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

Volume V, No. 1. 31 January 2004.
Copyright (c) 2004, PolishRoots(R), Inc.
Editor: William F. Fred Hoffman, E-mail: <wfh@langline.com>

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CONTENTS

   Welcome
   Sorry We're Late!
   Let's Not Forget the Newbies! (Reprise)
   Letters to the Editor
   New Book on Polish-American Musicians
   A Novel Tour of Poland
   Tip for Using Google
   Polish Trivia Questions
   Upcoming Events
   More Useful Web Addresses
   You May Reprint Articles...

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*** 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.

Don't forget to visit PolishRoots.org, the sponsor of _Gen Dobry!_, and take advantage of the many resources offered there. An easy way to keep up with all the latest additions to the site is to visit the "Recent Updates" page at:

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

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*** SORRY WE'RE LATE! ***

You may not have noticed, but I usually send _Gen Dobry!_ out on the last day of each month. I had this issue ready to go last Saturday, January 31, as usual; but when I went to send it out, I couldn't access the service that actually distributes our e-zine. The Website was there, and it recognized me; it just wouldn't let me do anything.

I contacted PolishRoots(R) President Don Szumowski; he confirmed the problem and contacted the distributor to ask what was wrong. It took a few days to work out;  but if you're reading these words, obviously the problem was finally solved! Turned out there was a clerical error in the billing setup, the sort of thing that's easy to fix -- once you find it....

So _Gen Dobry!_ is being distributed, but a few days late. Sorry, and we'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again.

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*** LET'S NOT FORGET THE NEWBIES! (REPRISE) ***

by William F. "Fred" Hoffman <wfh@langline.com>

In the October 2001 issue of _Gen Dobry!_ I featured an article I had written entitled "Let's Not Forget the Newbies!" I happened to look at it the other day, and I realized it would probably be a good idea to revisit the topic. After all, this is the time of year people are using new computers or software they got for Christmas; so every January there's an influx of newbies trying to do genealogical research online. They could use a kind word and a bit of guidance -- and what better place to offer it than in the January issue of _Gen Dobry!_

For some of you, what I'm about to write is old hat, and you may wonder why I bother repeating it. But I must tell you something I've discovered: in every field in which I've developed a little expertise, I find it rewarding to go back every so often and review the basics. Whether the subject is Polish grammar or genealogy or writing style, a look at a beginner's guide always seems to remind me of some useful basic point I've forgotten or come to overlook.

So even you old pros might want to read this, though you've read it all before. At worst, you'll spend a little time reviewing the basics, and I don't think that's ever a waste. You may even think of tips I overlooked and send them to me for inclusion in the next issue!

* A Do-It-Yourself Project *

Well, let's start with the first point a beginner needs to realize: YOU DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Of course, this rule doesn't apply if you can afford to pay others to do it for you -- but that gets expensive, fast! For most of us, there's no expert out there sitting on a file that's going to tell you everything you want to know. And you're not going to find your family's history neatly summarized somewhere on the Internet (unless you are one incredibly lucky so-and-so!).

Along the way you may very well make contact with someone who's studying the same town or village your ancestors came from. You may even find people who've already traced some of the branches of a family tree that intertwines with yours. But by and large, either you do your own genealogy, or it's not going to get done.

This is both the challenge and the attraction of family research. It can be a bumpy road to travel. There are few experiences more rewarding, however, than the moment when you realize you're starting to get somewhere.

* I Could Write a Book! *

Also, no one can sum up everything you need to know in a few paragraphs. This is one of those subjects about which people say "I could write a book!" In fact, quite a few people have written books meant to help Polish researchers. I tried checking on Amazon.com and on Google.com for titles connected with Polish genealogy, and found several matches, including some I hadn't known about. I also found a good basic reading list on the Chicago Public Library's page for Polish genealogy; you might like to take a look:

   http://www.chipublib.org/001hwlc/litpolgenealogy.html

Let me mention some of these books briefly. Most are out of print, but you may be able to find them in your local library, or obtain a copy through interlibrary loan.

