CZECHOSLOVAKIAN ROOTS

Olga K. Miller

Born in Czechoslovakia. Resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Professional writer and genealogist. Author.

Many Americans, whose ancestors came from their English-speaking employers and Czechoslovakia, were inspired by Haley's neighbors. Thus became Fox; Roots, but they visualize the task of Prochazka, Walker; Komarek, Marek; these ancestors as an insurmount­ Rericha, Cress, etc. Some tried to aid able They reason, "Why, the the situation by merely Americanizing the records there have probably been de­ spelling of their surname so it would stroyed by revolutions, wars, and the sound as it did originally. So Cerny hands of foreign invaders", or "They are became Czerny; Jelinek, Yellineck, etc. not accessible", etc.--anything to Unfortunately, in most instances, the justify their reluctance to even start. decision as to the correct spelling of Uttle do they know that their biggest any given surname can be made only by a task is to trace their lines back to the Czech native. But, on the other hand, one who arrived on American soil and then any Czechoslovakian with a feeling for to find his place of origin in spelling changes and some degree of Czechoslovakia. In other words, a lot linguistic education can figure out what has to be done before the research can be a misspelled or changed surname was begun in Czechoslovakia. originally.

Most of our Czechoslovakian ancestors As in all research, in genealogy one came to America in the last century. starts with the known and proceeds to the Sane came earlier, but any traces of unknown. I suggest that you who are their origin have been obliterated by the interested start with the record of your secrecy their emigration, the own family. Many libraries and book:­ lack of existing records, their assimi­ stores carry forms for data on one family Lation with the local citizens, and their unit. A canplete 'identification of an efforts to adapt their names to their new individual consists of his full name, his language. If any of them came with a birth date and place, names of both of religious group, such as Moravians, his parents, date and place of his mar­ Lutherans, etc. , the church records may riage and the name of his spouse. Try to have some clues as to which part of obtain all of these on all members of Czechoslovakia they came from. your family. Then proceed to prepare similar records of your parents (which Tracing the origin of some of these that would include all of your brothers and came to America in the 18008 may be sisters) and your grandparents. Then difficult. Not all of them came here continue until you reach the family of with their slates clean. They were only the one who inmigrated to America. Along happy to be "lost" after changing their the way, information may have to be name. Sane were avoiding military con­ obtained from the oldest living members scription, as they would have to serve of the family. Some like to recollect their hated Austrian emperor. Even those the past and are generous with their who were up-and-up in all respects some­ stories about their ancestors. A word of times had to change their surnames, as caution--some of these reminiscences may they were originally unpronounceable to be colored or enriched by stories and 51l/Miller 2

traditions, that, if not completely the passenger lists of ships arriving untrue, are exaggerated. Watch for any during this period of time. Unfortun­ claims to nobility or royalty titles or ately, they are very incomplete in giving for any connections with families the birth places of the emigrants. They praninent in Czech or world history. It are valuable because they name all the would be foolish to disregard any such members of the family who came together, claims totally, but do not base your thus giving the researcher a lead to future research solely on such others that may have settled in areas connections, which, if untrue, would take other than his ancestors. In your time, effort and money away from Czechoslovakia itself there are records following your real ancestry. of emigration, but the passports and permissions to leave were given--after a So much for word of mouth information. thorough investigation-by the officials Next canes the task of finding the cor­ of the police and have not been made rect and complete dates of events such as available for genealogical research. births, marriages, and deaths. To obtain these, write to the department of vital Many of the Czech or Slovak emigrants records in the capital of the state in left the European continent through the question, to the county or to the ports of Bremen and Hamburg. Both kept church to which the individuals belonged. excellent records of passengers on all Many genealogical reference books hsve a vessels; however, the Bremen records were section on dates indicating when keeping destroyed in World War II. The Hamburg of such records was introduced in each lists were preserved, microfilmed by the state. Also the librarian of the public LDS Church and made available to the library could be of help. public.

It is in the Czech nature to pay a bigher Since 1793 the United States made it a tribute to their beloved dead than to the policy to be prudent with giving out living. Thus announcenents of the deaths citizenship. The laws, governing this or obituaries in the papers hsve a more action have been changed many times, praninent place than the announcements of being made tighter or more lenient. births or marriages. These announcements However, there are some requirements that list all remaining close relatives and have had to be met by every applicant for give vital data of the deceased, often citizenship. To assure the government including the place in Czechoslovakia that he got here legally, he had to state where he or she was born. All this is .on the application the date of arrival, based on the knowledge of the remaining the port, and the name of the vessel. At relatives, which could be in error. times other information was required, such as the date and place of his foreign United States census reports, starting birth, his destination in the United with 1850 and then every ten years States, and his sponsor. Consequently, thereafter, contain much valuable his application may 2 contain a lot of information. They will give the valuable information. occupation of the head of the family; names, sex and ages of all who resided in Emigrants from one country like to flock this household, their ability to read or together and come to the places where write as well as the country or state of there already are others from their their births • Thus, if the first child native country, especially people related was born in Austria (I shall return to to them. They form fraternal organiza­ this statement later) and the second one tions, insurance canpanies, educational in.America, then you can deduce that the clubs, etc. Many of these have on file family arrived here in the years between specific data concerning their early the births of the two children. members.

The next logical step would be to search Many states, counties, or towns have 511/Miller 3 published local histories which include by Horazdovice (Horazd'ovice being a biographies of early or prominent fairly large town close by). Your settlers. In many instances such ancestor, if he came from a small accounts have been given by the subjects village, would no doubt always state the themselves. Consequently their vital name of a larger town nearby and so help information would be correct. Even if you in finding the ancestral demicile on you do not find the biographY of your own the map and in the gazetteer. Any ancestors in such a volume, it is docUlllent, such as a birth, marriage, or advisable to read them; often a history death certificate; school graduation of an individual with the same surname statement; passport; statement concerning will be found who was either a relative, military duty; photograph, giving the or who came from the same locality as name and business address of the your ancestor. photographer on the reverse side; picture post cards, or envelope with a postal Unless a specific locality in stamp; may give a clue concerning the Czechoslovakia for the birth of your family's origin. If you are not familiar ancestor is found, no research can be with the language, perhaps someone in the undertaken. All church and vital records locality who speaks Czech will help you; are on a locality basis. The information or you may contact the Reference Depart­ as to the Czechoslovakian locality may ment of the Genealogical Society Library. have been misspelled on this side of the ocean. The Genealogical Society Library Now you have collected all the pertinent has on its shelves helpful aids, such as information concerning your earliest gazetteers (m!stopisy), guides etc., and Czechoslovakian ancestor and are ready to qualified personnel who can determine the proceed with the research in his heme­ correct spelling of the village, city, or land. town place it in its proper area or county. But here again - it is necessary to have scme knowledge of the history and geog­ The problem of the locality has many raphy of this small country, so that you ramifications which must be borne in will understand the system of record mind. If you would browse through the keeping and be prepared to cope with Czechoslovakian gazetteer, you would find problems. As it is not the purpose of that there may be many localities with this paper to describe the historical or the same name, each identified by the geographical details, they will be county where it is situated, or the discussed only to the extent that they closest market place on the map. Stating affect the research for preparing the that your ancestor was born in Lhota is history and genealogy of individual not enough, as the gazetteer lists 257 of families. them. The gazetteer does not include Lhotas so small that they do not have The Lands ccmprising Czechoslovakia are their own post office. Many of them are very ancient, and the unwritten history further ·identified by an adjective, such goes back to about A.D. 450. The so as Mala (small), Velka (large), Kratka called Ceske (Czech lands) are (short), Dlouha (long), Bila (white), provinces of Bohemia, Moravia, and Cervena (red), Kosteln! (church) or Silesia (part of which reaches into Rytirova (of the knight) or Kralova (of Poland). Their history is rich in cul­ the king) • There are nUlllerous other tural and spiritual achievements. One of examples of the same situation. All of the most important ones is Protestantism, these Lhotas and other places, as the originating with the teaching of the case may be, are probably so small, that martyred Jan Hus (John Hus). After his in the past the inhabitants had to .do death in 1415, his followers founded the their shopping in a larger, near-by town. Church of Czech Brethren (also called So, to identify the Lhota where they Unitas Fratrum, or Moravian Brethren) resided, the emigrants would state "Lhota which spread to America via Germany. 5ll/Miller 4

