PolishOrigins

Testimonials

These testimonials have been written and shared with us by our Tours’ and Genealogy Services’ clients. We have collected them in this place after more than a decade of providing genealogical, historical, cultural tours and genealogy services. There are a few more of them on our Google, Facebook  or TripAdvisor profiles.

You can also check our the complete offer of PolishOrigins’ tours, blogs written by our guests or photos from our tours to understand even better what we do and how people react to it.

 


Andrew (Genealogy Services)

December 2023

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude. Thanks to your efforts, my family and I have learned a great deal about our ancestors. Seeing the names of them gives me great comfort in knowing that they’re not lost to time. You’ve opened a door that’s been locked for decades, and many doubted would ever be opened again. On behalf of my family, I thank you for accomplishing such a monumental feat. I also want to thank you for bringing my relative to my attention. You went the extra mile and I appreciate it! I’m definitely interested in getting in contact with him and will do so soon. It would be great to meet more of my Polish relatives.


Evan (Genealogy Services and Genealogy Tour)

September 2023

Thanks to this tour and all of the hard work that was completed by Zenon, Aleksander, Kinga and the rest of the PO Team, I had a chance to meet and form relationships with relatives I didn’t know I had. I was able to stand on the land where my Grandfather was born and raised. I saw the villages where my Great-Grandparents came from and was able to learn about what my Grandfather may have experienced during his life in Poland.

The Genealogy research far surpassed my expectations. I went from not knowing anything about my Polish family to tracing roots back to the 1700’s on all lines of my family.

This whole experience was a dream come true for me. So many family mysteries were solved and I got to learn a lot about my families heritage and culture. I have formed connections with family that I didn’t know I had. I have developed a new sense of pride for my heritage and a new cultural identity.


Mandie (Genealogy Tour)

September 2023

All my guides were knowledgeable and so helpful in making the trip everything it could be. Zbigniew was a star helping translate Eng to Pol and Pol to Eng. He made the transmission of ugly family stories a much easier time, and that’s appreciated. Ola was so great with Zakopane and Joanna was a fabulous guide in Kraków. Would definitely like her services again on my next trip, with my mother. I met my family and got to see Krakow and Zakopane. Very satisfied with how it was planned and happened. I think the communication was perfect. We worked together as a team to make this trip all it was.


Linda (Genealogy Tour)

August 2023

Thank you so very much for helping us to make the Nadler-Jaffe family heritage trip to Poland a reality and a great success! We are so grateful for everything you did from the planning stage through to the last day of the trip to help make our trip as meaningful as it was.

Our guide, Zbigniew, and driver Marek, were wonderful and so reliable, getting us to where we needed to be to stay on schedule each day. In the Lodz Ghetto, it was so meaningful that Justyna was able to find and take us to so many places of significance for my father and his family. The accommodations were just right and our meal arrangements worked out really well. Most of all, knowing that you were only a phone call away and that we were in reliable hands really allowed us to focus on this incredible experience.

It was a trip of a lifetime! Thank you again so much for helping to make that possible!!


Louis (Genealogy Tour)

August 2023

First, we must say that this tour would never have been possible without the wonderful efforts of Aleksander Zawilski. We originally planned the tour for 2019. However, due to the COVID Pandemic and international events affecting Ukraine, it was deferred to 2023. During this time, Aleksander made numerous plans, adjustments, and revisions (…), and ensured that all the details were accurate. I have never worked with anyone as cooperative, meticulous, accommodating, and thorough as Aleksander. He kept us completely informed, in a timely manner, throughout the entire process. He selected Zbigniew Stettner as our main guide and he was amazing! Because of Aleksander, this trip was OUTSTANDING! It far exceeded anything that I thought could be achieved!!! I can’t say enough positive comments about him. Polish Origins is extremely fortunate to have him on their staff. He is FANTASTIC! Thanks for everything, Aleksander.

Zbigniew Stettner was our guide for most of our custom tour and made our trip beyond memorable!! He was exceptionally well prepared and knew my family tree and background as well as, if not better, than myself. He was very thorough and resolute in finding information concerning my ancestry. To our amazement, he analyzed the lineage of all four of my grandparents. Previously, he developed a Cadastral Map report per my request. He utilized it to make contact with our family members while we were on the tour and found numerous relatives whom we were previously unaware. The experience of meeting our relatives was off the charts; such an emotional experience that was not expected. Zbigniew’s calm and charming disposition, along with his fabulous translation skills, had us making several new family connections and obtaining additional records for my genealogy research. Sitting in our relatives’ dining rooms, drinking cherry vodka and eating chocolate, while being so warmly welcomed and embraced, was a tremendous experience for all of us. Due to his knowledge, approach and persistence the goals of our research tour exceeded my expectations beyond description. Zbigniew’s patience, determination and ability to pursue all leads for information was so impressive and enabled so many extraordinary moments throughout our trip. He is amazing!

After completing most of the trip with Zbigniew, we met Piotr Zelny, and changed guides for the remaining few days of the tour. Piotr’s background in history was very helpful during the tour. He took us to Poland’s best Open-Air Ethnographic Museum in Sanok, which was very informative. Afterwards, we proceeded to the rural Zyndranowa area, through Slovakia, and then we arrived in Zakopane. Piotr arranged for us to meet with one family, which we did the following day at a local restaurant. Because of Piotr’s efforts, we accomplished more than we expected in that area, which is a beautiful part of Poland.

Preparation for the tour/communication:
This is one of the greatest strengths of PolishOrigins and Aleksander. Words cannot describe how thorough, detailed and PROMPT all of our communications were throughout the entire experience! I cannot imagine any other tour company could exceed the superior customer experience delivered by PolishOrigins.
Furthermore, I would like to say that my wife and I traveled extensively in our lives, including all 50 states in the US, and many countries across the globe. We have traveled on our own and utilized multiple well-known tour companies. Without doubt, this has been our best all-around travel experience.