The earliest one I found came out in 1977. Thaddeus J. Obal published _Polish Family Tree Surnames, volume 2 (Hillsdale, NJ: Obal, 1977; CS49.022a v.2), followed by volume 3 in 1979 (CS49.O22a v.3). I'm sure there was a Volume 1, but I found nothing on it. Mr. Obal compiled 1,905 surnames which he knew researchers were tracing. Volume 2 included indices for the surnames, the researchers, and the geographic locations of researchers. Volume 3 listed "2,643 different Polish family tree surnames and derivations listed by 290 new researchers. Selected new references on pp. 67 - 71."

In 1979 Jan and Len Gnacinski published _Polish and Proud: Tracing Your Polish Ancestry_. (West Allis, WI: Janlen Enterprises, 1979. REF CS49.G57). I've heard of this book but never seen it; these days it's probably hard to find. The Chicago Public Library site says it "gives advice on how to trace Polish ancestry in such sources as passenger arrival records, city directories, church records, archives, etc. Contains information on Polish surnames and first names."

Also in 1979, Maralyn Wellauer first published _Tracing Your Polish Roots_; apparently later editions came out in 1980 and 1991. I had forgotten about this until I had a chance to talk to Maralyn and her husband, Brian Lenius, at the last PGSA Conference, when it happened to come up in our conversation. It's hard to find these days, but Amazon.com offers a link to people selling copies. So Maralyn's contribution to the literature should not be overlooked!

In 1987 the Library of Congress published Janina W. Hoskins' _Polish Genealogy and Heraldry: An Introduction to Research_ (SuDoc LC 4.10:61); apparently it was reprinted by Hippocrene Books in 1990 (ISBN 0870529404). This slim book, by the first Polish area specialist appointed at the Library of Congress, gave a very good overview of the available literature at the time, and is still a worthwhile reference for the basics (remember what I said about the value of reviewing them?). Of course, a LOT has come out since then, so you need to check more recent works to get up-to-date. But I have a copy of this book, and I refer to it fairly often.

One I'd never heard of was edited by John Konrad and called _Polish Family Research_ (rev. ed. Munroe Falls, OH: Summit Publications, 1982. CS49.K67). The Chicago Public Library page says it "provides information on the history and geography of Poland and the history of Polish immigration to America, with a focus on Chicago. Describes how to start searching for Polish family history. Provides addresses of Federal Archives and record centers in the USA. Shows how to trace ancestors and/or find living relatives in Poland. Includes Polish vocabulary, examples of letters requesting copies of various certificates, and bibliography."

The book I most often see recommended to beginners is Rosemary A. Chorzempa's _Polish Roots - Korzenie Polskie_ (first published 1993, Genealogical Publishing Co., ISBN 0-8063-1378-1. (Incidentally, there's no connection between her book and PolishRoots(R), except a common subject). Many, many people praise it highly, saying it was extremely helpful when they were starting out. It also has the advantage of being easy to find and order.

Still, there are many who feel this book is badly outdated. It was published in 1993, and a lot has changed since then. Perhaps the biggest advance not covered by the book is the rise of the Internet as a tool for researchers. While the Internet has been around for decades, it's only in the years since this book's publication that it has become a huge factor in genealogical research.

Another work was totally new to me: _A Student's Guide to Polish American Genealogy, by Carl Sokolnicki Rollyson and Lisa Olson Paddock (Oryx Press, 1996, ISBN 089774974X). Amazon.com sells it for $29.95 and says it's designed for use in grades 6-12. I don't know how I never heard of it before -- but for teachers interested in hooking youngsters on genealogy, it might be worth a closer look!

A few people have been so kind as to recommend the translation guide Jonathan Shea and I published in 1999, _In Their Words ... Volume 1: Polish_. We tried to include info to help researchers find and obtain documents, as well as translate them. Still, I'd hesitate to recommend it to beginners, if only because its size might intimidate them (viii + 392 pages, size 8.5 x 11"). Anyone interested can learn more at http://www.langline.com/index.htm#Polski.

