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yu to you, yur to your, other typos
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Before You write to Poland for family history information, you should do three things: | Before You write to Poland for family history information, you should do three things: | ||
* '''Determine exactly where your ancestor was born, was married, lived, or died.''''''''' Because most genealogical sources were recorded locally, you will need to know the specific locality where your ancestor was born, was married, lived, or died. See the library's publication Tracing Immigrant Origins for help in finding hometowns. | * '''Determine exactly where your ancestor was born, was married, lived, or died.'''''''''Because most genealogical sources were recorded locally, you will need to know the specific locality where your ancestor was born, was married, lived, or died. See the library's publication Tracing Immigrant Origins for help in finding hometowns.'' | ||
* '''Determine your ancestor's religion.''' Because most early records were kept by churches or synagogues rather than civil registraiton offices, | * '''Determine your ancestor's religion.''' Because most early records were kept by churches or synagogues rather than civil registraiton offices, you may need to write to the church your ancestor attended in his or her hometown. If you are not sure what your ancestor's religion was in Europe, determine what religion he or she practiced after immigrating. people usually did not change religions when they moved frm Europe to their new home. | ||
* '''Determine where records from your ancestor's home parish are stored today.''' When you have a localigy name, use a gazetteer to determine which parish or civil jurisdiction served your ancestor's locality. | * '''Determine where records from your ancestor's home parish are stored today.''' When you have a localigy name, use a gazetteer to determine which parish or civil jurisdiction served your ancestor's locality. | ||
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Church records are obtained from parishes, and civil records are obtained from civil registration offices. Both kinds of records may be stored in archives. In 1874 civil registration became mandatory in Poland, yet it started at different times throughout the country. If the dates you need precede 1874, you will need to write for church records. | Church records are obtained from parishes, and civil records are obtained from civil registration offices. Both kinds of records may be stored in archives. In 1874 civil registration became mandatory in Poland, yet it started at different times throughout the country. If the dates you need precede 1874, you will need to write for church records. | ||
If you address | If you address your letter to a parish or local civil registration office, you must write the letter in Polish. Letters written in Polish have a greater chance of receiving a reply than those written in English. You may write in English to the Directorate of State Archives. | ||
=== How To Address the Envelope === | === How To Address the Envelope === | ||
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=== What To Expect === | === What To Expect === | ||
It may take six months or longer for you to receive a reply to | It may take six months or longer for you to receive a reply to your request for information. Airmail improves the response time. The results of writing to parishes or civil registration offices can vary greatly. You may get a great deal of information, or you may get no answer at all. Some clergy and civil registrars are willing and able to provide considerable information, while others are not. | ||
When | When you receive a reply, send the requested payment and a note of thanks or acknowledgement. If you need to request further information, refer to your earlier letters and their return letters by date. You may want to include photocopies of any previous correspondence. If the archive assigned you a reference number, include that number as well. | ||
Use Polish-English dictionaries to help you understand the reply. Sometimes you can hire accredited genealogists to translate for you. The Family History Library also has published a Genealogical Word List in Polish (34098), which may be helpful. | Use Polish-English dictionaries to help you understand the reply. Sometimes you can hire accredited genealogists to translate for you. The Family History Library also has published a Genealogical Word List in Polish (34098), which may be helpful. | ||
If you do not receive an answer, write again, sending a copy of your first letter. Do | If you do not receive an answer, write again, sending a copy of your first letter. Do not send more money unless you verify that your first letter did not arrive. | ||
== How To Write a Letter in Polish == | == How To Write a Letter in Polish == | ||
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Be brief and to the point. Do not ask for too much at one time. | Be brief and to the point. Do not ask for too much at one time. | ||
The English-to- | The English-to-Polish translations found below will help you compose your letter. Read the sentences in English and choose those that best express what you want to say. Be sure to arrange your sentences logically. You may want to use the following English sentences to write your letter and then replace the sentences with their Polish translations. However you proceed, make sure you type or neatly print your letter and, when necessary, add any diacritical marks and special characters (such as ą, ć, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź, and ż) with a pen. | ||
'''Do not use this guide as the letter itself!''' That might insult the recipient and lessen the chance of a reply. | '''Do not use this guide as the letter itself!''' That might insult the recipient and lessen the chance of a reply. | ||
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| 15. I would like to locate any relatives who may be living in your area. my ancestor was (name). He (she) left for the United States in the year (year). He (she) resided in (town) before his (her) departure. If you know of | | 15. I would like to locate any relatives who may be living in your area. my ancestor was (name). He (she) left for the United States in the year (year). He (she) resided in (town) before his (her) departure. If you know of any persons of this name or relatives of the family, I would be grateful if you would give this letter to them so that they can contact me.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> | ||
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15. Chiciałbym (Chiciałabym, if you are a female) znaleźć członka mojej rodziny, który <br>(która, if the ancestor is a female) prawdopodobnie żyje w Pana (księdza, if addressing a priest; Pastora, if addressing a pastor) okolicy. Nazwisko mojego przodka jest (name). Wyjechał on (Wyjechała ona, if the ancestor is a female) do Stanó Zjednoczonych w roku (year). Przed wyjazdem mieszkał on (mieszkała ona, if the ancestor is a female) w miejscowości o nazwie (town). Gdyby Pan (Ksiądz, if addressing a priest; Pastor, if addressing a pastor) znał kogoś o tym nazwisku albo krewnych jego (jej, if the ancestor is a female) rodziny, byłbym wdzięczny (byłabym wdzięczna, if you are a female) za przekazanie im tego listu, aby mogli oni skontaktować się ze mną. | 15. Chiciałbym (Chiciałabym, if you are a female) znaleźć członka mojej rodziny, który <br>(która, if the ancestor is a female) prawdopodobnie żyje w Pana (księdza, if addressing a priest; Pastora, if addressing a pastor) okolicy. Nazwisko mojego przodka jest (name). Wyjechał on (Wyjechała ona, if the ancestor is a female) do Stanó Zjednoczonych w roku (year). Przed wyjazdem mieszkał on (mieszkała ona, if the ancestor is a female) w miejscowości o nazwie (town). Gdyby Pan (Ksiądz, if addressing a priest; Pastor, if addressing a pastor) znał kogoś o tym nazwisku albo krewnych jego (jej, if the ancestor is a female) rodziny, byłbym wdzięczny (byłabym wdzięczna, if you are a female) za przekazanie im tego listu, aby mogli oni skontaktować się ze mną. | ||