 comments about Rifke: An Improbable Life.

1. While there is no gainsaying Rifke's material--rags to riches never gets old--her self-deprecating insistence that she might not be up to the task proves all too pointed. Her flat prose never rises to the many occasions, and her bland narrative never seems to get to the heart of the matter--or her heart for that matter. Perhaps a talented biographer will someday use this as source material--until then, gauge your inherent interest in the author and her milieu. Otherwise, there are hundreds of other immigrant narratives that will better reward your time.

No comments about The Galitzianers: The Jews of Galicia, 1772-1918.

5 comments about Polish Roots.

1. I found this book to be highly informative and loaded with how to's and where to go's. This author's recommendation lead me to purchase a book that was used as a reference for her work. I would not be without this book as an aid for searching your Polish "roots".



2. This is an excellent book for anyone who is attempting to find their Polish ancestors here in the USA or abroad. Rosemary gives you all the resources you need, and then some,to begin tracing down those elusive Polish immigrant relatives. She even has sample letters in Polish to use in writing for family record; such as baptismal, marriage, and death records using both religious and civilan sources. She even provides the addresses.
   Rosemary gives lists of Polish names and what they may translate to in English. A list of the months in Polish also is a great help in determining which month a date means. Another wonderful asesst is a guide to translating church records, as all of the Catholic parish registers were written in Latin. Rosemary also makes mention of Jewish and Protestant records. Get this book and refer to it often, it is a treasure !



3. you'd never be able to find out anything about your Polish (in my case, Russian Polish) roots, Rosemary Chorzempa gives us a little hope that all is not lost for Polish genealogy.
   
   I soaked up the information about Poland's history (although I beg to differ on the part about Poland being "mother" to Russia, Lithuania, the Ukraine, etc. I'm sure those countries don't feel that way) and was always curious to know why the country suffered through so many partitions and wars. My curiosity was satisfied history-wise.
   
   Genealogy-wise, I'm a tad more hopeful than before that I'll be able to locate something, anything, on my great-grandparents (who were the immigrants). As it stands now, I only have their names but I'd like to put plenty of personality to those names.
   
   Great read and practical advice for the beginning and experienced genealogist alike.
   
   Unfortunately, this is yet another genealogy book that could use some serious updating.



4. Mrs. Chorzempa explains step by step how to do the research through the archives available in America and in Poland, giving any necessary and useful addresses including the information where one can find the passengers lists. She uses the example of her own search - showing the photocopies from the archives.
   
   This book contains a brief course in Polish history, geography, class hierarchy, ethnic minorites as well as a short course in Polish (and Latin) languages, Polish surnames, Polish, Ukrainian, German and Jewish first names. This all is done for one reason - to help a person learn something about Poland before starting its roots search. The sources are often given in other than Polish languages since Poland did not exist as a country for almost 150 years. This knowledge is necessary for anybody who wants to understand his/her Polish roots! Interesting to read and quite concise! I recommend it to all who want to start to do their genealogy search in Poland!



5. Gave me some excellent sources of information to futher pursue family tree. Sources were many and the book gave me an idea of the times and circumstances of Polish migration.