Finally, no discussion of books on Polish research would be complete without paying homage to Miriam Weiner's monumental _Jewish Roots in Poland_ (The Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, 1997, ISBN 0-96565-080-4). With 446 pages, on glossy paper, with lots of maps and beautiful illustrations, it is a work of art as well as a splendid reference. You can get more information at http://www.rtrfoundation.org/pol1.html.

* Online Research*

As you'll have noted, all of the works above suffer to some extent from the inexorable truth that a book begins to grow out-of-date the day it's printed. Each of the works listed above undoubtedly has its strengths and weaknesses; some are probably best forgotten, and in every case you'd certainly want to familiarize yourself with developments since their publication. This is particularly true of developments on the Internet.

To some extent the Internet itself provides the solution to this problem -- you can learn a lot about working online by working online! This point is underscored by the very existence of PolishRoots(R), a service devoted mainly to helping people use the Web to make progress in tracing their family history. So it's only natural to discuss just a few of the resources that exist online to help newbies. In the process we may even stumble across some aids the "old pros" might like to be reminded of.

Suppose you just got hooked up to an online service, and you sit down to start doing some research. Maybe you go to a search engine and key in "Polish genealogical research beginners." The list that comes back is thoroughly intimidating! There are so many sites that offer help -- just choosing from among them is a job in itself. You feel like you're looking for one grain of sand on a beach the size of Montana.

Obviously, with such a wealth of resources to choose from, I can't begin to list them all. But I wanted to mention a few that might help you take the first step. I'm sure I'll overlook many valuable resources, but here are a few I consider especially valuable.

Of course PolishRoots itself offers some excellent pointers, at this address:

     http://PolishRoots.org/reference.htm#Starters

It's a good idea to look through some of the items listed there, both under the heading "For Starters" and under the other headings on the basic reference page. Take your time and browse a little.

In practical terms, family history is likely to involve use of the LDS's Family History Library at some point. So it makes sense to acquaint yourself right away with the site that helps you use its resources:

     http://www.familysearch.org

It's deceptively simple in appearance; once you start clicking on headings and subheadings, you soon find yourself dealing with a powerful resource, and a rather complex one. You should start out with something easy; for instance, click on the link to "Search for Ancestors," or on "How Do I Begin" (at the bottom of the left frame). Try going from page to page, getting familiar with what they offer, till you start to get a feel for how the material is organized.

Another good aid for beginners is the online booklet "Pocza~tki" (Beginnings) at the Website of PGS-CT/NE:

     http://www.pgsctne.org/poczatki.html

This takes you through the steps a beginner needs to take, one by one. Other sites offering beginners guidance include:

     http://maxpages.com/poland/Learning_to_Research

     http://maxpages.com/researchtips

     http://www.rootsweb.com/~polwgw/polandgen1.html

     http://www.CyndisList.com/poland.htm

If you visit these pages, you'll notice they all tend to say much the same thing. But after all, they deal with the basics, and the basics don't change from one source to another. What changes is how each site presents those basics. Find one that lays it all out in a way you feel comfortable with, and work your way toward the more complex material.

Don't make the mistake of succumbing to a false sense of urgency. A lot of us spend our lives rushing around, muttering "Gotta hurry. Can't wait. Gotta get it done." Bull hockey! Much of what we kill ourselves trying to accomplish really could wait while we take a breath and calm down. A hobby such as genealogy certainly should offer an escape from this insanity. I'm always amused when someone breathlessly demands an immediate answer from me, as if in response to a genealogical emergency. I want to ask, "What's the matter -- you afraid your ancestors aren't gonna stay dead?" They've have waited this long for you to find them; they can wait a little longer.

* FHCs and Genealogical Societies *

One thing researchers quickly realize: you're going to have a tough time going it alone. You may not be much of a "joiner" -- Lord knows I'm not -- but it's kind of pointless reinventing the wheel when there are folks standing around ready and willing to hand you one. There are a lot of organizations whose members would enjoy comparing notes with you, to your benefit and theirs.