The Church of Czech Brethren did keep The year 1918 is important. Many records of births, marriages, and deaths Czechoslovakians mentioned in American of its members, but these were either records prior to this year may have been secreted by the menbers of the church for listed either as Bohemians or Austrians. safekeeping and later invariably lost or Technically, they were then Austrian destroyed by foreign invaders. The Roman subjects coming from the province of Catholic church became dominant and Bohemia. marriages had to be performed by Catholic priests to be legally valid. Until 1869, The Czech-German relationship hss been a marriages of Jewish or Evangelical thorny problem politically and econom­ couples had to be recorded in the books ically. For many centuries Germans have of the Catholic Church. been trying to push east, seeking better living conditions and opportunities. The date 1620, when the Czechs lost their They settled in the Baltic states, parts liberty and for the following three of Russia, Rumania, Hungary, Poland, hundred years were subjects of the Bohemian lands, and Yugoslavia. They Austrian Empire, is very significant for were welcome because they brought with genealogical research. Slovaks suffered them additional prosperity for the local a similar fate, only much earlier. population, and because their settlement Between 950 and 1000 they were swallowed increased the population. All these into the Hungarian Empire and remained countries were thinly populated, which there till 1918. They were the property was a great disadvantage in case of an of individual foreign estate owners and invasion. It was hoped that the new their religion had to be the same as settlers would assimilate with the local theirs, whether it was Roman or Greek people and contribute to the betterment Catholic or Evangelical-Lutheran. of all. In a way, this did materialize. However, the German settlers created Under the rule of the Austrian emperor pockets of nationalism and in many many important edicts were issued instances took advantage of arising concerning the record keeping of the situations to assert themselves as groups church. One of the most important ones different from natives. was the Edict of Religious Tolerance (1 May 1781), which made possible the existence of other churches besides the In Bohemian lands the influx of .. for­ Roman Catholic, but with certain eigners" was greater because many limitations. They were allowed to keep Bohemian kings and princes married German their registers, which, in any dispute, princesses to create a more amicable did not serve as valid legal proof. relationship with their powerful Western neighbor. The princesses in turn invited Then came the First World War and, with their countrymen to cane in and settle, Austria's defeat, the dissolution of the giving them choice lands as their Austrian Empire. The countries under its danains • This practice was resented by heel were given the right of self-deter­ the local nobility and gentry; but mination. The Czech lands chose to be opposition was unheard of, and anyway, alone. Because of the similarity between the country needed more people. The the Czechs and Slovaks (and each finding Germans settIed mainly in the areas itself free for the first time in several bordering with Germany, with high centuries), they mutally agreed to form a mountains between the two countries. So democratic republic, called Czechoslo­ it happened that for centuries there were vakia. This resulted in a bilingual predominantly Geman cOlllDunities in the arrangement, with Czech as the first lan­ Sudeten area and also in Southern guage in the Bohemisn lands and Slovakian Moravia. The population there spoke in Slovakia. Both Czechs and Slovaks can German and in most instances abided by understand each other, although one the Czech laws. Their records were kept cannot speak the language of the other. in e1ther German, Latin, or Czech. Sl1/Miller 5

As far as the geography is concerned, we still others patch shoes that have been are going to deal only with the structure pronounced unrepairable by the shoe of the country after 1620 and also after repairmen. The records contain proper 1918, in modem times. The Czech lands, titles for each occupation. As a rule which in 1620 became part of the Austrian the emigrants followed their chosen Empire, consisted of Bohemia occupation in their new country whenever Moravia (Morava) and Silesia (Slezsko). possible. The name Bohemia is not used by Czechs at all. It· stems from the name of a The passports to emigrate were usually Frankish merchant, Boiohemus, who stopped given in the city closest to the family in ancient Bohemia and spread the word of residence. Applicants and their families its virtues and beauties about A. D. 300 • had to report to the police and remain in Bohemians call themselves Czechs the city until the passport was issued. (Cechove). The borders of the country on Consequently, when they arrived in the western, northern and southern sides America and had to give the place where consist of high mountains, and for they came from, sane gave the name of centuries remained the same., The same this city, rather than the place of their applies to the borders of Slovakia. The former residence or birth. shape of the present-day country is unfortunately long and narrow; requiring After 1620, when the country was taken any distance traveler in Europe to over by Austria, whose language is cross the little republic. The shape has German, it was decreed that German would positive and negative aspects. An be the official language. This was an advantage is that many travelers are effort to reduce the use of the Czech caning in, learning about the country. language and to demean it to the scullery The Czech govermnent was never sold on maid level. After 1620, all the keepers advertising for tourist trade, believing of official records of priests of the that a good thing advertizes itself. One church were ordered to use only German. of the diaadvantages is that the mighty Many Catholic priests of the church were neighbors like to use the country as a ordered to use only German. Many buffer state, with eaat against west and Catholic priests circumvented this order west against east. The neigbors are: by using Latin for entries in their Germany in the west, Poland and Russia on books, sane openly defied it by using the north, and Rumania, Hungary, and Czech, and some cunningly used Czech Austria on the south. words and wrote in archaic German Script. This system, called later became As in many other areas, people on both widely used. This created situations sides of the border often intermarried, where an individual's name at birth may couples usually settling in the place of be recorded in Latin, while his marriage the groom's residence. Such families would he in Czech and his death in were bilingual; however, official and German. church records were kept in the language of the locality where the marriage and With this short venture in the history christening of the children took place. and geography of Czechoslovakia, I would like to discuss with you some few of the The country is rich in mineral deposits, many sources that are available to you and fertile, with abundant sources of for research. First, I would like to water. Since it has been thickly point out that the Czechoslovakian populated, people, other than farmers officials insist that this research be have had to specialize in their way of done through the services of the making a living. Smiths have a long line Czechoslovakian Embassy in Washington, of ancestors who were engaged in D.C. (3900 Linnean Avenue, N.W.). Your smithing. Shoemakers are experts in a advantage in this system is that the particular phase of tending to the shoes; findings are guaranteed, and if there is sane make new ones, others repair, and any apparent discrepancy, adjustments Sll/Miller 6 will be made without an additional fee. basis was introduced in 1921 and revised At the present time the fee for certifi­ in 1949. These statistics consist of cates (birth, marriage and death) is reports from physicians attending the $6.00, while ancestral research on one births or deaths and from the reports of line may cost anywhere from $30.00 to civil authorities concerning marriages $200.00. and divorces performed in their juris­ diction. For the certificates, apply Although the country historically was through the Czechoslovakian Embassy. The composed of provinces (Bohemia, Moravia, entries were made by Czechs, for Czechs, Silesia and Slovakia), this division as and in Czech, and this is the way the well as the later division into counties certificates will be issued. The embassy has now been abolished and replaced by does not have the facilities for trans­ districts (oblasti). Each of these lating them. districts has a district archive (Statni oblastn! archiv), which houses all In order to make it possible for the records of historical, political, econom­ officials to locate and identify the ical, cultural, and ecclesiastical entry in their records, it is important importance. Thus the records of all the that the researcher gives the following churches up to 1869 are deposited in the minimum information: confines of the district archives, cataloged, indexed, and made available 1. The exact place of the event (birth, for genealogical research. Each archive marriage or·death) has published a complete guide to all its 2. If not the exact date, at least the holdings, listing not only documents and year of the event other materials of historical value, but 3. The full name of the person (or also the records of the churches. Each couple) guide consists of several volumes; one of these contains the list of perishes for If the information given to the embassy which the records are available, giving is insufficient or in error and thus the the extent of time they cover. These are certificate is not located, the same the sources for the majority of gene­ charge will be made. alogical research there.

