* * * * * * * * * G E N     D O B R Y ! * * * * * * * * *

Volume III, No. 10. 31 October 2002.
Copyright (c) 2002, PolishRoots(R), Inc.
Editor: William F. "Fred" Hoffman, E-mail: WFHoffman@prodigy.net

***************************************

CONTENTS

   Welcome
   Trans-Atlantic Shipping, Part Two
   Letters to the Editor
   Update on Morse's One-Step Portal to the Ellis Island Database
   New Edition of Historical Atlas of Central Europe
   Upcoming Events
   More Useful Web Addresses
   You May Reprint Articles...

***************************************

*** WELCOME! ***

to the latest issue of GEN DOBRY!, the e-zine of PolishRoots(R). If you missed previous issues, you can find them at

   http://polishroots.org/gendobry/gendobry_index.htm.

Visit PolishRoots.org, the sponsor of _Gen Dobry!_, and take advantage of the many resources offered there. Also, visit this site to see some of the projects we're working on:

   http://www.polishroots.org/projects.htm

We are particularly interested in getting help from people who can translate some interesting travelogues of about 10 pages from Polish to English. We would like to put this information on the PolishRoots web site. If you can help, please contact PolishRoots' President Don Szumowski <DSzumowski@PolishRoots.org>.

***************************************

*** TRANS-ATLANTIC SHIPPING, Part II ***

submitted by Paul S. Valasek <paval56@aol.com>

[Editor -- The following is part two of material from an 1890-91 pocket memorandum book provided as advertising for the Hamburg-American Packet Co. The first installment may be read here: http://www.polishroots.org/gendobry/GenDobry_vol3_no9.htm.]

* Hamburg American Packet Company *

With these steamers, the Hamburg American Packet Company will, during the coming season, operate an Express Service, offering the American public the convenience of reaching England and the European Continent with absolute safety, in the shortest possible time, and with a degree of comfort hitherto unattainable.

[All of this a result of Kaiser Wilhelm wishing to surpass England and his British cousins in leading the world in shipping -- Paul Valasek.]

These leviathans have a length of 460 to 520 feet, a width of 56 to 60 feet, and a depth of 38 to 40 feet; are of 10,000 tons displacement; and their engines develop the force of 12,500 to 16,000 horses.

[In comparison, the Titanic was 852.5 feet in length, had a width of 92.5 feet, 50,000 horsepower, and displacement over 52,310 tons -- Paul Valasek.]

* Safety *

These steamers are practically unsinkable, their greatest feature being a longitudinal bulkhead, running from stem to stern, which divides the ship, each side being provided with a separate set of machinery, boilers, shafts, and screws. An accident to one side of the ship, therefore, does not in any way affect the other. Each side is again subdivided by solid bulkheads into numerous compartments which do not communicate with each other, and any one passing from one compartment to another must ascend to the upper deck. They also have a double bottom, the space between being divided into chambers which can be filled with water or emptied by means of automatic pumps, thus increasing or decreasing the draught at will, and guarding against any accident from grounding.

[Unfortunately, 22 years later, none of these precautions, along with added ones, could help out the Titanic, nor the Empress of Ireland in 1914, nor the Lusitania in 1915 -- Paul Valasek.]

* Speed *

These steamers have at once stepped to the front rank among ocean greyhounds, and must be counted among the fastest ships afloat. The best time accomplished was 6 days 18 hours from Southampton to New York and from New York to Southampton, being the fastest trips ever made between these two ports. During the past year these two steamers have maintained a regular fast Express Service between New York, Southampton, and Hamburg, bringing passengers to London within 7 days, and to Hamburg within 8 days, while the actual ocean passage is reduced to 6 days. Passengers leaving London at noon on a Friday and boarding the Hamburg Steamer at Southampton, have been landed at New York on the following Friday before noon, thus bringing them from their business in London to their business in New York in less than a week -- a feat not equaled by any other line. This shows the wonderful convenience which these steamers offer to the traveling public.

The fastest runs were over 20 knots per hour, which is equal to 23 English miles, and exceeds the speed of transcontinental trains.