My wife and I traveled extensively in our lives, including all 50 states in the US, and many countries across the globe. We have traveled on our own and utilized multiple well-known tour companies. Without doubt, this has been our best all-around travel experience.


Julie (Genealogy Tour)

June 2023

The tour was more than we could have imagined. We had two main goals: see the houses (especially #53 Długołęka) where my great-grandparents came from and to find out what happened to the daughter my great-grandfather left behind. We accomplished those two goals in a way that we never could have imagined. In searching for the houses, we met fourth and fifth cousins, who invited us in to their beautiful home for delicious homemade food. They treated us like they knew we were coming! In terms of the left-behind daughter, I would have been satisfied learning who she lived with. We found that out, plus found her grave, and spoke to people who knew of her and had up-lifting stories to tell about her. I am greatly satisfied with the research, which will take me some time to go through and get a sense of. I still can’t believe that I and my Dad walked where our ancestors walked. This truly was a trip of a lifetime.

Zbigniew was an excellent guide, starting with the email that he sent me months before our tour began. He explained where we needed to go and which records were available in which archives. Before our tour began, he undertook research to ensure that we would be able to accomplish one of our main goals of this trip, see the houses where my great-grandparents were born and lived. It is evident that Zbigniew loves what he does. The task of each day was the most important thing to him because it was the most important thing to us.


Bonnie (Genealogy Tour)

May 2023

PolishOrigins (PO) planned and executed the trip of my dreams. I had researched my family tree for over 26 years, and had gotten as far as I could with US records and a Polish researcher, and HAD to know more. This was my number one bucket list trip. PO knew exactly what I needed and provided it, anticipating everything. When something went wrong at one of the hotels, PO handled it to our satisfaction immediately at no additional cost. I cannot praise our trip manager, Aleksander, and our guides Daniel and Zbigniew for their patience (I hope we did not drive them totally crazy) and the services and expertise they provided to us. Both of our guides were relentless in helping us find relatives and connections. They also had a good sense of humor as we went along, Bob and I still laugh at the voice on Daniel’s GPS in Polish enthusiastically telling him to turn (something like “Sprinchlevel!” many times). After a while, we’d all repeat it and laugh. Their suggestions at places to see when we had some time away from research were spot on, especially Rumiskes in Lithuania and the skansen in Sanok, Poland. I could visualize my ancestors’ lives after seeing these places with PO’s selected extra guides. PO also arranged an superb guide, Kasia, in Warsaw, to tour the ghetto and POLIN, the Museum of Polish Jews, so my husband could get a better feel for how his Jewish relatives lived in Warsaw prior to coming to the US. My husband, a successful entrepreneur with many clients, has very high standards, and was a little skeptical at the beginning of the trip. Now he says PolishOrigins is the very best at what they do, which is exactly what I think! Y’all are the best for genealogy travel in Poland and beyond!

We would recommend PolishOrigins to anyone wishing to travel to the lands of their ancestors, to learn more about them, and to experience where they lived. PO’s planning, services, guides, etc. were all top notch.


Joanne (Genealogy Tour)

May 2023

Our Genealogy Guide was Daniel and he was FANTASTIC! His preliminary research led to outstanding planning for follow-on research at the archives where he knew EXACTLY how to spend our 3-hour appointment. He knew what records were online and which ones we would need to find at the archives, the parish church, and on headstones in cemeteries. He took me to the church to meet with the priest. We prowled cemeteries and we drove through the countryside stopping to knock on doors until we found not one, but TWO Zolnowski relatives. It was EVERYTHING I had hoped for and MORE! Also, Daniel has a beautiful camera which he used to photograph documents, headstones, houses, and me hanging onto the signposts for my ancestral villages. And… he is fearless when it comes to knocking on doors and chatting with confused villagers.
I exceeded every goal and dream!

Carol (Genealogy Tour)

March 2023

I am writing to thank you for recommending Aleksandra. We took a trip from Warsaw to Pawlowo and visited the church where my Pszczolkowski ancestors worshipped – and we later met three cousins of mine! It was incredibly moving to be able to see the area where my father’s grandfather was from; we even saw the baptismal font that he was likely baptized in. I had hoped to see the area where my ancestors were from, but to meet relatives was more than I dreamed of! Aleksandra was an amazing guide. She is super knowledgeable and was a pleasure to work with. I cannot say enough good things about her. Without her persistence and charm, we would not have been as successful as we were. I would not hesitate to work with her again. I’m going to continue with the research into my other Polish ancestors (in the Poznan area and in the Biala Woda area). I am hoping to work with you in the future to visit these places too.Thank you so much!


Kathy (Genealogy Services and Genealogy Tour)

January 2023

Polish Origins did research for me before we went on the trip. Their research was very thorough. If we hadn’t done the research, the trip would not have been as successful.

Due to COVID, my trip was put on hold for almost 2 years. Aleksander Zawilski was unbelievably patient and helpful throughout this time. He was great to work with and played a big part in the success of my trip

My trip to Poland to discover my heritage was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience.

I couldn’t be more pleased with Polish Origins and the work they did on my behalf. They are very professional, pleasant to work with and efficient. Every aspect of the trip met and/or exceeded my expectations. Our guide, Zbigniew Stettner was excellent. He is very knowledgeable and skilled in genealogical research; and his character and demeanor are just perfect for the work that he does. He was able to establish trust very quickly with complete strangers. A very valuable trait! Not to mention his cleverness in sorting through historical records! I met approximately 15 relatives I did not previously know and they all welcomed me and my husband with open arms. It was definitely a trip worth taking and I highly recommend this group.


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