Poland Civil Registration: Difference between revisions

*''A Translation Guide to 19th Century Polish Language Civil Registration Documents'' by Judith R. Frazin. [http://www.jewishgen.org/JRI-PL/frazin.htm Samples] are available on line.

The following reading aid is designed to help you read a typical birth, marriage, or death entry in Polish civil registration. Since the wording of these records was standardized, it is possible to learn the format and, with careful effort, to read Polish records. Study this reading aid carefully.  

#'''Prepositional case:''' This case is most often used with place names, especially in connection with the preposition ''w'', meaning “in.” There are many different prepositional endings, depending on the nature of the standard nominative ending of the place name. It is best to check a gazetteer or map to determine the nominative form.

Birth records contain data on the parents' age, profession, social standing, full place of residence, full date of birth and registration (down to the hour), and witnesses' ages, professions, and places of residence.  

J.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The entry was read and signed by the witnesses or by the priest/rabbi if the witnesses could not write.<br><br>''Akt &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ten &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;stawającemu i &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;świadkom przeczytany został,<br>''Entry this (to the one) present&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; and witnesses&nbsp; read&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; was,<br><br>''Ojciec&nbsp;&nbsp; i &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;świadkowie &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; pisać nie &nbsp;umieją.<br>''Father and witnesses (to) write&nbsp; not know how.  

Marriage entries are the most informative. Marrying was subject to specific conditions. A male below the age of 18 or a female below the age of 15 could not contract marriage. (The emperor could give dispensations in exceptional, important situations). A son under 25 and a daughter under 21 had to have their parents' consent; in case of parental disagreement, the father's consent sufficed. If the parents were no longer alive or could not be present, then consent was given by grandfathers or, if applicable, brothers or uncles. Finally, it was impossible to marry a second time without dissolution of the first marriage, and the wedding had to take place publicly before the civil registrar in the place of residence of one of the newlyweds.  

G.&nbsp;Summation: This includes a statement that there were no objections to the marriage. Sometimes it includes a renaming of the witnesses with an occasional mention of relationship to the bride or groom. Finally, it concludes with a statement, as in birth and death records, that the entry was read to witnesses and that they signed or did not sign, depending on their ability to write.  

Death records contain description of the family relationships of the witnesses appearing, exact time and place of death, place of birth and parent's names. If the deceased was married, then the names of his or her spouse and of all living children were given. The cause of death was usually omitted if the person died of natural causes; it was given if the person died as a result of an accident, e.g., drowning, a fall, or fire. Information given in the death record depended on the knowledge of the witnesses who came to report the death.  

The following descriptions pertain mostly to Prussian records. Civil registration in Poland after 1918 followed the civil transcript format of the former controlling government and was gradually standardized to a format similar to the Napoleonic records of the Congress Poland.  

Birth records usually give the child’s name, sex, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. They sometimes give additional details, such as the age of the parents, occupation of the father, and marital status of mother. Births were generally registered within a day of the child’s birth by the father, a neighbor of the family, or the midwife. Corrections to a birth record may have been added as a marginal note, sometimes years later.  

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Marriages were often recorded in the parish where the bride lived. After 1874 Prussian law required a civil marriage ceremony in addition to a church ceremony. There may be records for both. Civil marriage records may include more information than&nbsp;the church records. When church and civil records are available, search both.  

'''Example of Polish Marriage Record in Russian'''  

Image:Polish Marriage Transcript.jpg|Transcribed Document

Image:Polish Marriage Record.jpg|Original Document

Divorces before the mid-20th century were uncommon. The Catholic Church did not allow divorces, and divorces were discouraged in protestant religions, although some marriages may have been annulled. Civil officials began keeping divorce records with the beginning of civil registration. Records of divorces may contain information on family members, marital history, property, residences, and dates of other important events such as the children’s births. Often a record of divorce was inserted later as a marginal note in the marriage register.  

The Family History Library has almost no divorce records in its Polish collection. You may be able to obtain information from divorce records by contacting the courthouse of the town where the divorce took place or the archives serving the area.  

Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person’s birth, spouse, and parents. Civil death records may exist for individuals for whom there are no birth or&nbsp;marriage records. Deaths were usually registered within a few days of the death in the town or city where the person died.