24,019
edits
Slovakia Jewish Records: Difference between revisions
→Slovakia Jewish Records: Adding how to find the records
Beccac1229 (talk | contribs) m (→Brief History) |
Beccac1229 (talk | contribs) (→Slovakia Jewish Records: Adding how to find the records) |
||
| Line 50: | Line 50: | ||
Written evidence proves the existence of Jews in Slovakia in the tenth century though they likely were present as early as Roman times. Until the 1700s they were regularly expelled from the Hungarian Kingdom, but were always allowed to come back again. Their legal status was determined by specific royal decrees. Hungary experienced a great influx of Jews from Poland and Russia in the early 1800s, many of whom settled in the northern Slovak counties. The Jewish religion was not officially recognized in Hungary until the Toleration Patent of 1781. This began the gradual process of Jewish emancipation. Jews did not use fixed surnames until 1788 when another patent required them to adopt and use German surnames. In the mid 1800s a Jewish prefect was established. He represented the Jews before the Hungarian royal administration and was responsible for the regular collection of the Jewish tax. The Jews had to pay extra taxes for their protection. After 1840 Jews were allowed to settle in the whole territory of Slovakia (with the exception of mining towns). In December of 1867 Hungarian law recognized the Jews as fully equal in both civilian and economic life. Most of Slovakia’s Jews were forced out or murdered during the Nazi Holocaust. | Written evidence proves the existence of Jews in Slovakia in the tenth century though they likely were present as early as Roman times. Until the 1700s they were regularly expelled from the Hungarian Kingdom, but were always allowed to come back again. Their legal status was determined by specific royal decrees. Hungary experienced a great influx of Jews from Poland and Russia in the early 1800s, many of whom settled in the northern Slovak counties. The Jewish religion was not officially recognized in Hungary until the Toleration Patent of 1781. This began the gradual process of Jewish emancipation. Jews did not use fixed surnames until 1788 when another patent required them to adopt and use German surnames. In the mid 1800s a Jewish prefect was established. He represented the Jews before the Hungarian royal administration and was responsible for the regular collection of the Jewish tax. The Jews had to pay extra taxes for their protection. After 1840 Jews were allowed to settle in the whole territory of Slovakia (with the exception of mining towns). In December of 1867 Hungarian law recognized the Jews as fully equal in both civilian and economic life. Most of Slovakia’s Jews were forced out or murdered during the Nazi Holocaust. | ||
' | These records are a prime source for information about the vital events in an individual's life. They contain information that can be used to compile pedigrees and family groups. They identify children, spouses, parents, and sometimes grandparents as well as dates and places of vital events. They establish individual identity and are excellent sources for linking generations and identifying relationships. | ||
===Contents:=== | |||
'''Non-Vital:''' These generally contain information about royal dealings with specific Jews; also information about Jewish congregations, rabbis, names of members of the congregation; and economic activities. | '''Non-Vital:''' These generally contain information about royal dealings with specific Jews; also information about Jewish congregations, rabbis, names of members of the congregation; and economic activities. | ||
| Line 60: | Line 61: | ||
*Deaths – name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, residence, age, occupation, marital status, spouses' name, often birthplace of the deceased. | *Deaths – name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, residence, age, occupation, marital status, spouses' name, often birthplace of the deceased. | ||
===Location:=== | |||
Vital records and some non-vital are in state archives. Non-vital Jewish records are found in district and city archives. | |||
===Accessibility:=== | |||
The Genealogical Society of Utah has been microfilming Slovak archive vital records since 1991. Although the microfilming is not complete (Bratislava, the last archive, is currently being filmed), most of the films are now available through the Family History Library. Slovak church registers are also accessible to those who hire a private researcher to visit the archives for them or who can visit the archives in Slovakia themselves and research the records in person.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Slovakia,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1991-1999.</ref> | |||
Jordan Auslander has compiled an index to Jewish vital records in Slovakia which is arranged by town name. It indicates what years exist for births, marriages, and deaths. It also gives the archive where these records are held:<br>Auslander, Jordan. ''Index to Jewish vital statistic records of Slovakia''. Teaneck, New Jersey: Avotaynu, 1993. (FHL fiche 6414537). | |||
The Slovak National Archives address is: | |||
:Slovensky narodny archiv<br>Drotárska cesta 4072/42<br>811 02 Staré Mesto<br>Slovakia<br>Phone: +421 2/628 011 87<br>Email: [mailto:archiv@sna.vs.sk archiv@sna.vs.sk] | |||
Here are other resources to help find Slovak Jewish records: | |||
*''Jewish Vital Statistics Records in Slovakian Archives''. | |||
*Kollarova, Zuzana and Jozef Hanus. ''A Guide to the Slovak Archives''. Universum, 1999. | |||
*Saramanyova, Jane. ''Cirkevne Matriky na Slovensku Zo 16.-19''. Odbor Archivnictva Ministerstva Vnutra SR, 1991. Provides a list of parish registers (including Jewish registers) in Slovakia from the 16th to the 19th century. | |||
=== The JewishGen Hungary Database === | === The JewishGen Hungary Database === | ||