As I said earlier, at some point your research will probably involve spending some time at an FHC (Family History Center, a regional branch of the LDS Family History Library). Practically speaking, it's a must to find the one nearest you and drop by to get familiar with what it offers. You can locate the FHC nearest you here:

   http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp

Many offer classes and workshops you'll find it useful to attend. At FHCs you'll run into the whole gamut of researcher, from seasoned pros to newbies just as nervous as you are. What better place to ease into the scary world of big-time genealogy?

There are also a number of societies throughout this and other countries, dedicated to helping members with their research -- and that includes an impressive number of Polish Genealogical Societies. A partial list, with links to the pages, is available here:

   http://PolishRoots.org/pgs.htm

If one of these is located near you, make an effort to attend a meeting. Mixing with other genealogists is great, especially since, no matter how obsessed you may become with family history, you'll run into others goofier than you! It's all relative, if you'll forgive a ghastly pun.

* When To Tackle the Big Boys *

There are some really big, powerful Websites out there, throbbing and surging with tidal waves of data -- for instance, the Hamburg Emigration List site:

   http://fhh1.hamburg.de/fhh/behoerden/staatsarchiv/link_to_your_roots/english/start.htm

and the Ellis Island Website:

     http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/

DO NOT START with them. Oh, you'll want to use them for all they're worth -- but not on day 1. Until you get some background, it's highly unlikely you'll be able to find data you need, even if it is in there somewhere. If you search these magnificent, all-powerful sites for your ancestor NQVAROVSKY and find nothing, you'll probably give up in disgust. It's better first to poke around and learn that that can't possibly be the correct spelling of the name, that what you're looking for is NOWAKOWSKI, and that even though he was Polish he could have been born in "Russia." At least learn to float before you plunge into the deep end.

By the way, here's a bit of advice I feel like screaming at all researchers: LEARN SOME HISTORY!! I don't mean get a Ph.D. or anything like that -- but visit a good online encyclopedia, or a site specializing in Polish research. Look at the maps of Poland's changing borders. Read a little about the partitions. You really don't have a chance of finding anything, or making sense of what you do find, until you understand the historical context in which your ancestors lived and emigrated. It saddens me to see people desperately searching modern-day Austria for "Brody" because they found records saying their ancestors came from "Brody, Austria." If only they knew the place they're looking for is probably the county seat now in Ukraine!

Along these lines, Stefan Wisniowski <swisniowski@px.com.au> recommended these sites in a note posted on the Poland-Roots mailing list:

A thorough political and social history:
   http://www.poloniatoday.com/historyix.htm

Maps showing changes over the centuries:
   http://www.polishroots.org/genpoland/polhistory.htm

In summary, genealogy is one of those fields that demand a certain amount of work before you can even start to ask the right questions. I hope I've given you some pointers that will help you get started. And you old pros out there -- feel free to send me tips I've overlooked, so we can all share the fruits of your wisdom.

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*** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ***

Subject: Recommended translator!

I am recommending a Polish university student as a translator for Polish-English and English-Polish.

Polish national, Anna Dobrowolska is attending school in the U.S. and is using her fees to help pay for school incidentals. I have had her translate a number of pages and she did an excellent job.

Anyone interested in receiving a quote from Anna may contact via email: annad1980@msn.com

   Debbie Greenlee <daveg@airmail.net>

   [Editor -- Of course, PolishRoots(R) is not in a position to recommend anyone. But we're glad to pass on word of anyone our readers have tried and want to recommend. Folks, if you take Debbie's advice and try Anna, and she does a good job for you, take a moment to thank Debbie!]

-----

Subject: Feedback on Dictionaries

   [This is in reference to the article "Useful Dictionaries and Translation Aids" in the November 2003 issue of _Gen Dobry!_, and specifically my mention of _Nowy slownik Fundacji Kosciuszkowskiej polsko-angielski, angielsko-polski / The New Kosciuszko Foundation Dictionary English-Polish, Polish-English_, edited by Jacek Fisiak, Universitas 2003, hardcover.]