* Comfort *

The comfort and elegance displayed on these steamers surpasses anything yet offered on any Atlantic liner. The large and luxurious salons, the ladies' boudoirs, music, smoking, and staterooms generally, are fitted up in magnificent style, the best European artists having been retained to design, decorate and furnish them. It has been the aim of the Company to relieve passengers of all annoyances which were heretofore considered inseparable from a sea voyage, and provide for them the same accommodations that can be obtained in a first-class hotel. Among the many improvements that contribute to the passenger's comfort will be found larger and more commodious staterooms, with most luxurious toilet conveniences and large beds, thorough methods of ventilation, ample deck-room for exercise, spacious dining-saloons, ladies' salon on the promenade deck, also a large music-room, the absence of all offensive odors or noises, and a complete and first-class service throughout, with conveniences of barber shop, bath and toilet-rooms, electric light, etc.

The steamer has five decks constructed solidly of steel and teakwood, the upper decks ending on strong turtle-backs at the bow and stern.

* Second Cabin *

The conveniences in the second cabin of these steamers are excellent, everything being provided to make the passage agreeable. All accommodations for second-cabin passengers are on the same decks as those of first cabin. The whole aft-part of the promenade deck is specially appropriated for the use of second-cabin passengers, thus giving them ample opportunity for exercise on one of the finest portions of the deck. In addition, there is a tastefully fitted up ladies' salon and a comfortable smoking-room on the same deck. The main salon is on the upper deck, occupying almost the whole width of the ship, and is artistically furnished and well lighted and ventilated. Staterooms are on the upper as well as on the main deck. They are all large, commodious and well-furnished, and provision for air and light are excellent. Bath-rooms with hot and cold water are also provided, besides lavatories in sufficient numbers. All rooms are fitted with electric light, so that, in fact, nothing is omitted to secure comfort.

* Steerage *

The steerage is unusually high, well-lighted and provided with a perfect system of ventilation. Passengers are placed in separate rooms, thus securing a degree of comfort and privacy which steerage passengers could hitherto rarely attain. They also have convenient eating-rooms with tables and benches, where they can pass their time when bad weather keeps them below. The meals served are of excellent quality, the Hamburg-American Line having always enjoyed an enviable reputation for the care and consideration with  which steerage passengers are treated.

[It is noted under Regular Service:]

Neither cattle, pigs nor sheep are carried on any of the passenger steamers of the Line.

***************************************

*** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ***

Subject: International Postal Money Orders

I just went to the post office and was told they stopped sending International Money Orders to Poland because it was too difficult to cash them in Poland. I don't know if they stopped IMO's entirely or what. It really raises the cost to send money to Poland by having to send it other ways.

   Dan Muszynski <Tiger041724@aol.com>

-----

[Editor -- Two items in the last issue provoked quite a response: the story about Polish Haitians, and the question about Polish totem poles. Let me share with you some of the fascinating responses I received. First, Carol Foster <fosterc@fiu.edu> sent a brief but intriguing description of her recent visit to Haiti:]

Subject: Polish Haitians

My visit to Casale was only one day's duration in late August, but I was charmed by the children I met there who were every shade of the rainbow, with eyes the same shade of green as mine! I had boxes of Crayola crayons with me that I passed out. Who knows, I may have started a whole new tradition of Haitian-Polish folk art???

I have some great photos. I asked around, and was able to sit and visit with some elder residents of the region, who had been brought to PAP by the government to meet the Pope when he had visited.  One of the gentlemen had the photo of himself with the Pope proudly displayed on the wall in his bedroom. 

They speak Kreyol, not Polish, and the people with whom I spoke were peasant farmers just like their neighbors, and didn't retain much Polish heritage. They told me that in the surrounding hills were many other Polish-Haitian families, but they didn't come into town much.  This was confirmed by an American missionary lady I met there also, who said she has met many light-colored hill people with long straight hair. I've been told that they still dance the polka, but that afternoon it was too hot to dance! (However, if you listen to Haitian "konpa" music, there do seem to be associations with polka!!!!)

Carol Foster <fosterc@fiu.edu>

-----

In 1973 or 74. I visited a friend in Haiti.  He introduced me to Kurt Fischer, the Austrian Counsel to Puerto Rico  and Haiti.  He had an office in Port-au-Prince.  I believe that he also represented the East German Government.  In addition, he represented Polish interests in Haiti. This assignment was in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It may have encompassed a longer time frame. Kurt owned a curio/souvenir store on Calle Cristo in San Juan aptly named Fischer's.  

In his office in Port-au-Prince he had a large volume in the Polish language. He told me that he represented Polish interests in Haiti. I am  not sure what his title was in respect to this job, if he was remunerated for this representation, or what the relationship to Warsaw may have been.

After a short conversation about Poland he excused himself for an appointment. I thought that I would be able to get back to our conversation. Unfortunately this was never to happen.