II. MATRIKY (Church records) I. VITAL RECORDS Church records are by far the most Prior to 1869 only the matriky (the frequently used sources for information, register of the Roman Catholic church), since they are readily available and contained the records of christenings offer a large amount of data. (births), marriages, and deaths (burials). In 1869 the priests of the As mentioned before, the churches that Catholic church refused to perform the were in existence in Czech lands before marriages and record the births of people 1620, kept their books; however, only a who were not of their faith. For this negligible number of them have been and also other reasons the function of preserved-and then only in fragments. recording was taken over by the iocal Thus matriky, for practical genealogical civil officials. The Catholic as well as research, can be considered only back to other churches still had the right to 1620. record their ordinances; but only the books of the local (town or city) One priest may have been in charge of officials were considered valid and more than one parish and of numerous legal. These records are in possession villages and hamlets in the jurisdiction of the Mistni Narodni Vybor (local of the parish. The Guides to the national committee). A program of District Archives (Pruvodce po Statnim keeping the vital statistics on a state Oblastnim Archivu) list the names of each SU/MiUer 7

parish, giving the year of its estab­ books. Though still under the super- lishment and a list of villages under its vision of the Catholic church. jurisdiction. At the end of each Guide is a complete index to each locality, In January 1790 an order was issued which including small villages and hamlets. required that all the matriky be indexed. The matriky themselves may be divided In 1802 this order was made retroactive into the records for each small locality. and thus applied to the older books as well. However, there is no guarantee that these indexes are accurate or One matrika may contain a chronological canplete. listing of entries of births, marriages, and deaths, while in some places separate In 1899 the priests were required to books for records of each event may have prepare copies of their books, old or been prepared. For those who contemplate current, and subnit them to the con­ writing a family history, it may be sistory of the bishop. Many of these interesting to know that often the priest copies have been preserved, where had a sense of humor for historical originals were destroyed. facts. In connection with the entry of the event, he would also add some In Slovakia there are only a few interesting fact, such as that there was registers extant from the sixteenth and a big dance in the village inn, that the seventeenth centuries. Many were lost boys were serenading the girls on the during the Turkish invasion and the village square, that the river flooded Slovak rebellions in the seventeenth and the fields, or that someone set a fire to eighteenth centuries. Protestants and s barn. Catholics began keeping registers at about the same time, but more Protestant Emperor Joseph II (1741-1790) introduced books were preserved from the early a prescribed fOIlll for the matriky. lie period, because at the turn of the ordered that the records of christenings century the ruling regime list full names of both parents, both leaned toward the Lutheran reformation sets of grandparents, occupations, and In 1649 the Greek Catholic church was the conscription number of the family organized by the union of Russian residence. All these items made the use Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. of matriky for genealogical research more Under this arrangement, the patents of valuable. They helped to establish the Maria Theresia and Joseph II, given to links between the generations, grouped the Czech lands, concerning the keeping all the members of the family in one of matriky and their legal status, unit, etc. extended also to the churches in Hungary. Slovakia was under Hungarian rule at that In 1771 the Protestants were allowed to time. keep their own records, but they had to submit their summary to the Catholic As early as the seventeenth century the priest. This resulted in interesting Jews were required to report their situations. The Catholic matriky births, marriages, and deaths to the contained many Protestant marriages, but Catholic priest for recording in his it was not the Protestants' practice to matriky. These entries were usually have their babies christened, so these listed on the last few pages of the book. events were not entered in the Catholic Very often the priest was not given the matrikys nor in Protestant books. correct data. This information was used primarily for the future military A most important document was the Patent conscription. To protect their sons, the of Toleration, issued by Joseph II on 1 Jews often reported their births as if May 1781. This document extended the they were daughters. This is one of the righta of Protestant (evangelic) churches reasons why there were so few Jews in the to worship openly and to keep their own military service. Originally, the Jews 511/Miller 8

did not have a surname, which led to many their own counts of the population. The legal complications. Early in the results of these counts are deposited in eighteenth century, under Maria Teresia, the archives of individual estates, or they were ordered to report to the summarily in the State District Archives. magistrates and register a surname, with the understanding that from then on they One of the earliest censuses, taken by would be known by such registered the domineering Austrian dynasty of surnames. The Jews who could afford Hapsburgs, was in 1651. The main purpose bribes were allowed dignified surnames, of this census was to establish whether all in German. When a poor Jew did not the people were members of the favorite pay, he received a huniliating surname, Catholic church and whether there was any such as Vocasek (little tail), Bulik hope that they may become Catholics. But (stupid as an ox) or Trouba (dumb). already then the ages of all individuals Frequently the surnames were even were given and their relationship to the obscene. head of the family. These censuses are deposited in the Archives of the Ministry Jewish rabbis kept their own records, of Interior and one can inquire--through such as the books of the circumcised. As the Czechoslovakian Embassy in a result of the Theresian and Josephinian Washington, D.C.-if there is extant and refonns, the of general registers available a 1651 census for the village for Jews was introduced. In 1766 of his ancestors. individual synagogues were ordered to keep registers concerning Jewish males. Although in 1753, 1754, 1762, and 1770 Birth registers for Jewish females were the censuses were taken with the specific introduced only in 1783. These registers purpose of aiding the military conscrip­ received legal status in 1868-70 after tion, only the 1770 census for a part of the passage of .the law concerning the Prague (capital city) was preserved. It of vital records. There are lists only males, divided into age groups other sources that could reveal data (such as one to fifteen years, fifteen to the Jewish population, but in twenty years, etc.) the interest time, I am not going to enumerate them. The censuses in the modern sense of the word, began only in 1805. Many of them have not been preserved; the officials III. SCITANI LIDU (Census Returns) themselves did not realize their value and allowed them to be destroyed. Those Population counts have been taken through extant are deposited in the city history by many countries for various archives, or where the city archives do reasons. In the majority of cases the not exist as separate institutions, in rulers simply wanted to know the the appropriate division of the State population total for the purposes of District Archives. taxation and military conscription. For locating the residence of the ancestral The last Austrian census for the Ceske family, the genealogist could find no Zeme was prepared in 1910. In the better tool than the scitani 1idu, if it Czechoslovakian Republic the first census is detailed enough. For many centuries originated in 1921. In 1952 the results the Czech lands were under the feudal were divided among the various State system and the information in scitani District Archives, where they are lidu, or similar sources that have the arranged according to the former judicial appearance of census returns, was of the districts and political units--provinces, utmost importance to the estate owners or counties, and cities or villages. lords. They wanted to know the number of males on whom they could rely in the In Slovakia the census was taken future for tilling their fields as serf according to the Hungarian laws. In the "laborers. This they accomplished by nineteenth century the census years were 511/Hiller 9

1869, 1880, and 1890 and in the twentieth If located and properly interpreted, they century, 1910. When Slovakia became part constitute a valuable source for gene­ of the republic, the census was taken in alogical research, often providing a 1920, 1930, and 1940. The results are better link with the distant past than II ., I deposited in Statny Slovensky Ustredny any other record available. Archiv in Bratislava. Thus far the services of the Czechoslovakian Embassy Pozemk.ove Knihy are part of the routine in Washington, D.C., do not include genealogical research arranged for by the searches of the census schedules. Czechoslovakian Embassy. Coupled with the information found in the matriky, they not only verify the family con­ IV. POSLEDNI VULE (Testament, Last nections, but also solve many problems Will) • arising from the often found similarity of individuals' names. This document, and others included in probate records, are not very popular sources for genealogical research in VII. NAMES Czechoslovakia. The depository of the Posledni Vule is difficult to locate and When the first Czechs arrived in the accessible only for legal purposes, which center of Bohemia, they were the only have to he attested by a lawyer. Thus settlers there. Each individual was the infonnation one may find in such known merely by his given name. Even as uncertain documents would be very expen­ the population multiplied and additional sive indeed. Anyway, local researchers settlements were founded, there still was will tell you that there is no need to not much need for surnames. Individuals search the probate records, since the having the same given names were simply matriky are such complete sources and identified by a system of patronymics, give more detailed information. for example, Borivo j Premysluv syn (Borivoj, son of Premysl). This was V. VOJENSKE ZAZNAMY (Hilitary Records). sufficient for some centuries.