I just wanted to thank you for your information on this new dictionary set. I had heard about it before, from a cousin in Poznan, and wasn't sure if I would spend the money to buy them, but this Christmas my wife gave them to me from Santa. I think they are very well put together and the CD is just what I need for quick referencing.

   David Piekarczyk <piekar66@hotmail.com>

   [Editor: A few days later David sent me this follow-up:]

Today I put the CD to its first extensive test. I received a letter from a cousin in Poland, in Polish, of course. I loaded the CD and began translating. I do not speak Polish but with the help of the CD, and a little guessing, I was able to translate about 80% of the letter in a little over two hours. Not bad for me since I have always had to give my incoming Polish letters to a friendly translator. I gave the letter to the translator and about 75% of what I did translate was correct. Thanks again for the information that led me to purchase those dictionaries.

   David Piekarczyk <piekar66@hotmail.com>

   [Editor -- I'm very pleased to hear you found this dictionary helpful. That's what _Gen Dobry!_ is for: pointing our readers toward the assistance they need.]

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Subject: The Fate of Polish World War II Officers

Thank you for reading my request. I been working on our family tree. I am born in Germany but my mother was born in Sanok, Poland. Not many and not much I be able to find out about our family. I do have contact with my cousins, both doctors and still live in Poland...The only information I be able to find out about my grandfather is the following:

His name is/was Jan Grabovska. He was an officer in the Polish army. He disappeared or fled to Rumania in 1939. My question is....is it possible to find documents about Polish officers and what happened to them???

Please let me know how I can proceed or to whom I have to write do to find out about my family. My cousins do not have much of information to help me to get my family tree and questions answered.

Thank you for your HELP....

   Monika Church <monimail@comcast.net>

   [Editor -- I told Monika that "Jan Grabowski" is much more likely to be the correct name; but that was about all I could tell her. If any of you have ideas that might help her, please contact her.]

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Subject: Polish Translation Aids

I want to share another link I've discovered recently in order to help to everyone who wants to translate a text to/from Polish. The link is http://www.tranexp.com:2000/.

   Adrian Pajakiewicz <pajakiewicz@ciudad.com.ar>

   [Editor -- This site can aid folks with simple translation needs. We've mentioned it before, but we're glad to mention it again, for those who missed it the first time.]

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Subject: L~osice's Jewish Past

For the last three years I have been returning to my father's birthplace, L~osice. For many the mention of L~osice elicits the question, where is it, or I've never heard of it. Best explained, it is halfway between Siedlce and Bial~a Podlaska.

My first visit was motivated by the following circumstances: 1) I needed to see and feel the small town which my father had called home for the first 21 years of his life, and 2) to launch a campaign to reclaim Jewish gravestones which were buried in the backyard of a L~osice property.

Successfully achieving both, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the youth of L~osice was "hungry" to learn more about the Jewish past of their town. So it is that I have returned to L~osice with books, audio, and video information about this topic.

Once again, in April 2004, I will be returning to L~osice with a box load of books dealing with L~osice's Jewish past. I welcome any and all contributions which would go to supplementing the school's library.

A peaceful and healthy to you and all the readers of _Gen Dobry!_.

   Viktor Lewin <viklewin@shaw.ca>

   [Please contact Viktor if you can contribute to his cause in any way.]

-----

Subject: Genetic Handicaps in Southeastern Poland

Do you know of a list that might help me zero in on genetic handicaps that were prevalent in southeastern Poland? What is known in Europe as "Marie Strumpell disease" and in our country as "Familial Spastic Paraperis" or FSP is the particular condition I'm concerned with, but a general request might also be useful.

   [name withheld by request]

   [Editor -- I could not think of any particular mailing list or online resource that might be helpful with this subject. If any of you have suggestions, let me know and I'll pass the word on to this reader, who prefers not to be named.]