One of the points that Kurt talked about was that about 5,000 Polish Hessians were hired to fight the rebels.  At that time Haiti was the biggest money-maker in the New World.  Perhaps the IBM of its time.  So it was appropriate that this Cash Cow be brought back to the fold. 

Napoleon had just received Louisiana in a war with Spain a few months before.  I believe that he had held the Louisiana Territory for only three months before he "flipped" it to the U.S. to get needed funds to hire his Polish troops.  As a side note, Jefferson, it appears, had already informed Napoleon that he was going to take Louisiana, so it was appropriate that some funds be salvaged from this "spoils of war." 

As Kurt had explained to me, the Pols saw that this appeared to be an impossible war and many of them deserted.  As a result, they could not go back to Poland, even after Napoleon was deposed. They were still deserters. So many of them brought families to Haiti. 

I had looked through the Port-au-Prince Telephone Book (an extremely thin volume in 1974, the switchboard on the Island closed down at 11 p.m.), but could find not a single Polish name.  I was interested in finding out what had happened to these Polish  people. 

Discussion web site:
  http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/misctopic/ethnic/poles.htm

  _Poland's Caribbean Tragedy_, by Jan Pachonski, Reuel K. Wilson (Photographer), 1986, Available on Amazon.Com
   
   Francis A. Przygoda
   222 Garden Street
   Hoboken, NJ 07030
   201-420-7557
   <FAPHOBOKEN@aol.com>

-----

Subject: TOTEM POLES

Found the question of Polish totem poles interesting.  Could the writer be referring to a roadside attraction I viewed during a tour of Poland in 1979? There is a site in Poland where the trees of the edge of a forest have been carved into the likenesses of a Polish king and his knights. The carvings are at least 20 feet tall and done in the style of the naive woodcarvings one can purchase in the open air market in Gdansk. These trees have had all of the limbs removed and have been carved with what I assume must have been a chainsaw. I do not remember where they are located, as I was on a tour and did not mark my whereabouts on a map at the time.  Also could the writer be referring to carvings at the restored site at Biskupin?  Just conjecture on my part. Will hope to read a follow-up in your next issue.

   J. Possley <joe@hs.edgar.k12.wi.us>

-----

I read your response to the person asking about Polish totem poles. This person may be referring to religious carvings found in the graveyards of Zakopane. They are tall and carved out of logs, with wooden roofs on top to protect them. I think they are gravestones.

There is a village in Romania called Sapanta, near Ukraine's border. The peasants here have a somewhat similar tradition, in that gravestones are carved from large pieces of wood, also with roofs, but these are in the form of a cross, obviously a Christian influence.  They are freshly painted when first created, but over time the paint fades and the wood becomes weather-beaten.

   Richard Favreau <richard_favreau@yahoo.com>

-----

Yes, there are totem poles in Poland.  I have a photo of some we saw.   Our tour guide pointed them  out.  They were located between Poznan and Torun.  I believe they may be assoiciated with early settlement of Biskupin. 

   Edwina Ward <auntissa@yahoo.com>

-----

Although I don't have an answer to Francis's question, I do have several photos of what I think would be considered a Polish "Totem" Pole. I found it at the parish of s~w. Marcina Bpa (St. Martin, Bishop) in Kaczanowo. The totem is in the churchyard. Kaczanowo is in old woj. Poznan, Gniezno archdiocese. This totem stood about twelve feet high with a carved statue at the very top. The totem has carved pictures of Mary and baby Jesus, a carving that appears to be a crest or herb, one with anchors and a vine, the Eucharist, a Polish eagle, and others.  The only name I could read was Jakub but I couldn't tell how this name related to the totem. This totem had carvings on all four sides. I couldn't find a date on the totem but it is deteriorating. There are obvious empty spots where pieces of wood have fallen out. 

Evidently this church is going to be refurbished as there were huge stacks of wood sitting alongside the church building. I plan to put pictures of the church and "totem" on my website soon: http://www.pcpages.com/p4e/.

   Debbie Greenlee <p4e@xemaps.com>

-----

Following the letter about totem poles in Poland, I did a little bit of digging on the Web. I remembered learning about them many years ago at Polish Saturday School. The totem poles are associated with the native pre-Christian pagan rites of worship in the Slavonic lands. Although not seemingly directly related to North American totems, they are nevertheless also linked with a religion whose gods represent natural forces or phenomena. A good introduction can be found at http://www.ashervah.republika.pl/religia.htm. There are several more, but they are all in Polish. If any of your readers are interested in this and cannot understand/translate for themselves, I can translate the article.