The military records orginated quite The noble families were the first to early, but those which have been assume family surnames; they derived them preserved are fragmentary at best. from their territorial property, for Though some records reach back to the example, Jan z Dube (" z" being an Thirty Years War (following 1620), most equivalent of French "de", German "von" are subsequent to 1764. These records and English "of") and Ondrej z Rican. consist of two main categories: registers and records of regiments. The origin of surnames of common folks is often based upon custans prevalent in Most of these records, prior to 1918, early times. The farmers felt themselves have been the property of the Austrian superior to the cottagers, who did not government and deposited in various own as many fields. As a result, the institutions in Vienna. Recently the farmers called them "zabar'i, p1evy, Genealogical Society of Utah obtained plevkove, in English probably peasants. permission to microfilm these military There are many surnames, some going back records, and they will be available in to the Hussite wars (A.D. 1352-1433). the Genealogical Society Library in Salt The Hussite followers asked each other: Lake City or in branch genealogical "Kak si ?" (How are you?), which gave libraries. rise to the surname Kaksove. They also cautioned each other to keep their heads protected by their shields "Krej sa," VI. POZEMKOVE KNIHY (Land Records). thus the surname Krejsa. The surnames Nebojsa, Nezlobsa, Vzalroha (he took the Land records include a variety of books. corner, split), and Utikalek (he who runs 511/Miller 10 from the battle) originated from the The language used in Bohemian lands is times of the Hussite wars. Czech, being of Slavic origin. It is a difficult language. Pronunciation can be Sane surnames were based on the character learned quickly, once one masters the of the original ancestor. The Appendix ABCs; however, the gramnar is compli- gives you excellent examples. cated, with so many iron-clad rules and similarly strictly observed exceptions to Other sources of surnames could be : the the rules, that the rules seem to books of the Bible, names of the days of disappear. The Czech entries in the the week, occupations, a geographical books of the churches. or entries written description of the family residence, etc. in svabach, follow these grammatical This makes it possible for one who knows rules, which sanetimes change the names Czech and Slovak languages well drastically. For example, take the male recognize a surname as Czech or Slovak. surname KOMAREK. His wife and daughter would be recorded as KOMARKOVA, denoting. VIn. THE CALENDAR. that they are females.

Since the great majority of records In its development, the Czech language important for genealogical research date has been influenced by both German and back only to 1620, one has to be Latin. The German influence was strong concerned only with the Gregorian because of the political and geographical calendar. which was accepted in 1582. proximity. but. with the growth of the Catholic church. Latin became the Of great importance for genealogical language of documents, lawyers. and research in Czechoslovakia is the physicians. Not only many Latin words knowledge of names of the Catholic have been assimilated into spoken Czech. feasts, commemorating certain events or but the structure of the Czech gramnar deeda of the saints. With the exception has also been affected. of Easter and the feasts calculated around it, the days of the feasts do not The spelling of words was progressively change from year to year, so they are simplied until the Czech language dif­ marked on every printed calendar. Many fered greatly from other Slavic lan­ documents and matriky list the names of guages. including Slovak. The diacrit­ these holidays in preference to an actual ical marks above the vowels (/- carka date. Therefore, unless you can and hook - hacek) and also above some translate the name of such a holiday into consonants (hacek) replaced the canposite an actual calendar date, all you can spellings that produced the same sounds; glean fran such an entry is the year. for example in Polish czc for Czech c and sz for s. In Czech only one letter is IX. LANGUAGE. used for a sound. with the exception of ch. No two Slavic languages are so much alike as Czech and Slovak. This similarity It is important to know the Czech applies to vocabulary, sentence alphabet. when you are searching the structure. gramnatical construction. and indexes of the books, or any lists expressions. There are several excellent alphabetically arranged. Consonants with textbooks that could be valuable not only a hacek above follow the consonants to a student of either language, but also without the hacek (c.d,r.s,t,z) and the to a genealogist. sound ch follows the letter h. 511/Miller 11

APPENDIX

Surnames based on:

Physical features:

BELOHLAVEK - albino CVRCEK - cricket CERNY - black HRBEC- hunchback SIROKY - huge KIJDRNAC - one with curly hair

Individual character:

BEZDEKA - not too smart NEDBAL - does not care HUBACEK - Sassy one VSETECKA - curious one NECINA - lazy one DIVOKY - wild one

The habit of a favorite expression too often:

VIME - do you know SAKRA - damn IIELE, HELEMENT - Look here

Their liking of some activity:

HOPSASA - likes to jump VEJKRIJTA - dances around

A system of patronymics:

given name Michal, surname MICHALEK given name Jan, surnames Janek, Jenek, Janecek, Jenicek, Janda, Jenda, Honzik, Honzicek

One English surname can have many variations in Czech:

Newman - Novy, Novak, Novotny, Novacek, Novotnicek, etc.

NOTES

1Czech Periodicals. University of llllinois Libraries. Slavic and East European collection, Urbana, Champaign, Ill., 61801. 2 James C. Neagles and Lile Lee, Locating Your Immigrant Ancestors -A Guide to Naturalization Records, (Logan, Utah: Everton, 1975).

3Lubomyr Roman Wynar. Encyclopedic Directory of Ethnic Organizations in the United States (Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1975). 511/Miller 12

4 Joseph Nathan Kane. The American Counties (New York: The Scarecrow Press, 1962).

5Czechoslovakia. Statistisches Staatsamt, Administrative, Gemeinde1exikon der Czechos1ovakischen Repub1ik 2 vols. (Prague: Statni urad statisticky, 1927-28). Mainly in German. 6 Olga K. Miller, Genealogical Research for Czech and Slovak Americans, (Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1978), p. 146. 7 Ibid., pp. 61-79. 8 Ibid., pp. 39-45. 9 Ibid., pp. 45-50.

10Ibid., pp. 50-51.

11Ibid., pp. 51-52.

12Ibid., pp. 52-55.

13Ibid., p. 52.

14Ibid., pp. 79-103. 15 Ibid., pp. 107-112. 16 Ibid., p. 149.