-----

Subject: _Gen Dobry!_

Just a note to let you know how appreciative I am of your _Gen Dobry offering!_. It always provides unique, clever nuggets for researchers. What I like most it your broad-based approach, taking information from various disparate sources and weaving it into features useful to many. I am certain you detect that researchers often unfortunately limit their networking and exposure to sources. There is so much to learn from various groups that may not directly be our own.

Keep up the great work. I wish for you a long life and a large family tree.

   Bill Tarkulich <bill.tarkulich@hp.com>

   [Editor -- Thank you so much for the kind words! They are particularly meaningful because every note I've seen you post online has impressed me as thoughtful and well considered. I've quoted you many times in the past, and I'm sure I will do so again!
   [As for "taking information from various disparate sources and weaving it into features useful to many," I think that summarizes very well what PolishRoots(R) is all about!]

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*** NEW BOOK ON POLISH-AMERICAN MUSICIANS ***

Announcing the arrival of the horn man! Perfect for gift giving:

_Horn Man: The Polish-American Musician in Twentieth-Century Detroit_, by Laurie A. Gomulka Palazzolo.

The perfect gift for Polish Americans who remember the dance hall era or those who want to experience it through the pages of 100 years of documented history.

Ideal also for musicians, especially polka enthusiasts, as well as Detroit historians. Learn the history of the Polish Wedding tradition, How the East-Coast Ballroom bands and Chicago-style bands influenced the Detroit bandleaders, and more!

Published by Wayne State University Press. $45.00 Hardcover - $30.00 soft cover. May be ordered through any major bookstore or contact Laurie at lauriepalazzolo@hotmail.com.

-- 8 1/2 x 11-inch coffee table style. 360 pages - 29 chapters of narrative, 232 photos and images - 50 in color

Tell her you saw the notice on PolishRoots. Help support those who promote Polonia and its history!

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*** A NOVEL TOUR OF POLAND ***

   [Editor: This is an edited version of a note James Conroyd Martin, author of _Push Not the River_, posted on several mailing lists, about an upcoming tour of Poland. As always, PolishRoots(R) cannot recommend this tour or make any promises about it. We simply pass on information you might find interesting. It's up to you to judge for yourself whether you wish to learn more.]

Cindy Schmehl of Ballston Lake, NY was so taken with James Conroyd Martin's novel, _Push Not the River_, that she is organizing a tour of Poland for October of this year. The story is based on the real diary of Anna Maria Berezowska, a countess who lived through the rise and fall of the Third of May Constitution years (1790s).

Accompanying the tour will be the author, James Conroyd Martin, now at work on a sequel, and the direct descendant of Anna, John Stelnicki. Anna's birthplace and other settings from the book are on the itinerary.

The odyssey will begin on Friday, October 8 with LOT Polish Airlines bringing the group together in Krakow. Plans call for visits to Zakopane in the Tatras, followed by a rafting trip down the Dunajec river; a trip to Czestochowa, the home of Poland's patroness, the Black Madonna; seeing sites in Warsaw; a stop at Wilanow, the baroque residence of King Jan Sobieski; a visit to Malbork, site of a mighty stone fortress, and then on to Gdansk, ending with a return to Warsaw on Wednesday.

For more information contact the author, James Conroyd Martin, e-mail, JMartin@MarianCHS.com, or snail-mail: 698 W. Irving Park Road A-7, Chicago IL 60613, 773-665-9368

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*** TIP FOR USING GOOGLE ***

In the latest issue of _Nu? What's New_, Avotaynu's free e-zine with news about Jewish genealogy, Gary Mokotoff mentions a new tip for using the search engine Google.com. He explains that you can use the tilde (~) to expand a search not only to a specific keyword, but also its synonyms. You put the ~ in front of the keyword, so that ~genealogy brings results not just for "genealogy," but also for "family history," family tree," and the like. If you'd like to read more, see the January 25, 2004 issue at: http://www.avotaynu.com/nu12.htm#v05n02.