   Andy Knap <ask@blueyonder.co.uk>

[Editor: I told Andy we would all be very grateful if he could find time to translate some of this material, and here's his reply.]

I have translated (hurriedly!) the page that I thought was most relevant. Rather than attaching it (for possible onward forwarding), I have placed the translated page within my personal web space (http://www.ask.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/trans/). It may be easier for you to include this URL rather than the entire text! The translation is virtually complete - I have only a couple of paragraphs to do, which I should be able to complete by this evening.

If you have any comments about my introductory text (amendments, deletions or additions), please let me know....

   Andy Knap <ask@blueyonder.co.uk>

***************************************

*** UPDATE ON MORSE'S ONE-STEP PORTAL TO THE ELLIS ISLAND DATABASE ***

[Editor -- As we mentioned in the last issue, there's been quite a fuss recently about Steve Morse's websites that allow one to use the Ellis Island database more efficiently. For a time the Ellis Island Foundation convinced him to shut down his sites, and so Gary Mokotoff stepped in to keep them going on the Avotaynu Website. At one point Morse said he was reopening his sites, only to close them again the next day. Finally, a few days ago, Morse sent this note out to various individuals and lists:]

A few weeks ago I sent out the message below saying that I'd reopened many of my Ellis Island One-Step websites.  As you've probably discovered, the sites were closed down again a day later. Now I am able to reopen all of them plus some new ones, and can assure you that they will remain open this time. I'm sorry for all the confusion.

You can now get to all of my Ellis Island websites from:

   http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/EIDB

Alternately, all of my websites (Ellis Island plus others) can still be accessed from:

   http://home.pacbell.net/spmorse

Several new features have been added and many improvements have been made. The most exciting one is the ability to search for any passenger by town of origin and/or by similar-sounding names.

If you still get the "site is down" message, that means you are fetching a stale version of the page. If that happens, hit your refresh or reload button several times, both with and without the shift key depressed, to make sure that you are getting the latest version.

Thank you once again for all your support.

-- Steve Morse

[Shortly thereafter, JewishGen released the following statement:]

JEWISHGEN(R) AND ELLIS ISLAND FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE ENHANCED SEARCH OF ELLIS ISLAND DATABASE

Houston, TX - JewishGen(R), Inc. and The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. have announced a new working relationship to provide enhanced search capabilities for the Ellis Island Database.

These One-Step search tools developed by Dr. Stephen Morse, with assistance from Michael Tobias and Erik Steinmetz, will serve as a valuable aid to the thousands of  individuals researching their families who came through the Port of New York and Ellis Island between 1892-1924.  Over 40% of Americans have ancestral records in the Ellis Island Database located at the American Family Immigration History Center(tm) at Ellis Island and online at http://www.ellisisland.org.

JewishGen and the Foundation will work together with the developers to ensure that these useful search engines and tools will be continuously available to the public.  They are currently available at:

   http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/eidb/

JewishGenR, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) United States tax exempt, non-profit corporation founded in 1987. It has become the primary internet resource connecting the past to the present for the future for those interested in their Jewish heritage. JewishGen is provided as a public service and is based on the concept of free sharing of information. It is funded by voluntary financial and material donations.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 to raise funds for and oversee the historic restorations of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, working in partnership with the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. In addition, the Foundation has created an endowment to maintain the monuments and created the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, The American Immigrant Wall of Honor and The American Family Immigration History Center.

[If you'd like to read more about this, Gary Mokotoff discusses it in the October 20, 2002 issue of _Nu? What's New?_, which can be read here: http://www.avotaynu.com/nu8.htm#v03n21.]

  
***************************************

*** NEW EDITION OF HISTORICAL ATLAS OF CENTRAL EUROPE ***

[Editor -- Paul Valasek sent in the following information about the release of a new edition of this book, which is one of the best resources I know of for making sense of European history.]

_HISTORICAL ATLAS OF CENTRAL EUROPE_
by Paul Robert Magosci

I recently received a flyer for the release of the new edition of this great book which explains the everchanging boundaries of eastern Europe. I have found the first edition of great value in understanding the settlement of nations, the political wranglings and the locations of many races as they migrated through and throughout Europe. I strongly recommend every researcher obtain and read a copy.

   + 288 pages
   + 20 new maps, making a total of 109
   + A total of 61 chapters which trace the history of the region from the fall of the Roman Empire until the present.
   + New thematic maps on population, etholinguistic distribution, administrative structure, education, prison camps, Catholic churches, and Orthodox churches in the 20th century.