17Ibid., pp. 113-149. GENEALOGICAL WORD LIST Czech

This list contains Czech words with their English Gender. Czech words for persons, places, and translations. The words included here are those things (nouns) are classified as masculine, that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. feminine, or neuter. Adjectives used to describe If the word (or some form of it) that you are the singular and plural forms of Czech words must looking for is not on this list, please consult a have the proper masculine, feminine, or neuter Czech-English dictionary. (See the "Additional endings: Resources" section.) starý muÙ old man staµí muÙi old men Czech is a Slavic language derived from the West stará Ùena old woman staré Ùeny old women Slavic language family. Czech is related to Slovak staré m‚sto old city stará m‚sta old cities and Polish and is used in the genealogical sources throughout the Czech Republic. Czech is the This word list gives only the singular masculine language of the Czech Republic and was the form of adjectives. Thus, starý, stará, staré, and official language in the Czech lands of Bohemia, staµí (all forms of “old”) are listed as starý. Moravia, and Silesia in the former Czechoslovakia. In addition, the Czech language may be found in The endings of past tense verbs also change, the records of Czech communities in the United depending on the gender and number of the States, Canada, and other areas settled by Czechs. subject:

Before 1918, the Czech lands were provinces of narodil se he was born Austria, which, together with Hungary, constituted narodila se she was born the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Records written narodilo se it (the child) was born before 1918 may be in German, Latin, or Czech. narodili(y) se they were born Czech records often contain German and Latin words. See the German Genealogical Word List This word list gives only the narodil se (“he was (34067) and the Latin Genealogical Word List born”) form of the past tense verb. You can (34077). conclude that narodila se means “she was born,” etc. LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS Plurals. Plural forms of Czech words usually Variant Forms of Words change the singular word:

In Czech, the forms of most words will vary Words ending in -a change to -y: according to how they are used in a sentence. Who, Ùena wife Ùeny wives whose, whom, or marry, marries, married are examples of words in English with variant forms. Words ending in -o change to -a: In Czech, any word may have different forms, m‚sto city m‚sta cities depending on how it is used. This word list gives the standard form of each Czech word. The Words ending in -e and -í do not change: endings of Czech words in a document often differ ulice street ulice streets from what you find in this list. Words ending in a consonant add -y. A few words Surnames will have the added ending -ová or -á if add -i, -ové, or -e to form the plural: the person referred to is female: list page listy pages muÙ husband muÙi husbands Surname + female ending Novák Nováková The plural form may change the basic word: Pleva Plevová Novotný Novotná dít‚ child d‚ti children bratr brother bratµi brothers zámek palace zámky palaces Grammatical Use. The endings of Czech words Alphabetical Order can also vary, depending on the grammatical use of the words. Czech grammar requires a different Written Czech uses several letters in addition to ending for a word used as a subject, a possessive, the 26 letters used in the English alphabet: á, û, ý, an object, or with a preposition. Czech words fall é, ‚, í, ©, ó, µ, š, Á, ú, Ï, ý, Ù. The letter combination into several classes, each with its own set of ch is also considered a single letter and is grammatical endings. Certain possessive endings alphabetized after h. Letters q, w, and x are used give the meaning “of” to a word. only in words of foreign origin. Czech dictionaries and indexes use the following alphabetical order: C Nouns change the endings to show possession. a,á b c,û d,ý e,é,‚ f g h ch i,í j k l m n, © Nouns ending with a consonant add -a or -e: o,ó p (q) r,µ s,š t,Á u,ú,Ï v (w) ( x) y,ý z,Ù bratr brother bratra of brother muÙ husband muÙe of husband This word list follows the standard English alphabetical order. However, when you work with Nouns ending with -a add -y: alphabetized Czech records, use the Czech sestra sister sestry of sister alphabetical order.

Nouns ending with -o add -a: Spelling m‚sto city m‚sta of city Spelling rules were not standardized in earlier Plural masculine nouns change to -Ï: centuries. In Czech, the following spelling muÙi husband muÙÏ of husbands variations are common:

Plural feminine or neuter nouns drop the last i, y, and j used interchangeably vowel: s and z used interchangeably Ùeny wife Ùen of wives w used for v rz used for µ C Adjectives change the endings to show sz used for š possession. cz used for û

Adjectives ending in -ý change to -ého: Czech is a phonetic language, which means words narozený born narozeného of the born are pronounced as they are written.

Adjectives ending in -á change to -é: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES kµt‚ná baptized kµt‚né of the baptized This word list includes the words most commonly Adjectives ending in -é change to -ého: found in genealogical sources. For further help, neznámé unknown neznámého of the use a Czech-English dictionary. Several are unknown available at the Family History Library in the European collection. The call numbers begin with Adjectives ending in -í change to -ího: 491.86321. The following dictionary is helpful první first prvního of the first when you do genealogical research and is available through most bookstores which carry Plural adjectives ending in -ý or -í add -ch: Czech books: zemµelý deceased zemµelých of the deceased erbovní heraldic erbovních of the heraldic Poldauf, Ivan. Anglicko-÷eský a ÷esko-anglický slovník (English-Czech and Czech-English These examples show some endings in context: Dictionary). Praha: Státní Pedagogické Nakladatalství, 1971. (FHL book 491.86321 µ Syn zem elého Josefa Nováka a Anny Plevové P757a; computer number 0083724) means “son of the deceased Josef Novák and of Anna Plevová (Pleva).” The following dictionary is also available on microfilm and microfiche for use in Family Ù Man elství mezi Karlem Václavem Havlem a History Centers: Barborou Marií Kozárovou means “marriage between Karel Václav Havel and Barbora Marie Kozárová (Kozár).”

2 Cheshire, Harold T. ÷esko-anglický slovník name, given (kµestní) jméno (Czech-English Dictionary). Praha: J. Otto, name, surname pµíjmení, rodné jméno, 1935. (FHL book 491.86321 C424c; film vlastní jméno 1181683 item 1-2; fiche 6001286-6001287; parent, parents rodiû, rodiûe computer number 0126919). parish farnost, fara Protestant protestant Additional dictionaries are listed in the Subject Ù Á Ù section of the Family History Library Catalog wife man elka, cho , ena under CZECH LANGUAGE—DICTIONARIES or year rok in the Locality section under CZECH REPUBLIC—LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES. GENERAL WORD LIST These include other dictionaries and language helps, such as Czech grammar books. This general word list includes words commonly seen in genealogical sources. Numbers, months, KEY WORDS and days of the week are listed both here and in separate sections that follow this list. In order to find and use specific types of Czech records, you will need to know some key words in In this list, optional versions of Czech words or Czech. This section gives key genealogical terms variable endings (such as some plural or feminine in English with Czech translations. endings) are given in parentheses. Some Czech phrases and their translations are listed [in For example, in the first column you will find the brackets] under the most significant Czech word, English word marriage. In the second column you not the first word, of the phrase. Words in will find Czech words with meanings such as parentheses in the English column clarify the marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, definition. legitimate, joined, and other words used in Czech records to indicate marriage. Czech English A English Czech aand µ µ µ µ baptism, baptisms k est, k ty, k estní, k tít, aby so that kµtil, pokµtil adoptovaný adopted birth, births narození, narozený, adresáµ directory rodný, narodil se ale but burial, burials pohµeb, pohµby ani not even Catholic µímsko-katolický archívarchive census sûítání lidu asi perhaps, about, maybe, child dít‚, d‚cko, d‚Áátko circa christenings (see baptism) atd. and so forth civil registry státní matriky death, deaths úmrtí, smrt, úmrtní, umµel, zemµít, zemµel, B zesnul, skonal û father otec, otcové, otce, táta, bába (babina, babi ka) grandmother taÁka,tatík, tatínek badatel researcher husband manÙel, choÁ, muÙ bakaláµ student index seznam, rejstµík, index baráûník cottager Jewish Ùidovský barvíµ dyer marriage, marriages s©atek, s©atky, b‚havka diarrhea manÙelství, svatba, b‚loruský Belorussian oddavky, oddací, berní ruly tax lists oddaný, oddat, oÙenil bez without se (man), vdala se bezd‚tný childless (woman) bezejmenný unnamed, nameless military vojsko, vojenský bílý white ‚ month m síc biµmování confirmations mother matka, matky, máma, biskup bishop mamka, maminka blízký near

