Poland Jewish Records: Difference between revisions

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Back to [[Poland Jewish Research|Poland Jewish Research Main Page]]►<br>Go to [[Poland|Poland Page]]►
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[[Image:Rozan town square.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Rozan town square.jpg]]  
Go to [[Jewish Genealogy Research|Jewish Genealogy Research Main Page]]
<BR>


Historians estimate that during the 19th century more than 85 percent of the world’s Jews lived in Europe.  
==Online Resources==
*[https://www.crarg.org/polish-holocaust-database.php Częstochowa-Radomsko Area Research Group] at crarg.org - index
*'''1939-1945''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61708/ Stanislav, Ukraine (Poland), List of Residents by Street, 1939-1945 (USHMM)] at Ancestry - index and images ($)
*'''1939-1945''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61738/ Ukraine, Applications for ID for the Citizens of Stanislav, 1939-1945 (USHMM)] at Ancestry - index ($)
*'''1940-1941''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2484/ Kraków, Poland, ID Card Applications for Jews During World War II, 1940-1941 (USHMM)] at Ancestry - index ($)
*'''1940-1944''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-20018/lodz-ghetto-list?s=275764761 Lodz Ghetto List] at MyHeritage — index($)


Most of these lived in Poland and Russia. Many books have been written about Jews in Poland. You can often find these in a public or university library.  
==Historical Background==
The history of Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. From the founding of the Kingdom of Poland in 1025 until the early years of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created in 1569, Poland was one of the most tolerant countries in Europe, and became a shelter for Jews persecuted from various European countries.  


The Family History Library has microfilmed many Jewish records in Poland and is continually adding to the collection. There are extensive records from the former Russian and German areas of Poland, but fewer for the Austrian areas of Poland. For those areas not yet microfilmed, you may write to the local civil registration office.  
Between 1772 and 1795, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was divided between three of the surrounding major powers: the Habsburg Monarchy (Austria), Kingdom of Prussia (Germany), and Russian Empires.  


At first Jews were included in Catholic civil registers. The earliest civil registration of Polish Jews was in the former Austrian territory of Galicia in 1787, but it was not enforced until the mid-19th century. The Duchy of Warsaw, which later constituted the Russian territory of Poland, began civil registration in 1808. In areas of Prussian rule, Jews were required to prepare transcripts of vital records beginning in the early 1800s. Microfilmed civil records are usually available to 1875. You may obtain information regarding records not filmed&nbsp;that are still in Poland by writing to the headquarters of the Polish State Archives (see [[Poland Archives and Libraries]]). Here is a fast link to [http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/pradziad.php?l=en&search=1&wyznanie_id=19&f=0 all Jewish records] found in Polish State Archives.
Prior to World War II, over 3.3 million Jews lived in Poland, the largest Jewish population in Europe. Over the course of WWII, nearly all of Poland's Jews were murdered during the holocaust. Only close to 11% of Poland's Jews (about 369,000 people), survived the war. Today, just over 3,000 Jews remain in Poland.<ref>"History of Jews in Poland," Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org, accessed May 2021. </ref> 


For further information about Jewish research see the Internet site:
For more information about the history of Jews in Poland, consider the following sources.


[http://www.jewishgen.org/ www.JewishGen.org]  
*To read the Wikipedia.org article ''History of the Jews in Poland'', click [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Poland here].
*Take the [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Poland.html '''Poland Virtual Jewish History Tour'''].
*Explore the [https://yivoencyclopedia.org/ '''YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe.''']
*Explore the '''[https://fodz.pl/?d=1&l=en Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Poland]''' site.


Also see [[Jewish Genealogy Research]].
====Importance of and Locating the Town====
In order to research your family in Poland, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from. It is not enough to only know 'Poland' or even 'Prussian Poland,' 'Russian Poland,' or 'Austrian Poland;' you must know the shtetl, or town, they came from. It will also be useful to determine which partition of Poland your ancestors came from as genealogical research in each of these three areas or partitions of Poland is a bit different. This Wiki page includes general records that can be used for research in Poland as a whole, while the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Jewish records pages contain resource and information specific to research in that area. Use the map and the links below to access the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Jewish records pages. If you aren't sure which partition of Poland your ancestors came from, see the heading '''How do I know which partition of Poland my ancestors came from?''' below. {{Poland Regional Jewish Records}}


For information regarding locations of Polish Jewish records, see:
*[[Austrian Poland Jewish Records|'''Austrian Poland Jewish Records''']]
*[[Prussian Poland Jewish Records|'''Prussian Poland Jewish Records''']]
*[[Russian Poland Jewish Records|'''Russian Poland Jewish Records''']]


Weiner, Miriam. ''Jewish Roots in Poland, Pages from the Past and Archival Inventories.'' New York, New York: Yivo Institute for Jewish Research, 1997. (FHL book 943.8 F2wm.)
<br />
====How do I know which partition of Poland my ancestors came from?====


== Jewish Vital Records in Russian Poland (Congress Poland, Kingdom of Poland)  ==
====='''JewishGen Gazetteer'''=====


'''1808-1825'''  
*The [https://www.jewishgen.org/communities/loctown.asp '''JewishGen Gazetteer'''] can help you determine which partition of Poland your ancestor came from. To view an entry page, search for your town name, then click on the '''Jewish star''' to the left of the town name. Pay special attention to the jurisdictions '''Before WWI'''. The '''Country''' column will let you know which partition of Poland. If there are multiple towns with the same name in different parts of Poland, see the heading below for more information.


''Catholic Civil Transcripts'' were written in the Polish language.  
====='''Records in Country of Immigration'''=====
One of the best ways to determine information about your ancestor's pre-immigration origins is to investigate records in the country of immigration. Records that might give clues about your ancestor's birthplace include vital records like marriage or death, vital records of children or spouses, census, church records, obituaries, naturalization/immigration and so on. Find a Wiki page for the country, state, or county that your ancestor immigrated to in order to discover what types of records might be available for the area they lived in.


'''1826-1942'''
As you locate your ancestor in records in their country of immigration, you might notice some variation in their birthplace. The list below illustrates some of the commonalities you might encounter that will help you determine which partition of Poland your ancestor was from.


