Tips & Resources

Computers and Genealogy: a fruitful combination

(...) As I spent more time on my genealogy “hobby” I have begun to realize that I would need more and different computer skills than those I already had.   I would need to be able to use my chosen genealogy software to its fullest; I would need to produce written reports and charts so I could share the information I had collected; I would need to learn how to create and upload web pages to an internet server; and I would need to learn something about photo and imaging editing programs.

In the following short articles, I will try to give you enough information about genealogy software, internet servers, photo editing programs, and other “add-on” programs, so you can better enjoy discovering your family history.(...) More...

NEW Part 3. Sharing Your Family History on the Internet  

News

Eye on Poland: Country at the crossroads.

A special week of CNN programming on Poland entitled "Eye on Poland: Country at the Crossroads".

NEW You can watch videos from the series as well as discuss about them in our Forum.

Tips & Resources

"Remote" research in Polish State Archives - practical hints

(...) The initial reply from the archive will be a standard letter, stating that they can begin a search for you, as soon as you deposit a stated amount of money (Polish zloty) into a bank account. They will give the account number. I have found that they do not accept personal checks or certified checks, and that they were not willing to give any indication as to how to make your deposit. I visited Poland and developed a friendship with a man there who has been a great help in both of these areas, translating and paying the search fee after I send it to him. The second part of the initial reply will state the hourly rate (again zloty) and the cost for photo copies. The letter will include...(...) More...

Our Gen Stories

I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Part VIII: FAMILY UNCOVERED!  After 62 years...

(...) In 1957, the long and frustrating search for my family began.  I became an Australian citizen around that time and decided to make an effort to find my lost family.
I approached the National Tracing Bureau of the Australian Red Cross Society.  I completed an application form, returned it and about two years later finally received a reply.  But it wasn’t the answer I was seeking.
The letter from the Red Cross provided contact details for my mother who was still living in Pakoslaw, but I already knew this…….  Disappointingly, there was nothing mentioned in the letter about my father and the rest of my family.  The letter simply told me what I already knew.
So I abandoned the search and thought that my efforts to find my family in Communist Poland would be futile.  It was a feeling of hopelessness.(...) More...

History & Heritage

How Surnames Came Into Being in Poland

(..) An interesting group of newly created surnames, which you will not encounter anywhere else in the world, are the so-called “war surnames”. Many underground soldiers had nick(...) An interesting group of newly created surnames, which you will not encounter anywhere sobriquet from the war times to the soldier’s existing surname. That is how such surnamnames. After independence had been regained, the Polish parliament (in 1921) consented to add thees as Orlicz-Dreszer, Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y, Scewola-Wieczorkiewicz, Norwid-Neugebauer and many others came into being. It was also an opportunity to exchange plain names for fancier ones, e.g., MaÅ›lanka (literally meaning “buttermilk”) became GrudziÅ„ski (from gruda – “clod of earth, frozen ground”, but with the -ski ending) and LeÅ„ (an idler) became ZiemiaÅ„ski (a land owner). More...

Have you ever wondered about the origin of your or your ancestors’ Polish sounding surname?
Now you can ask about it in our Forum:

History & Heritage

History Videos

Polish History in 10 minutes

Katyn, movie trailer

The Winged Hussars Vol. I