3 blíÙn‚, blíÙ©ata twin, twins ûtyµicátý fortieth bolest pain ûtyµicet forty BoÙí the Lord’s ûtyµi sta four hundred bratr, bratµi brother, brothers ûtyµstý four hundredth bratranec cousin (male) cukrovka diabetes bµezen March bude he will, she will, it will D, ê budou they will BÏh the Lord dan‚ taxation bydlící residing dar donation bydlišt‚ residence datum date byl, byla, bylo was dcera, dcery daughter, daughters byli, byly were d‚cko child být to be d‚d (d‚da, d‚dek, grandfather, old man bývalý former, the late (deceased) d‚deûek) d‚dic heir C, ÷ d‚dictví heritage, inheritance d‚jiny history û. (ûíslo) number d‚kanát deanery, division of a ûas time diocese ûasopis magazine, periodical d‚lník laborer, worker ûást part, portion den day ûasto often desátek tithing cech guild desátý tenth celý entire deset ten census census d‚Áátko little child ûerný black d‚ti children ûerven June devadesát(ý) ninety (ninetieth) ûervenec July devatenáct(ý) nineteen (nineteenth) ûervený red devátý ninth ûeský Czech, Bohemian d‚vûe (d‚vûina) girl cesta road dev‚tnine cestovní pas passport dev‚t set nine hundred chalupník cottager, poor peasant devítistý nine hundredth chce he wants díl portion, share, volume chlap peasant, country fellow diecéze diocese chlapec boy dít‚ child choroba disease dít‚te of the child choÁ spouse dívka (dívûina) girl cihláµ brick maker dle according to cikán gypsy dlouhý long církev church dne on the day císaµský imperial dnes today císaµství empire dnešní today's cizí foreign, strange do to, into cizozemský foreign doba time, period ûlen member dobrý good co what dodatek supplement, addition ûtrnáct(ý) fourteen (fourteenth) doklad document ûtvrtek Thursday dolní lower ûtvrtláník farmer (quarter-land doma at home holder) domkáµ cottager ûtvrtý fourth domovský list residency certificate ûtyµi four dopis letter, correspondence

4 dµíve previously G dµív‚jší former druhého on the second genealogický strom family tree druhopis duplicate genealogie genealogy druhý second grunt family property duben April gruntovní knihy land records dÏchodce pensioner gruntovník farmer, land holder dÏkaz proof gubernie Russian province dÏm house duplikát duplicate H dva two dvacátý twentieth havíµ coal miner û dvacátý tvrtý twenty-fourth heraldika heraldry dvacátý devátý twenty-ninth historie history dvacátý druhý twenty-second hlavní main dvacátý osmý twenty-eighth ho him dvacátý pátý twenty-fifth hodina hour dvacátý první twenty-first hodný worthy dvacátý sedmý twenty-seventh holiû barber dvacátý šestý twenty-sixth hora mountain, hill µ dvacátý t etí twenty-third horeûka fever dvacet twenty horní upper û µ dvacet ty i twenty-four horníkminer ‚ dvacet dev t twenty-nine hospodáµ farmer (self sustaining) dvacet dva twenty-two hospodáµství farm dvacet jeden twenty-one hostinský innkeeper dvacet osm twenty-eight hrad castle ‚ dvacet p t twenty-five hranice border, boundary dvacet sedm twenty-seven hµbitov cemetery dvacet šest twenty-six hrob grave µ dvacet t i twenty-three hrnûíµ potter dvanáct(ý) twelve (twelfth) ‚ dv two I dv‚ st‚ two hundred dvojûe, dvojûata twin, twins iand dvoustý two hundredth imigrace immigration dvÏr court informace information E J emigrace emigration erb coat of arms jak how, as erbovní heraldic jako as, like erbovnictví heraldry jaký what kind of evangelický Evangelical, Lutheran, jazyk language Protestant je he is, she is, it is jeden, -na, -no a, an, one F jedenáct(ý) eleven (eleventh) û jediná ek the only child fara parish jeho his, its faráµ pastor, parish priest její her farní úµad parish office jejich their farnost parish jen only, just ješt‚ still, yet

5 ješt‚ ne not yet krejûí tailor (male) jezero lake kµest christening, baptism jih south kµestní jméno given name jinak téÙ alias kµestní list christening (baptismal) jindy at another time certificate jiný other, different krevní blood relation jitro morning kronika, kroniky chronicle, chronicles jiÙ already kµt‚nec the one christened, jméno given name baptized jmenovit‚ that means, namely kµt‚ný christened, baptized jsou they are kµtil have christened, baptized kµtu of the christening K kµty christenings, baptisms krvácení bleeding, hemorrhage k to, for který who, which kalendáµ calendar kupec shopkeeper, merchant kam to where kumšt trade, occupation ‚ kameníkmason kv ten May kaple chapel kašel cough L katolický Catholic kazatel preacher lán a measure of land kaÙdý each, every laník landholder kde where latinský Latin kdo who lázn‚ spa, spring, bath kdy (kdyÙ) when leden January kilometr kilometer lékaµ physician klášter convent, monastery les forest, woods klempíµ tinsmith lesník forester kmotr godfather léta (let) years kmotra godmother letopoûet date kmotµi godparents letos this year kn‚zpriest levoboûek illegitimate child kniha, knihy book, books levý left knihovna library lidé (lid) people koho whom list certificate, page kojenec suckling listina legal document kolem about, approximately listopad November kominík chimney sweep loý ship, boat konec end loni last year koneûný final, last loÙe status of legitimacy, bed konto account loÙe manÙelské legitimate konverze conversion loÙe nemanÙelské illegitimate kostel church koupil he bought M kováµ smith koÙeluh tanner má he has, she has, it has kraj region, area macecha stepmother králking maýarský Hungarian královna queen majetek property královský royal majetný wealthy, property owning království kingdom mají they have -krát times malíµ painter kµeûe cramps, convulsions malý small, little

6 máma (matka, mamka, mother národní national maminka) narození birth manÙel husband narozený born manÙelé married couple násus manÙelka wife náš (naše) our manÙelský legitimate následující next manÙelství marriage ne (ne-) no, not mapa map nebo or matrika, matriky vital records, church neboÙtík the deceased records, parish registers nedaleko not far from matrika narozených birth register ned‚le Sunday matrika oddaných marriage register nedostatek lack of matrika zemµelých death register nejmladší youngest m‚l, -a, -o he had, she had, it had nejstarší oldest, eldest menší lesser, smaller, shorter nekatolík non-Catholic m‚síc month nemanÙelský illegitimate m‚šÁan burgher, citizen n‚mecký German m‚sto town, city nemluvn‚ infant mezi between nemoc disease místní local není is not místo place, locality neštovice small pox místo bydlišt‚ place of residence neteµ niece místopisný slovník gazetteer neuvedeno not mentioned mistr master craftsman nev‚sta bride mít to have nevlastní step- (as in stepmother ml. (mladší) younger, junior stepsister, and so forth) mládenec young man [starý nevolník vassal, serf mládenec = bachelor] nevyskytuje se does not appear mladý young nezletilý not of legal age, minor mlýn mill neznámý unknown mlynáµ miller nic nothing modlitba prayer nikdy never modrý blue nízký low, short moravský Moravian niÙší lower most bridge noc night mrtv‚ narozený stillborn novomanÙelé newlyweds mrtvý dead novorozenec newborn mu to him nový new muÙ man, husband nyn‚jší this, the present muÙský male myslivec hunter O

N o about, concerning oba (ob‚) both na on, at, around obûan citizen náboÙenství religion obûanství citizenship nad on the, above, upon obchodník merchant nádeník day worker, day laborer obdrÙel received náhrobek gravestone obec, obce community, communities nájemníkrenter oblastní archív regional archive nalezenec foundling obµad rite, ceremony nám to us obµezání (obµízka) circumcision nar. birth, was born obsah content narodil se was born obuvník shoemaker