''Separate Jewish Registers'' were written in the Polish language except for the 1868 -1917 time period in which they were written in Russian.
*'''Austrian Poland:''' Austria, Austro-Hungary, Galicia, Poland
*'''Prussian Poland:''' Germany, Poland, Prussia, names of provinces including:
**Brandenburg, East Prussia (''Ostpreußen),'' Pomerania (''Pommern''), Posen (''Poznan''), Silesia (''Schlesien'') West Prussia (''Westpreußen)''
*'''Russian Poland:''' Poland, Russia, names of provinces including:
**Grodno, Kalisz, Kielce, Łomża, Lublin, Piotrków, Plock, Radom, Suwałki, Warszawa


Records older than 100 years are kept in regional branches of the Polish State Archives [Archiwum Państwowe]. Many of these records, usually up to around 1865 or later for some towns, have been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Records less than 100 years are kept in the town's civil registration office [Urząd Stanu Cywilnego].
==Jewish Records [''Akta żydowskie'']==
[[File:Jewish Religious Communities in the Republic of Poland.png|300px|thumb|right|<center>Jewish Religious Communities in the Republic of Poland</center>]]
*Chiefly these consist of transcript records created in accordance with the laws of each of the governments that controlled Poland after the partitioning.
*Prior to the introduction of civil transcript laws (and occasionally after), Jews were sometimes included in Christian church books.  In Russian Poland, for example, between 1808 and 1826, Jews may have been recorded in the records of the Roman Catholic Church. By 1826, Jewish congregations kept their own records.
*By the 1820s and 1830s many Jewish congregations were keeping their own distinct civil transcript records.
*
*Other types of Jewish records include circumcision records, marriage contracts, as well as holocaust memorial records, There was little consistency to the keeping of birth, marriage, and death records which was by the whim of the local religious Jewish leaders until the introduction of civil transcript laws. See below for more information about record types and content.
**'''Civil transcripts and/or civil registration:''' record contents are similar to Christian civil transcripts.
**'''Circumcision records (Mohalim books):''' given Hebrew male names of children, circumcision date (Hebrew calendar), father’s given Hebrew name, sometimes surname.
**'''Marriage contracts (Ketubbot):''' marriage date, names of groom and bride, contractual agreements.
**'''Divorce records (Get or Gett):''' a document in Jewish religious law which effectuates a divorce between a Jewish couple. The document frees the woman from the marriage, and consequently, she is free to marry another.
**'''Death memorial records:''' names of deceased individuals and death date in Hebrew calendar with month and day but sometimes not year.
**'''Kahal records:''' Records of the Jewish governing bodies, including lists of those who voted for the head rabbi, lists of community inhabitants, etc.


== Record Sets and Indexes  ==
Read through the sections below for information about accessing some of these records.


=== [http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/ JewishGen Records Indexing] ===
==JRI Poland==
JRI-Poland has indexed over 6.1 million Jewish birth, marriage, and death records from current and former territories of Poland. Search the free '''[https://jri-poland.org/jriplweb.htm database]''' using information such as surname, given name, or any field. Search results are displayed according to historical region (gubernia, wojewodztwo, etc.). For additional help in searching the database see [https://learn.jri-poland.org/knowledge-base/how-do-i-search-for-records/ How Do I Search For Records?] You may also wish to view the free, virtual class '''[https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/session/doing-jewish-research-in-poland-records Doing Jewish Research in Poland Records]''' to find more information about the resources available through JRI-Poland.


Poland's historic borders extend into Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine and also into parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire known as Silesia. For this reason, use the database specified on your community page to find indexed records. Search for your community page [http://www.jewishgen.org/Communities/Search.asp here].
Indexes were taken from a variety of different places including FamilySearch microfilms, digital images housed on the Polish State Archives and other genealogical/archival sites, or from originals located in Poland.


However, persons may show up elsewhere due to migration or deportation internal to Eastern Europe.
*'''To locate original images on FamilySearch using a microfilm number''', look for a number found in the microfilm column (usually the last column on the right). If there is not a blue hyperlink on the number, copy the microfilm number and then go to the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog FamilySearch Catalog.] Paste the microfilm number in the '''Film/Fiche Number''' box and select '''Search''' (you may need to remove commas). One, or several result may appear. Look for a result with the the '''Author''' as the town listed on JRI-Poland. Scroll down to the portion of the page entitled '''Film/Digital Notes'''. Look for your film number in the '''Film Column'''. Pay attention to the item number (if one is listed). Next, look in the '''Format''' column.
**A '''camera''' icon indicates the digital images of the records are accessible online. Click on the camera and then locate the correct item number within the film.
**A '''camera icon with a key''' indicates that the item has viewing restrictions and may be accessible at a [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ Family History Center]] or on microfilm at the [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah]. To locate a FamilySearch Center near you, click [https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/ here.]
**A '''magnifying glass''' indicates that at least a portion of the film has been indexed. Click on the magnifying glass to search through the indexes.
**A '''wheel''' icon indicates that the item has viewing restrictions and is only accessible on microfilm at the [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.]
*'''To locate original images on the Polish State Archives'''
*'''To locate additional source information''' scroll down to the bottom of your search page on JRI-Poland to the '''Datafile''' section. Locate the collection of interest from the index and then look at the final column, '''LDS films/contact information'''.


All JRI databases are linked [http://www.jewishgen.org/Communities/Search.asp here].
==JewishGen Resources==
JewishGen is one of the most important sources in Jewish genealogical research worldwide. The site is free and easy to use, but requires registration. For video tutorials on many of the resources of JewishGen, see the following free, virtual classes:


[http://www.jri-Poland.org JRI - Poland] is the largest fully searchable database of Jewish vital records accessible online. 4 million records from more than 500 Polish towns are now indexed. More are being added every few months.  
*'''[https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/session/intro-to-jewishgen-org-and-jewish-genealogy Intro to JewishGen.org and Jewish Genealogy]'''
**JewishGen.org offers both archival and networking components that are relied upon by thousands of people each day. Explore common challenges that people encounter when researching their family history, and how JewishGen can help.
*'''[https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/tips/searching-the-jewishgen-archival-collections Searching the JewishGen Archival Collections]'''
**Provides a brief overview of how to search the JewishGen Archival Collections (JewishGen Databases).


On finding an indexed record of interest, there will usually be three options for obtaining the original record:
====JewishGen Family Finder====
The [https://www.jewishgen.org/jgff/ '''Family Finder'''] is a database of both ancestral hometowns and surnames that have been researched by their descendants world wide. The Family Finder allows you to connect with others who are researching similar ancestors and origins and collaborate your research.


*a link to the digital image (or one nearby)
'''To add the surnames and locations you are researching:'''
*a Family History Library microfilm number
*the contact information for the archive (follow the links at the page bottom)


Remember that indexing is incomplete! Sometimes only part of the available record set is indexed (e.g., births and not deaths). Carefully watch the place names, record types and date ranges listed in the search results.
*Click on '''Modify (Edit your existing entries)''' or '''Enter (Add new entries)'''.
*Type in the surnames and/or locations of interest and hit '''Submit'''.


When necessary, researchers can order records indexed as part of the JRI-Poland/PSA (Polish State Archives) Project directly from the Regional Archive where the records are maintained. Instructions and further information are found [http://www.jewishgen.org/jri-pl/psa/neworder.htm here]. Use the [http://www.jewishgen.org/jri-pl/psa/orderform.htm Order Form] for your inquiry.
'''To search the database and see if you can connect to family members and other researchers:'''


=== [http://www.lostshoebox.com/poland/online-records/ Lost Shoebox Overview of Online Records for Poland] ===
*Choose '''Search (Search the database)''' from the Town Finder home page. You can search for a surname and/or a town.


A map view of available scans and indexes arranged by voivodeship. Find pertinent item numbers lower on page.
*Search results will appear in a chart format giving you the surname, town, country, and researcher information (often includes contact information) and the date they last logged into JewishGen.