Send a US currency check or money order to:
C-RRC, Inc.
7380 SW 86 Lane
Ocala, FL 34476-7006
Clothbound = $75.00
Paperback = $40.00

It appears that shipping is included as the only additional shipping is for addresses outside the US, add $8.00.

Tell them you read about it in PolishRoots.

Paul Valasek

***************************************

*** UPCOMING EVENTS ***

[Note: It's always a good idea to check the PolishRoots Events Calendar, as it contains more info than we have room for here: <http://www.polishroots.org/coming_events.htm>]

November 12, 2002

Central Jersey Genealogical Club

Hamilton Township Library, 1 Municipal Drive, Mercerville, NJ.

Megan Smolenyak will be the speaker. Topic to be determined.  

-----

April 24-26, 2003

Ohio Genealogical Society 2003 Conference
"Ohio: 200 Years of Heritage"

Columbus, OH

On the 26th Jump-Starting Your Eastern European Research 2:30-3:30

For More Information: http://www.ogs.org/

-----

May 28-31, 2003

National Genealogical Society - 2003 Conference in the States

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

More details to follow

-----

July 20-25, 2003

IAJGS 23rd International Conference ­ DC

J.W. Marriott, Pennsylvania Ave., NW

More details to be announced later

-----

September 5-6, 2003

St. Louis Polish Festival

Behind Falcon Hall - 20th and St. Louis Avenue

St. Louis, MO

Music, crafts, games and authentic Polish food and pastries.

For more Information: 314-421-9614

-----

November 6-9, 2003

New England Regional Genealogical Conference

Sea Crest Resort, North Falmouth, MA

New England-America's Melting Pot

For more details: http://www.rootsweb.com/~manergc 

***************************************

*** MORE USEFUL WEB ADDRESSES ***

http://www.familysearch.org/
   The big news lately is that the U.S. 1880, British and Canadian 1881 Censuses are now available online at the LDS Family History Library Website. Click on the address given above, and on the left side of the page, under "Information," the second item provides a direct link to the searchable records. 

______________________________

http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?sourceid=831&targetid=587
   On LithuanianGenealogy@yahoogroups.com, Ron Gillen <gillen@nconnect.net> said you can find a list of records by state at this site. "Under 'Location Specific Resources,' just click on the location you are interested in." But he provided URLs for the individual states, and for your convenience they are repeated here:

Alabama
   http://ph.state.al.us/chs/VitalRecords/VRECORDS.HTML
Alaska
   http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dph/bvs/
Arizona
   http://www.hs.state.az.us/vitalrcd/index.htm
Arkansas
   http://www.healthyarkansas.com/certificates/certificates.html
California
   http://www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/hisp/chs/OVR/Ordercert.htm
Colorado
   http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/cshom.html
Connecticut
   http://www.dph.state.ct.us/OPPE/hpvital.htm
Delaware
   http://www.deph.org/vs.htm
District of Columbia
   http://www.dchealth.dc.gov/services/vital_records/index.shtm
Florida
   http://www.doh.state.fl.us/planning_eval/vital_statistics/index.html
Georgia
   http://www.georgia.gov/gta/cda/nav/front/0,1036,4-18,00.html
Hawaii
   http://www.state.hi.us/health/records/index.html
Idaho
   http://www2.state.id.us/dhw/vital_stats/appmenu.html
Illinois
   http://www.idph.state.il.us/vital/vitalhome.htm
Indiana
   http://www.in.gov/isdh/bdcertifs/birth_and_death_certificates.htm
Iowa
   http://idph.state.ia.us/pa/vr.htm
Kansas
   http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/vital/
Kentucky
   http://publichealth.state.ky.us/vital.htm
Louisiana
   http://oph.dhh.state.la.us/recordsstatistics/vitalrecords/
Maine
   http://www.state.me.us/dhs/welcome_to_dhs.htm
Maryland
   http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/html/vitalrec.htm
Massachusetts
   http://www.state.ma.us/dph/bhsre/rvr/rvr.htm
Michigan
   http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/PHA/OSR/vital_records/index.htm
Minnesota
   http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/data/bd_1.htm
Mississippi
   http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/phs/index.htm
Missouri
   http://www.health.state.mo.us/BirthAndDeathRecords/BirthAndDeathRecords.html
Montana
   http://vhsp.dphhs.state.mt.us/dph_l2.htm
Nebraska
   http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/ced/cedindex.htm
Nevada
   http://health2k.state.nv.us/Forms/formindex.htm
New Hampshire
   http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/BVR/default.htm
New Jersey
   http://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/vital.htm
New Mexico
   http://www.vitalrec.com/nm.html
New York
   http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/consumer/vr.htm#application
North Carolina
   http://vitalrecords.dhhs.state.nc.us/
North Dakota
   http://www.vitalnd.com/
Ohio
   http://www.odh.state.oh.us/Birth/vr_obtain.htm
Oklahoma
   http://www.health.state.ok.us/program/vital/brec.html
Oregon
   http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/chs/certif/certfaqs.htm
Pennsylvania
   http://webserver.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?a=168&Q=229939
Rhode Island
   http://www.healthri.org/management/vital/home.htm
South Carolina
   http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/vit.htm#birth
South Dakota
   http://www.state.sd.us/doh/VitalRec/Vital.htm
Tennessee
   http://www2.state.tn.us/health/vr/
Texas
   http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/bvs/registra/certcop.htm
Utah
   http://hlunix.hl.state.ut.us/bvr/html/certificates.html
Vermont
   http://www.state.vt.us/health/_hs/vitals/records/vitalrecords.htm
Virginia
   http://www.vdh.state.va.us/vitalrec/f_08.htm
Washington
   http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehsphl/chs/cert.htm
West Virginia
   http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/hsc/vr/birtcert.htm
Wisconsin
   http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/VitalRecords/index.htm
Wyoming
   http://wdh.state.wy.us/vital_records/certificate.htm