7 obyvatel inhabitant, resident, citizen p‚t set five hundred obyvatelstvo population pevnost fortress od from, since písaµ scribe odbytý performed plnoletnost age of consent, legal age, oddací list marriage certificate majority oddací matrika marriage register plnoletý of legal age oddaný married plný full, complete oddat to marry po (potom) after oddavky marriage pobyt residence odkud from where pochovat buried odpoledne in the afternoon pod under odpov‚d‚t to reply poddaný serf ohlášený announced, published podepsaný the undersigned ohlášky banns podle according to okamÙit‚ right away, immediately podobný similar okolo about, around podpis signature okres district, county podpora assistance on, -a, -o, -i, -y he, she, it, they podruh farm laborer osada community pohlaví gender, sex osm(ý) eight (eighth) pohµbený buried osmdesát(ý) eighty (eightieth) pohµeb, pohµby burial, burials osmistý eight hundredth pohrobek posthumous child osmnáct(ý) eighteen (eighteenth) pokµt‚ný christened osm set eight hundred pokµtil have christened, baptized osoba person poledne noon osobní personal polský Polish otûím stepfather pomoc help otec, otcové father, fathers pond‚lí Monday ovûák shepherd popálenina burn ovdov‚lá widowed popis description ovdov‚lý widowered poplatek fee, cost oÙen‚ný married (man) populace population oÙenil se married a woman porod childbirth, labor porodní bába midwife P poruûník guardian poslední final, last pacholek farm servant poslední pomazání last rites Ï padesát(ý) fifty (fiftieth) poslední v le last will, testament pan sir, Mr., Lord potok stream paní lady, Mrs. potomek descendant panna maiden, Miss, virgin povolání occupation, profession [stará panna = old povolení permission maiden, spinster] poÙehnání blessing pastýµ herdsman pozemkové knihy land books pátek Friday poznámky remarks patnáct(ý) fifteen, fifteenth pozÏstalý left behind, surviving patrimoniální knihy patrimonial books pra- great- pátý fifth prabába (prababiûka) great-grandmother peûeÁ seal pracovitý diligent, hard working pekaµ baker prad‚da (prad‚deûek) great-grandfather p‚stoun foster father prarodiûe grandparents p‚stounka foster mother prastrýc great uncle p‚tfive prateta great aunt p‚tistý five hundredth pravd‚podobn‚ in all likelihood, probably

8 právní legal µemeslo trade právo law rešerše genealogical research pravoslavný orthodox µezník butcher pravý right, true µíjen October praÙský pertaining to Prague µímsko-katolický Roman Catholic pµed before, in front of robotník laborer, vassal pµedek ancestor roû. (roûník) year (of book) pµedešlý previous roce year pµedevûírem day before yesterday roûní annual pµedtím before rod family, clan, descent, pµesn‚ exactly lineage pµibliÙný approximate rodem maiden name pµíbuzný related, relative rodiû, rodiûe parent, parents pµíûina cause, reason rodina family pµíjmení surname, last name rodišt‚ birthplace pµíslušnost relationship rodná matrika birth register pµíslušný appropriate rodné jméno surname pµíští next rodný list birth certificate pµítel friend (male) rodokmen pedigree, family tree, pµítelkyn‚ friend (female) lineage pµítomnost presence rodopis genealogy pµízvisko surname rok year pro for roky (rokÏ) years proû why rolník peasant prohlášení statement rovn‚Ù also, too prosba request roz. (rozená) maiden name prosíme we request rozvedený divorced prosinec December rozvod divorce protestantský Protestant ruský Russian, Ruthenian, proti against Ukrainian Ï protoÙe because r zný various µ provdala se she married rybá fisherman µ prÏjem diarrhea rychtá village magistrate pruský Prussian rynek marketplace µ první first rytí knight prvorozený firstborn prý said to be S, Š psát to write pÏlhalf s, se with pÏlláník farmer (half-land holder) samota hamlet pÏlnoc midnight sûítání lidu census pÏvod origin, parentage sd‚lení report sd‚lujeme Vám we inform you R, ´ šedesát(ý) sixty (sixtieth) sedlák farmer (large farm) r. (roku) year sedm(ý) seven (seventh) radnice city hall sedmdesát(ý) seventy (seventieth) rakouský Austrian sedmistý seven hundredth rakovina cancer sedmnáct(ý) seventeen (seventeenth) ráno in the morning sedm set seven hundred µ rejstµík list, index šenký tavern keeper µeka river šest(ý) six (sixth) µemeslníktradesman šestistý six hundredth šestnáct(ý) sixteen (sixteenth)

9 sestra sister stµed, -ní central, middle, average sestµenice cousin (female) stµeda Wednesday šestset six hundred strýc uncle sever north stý one hundredth seznam list, index, directory sv. (svazek) volume, number sice namely, or švadlena seamstress sirotek (sirota) orphan švagr brother-in-law škola school švagrová sister-in-law slabost weakness, sickness svatba wedding slabý weak svatební marital, of marriage slavný famous svatební oznámení wedding announcement šlechta nobility svátek holiday šlechtic nobleman svatý holy sleûna miss švec shoemaker slezský Silesian sv‚dek witness slovenský Slovak svobodný unmarried, single slovník dictionary svolení consent sluha servant (male) svÏj, svá, své his own, her own sluÙba service syn, synové son, sons sluÙka (sluÙebná) servant (female) synagóga synagogue smlouva contract, agreement synovec nephew smrt death snacha daughter-in-law T, À snad perhaps s©atek, s©atky marriage, marriages tady here snoubenec fiancé, betrothed, groom tak zvaný so called snoubenka fiancée, betrothed, bride také also sobota Saturday tam there souchotiny consumption tam‚jší of that place soud court táta (tatík, taÁka, father soudce judge tatínek) souhlas consent tchánfather-in-law sourozenci siblings; brothers and tchýn‚ mother-in-law sisters t‚hotenství pregnancy soused, sousedé neighbor, neighbors t‚hotná pregnant spála scarlet fever tesaµ carpenter spalniûky measles teta aunt spoleûn‚ together tisíc(í) one thousand (one spoleûnost society thousandth) srpen August titul title stará panna old maid, spinster tkadlec weaver staroba old age to it, this starosta mayor tohoto roku of the current year starší older, elder, senior tolik so much, as much starý old tovaryš journeymen starý mládenec bachelor tµetí third stát state trh (trÙišt‚)market statek farm tµithree státní matriky civil registry tµicátý thirtieth stav marital status, condition tµicet thirty sto hundred tµináct(ý) thirteen (thirteenth) stolaµ cabinet maker tµi sta three hundred století century tµístý three hundredth str. (strana) page, side truhláµ cabinetmaker

10 tu here v‚kage tuberkulóza tuberculosis velký big, great, large týden week velmoÙný magnate týdny weeks ves village tyfus bµišní typhoid fever vesnice village vévodství duchy U viz see vlast homeland u at, in vlastní own, real, natural, self ubohý poor vlastní jméno surname uûedník (uûe©) apprentice vnuûka granddaughter uûitel teacher vnuk grandson údaj information voda water údolí valley voják soldier uherský Hungarian vojenský military uhlíµ coal man vojsko military ukrajinský Ukrainian vrchní upper ul. (ulice) street, road všechno all uloÙený deposited vÏbec ne not at all úmluva contract, agreement východ east umµel died vydaný published umµít to die vykonal performed, did, úmrtí death accomplished ‚ µ úmrtní list death certificate vým nká pensioner úmrtní matrika death register výpis extract û únor February výro í anniversary úplavice dysentery vysoký high, tall úµad office vyšší upper úµedník clerk, officer vývod pedigree urozený of noble birth vyznání religion Ù usedlík settler v dy always ústní verbal, oral úterý Tuesday Z, Ø uveden known uÙ already z, ze from, of (a place) uÙ ne no longer Ùadný no, none uzavµení contracting (of marriage) Ùádost request zahradník gardener V zákonný lawful, legal, legitimate zámeûník locksmith v, ve in, on, at zámek palace ‚ valach ethnic identity, shepherd zam stnání employment Vásyou západ west Váš your zápal plic pneumonia µ vûera yesterday zá í September vûerejší yesterday’s záškrt diphtheria vdala se married a man zasnoubení engagement (to marry) vdaná married (woman) zasnoubený betrothed, engaged vdova widow zasnoubit se to become engaged ‚Á vdova po Jozefovi widow of Jozef záv will, testament vdovec widower zde here veûer in the evening zdejší of this place Ù vedle next to ebrák beggar zedníkbricklayer