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*** POLISH TRIVIA QUESTIONS ***

   [Editor: In the last issue we gave 5 questions from a Polish trivia game PolishRoots Vice President Paul Valasek <paval56@aol.com> came across. The answers to those questions appear below, followed by this month's question, the answers to which will appear in the next issue. We want to thank Tom Bratkowski for permission to reprint these.]

ANSWERS FOR DECEMBER 2003

   -- Q. What Polish-American fraternal organization has athletics as its focus? A. The Polish Falcons of America (Sokol)
   -- Q. What character did Marlon Brando play in the movie, "A Streetcar Named Desire"? A. Stanley Kowalski
   -- Q. In what country did Kosciuszko die? A. Switzerland
   -- Q. In what U.S. city was Polish-American actress Loretta Swit born? A. Passaic, New Jersey
   -- Q. In what Polish city is the historic Sukiennice or Cloth Hall located? A. Krakow

QUESTIONS FOR JANUARY 2004

General

-- What religious denomination originated in the U.S. and was taken to Poland by Polish Americans?

Humanities

-- Who did Cornell Wilde portray in the movie, "Song To Remember"?

History

-- Who was the last Polish king?

Bonus

--What message did Polish King Jan III Sobieski send to Pope Innocent XI after the victory at Vienna?

Geography

--Where in the U.S. is the Kosciuszko Garden?


Reprinted with permission from Polish American Trivia & Quadrivia, Powstan, Inc. If interested in learning more, contact Paul Valasek <paval56@aol.com>.

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*** UPCOMING EVENTS ***

[Note: the PolishRoots Events Calendar <http://www.polishroots.org/coming_events.htm> usually has more info than we have room for here. If you have an event coming up you want Polish genealogical researchers to know about, send as much info as possible to <Events@PolishRoot.org>.]

February 21, 2004

The Legion of Young Polish Women will present its 2004 debutantes at the 65th Annual White and Red Ball at the Grand Ballroom, Chicago Hilton Towers. For further information write: Legion of Young Polish Women, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago IL  60630.

==========

March 27, 2004

POLISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA MEETING

LA-FHC, 10741 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles CA. For more information see www.pgsca.org.

==========

April 16-19, 2004

UNITED POLISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES
Biennial Conference
Salt Lake City, Utah

To be held at:

Best Western Salt Lake Plaza Hotel
122 West South Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

To make reservations call: 800-366-3684. Identify yourself with "United Polish Genealogical Societies." Guaranteed Rates: Single/Double -- $79.00 per night, Triple/Quad -- $86.00 per night

Conference Speakers:
   Daniel Schlyter
   Ceil Jensen
   George Ott
   Sonja Nishimoto

Conference Fee: $70:00 includes admission to sessions, materials packet, Sunday morning breakfast buffet, Monday hospitality, and dinner banquet.

More details are available on the PolishRoots Website, or contact Paul Lipinski <Paul.Lipinski@acm.org>.

==========

August 5-8, 2004

THE SOCIETY FOR GERMAN GENEALOGY IN EASTERN EUROPE - 2004 CONVENTION

Coast Plaza Hotel & Conference Center
1316 33rd Street NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Phone:   403-248-8888

Contact: convention@sggee.org
Web: http://www.sggee.org
Web: http://www.clickcalgaryhotels.com/coast_plaza_hotel_and_conference_center.html

SGGEE is a Poland and Volhynia genealogy group for people of German origin interested in the genealogy, culture and history of their ancestors who migrated through present-day Poland and Volhynia (now western Ukraine) and the surrounding areas.

Research opportunities, speakers and workshops will assist you in discovering your ancestral roots out of these areas. SGGEE reaches researchers not only in Canada but the U.S.A., Germany, Poland, Australia, and Russia.

More data will be available on the Website http://www.sggee.org as details are finalized.