[Editor -- Usually I check all URLs in this section, just to make sure they work. Be warned, however -- I did not check all those just listed, and cannot guarantee they're all current. But then you wouldn't want me to do EVERYTHING for you, would you?]
   
______________________________

http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/Manifests/
   On PolandBorderSurnames-L@rootsweb.com, Bill Tarkulich <bill@iabsi.com> said, "Jewishgen.org has just published a terrific guide, called 'A Guide to Interpreting Passenger List Annotations', by Marian L. Smith Historian, U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. All those notes scribbled in the margins are robustly indexed, described and illustrated by examples.  You should also note that the INS district numbers changed over time and are also described therein. This one is a 'keeper'.  Bookmark it!"

______________________________

http://www.OriginsBooks.com
   Galina Slipushko sent out an e-mail to announce the availability of new books from Ukraine, including _Sophia of Kyiv: Medieval Ukrainian Literature: the Kyiv Rus epoch (10th-13th centuries)_, by Oksana Slipushko. "It is an interesting scientific and popular discourse of the Kyiv-Rus literature and literary centers, such as schools of scribes working at St. Sophia Cathedral, the Kyiv-Pechery and Vydubychi monasteries. The book contains a brief summary in English. The book is of special interest for a wide readership, including students, pupils, lectures and scientists. Kyiv, Akonit, 2002, Hard, 399 pages, In Ukrainian and a brief summary in English. The price of the book is USD 29. Shipping and handling – USD 3." While there may not be that many of our readers fluent in Ukrainian and interested in this particular subject, it seemed worthwhile to mention this anyway, because Origins is a good online source for materials on Poland; and if it's beginning to offer works on Ukraine as well, that should be encouraged!

______________________________

http://www.e-transcriptum.net/eng/
   On Poland-Roots-L@rootsweb.com, Cynthia Piech <cpiech_00@yahoo.com> wrote: "I've never tried this place, but the following site indicates they will do genealogical transcriptions for free and Polish is one of the languages in the list. I am fortunate to have my own personal translator (thanks Mom!), but maybe someone can try this out and let us know what they think." 

______________________________

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Collections/Slavic/collect.html
   On Poland-Roots-L@rootsweb.com, Debbie Greenlee <daveg@airmail.net> wrote: "The University of California at Berkeley library has a Slavic and East European Collection of books that some may find interesting. If you browse this site, make sure to check out the 'Selected New Acquisitions from and about Poland:'

   http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Collections/Slavic/pol0402.html

"It looks like most of the books are in Polish as are the descriptions but if you find one that mentions a village you are researching, I'm sure someone on the list would translate the description for you. The rest would be up to you!"

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YOU MAY REPRINT articles from _Gen Dobry!_, PROVIDED: (1) the reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the article: Written by [author's name, e-mail address, and URL, if given]. Previously published by _Gen Dobry!_, Vol. III, No. 10, 31 October 2002. PolishRoots(R): http://PolishRoots.org/.

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Copyright 2002, PolishRoots(R), Inc. All rights reserved.