=== [http://szukajwarchiwach.pl/ Szukaj w Archiwach] (English: Search the Archives)  ===
====JewishGen Gazetteer====


Contains information about Polish national archive resources kept at state archives in Lublin and Poznań and their branches. Digital copies of some of archive materials from these and other archives are also available in the service. Additional scans will become available as the website develops.  
*The '''[https://www.jewishgen.org/communities/search.asp JewishGen Gazetteer]''', also known as the Communities Database, is a useful online gazetteer for locations in Eastern Europe. Note that wild card searches are not supported. To view an entry page, click on the '''Jewish star''' to the left of the town name. Entry pages provide jurisdictions for before WWI, the interwar period, after WWII and modern-day. Alternate names and Yiddish and Russian spellings are also included. In the center, you'll find a map and a list of additional Jewish communities located nearby. Finally, under '''Additional Information''' and in the green box at the top, you'll find links to references and additional resources that may help you in your research. For help using this resource, see the free virtual class, [https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/tips/8-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-jewishgens-communities-database '''8 Ways to Get the Most Out of JewishGen's Communities Database'''.]


Its primary purpose is to provide online descriptions of archival material from state archives and other cultural institutions. Selected archival descriptions are presented in parallel with the scans, the number of which is steadily growing. Using the service is free and does not require a log in.  
====JewishGen Poland Database====
The '''[https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/poland/ JewishGen Poland database]''' includes indexes of vital records, ghetto records, business directories, voters lists and more. You may also find it useful to browse other [https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/ JewishGen databases].  


*The Polish word used on this site to identify Jewish records is "mojżeszowe." For example, use that term to search all cataloged records at the site by clicking [http://www.szukajwarchiwach.pl/search?q=moj%C5%BCeszowe here]. At the time this Wiki entry was created, this search resulted in 3,422 catalog entries.
====JewishGen Given Names Database (GNDB)====
*Each catalog entry includes the collection name. For vital records and civil registers, the catalog entry includes the locality (e.g., town) where the record was made.
The '''[https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/givennames/ Given Names Database]''' explains the various types of given names, and the variations. The site also includes a database for searching Jewish given names.  
**The Polish identifier for birth records is "urodzenia."
**The Polish identifier for marriage records is "małżeństwa."
**The Polish identifier for death records is "zgony."
**The Polish identifier for marriage banns records is "alegata."
*Search Example: To find Jewish marriages in the city of Radom, enter "mojżeszowe małżeństwa radom" in the search field at Szukaj w Archiwach. To perform this search, click [http://www.szukajwarchiwach.pl/search?q=moj%C5%BCeszowe%20ma%C5%82%C5%BCe%C5%84stwa%20radom here]. Note that best matches come first.
*If scans of the records have been made, then the "Digital Copies" number will be greater than zero. After opening the catalog entry by clicking on it, look for "Digital Copies" to the right of the very red arrow towards the top, and click there. At that time, you will see the online viewer options.  
*If scans are not available then contact the archive that holds the records.
*Begin searching at Szukaj w Archiwach by clicking [http://www.szukajwarchiwach.pl/ here] and closing the pop-up.
**Switch to English as necessary (unfortunately, not everything will be translated).
**Choose to search "Everything," "Files," or "Vital Records and Civil Registers."
**Enter desired search terms.


=== Regional Archives ===
==Polish State Archives==
The Polish archive system consists of many regional archives throughout Poland which are under the umbrella of the main Polish State Archive in Warsaw. Their website incorporates the holdings of all regional archives to help users find and locate records and documents. Note that some records are digitized and accessible online, while other records simply provide an inventory and an indication of which archive they are presently stored in. To access the new version of the Polish State Archives, click '''[https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/ here.]''' To access the old version of the Polish State Archives website, click '''[https://szukajwarchiwach.pl/ here.]''' To learn how to use the website, see the [[Poland "How to" Guides|Szukaj w Archiwach - The Polish State Archives Website "How to" Guide.]]


==== [http://www.ank.gov.pl/zasob-i-udostepnianie/informacje-o-archiwaliach/zbiory-online&usg=ALkJrhiz3eS6pgp4cj50rPg9uI5TtpKxTQ Archiwum Narodowe w Krakowie] (National Archives in Krakow) ====
==FamilySearch==
There may be records available for your town through [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FamilySearch.] To find records for your location, go to the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog '''FamilySearch Catalog.'''] In the place box, type in the name of your town and click the appropriate entry from the drop-down box. Keep in mind that records are often listed using multiple levels of jurisdictions from largest (country) to smallest (town), as well as varying jurisdictions over time.


Includes online scans of census records, civil registers etc.
Alternatively, you can click [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=1927187&query=%2Bplace%3A%22Poland%22 here] to access catalog entries for Poland. Click on '''Places within Poland''' and a list of places will appear. Click on your desired location(s). A list of record topics will then appear. Jewish records are most commonly catalogued under the headings '''Jewish Records''' or '''Jewish History'''. You may also find record under '''Church Records''' (for Jews recorded in records of other denominations)''', Civil Registration, Concentration Camps, Genealogy, Holocaust''', and '''Minorities'''.


==== [http://olsztyn.ap.gov.pl/baza/szukaj.php Archiwum Państwowe w Olsztynie] (State Archive in Olsztyn) ====
To open a topic, click on it and then a list of the records included in that topic will appear. Click on the blue links to view specific record titles. As you scroll down on the catalog entry page, look for the Film/Digital Notes section. The column on the left explains the types of records/years that are contained on the film. The final '''Format''' column indicates accessibility.


Includes images of civil registries (“Urząd Stanu Cywilnego”).
*A magnifying glass indicates that at least part of the film is indexed, and clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index.
*A camera indicates records are available online in a digital format.
*A camera with a key on top means the record is viewable digitally but with certain restrictions that may mean the record can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center, FamilySearch affiliate library, or the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. Take a look at the '''[https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/ FamilySearch Center Finder]''' to discover a location near you.
*A wheel icon indicates the record is only available on microfilm at the [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ '''FamilySearch Library'''] in Salt Lake City, Utah.


==== [http://poznan.ap.gov.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=80 Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu] (State Archive in Poznan/Posen) ====
For more information about using FamilySearch in your research, see the class '''[https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/session/using-familysearch-for-jewish-research Using FamilySearch for Jewish Research]''' from RootsTech.


Includes indexed census records from 1870-1931 with link to image.
==Ancestry.com==
The following record collections relate to Jewish records in Poland:
*[https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62195/ Free Access: USC Shoah Foundation, Holocaust – Jewish Survivor Interviews], index
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1459 Holocaust: Records from Ten Ghettos], index
*'''1500-1993''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1367 Poland, Jewish Records Indexing-Poland, Births, 1550-1993], index
*'''1798-1939''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1480 Poland, Jewish Records Indexing-Poland, Marriages, 1798-1939], index
*'''1808-1942''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1372 Poland, Jewish Records Indexing-Poland, Deaths, 1808-1942], index
*'''1926, 1930, 1932, 1935''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1519 Poland, Business Directories, 1926, 1930, 1932 and 1935], index
*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6214 Poland, Jewish Prisoners of War Registration Cards, 1939-1945], index
*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6219 Poland, Martyred Jewish Physicians, 1939-1945], index
*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=62495 Rzeszów, Poland, Death Certificates from Rzeszów Judenrat, 1939-1945 (USHMM)] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
*'''1943''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60835/ Israel, Tehran Children, 1943] at Ancestry - index ($)
*'''1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6584 Poland, Jewish Children Survivors of the Holocaust, 1945], index


==== [http://www.szczecin.ap.gov.pl/iCmsModuleArchPublic/showDocuments?show_on_page=50 Archiwum Państwowe w Szczecinie] (State Archive in Szczecin) ====
==The Knowles Collection: Jews of Europe==


Includes scans of civil registers.
'''[https://www.familysearch.org/search/family-trees The Knowles Collection,]''' now available through FamilySearch Genealogies, consists of the genealogies of many Jews who appear in the records of the countries of Europe. The great advantage of the Knowles Collection is that it links together into family groups thousands of individual Jews (over 380,000 for this database as of Jan 2015). Use the above link to search the collection. To view a description of the collection, click [https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/The_Knowles_Collection:_Jews_of_Europe here,] or read about it on the [http://knowlescollection.blogspot.com/ Knowles Collection Blog.]