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September 17-18, 2004

POLISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF CONNECTICUT AND THE NORTHEAST

in affiliation with

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY POLISH STUDIES PROGRAM

presents their 2004 Conference. Details will be included with the Spring newsletter, and on the Website:

   www.pgsctne.org

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*** MORE USEFUL WEB ADDRESSES ***

http://www.globocam.com/webcam_index/webcam_i_le_li.htm
   On the Poland-Roots list Debbie Greenlee <daveg@airmail.net> praised this link as "THE main web cam page." She said it "takes you to a German site that apparently lists every web cam all over the world. Just click on the first two letters of the city/village you are looking for and then scroll down until you find the city/village. Click on the word "show" which corresponds to the city/village you want to see. Another page will come up. In the right column will be a list of major cities in the country your village is located in. There is also another alphabet list. Click on the corresponding letter in the list (yes, again). Your city/village should appear in the list. Click on it and you'll see whatever the web cam is pointing at."
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http://brozbar16.webpark.pl/galicja-ang.html
   On the Galicia_Poland-Ukraine list Eva Zuber <me_me@gazeta.pl> praised this as the source of the best historical map of Galicia she'd seen on the Internet. Fred Kobylarz <fkobylarz@optonline.net> followed up with a note on the English version (that's the address shown above). Finally the list moderator, Lavrentiy Krupnak, explained, "When the webpage downloads a map of Galicia will appear. Run your mouse's cursor over the map. Click on the appropriate part of Galicia that you are interested in and a new map will appear, which is an enlargement of that section of the Galicia map that you clicked on. The Galicia base map is probably divided into 20 or more maps which are enlargements."
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http://www.szukamypolski.com/start.php?lan=eng
   This is the site for Tomy Wisniewski's "Alfabet Polski," of which a first installment, on Lida in Belarus, appeared in the August 2003 issue of _Gen Dobry!_.
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http://www.stevemorse.org/census/soundex.html
   On the soc.genealogy.jewish newsgroup Julian Schamroth talked of this newest wrinkle on Steve Morse's site. It's a Soundex utility that handles batches of Soundex coding, both American Soundex and the Daitch-Mokotoff version (which is usually more useful for research in central and eastern Europe). Of course, if you only need to get the Soundex codes for one name at a time, you can also do that on the JewishGen site, at http://www.jewishgen.org/jos/jossound.htm.
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http://www.btinternet.com/~ablumsohn/immig.htm
   On the Lithuanian Genealogy mailing list, <jmcclimon@earthlink.net> posted a note saying that this offers " fascinating data and gives a list of shipping companies our ancestors used to come to the U.S."
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http://mipolonia.net/pol_search/
   Ceil Jensen <cjensen@mipolonia.net> has added a new feature to her Michigan Polonia website: a listing of other researchers' personal websites. If you have a site featuring Michigan and/or Polish research, she says "Please send the URL along with your name and the title of the site. I have the page posted and will organize the Polish research by partition. The listing is a free service for our Polonian community."
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http://www.suetterlinstube.de/Home_eng/Transcriptions/transcriptions.htm
   Ceil also posted a note on the Posen list that this the address of a site that can help you turn German Sütterlein script into the Roman script we are familiar with. Interestingly, a few days later  Tina Ellis <przymelewski@hotmail.com> posted a note on the PolandBorderSurnames list regarding other sites offering assistance with this problem:

   http://www.genealogienetz.de/misc/scripts.html

   http://www.mun.ca/rels/morav/script.html

   http://www.peter-doerling.de/Englisch/Sutterlin.htm
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http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/index.dhtm
   Ceil also posted a note on the Poland-Roots list saying that Brigham Young University is offering 26 Family History Web courses for free. For more info, go to this site and click on "Special Offers" or on "Free Web Courses."
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http://www.genealogy-heraldry.sk
   On the soc.genealogy.slavic newsgroup, Peto <peto_sk@orangemail.sk> gave this address in response to a request for a site on Slovakian genealogy.

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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 [authors name, e-mail address, and URL, if given]. Previously published by _Gen Dobry!_, Vol. V, No. 1, 31 January 2004. PolishRoots(R): http://PolishRoots.org/.

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Copyright 2004, PolishRoots(R), Inc. All rights reserved.