==== [http://www.agad.gov.pl/inwentarze/Mojz300x.xml Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (AGAD)] (Central Archives of Historical Records Warsaw)  ====
==Miriam Weiner: Routes to Roots Foundation==


Online images of the registry books of Jewish communities in the area of the Bug River from  1789-1943. The Bug River ran through Galicia and presently forms part of the border between Ukraine and Poland. Some, but not all, of these records are indexed at JewishGen.
====Surname Database====
Over her 30+ years of working in Eastern European archives, Miriam Weiner collected vast amounts of material and can be searched using the '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/lnintro.shtml Surname Database.]'''


The records of 137 Jewish communities are to be found at AGAD. Those with digital images (most of them) are identified by a “galeria ze skanami” (“gallery of scans”) link. Contact the archive about those without scans. The access page begins with general information, lists all 137 communities, and then re-iterates record set by record set with record type and dates covered.
*Use the [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/lnsearch.php Standard Surname Database] if you know your ancestor's given name, surname, or town name. This database is comprised of name lists from local historians and heads of Jewish communities, name lists from books, and name lists from various archives.
*Use the [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/ocrsearch.php OCR Surname Database] (optical character recognition) to search for your ancestor's surname. The search of the database is done using Cyrillic spellings, but the search form allows you to enter the name in Latin letters and automatically transliterates it into Cyrillic for you. This database is comprised of information from business directories, address calendars, telephone books, typed name lists, and name lists from books and from archives.
You may also be able to use the database to help narrow down a more specific location for where individuals lived who shared your ancestor's surname.


=== [http://metryki.genealodzy.pl/?lang=eng Metryki Genealodzy] English: Genealogical Records Indexing Project ===
====Archive Database====
Use the '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/search.php Archive Database]''' to locate what records exist for your ancestor's town, and where to find them. Search for the name of your ancestor's locality, and the database will provide results for known surviving records from that location, and where the records are held. (Remember to adjust the search criteria for Soundex options or spelling variations).


Click on the current Administrative Division for your community, then the county (info from your community page). Look for “Denomination: mojżeszowe” and/or “Urząd Stanu Cywilnego” meaning “Civil Registry Office,” and then follow the links to the online images.
This database contains documents such as army/recruit lists, family lists and census records, Jewish vital records (birth, marriage, death, divorce), immigration documents, voter and tax lists, property and notary records, Holocaust documents, police files, and pogrom documents, school records, occupation lists, local government and hospital records.
*See [http://www.rtrfoundation.org/ '''Routes to Roots Foundation'''] and '''hover over Poland''' for a Genealogical and Family History guide to Jewish and civil records in Eastern Europe.
For information about the repositories referred to on Miriam Weiner's Archive Database, see the [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/webs.shtml '''Archives in Eastern Europe'''] page which includes archival contact information. Contact/visit the respective repository for details on their holdings. For instructions on contacting archives and accessing records, see Q11 on [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/archdta11.shtml#Q10 this Routes to Roots page.]


=== [http://geneteka.genealodzy.pl Geneteka] ===
==== Holocaust Lists Database ====
Use the new '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/holocaust.php Holocaust Lists Database]''' at Miriam Weiner's Routes to Roots to determine the location of Holocaust documents such as victim and survivor lists, survival testimonials and more. Holocaust Collections included in this database are from select towns in Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine.


Search for books designated as “(mojżeszowe)”.
Database entries include information about archive the records are stored in and the archival file number. This information will help you locate the original record in the archive.


=== [http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/pradziad.php?l=en The PRADZIAD database] ===
To determine what holocaust lists may survive, simply search the database by town. Click on an entry to view additional information about the record and its location. After you have determined that Holocaust documents for your town are available, consider searching your surname in the Surname Database. Miriam Weiner has digitized many Holocaust lists and they are accessible through the Surname Database. Keep in mind that this is an ongoing project, so check back often for new information and updates.


PRADZIAD stands for "Database Registration Program Vital Records and Civil Status." Find record sets in various Polish archives. Search by name of town, denomination “mojżeszowe,” etc. Here is a fast link to [http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/pradziad.php?l=en&search=1&wyznanie_id=19&f=0 all Jewish records] found in the PRAZIAD database (over 3000 record sets). However Jews will also be found in other historical and civil record sets not designated as "Jewish" record sets. You may wish to search through all the record sets for your towns.
====Maps====
Miriam Weiner's website offers select '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/maps1.shtml historical maps of Poland]''', as well as a variety of '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/imagesearch.php historical images]''' from towns in Poland that may prove useful in your family history.


=== [https://www.genealogiawarchiwach.pl/archiwum-front?locale=en Genealogia w Archiwach] English: Genealogy in the Archive (unindexed record images) ===
==[http://yvng.yadvashem.org/advanced-search.html?language=en Yad Vashem Shoah Database]==
The YadVashem.org Central Database of Shoah (Holocaust) Victims’ Names is searchable by name and by community with “synonym” or “Soundex” options.
==Shabbat Goy==


A joint genealogical project of the state archives in Torun and Bydgoszcz containing images of civil records starting in 1874 for Pomorski and Kujawsko-pomorski. Browse by community and date. An English tutorial for using Genealogia w Archiwach is found [http://www.lostshoebox.com/tutorial/genealogia-w-archiwach/ here].
'''[http://www.shabbat-goy.com/liste-des-sites-de-memoire-juive-visites-en-pologne/ Shabbat Goy]''' provides information on more than 200 concentration camps, synagogues and cemeteries in Poland. The site is in French, but if you are using the Google Chrome browser, you can right click anywhere on the page and select Translate to English. The list of localities is not in alphabetical order, so an alphabetical list appears below:


=== [http://www.online-ofb.de/juden_nw/ Familiendatenbank Juden im Deutschen Reich] English: Jewish Families in the German Empire  ===
*Annopol, Auschwitz, Bedzin, Belzyce, Biala, Biala Podlaska, Biala, Bialystok, Bielsk Podlaski, Blechhammer, Bochnia, Bojanowo, Buk, Byczyna-Biskupice, Chelm, Chelmno, Chrzanow, Czeladz, Czerniejewo, Czestochowa, Dabrowa Tarnowska, Debica, Drawsko Pomorskie, Elk, Gdansk, Gliwice, Glogowek, Glubczyce, Gogolin, Goleniow, Gryfice, Jarocin, Jaworzno, Jedwabne, Karczew, Katowice, Kazimierz Dolny, Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Kepno, Klimontow, Konin, Kornik, Koscian, Koszalin, Kozmin, Krakow, Krapkowice, KraSnik, Krasnystaw, Krotoszyn, Kuznica, Lancut, Leczna, LeSnica, Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Majdanek, Miedzyrzec Podlaski, Mikolajki, Milowka, Miroslawiec, Mosina, Mszczonow, Niezdrowice, Nisko, Nowy Dwor, Nowy Sacz, Opatow, Opole Lubelskie, Orla, Ostrow Wielkopolski, Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Oswiecim, Otwock, Ozarow, Piaski, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Plaszow, Pobiedziska, Pogorzela, Polczyn Zdroj, Poznan, Prudnik, Przeworsk, Przysucha, Pszczyna, Pyskowice, Radymno, Radzyn Podlaski, Ropczyce, Rozwadow, Rymanow, Rzeszow, Sandomierz, Sanok, Sawin, Sedziszow Malopolski, Sejny, Skoczow, Slomniki, Slupca, Smigiel, Sobibor, Sokolow Malopolski, Sosnowiec, Stary Sacz, Strzegom, Strzegom, Strzelce Opolskie, Stutthof, Sulawki (sic), Swarzedz, Swidnica, Swidwin, Szczebrzeszyn, Szczucin, Szczuczyn, Szydlow, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Tarnowskie Gory, Toszek, Toszek, Treblinka, Trzebinia, Tuczno, Tyczyn, Tykocin, Ujazd, Ulanow, Uzarzewo, Warszawa, Wieliczka, Wlodawa, Zabrze, Zamosc, Zary, Zator, Ziebice, Zyrardow.


Index only, almost 70,000 persons, compiled by Ingo Paul. The site is in German.
==[https://www.its-arolsen.org/en/ The International Tracing Service]==
 
*Includes:
**Berlin
**Brandenburg with communities located east of the Oder River
**Bremen
**Hamburg
**Mecklenburg
**Niedersachsen
**'''Ostpreußen'''
**'''Pommern'''
**'''Posen'''
**Sachsen with areas east of the Neiße River
**Sachsen-Anhalt
**'''Schlesien'''
**Schleswig-Holstein with Nordschleswig
**Thüringen
**'''Westpreußen'''
 
=== [http://www.ptg.gda.pl Pomeranian Genealogical Association] German: Pommern, Polish: Pomorski===
 
Look for civil registry records with a “USC” (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego) designation.
 
=== [http://poznan-project.psnc.pl/ Poznan Project] German: Posen ===
 
Includes “civil registry” records.
 
=== [http://www.basia.famula.pl/en/zawartosc National BaSIA Database] (Wielkopolska Genealogical Society) ===
 
Covers Greater Poland and Kuyavian-Pomerania. Includes civil registry records. Click on map to see what is indexed. Search by name.
 
=== [http://www.rtrfoundation.org/index.shtml The Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation] ===
 
Data originally published in books by Miriam Weiner is now on this website with periodic updates.
 
=== [http://yvng.yadvashem.org/advanced-search.html?language=en Yad Vashem Shoah Database] ===
 
The YadVashem.org Central Database of Shoah (holocaust) Victims’ Names is searchable by name and by community with “synonym” or “Soundex” options.
 
=== [http://jri-poland.org/kr-sig/krsig_town_records_in_all_issues.htm Kielce-Radom SIG Journal]  ===
 
A link to a list of indexed towns from the Kielce-Radom area. For many years, the Kielce-Radom Special Interest Group has been indexed Jewish vital records from that area of Poland, publishing the data in their printed Journal. These indexes have been now merged into the [http://jri-poland.org/jriplweb.htm JRI Poland database].
 
=== [https://www.its-arolsen.org/en/ The International Tracing Service] ===


International Tracing Service was established at the end of World War I to help people in Europe to find family and friends who had been lost as a result of the war. The archives of the ITS were opened to the public in November 2007. The collections of the ITS are written in German. Two of the collections of the ITS have information of particular value for researching Jewish families. These records are the T/D files, and the Central Name Index.  
International Tracing Service was established at the end of World War I to help people in Europe to find family and friends who had been lost as a result of the war. The archives of the ITS were opened to the public in November 2007. The collections of the ITS are written in German. Two of the collections of the ITS have information of particular value for researching Jewish families. These records are the T/D files, and the Central Name Index.  
Line 185: Line 215:
Germany  
Germany  


E-mail: email@its-arolsen.org  
E-mail: email@its-arolsen.org


=== [https://www.drk-suchdienst.de/en The German Red Cross Tracing Service] ===
==[https://www.drk-suchdienst.de/en The German Red Cross Tracing Service]==


The GRC Tracing Service supports people who have become separated from their family due to armed conflicts, natural disasters, escape, displacement or migration. It helps to trace family members, to put them back in contact and to reunite families.
The GRC Tracing Service supports people who have become separated from their family due to armed conflicts, natural disasters, escape, displacement or migration. It helps to trace family members, to put them back in contact and to reunite families.


Select region and branch office to find contact information.
Select region and branch office to find contact information.
===[http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/pradziad.php?l=en The PRADZIAD Database]===


== Miscellaneous Resources ==
PRADZIAD stands for "Database Registration Program Vital Records and Civil Status." It is a catalog of record sets found in Polish archives. Search by name of town, denomination “mojżeszowe,” etc. Here is a fast link to [http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/pradziad.php?l=en&search=1&wyznanie_id=19&f=0 all Jewish records] found in the PRAZIAD database (over 3000 record sets). However Jews will also be found in other historical and civil record sets not designated as "Jewish" record sets. You may wish to search through all the record sets for your towns.
 
=== [http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/GivenNames/ JewishGen Given Names Data Bases (GNDB)]  ===
 
Explains Primary-Subsidiary double given names (e.g., Aleksander Ziskind or Yehuda Leyb) and legal double (Primary-Subsidiary) given names which were composed of a classical Hebrew name plus an "Old" and/or "NEW" name, as the rabbis called them. Includes a database for searching Jewish given names.
 
=== Web Sites  ===
 
==== [https://www.yivo.org/Home The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research] ====
"YIVO is dedicated to fostering knowledge of the ongoing story of Jewish life, with a focus on the history and culture of East European Jewry." Includes a significant collection of records from Vilna, Lithuania, which was a part of Poland for a time.
 
==== [http://fodz.pl/?d=1&l=en Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland] ====
 
The foundation's primary mission is to protect and commemorate the surviving sites and monuments of Jewish cultural heritage in Poland.
 
==== [http://www.shabbat-goy.com/liste-des-sites-de-memoire-juive-visites-en-pologne/ Shabbat goy] ====
 
A new website Shabbat Goy that provides information about more than 200 concentration camps, Jewish synagogues and cemeteries in Poland. The site is in French, but the home page provides a link to Google Translate so that it can be read in any language. To read the locality list in your native language, invoke the language conversion feature on the home page and then click the words “All Sites” on the black bar near the top of the page. The list of localities is not in alphabetical order, so an alphabetical list appears below:


*Annopol, Auschwitz, Bedzin, Belzyce, Biala, Biala Podlaska, Biala, Bialystok, Bielsk Podlaski, Blechhammer, Bochnia, Bojanowo, Buk, Byczyna-Biskupice, Chelm, Chelmno, Chrzanow, Czeladz, Czerniejewo, Czestochowa, Dabrowa Tarnowska, Debica, Drawsko Pomorskie, Elk, Gdansk, Gliwice, Glogowek, Glubczyce, Gogolin, Goleniow, Gryfice, Jarocin, Jaworzno, Jedwabne, Karczew, Katowice, Kazimierz Dolny, Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Kepno, Klimontow, Konin, Kornik, Koscian, Koszalin, Kozmin, Krakow, Krapkowice, KraSnik, Krasnystaw, Krotoszyn, Kuznica, Lancut, Leczna, LeSnica, Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Majdanek, Miedzyrzec Podlaski, Mikolajki, Milowka, Miroslawiec, Mosina, Mszczonow, Niezdrowice, Nisko, Nowy Dwor, Nowy Sacz, Opatow, Opole Lubelskie, Orla, Ostrow Wielkopolski, Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Oswiecim, Otwock, Ozarow, Piaski, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Plaszow, Pobiedziska, Pogorzela, Polczyn Zdroj, Poznan, Prudnik, Przeworsk, Przysucha, Pszczyna, Pyskowice, Radymno, Radzyn Podlaski, Ropczyce, Rozwadow, Rymanow, Rzeszow, Sandomierz, Sanok, Sawin, Sedziszow Malopolski, Sejny, Skoczow, Slomniki, Slupca, Smigiel, Sobibor, Sokolow Malopolski, Sosnowiec, Stary Sacz, Strzegom, Strzegom, Strzelce Opolskie, Stutthof, Sulawki (sic), Swarzedz, Swidnica, Swidwin, Szczebrzeszyn, Szczucin, Szczuczyn, Szydlow, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Tarnowskie Gory, Toszek, Toszek, Treblinka, Trzebinia, Tuczno, Tyczyn, Tykocin, Ujazd, Ulanow, Uzarzewo, Warszawa, Wieliczka, Wlodawa, Zabrze, Zamosc, Zary, Zator, Ziebice, Zyrardow.
[[pt:Registros Judeus na Polônia]]


{{H-langs|en=Poland Jewish Records|pt=Registros Judeus na Polônia}}  
==References==
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Poland_Minorities]] [[Category:Jewish_Records]]
[[Category:Jewish Records]]
[[Category:Jewish Records by Country, Region, and City]]

Latest revision as of 18:01, 21 May 2024


Poland Wiki Topics
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Jewish Genealogy Research
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Beginning Research
Original Records
Compiled Sources
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Go to Jewish Genealogy Research Main Page

Online Resources[edit | edit source]

Historical Background[edit | edit source]

The history of Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. From the founding of the Kingdom of Poland in 1025 until the early years of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created in 1569, Poland was one of the most tolerant countries in Europe, and became a shelter for Jews persecuted from various European countries.

Between 1772 and 1795, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was divided between three of the surrounding major powers: the Habsburg Monarchy (Austria), Kingdom of Prussia (Germany), and Russian Empires.

Prior to World War II, over 3.3 million Jews lived in Poland, the largest Jewish population in Europe. Over the course of WWII, nearly all of Poland's Jews were murdered during the holocaust. Only close to 11% of Poland's Jews (about 369,000 people), survived the war. Today, just over 3,000 Jews remain in Poland.[1]

For more information about the history of Jews in Poland, consider the following sources.

Importance of and Locating the Town[edit | edit source]

In order to research your family in Poland, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from. It is not enough to only know 'Poland' or even 'Prussian Poland,' 'Russian Poland,' or 'Austrian Poland;' you must know the shtetl, or town, they came from. It will also be useful to determine which partition of Poland your ancestors came from as genealogical research in each of these three areas or partitions of Poland is a bit different. This Wiki page includes general records that can be used for research in Poland as a whole, while the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Jewish records pages contain resource and information specific to research in that area. Use the map and the links below to access the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian Jewish records pages. If you aren't sure which partition of Poland your ancestors came from, see the heading How do I know which partition of Poland my ancestors came from? below.

Austrian Poland Jewish RecordsRussian Poland Jewish RecordsPrussian Poland Jewish RecordsPoland 1815-1918.png
About this image


How do I know which partition of Poland my ancestors came from?[edit | edit source]

JewishGen Gazetteer[edit | edit source]
  • The JewishGen Gazetteer can help you determine which partition of Poland your ancestor came from. To view an entry page, search for your town name, then click on the Jewish star to the left of the town name. Pay special attention to the jurisdictions Before WWI. The Country column will let you know which partition of Poland. If there are multiple towns with the same name in different parts of Poland, see the heading below for more information.
Records in Country of Immigration[edit | edit source]

One of the best ways to determine information about your ancestor's pre-immigration origins is to investigate records in the country of immigration. Records that might give clues about your ancestor's birthplace include vital records like marriage or death, vital records of children or spouses, census, church records, obituaries, naturalization/immigration and so on. Find a Wiki page for the country, state, or county that your ancestor immigrated to in order to discover what types of records might be available for the area they lived in.

As you locate your ancestor in records in their country of immigration, you might notice some variation in their birthplace. The list below illustrates some of the commonalities you might encounter that will help you determine which partition of Poland your ancestor was from.

  • Austrian Poland: Austria, Austro-Hungary, Galicia, Poland
  • Prussian Poland: Germany, Poland, Prussia, names of provinces including:
    • Brandenburg, East Prussia (Ostpreußen), Pomerania (Pommern), Posen (Poznan), Silesia (Schlesien) West Prussia (Westpreußen)
  • Russian Poland: Poland, Russia, names of provinces including:
    • Grodno, Kalisz, Kielce, Łomża, Lublin, Piotrków, Plock, Radom, Suwałki, Warszawa

Jewish Records [Akta żydowskie][edit | edit source]

Jewish Religious Communities in the Republic of Poland
  • Chiefly these consist of transcript records created in accordance with the laws of each of the governments that controlled Poland after the partitioning.
  • Prior to the introduction of civil transcript laws (and occasionally after), Jews were sometimes included in Christian church books. In Russian Poland, for example, between 1808 and 1826, Jews may have been recorded in the records of the Roman Catholic Church. By 1826, Jewish congregations kept their own records.
  • By the 1820s and 1830s many Jewish congregations were keeping their own distinct civil transcript records.
  • Other types of Jewish records include circumcision records, marriage contracts, as well as holocaust memorial records, There was little consistency to the keeping of birth, marriage, and death records which was by the whim of the local religious Jewish leaders until the introduction of civil transcript laws. See below for more information about record types and content.
    • Civil transcripts and/or civil registration: record contents are similar to Christian civil transcripts.
    • Circumcision records (Mohalim books): given Hebrew male names of children, circumcision date (Hebrew calendar), father’s given Hebrew name, sometimes surname.
    • Marriage contracts (Ketubbot): marriage date, names of groom and bride, contractual agreements.
    • Divorce records (Get or Gett): a document in Jewish religious law which effectuates a divorce between a Jewish couple. The document frees the woman from the marriage, and consequently, she is free to marry another.
    • Death memorial records: names of deceased individuals and death date in Hebrew calendar with month and day but sometimes not year.
    • Kahal records: Records of the Jewish governing bodies, including lists of those who voted for the head rabbi, lists of community inhabitants, etc.

Read through the sections below for information about accessing some of these records.

JRI Poland[edit | edit source]

JRI-Poland has indexed over 6.1 million Jewish birth, marriage, and death records from current and former territories of Poland. Search the free database using information such as surname, given name, or any field. Search results are displayed according to historical region (gubernia, wojewodztwo, etc.). For additional help in searching the database see How Do I Search For Records? You may also wish to view the free, virtual class Doing Jewish Research in Poland Records to find more information about the resources available through JRI-Poland.

Indexes were taken from a variety of different places including FamilySearch microfilms, digital images housed on the Polish State Archives and other genealogical/archival sites, or from originals located in Poland.

  • To locate original images on FamilySearch using a microfilm number, look for a number found in the microfilm column (usually the last column on the right). If there is not a blue hyperlink on the number, copy the microfilm number and then go to the FamilySearch Catalog. Paste the microfilm number in the Film/Fiche Number box and select Search (you may need to remove commas). One, or several result may appear. Look for a result with the the Author as the town listed on JRI-Poland. Scroll down to the portion of the page entitled Film/Digital Notes. Look for your film number in the Film Column. Pay attention to the item number (if one is listed). Next, look in the Format column.
    • A camera icon indicates the digital images of the records are accessible online. Click on the camera and then locate the correct item number within the film.
    • A camera icon with a key indicates that the item has viewing restrictions and may be accessible at a Family History Center] or on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. To locate a FamilySearch Center near you, click here.
    • A magnifying glass indicates that at least a portion of the film has been indexed. Click on the magnifying glass to search through the indexes.
    • A wheel icon indicates that the item has viewing restrictions and is only accessible on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
  • To locate original images on the Polish State Archives
  • To locate additional source information scroll down to the bottom of your search page on JRI-Poland to the Datafile section. Locate the collection of interest from the index and then look at the final column, LDS films/contact information.

JewishGen Resources[edit | edit source]

JewishGen is one of the most important sources in Jewish genealogical research worldwide. The site is free and easy to use, but requires registration. For video tutorials on many of the resources of JewishGen, see the following free, virtual classes:

JewishGen Family Finder[edit | edit source]

The Family Finder is a database of both ancestral hometowns and surnames that have been researched by their descendants world wide. The Family Finder allows you to connect with others who are researching similar ancestors and origins and collaborate your research.

To add the surnames and locations you are researching:

  • Click on Modify (Edit your existing entries) or Enter (Add new entries).
  • Type in the surnames and/or locations of interest and hit Submit.

To search the database and see if you can connect to family members and other researchers:

  • Choose Search (Search the database) from the Town Finder home page. You can search for a surname and/or a town.
  • Search results will appear in a chart format giving you the surname, town, country, and researcher information (often includes contact information) and the date they last logged into JewishGen.

JewishGen Gazetteer[edit | edit source]

  • The JewishGen Gazetteer, also known as the Communities Database, is a useful online gazetteer for locations in Eastern Europe. Note that wild card searches are not supported. To view an entry page, click on the Jewish star to the left of the town name. Entry pages provide jurisdictions for before WWI, the interwar period, after WWII and modern-day. Alternate names and Yiddish and Russian spellings are also included. In the center, you'll find a map and a list of additional Jewish communities located nearby. Finally, under Additional Information and in the green box at the top, you'll find links to references and additional resources that may help you in your research. For help using this resource, see the free virtual class, 8 Ways to Get the Most Out of JewishGen's Communities Database.

JewishGen Poland Database[edit | edit source]

The JewishGen Poland database includes indexes of vital records, ghetto records, business directories, voters lists and more. You may also find it useful to browse other JewishGen databases.

JewishGen Given Names Database (GNDB)[edit | edit source]

The Given Names Database explains the various types of given names, and the variations. The site also includes a database for searching Jewish given names.

Polish State Archives[edit | edit source]

The Polish archive system consists of many regional archives throughout Poland which are under the umbrella of the main Polish State Archive in Warsaw. Their website incorporates the holdings of all regional archives to help users find and locate records and documents. Note that some records are digitized and accessible online, while other records simply provide an inventory and an indication of which archive they are presently stored in. To access the new version of the Polish State Archives, click here. To access the old version of the Polish State Archives website, click here. To learn how to use the website, see the Szukaj w Archiwach - The Polish State Archives Website "How to" Guide.

FamilySearch[edit | edit source]

There may be records available for your town through FamilySearch. To find records for your location, go to the FamilySearch Catalog. In the place box, type in the name of your town and click the appropriate entry from the drop-down box. Keep in mind that records are often listed using multiple levels of jurisdictions from largest (country) to smallest (town), as well as varying jurisdictions over time.

Alternatively, you can click here to access catalog entries for Poland. Click on Places within Poland and a list of places will appear. Click on your desired location(s). A list of record topics will then appear. Jewish records are most commonly catalogued under the headings Jewish Records or Jewish History. You may also find record under Church Records (for Jews recorded in records of other denominations), Civil Registration, Concentration Camps, Genealogy, Holocaust, and Minorities.

To open a topic, click on it and then a list of the records included in that topic will appear. Click on the blue links to view specific record titles. As you scroll down on the catalog entry page, look for the Film/Digital Notes section. The column on the left explains the types of records/years that are contained on the film. The final Format column indicates accessibility.

  • A magnifying glass indicates that at least part of the film is indexed, and clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index.
  • A camera indicates records are available online in a digital format.
  • A camera with a key on top means the record is viewable digitally but with certain restrictions that may mean the record can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center, FamilySearch affiliate library, or the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. Take a look at the FamilySearch Center Finder to discover a location near you.
  • A wheel icon indicates the record is only available on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

For more information about using FamilySearch in your research, see the class Using FamilySearch for Jewish Research from RootsTech.

Ancestry.com[edit | edit source]

The following record collections relate to Jewish records in Poland:

The Knowles Collection: Jews of Europe[edit | edit source]

The Knowles Collection, now available through FamilySearch Genealogies, consists of the genealogies of many Jews who appear in the records of the countries of Europe. The great advantage of the Knowles Collection is that it links together into family groups thousands of individual Jews (over 380,000 for this database as of Jan 2015). Use the above link to search the collection. To view a description of the collection, click here, or read about it on the Knowles Collection Blog.

Miriam Weiner: Routes to Roots Foundation[edit | edit source]

Surname Database[edit | edit source]

Over her 30+ years of working in Eastern European archives, Miriam Weiner collected vast amounts of material and can be searched using the Surname Database.

  • Use the Standard Surname Database if you know your ancestor's given name, surname, or town name. This database is comprised of name lists from local historians and heads of Jewish communities, name lists from books, and name lists from various archives.
  • Use the OCR Surname Database (optical character recognition) to search for your ancestor's surname. The search of the database is done using Cyrillic spellings, but the search form allows you to enter the name in Latin letters and automatically transliterates it into Cyrillic for you. This database is comprised of information from business directories, address calendars, telephone books, typed name lists, and name lists from books and from archives.

You may also be able to use the database to help narrow down a more specific location for where individuals lived who shared your ancestor's surname.

Archive Database[edit | edit source]

Use the Archive Database to locate what records exist for your ancestor's town, and where to find them. Search for the name of your ancestor's locality, and the database will provide results for known surviving records from that location, and where the records are held. (Remember to adjust the search criteria for Soundex options or spelling variations).

This database contains documents such as army/recruit lists, family lists and census records, Jewish vital records (birth, marriage, death, divorce), immigration documents, voter and tax lists, property and notary records, Holocaust documents, police files, and pogrom documents, school records, occupation lists, local government and hospital records.

  • See Routes to Roots Foundation and hover over Poland for a Genealogical and Family History guide to Jewish and civil records in Eastern Europe.

For information about the repositories referred to on Miriam Weiner's Archive Database, see the Archives in Eastern Europe page which includes archival contact information. Contact/visit the respective repository for details on their holdings. For instructions on contacting archives and accessing records, see Q11 on this Routes to Roots page.

Holocaust Lists Database[edit | edit source]

Use the new Holocaust Lists Database at Miriam Weiner's Routes to Roots to determine the location of Holocaust documents such as victim and survivor lists, survival testimonials and more. Holocaust Collections included in this database are from select towns in Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine.

Database entries include information about archive the records are stored in and the archival file number. This information will help you locate the original record in the archive.

To determine what holocaust lists may survive, simply search the database by town. Click on an entry to view additional information about the record and its location. After you have determined that Holocaust documents for your town are available, consider searching your surname in the Surname Database. Miriam Weiner has digitized many Holocaust lists and they are accessible through the Surname Database. Keep in mind that this is an ongoing project, so check back often for new information and updates.

Maps[edit | edit source]

Miriam Weiner's website offers select historical maps of Poland, as well as a variety of historical images from towns in Poland that may prove useful in your family history.

Yad Vashem Shoah Database[edit | edit source]

The YadVashem.org Central Database of Shoah (Holocaust) Victims’ Names is searchable by name and by community with “synonym” or “Soundex” options.

Shabbat Goy[edit | edit source]

Shabbat Goy provides information on more than 200 concentration camps, synagogues and cemeteries in Poland. The site is in French, but if you are using the Google Chrome browser, you can right click anywhere on the page and select Translate to English. The list of localities is not in alphabetical order, so an alphabetical list appears below:

  • Annopol, Auschwitz, Bedzin, Belzyce, Biala, Biala Podlaska, Biala, Bialystok, Bielsk Podlaski, Blechhammer, Bochnia, Bojanowo, Buk, Byczyna-Biskupice, Chelm, Chelmno, Chrzanow, Czeladz, Czerniejewo, Czestochowa, Dabrowa Tarnowska, Debica, Drawsko Pomorskie, Elk, Gdansk, Gliwice, Glogowek, Glubczyce, Gogolin, Goleniow, Gryfice, Jarocin, Jaworzno, Jedwabne, Karczew, Katowice, Kazimierz Dolny, Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Kepno, Klimontow, Konin, Kornik, Koscian, Koszalin, Kozmin, Krakow, Krapkowice, KraSnik, Krasnystaw, Krotoszyn, Kuznica, Lancut, Leczna, LeSnica, Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Majdanek, Miedzyrzec Podlaski, Mikolajki, Milowka, Miroslawiec, Mosina, Mszczonow, Niezdrowice, Nisko, Nowy Dwor, Nowy Sacz, Opatow, Opole Lubelskie, Orla, Ostrow Wielkopolski, Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Oswiecim, Otwock, Ozarow, Piaski, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Plaszow, Pobiedziska, Pogorzela, Polczyn Zdroj, Poznan, Prudnik, Przeworsk, Przysucha, Pszczyna, Pyskowice, Radymno, Radzyn Podlaski, Ropczyce, Rozwadow, Rymanow, Rzeszow, Sandomierz, Sanok, Sawin, Sedziszow Malopolski, Sejny, Skoczow, Slomniki, Slupca, Smigiel, Sobibor, Sokolow Malopolski, Sosnowiec, Stary Sacz, Strzegom, Strzegom, Strzelce Opolskie, Stutthof, Sulawki (sic), Swarzedz, Swidnica, Swidwin, Szczebrzeszyn, Szczucin, Szczuczyn, Szydlow, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Tarnowskie Gory, Toszek, Toszek, Treblinka, Trzebinia, Tuczno, Tyczyn, Tykocin, Ujazd, Ulanow, Uzarzewo, Warszawa, Wieliczka, Wlodawa, Zabrze, Zamosc, Zary, Zator, Ziebice, Zyrardow.

The International Tracing Service[edit | edit source]

International Tracing Service was established at the end of World War I to help people in Europe to find family and friends who had been lost as a result of the war. The archives of the ITS were opened to the public in November 2007. The collections of the ITS are written in German. Two of the collections of the ITS have information of particular value for researching Jewish families. These records are the T/D files, and the Central Name Index.

T/D Files

The T/D (Tracing Document) files contain inquiries made by individuals after the war seeking to know the fate of their friends or relatives. The writer often provides valuable information such as family relationships ages, birthplaces, and locations where the family lived. Any documents or future correspondence related to the initial inquiry are included in the file. Even if the missing person was never found, the inquiry and associated documents may provide valuable information and lead the researcher to other relatives.

Central Name Index

This file indexes the over 17 million names found in the collections of the International Tracing Service in Bad Arolsen. Most of the documents in the ITS are World War II era documents such as arrest papers and concentration camp lists. Names from these lists, along with the those in the T/D, are contained in the Central Name Index. Genealogists with a rare surname may even want to do a general search in the Central Name Index, as this may provide a more complete picture of the family.

Overlaps and Differences between ITS and Yad Vashem Databases

Read The International Tracing Service (ITS) and Yad Vashem to fully understand the relationships between the two. Most of ITS holdings may be found at Yad Vashem.

ITS Contact Information

The Address for the International Tracing Service is as follows:
International Tracing Service
Grosse Allee 5-9
34454 Bad Arolsen
Germany

E-mail: email@its-arolsen.org

The German Red Cross Tracing Service[edit | edit source]

The GRC Tracing Service supports people who have become separated from their family due to armed conflicts, natural disasters, escape, displacement or migration. It helps to trace family members, to put them back in contact and to reunite families.

Select region and branch office to find contact information.

The PRADZIAD Database[edit | edit source]

PRADZIAD stands for "Database Registration Program Vital Records and Civil Status." It is a catalog of record sets found in Polish archives. Search by name of town, denomination “mojżeszowe,” etc. Here is a fast link to all Jewish records found in the PRAZIAD database (over 3000 record sets). However Jews will also be found in other historical and civil record sets not designated as "Jewish" record sets. You may wish to search through all the record sets for your towns.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "History of Jews in Poland," Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org, accessed May 2021.

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