11 zelený green 15 patnáct 15th patnáctý, -ého zem‚ earth 16 šestnáct 16th šestnáctý, -ého zem‚d‚lec peasant 17 sedmnáct 17th sedmnáctý, -ého zemµel died 18 osmnáct 18th osmnáctý, -ého zemské desky land tablets 19 devatenáct 19th devatenáctý, -ého Ùena woman, wife 20 dvacet 20th dvacátý, -ého Ùenatý married (man) 21 dvacet jeden, 21st dvacátý první, Ùenich bridegroom -jedna,-jedno dvacátého prvního Ùenský female 22 dvacet dva 22nd dvacátý druhý, zesnul died dvacátého druhého zeÁ son-in-law 23 dvacet tµi 23rd dvacátý tµetí, µ Ùid, Ùidové Jew, Jewish dvacátého t etího û µ û Ùidovský Jewish 24 dvacet ty i 24th dvacátý tvrtý, dvacátého ûtvrtého Ùijící living 25 dvacet p‚t 25th dvacátý pátý, zítra tomorrow dvacátého pátého Ùivot life Ù 26 dvacet šest 26th dvacátý ivotopis biography šestý,dvacátého Ùloutenka jaundice šestého zniûení destruction 27 dvacet sedm 27th dvacátý sedmý, znovu again dvacátého zvaný called, also known as, sedmého alias, named 28 dvacet osm 28th dvacátý osmý, dvacátého osmého NUMBERS 29 dvacet dev‚t 29th dvacátý devátý, dvacátého In some genealogical records, numbers are spelled devátého out. This is especially true with dates. The 30 tµicet 30th tµicátý, tµicátého following list gives the cardinal (1, 2, 3) and the 40 ûtyµicet 40th ûtyµicátý, -ého ordinal (1st, 2nd, 3rd) versions of each number. In 50 padesát 50th padesátý, -ého actual usage, days of the month are written in 60 šedesát 60th šedesátý, -ého ordinal form with a possessive grammatical ending. In the following list, the ordinal number in 70 sedmdesát 70th sedmdesátý, -ého its standard form is given first, followed by the 80 osmdesát 80th osmdesátý, -ého possessive form (in some cases only the possessive 90 devadesát 90th devadesátý, -ého ending is listed): 100 sto 100th stý, -ého 200 dv‚st‚ 200th dvoustý, -ého pátý the fifth 300 tµista 300th tµístý, -ého pátého on the fifth (of the month) 400 ûtyµista 400th ûtyµstý, -ého 500 p‚tset 500th p‚tistý, -ého Cardinal Ordinal 600 šestset 600th šestistý, -ého 1 jeden, jedna, 1st první, prvního 700 sedmset 700th sedmistý, -ého jedno 800 osmset 800th osmistý, -ého ‚ 2 dva, dv‚ 2nd druhý, druhého 900 dev tset 900th devítistý, -ého 3tµi3rdtµetí, tµetího 1000 tisíc 1000th tisící, -ího 4 ûtyµi4thûtvrtý, ûtvrtého 5p‚t5thpátý, pátého 6 šest 6th šestý, šestého 7sedm 7thsedmý, sedmého 8 osm 8th osmý, osmého 9dev‚t 9th devátý, devátého 10 deset 10th desátý, desátého 11 jedenáct 11th jedenáctý, -ého 12 dvanáct 12th dvanáctý, -ého 13 tµináct 13th tµináctý, -ého 14 ûtrnáct 14th ûtrnáctý, -ého

12 DATE AND TIME Days of the Week

To understand Czech dates, use the following lists Czech English as well as the preceding “Numbers” section. ned‚le Sunday In Czech records, dates are occasionally spelled pond‚lí Monday out. Dates are usually given with possessive úterý Tuesday grammatical endings: stµeda Wednesday û dvacátého osmého srpna jeden tisíc osm set tvrtek Thursday padesát dva [on the twenty-eighth of August one pátek Friday thousand eight hundred fifty and two (28 August sobota Saturday 1852)] Times of the Day Months of the Year Czech records may indicate the exact time when Czech dates are always given in day-month-year the birth, marriage, or death occurred. This is order. Months are often abbreviated using a usually spelled out. Roman numeral. For example, 25 February 1848 could be written: Czech English

25. února 1848 v deset hodin at 10 o’clock 25. 2. 1848 ráno in the morning 25. II. 1848 dopoledne forenoon The months listed below are shown in their poledne / v poledne noon standard form and in the possessive form used in odpoledne afternoon writing dates: veûer in the evening v noci at night Czech English pÏlnoc / o pÏlnoci midnight I leden, ledna January II únor, února February © 2000, by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in III bµezen, bµezna March the USA English approval: 01/00 No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or IV duben, dubna April reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written Vkv‚ten, kv‚tna May permission of the publisher. Send all requests for such permission to: û û VI erven, ervna June Copyrights and Permissions Coordinator VII ûervenec, ûervence July Family History Department 50 E. North Temple Street VIII srpen, srpna August Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-3400 µ USA IX zá í September Fax: 1-801-240-2494 X µíjen, µíjna October 34032 XI listopad, listopadu November XII prosinec, prosince December

13 LETTER-WRITING GUIDE Czech and Slovak

INTRODUCTION Republic, the library has vital records from only a few German-speaking communities. Use the This guide is for researchers who do not speak Family History Library Catalog to determine what Czech or Slovak but must write to the Czech records are available through the Family History Republic or Slovakia (two countries formerly Library and the Family History Centers. If united as Czechoslovakia) for genealogical records are available from the library, it is usually records. It includes a form for requesting faster and more productive to search these first. genealogical records. If the records you want are not available through The Republic of Czechoslovakia was created in the Family History Library, you can use this guide 1918 from parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. to help you write to an archive to obtain From Austria it included the Czech provinces of information. Bohemia, Moravia, and most of Austrian Silesia. From Hungary it included the northern area, which BEFORE YOU WRITE was inhabited primarily by Slovaks. The original union also included the northeastern corner of Before you write a letter to the Czech Republic or Hungary, which was inhabited mainly by Slovakia to obtain family history information, you Ukrainians (also called Ruthenians), but this area, should do three things: called Sub-Carpathian Russia, was ceded to the Soviet Republic of Ukraine in 1945. Since 1993, C Determine exactly where your ancestor was the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been two born, was married, resided, or died. Because independent republics with their own governments. most genealogical records were kept locally, you will need to know the specific locality where your ancestor was born, was married, resided for a given time, or died. Because there RUSSIA (Poland Provinces) are often many localities with same place- (Saxony) Prussia names, we advise you to provide additional information. See the library’s publication Bohemia Galicia Tracing Immigrant Origins (34111) for help in finding hometowns. If your research concerns GERMANY Moravia Trans- the capital of the Czech Republic, Praha Carpathian Slovakia Russia (Prague), it is necessary to know in what part (Bavaria) of the city the person was born, was married, AUSTRIA resided, or died. Praha was divided into many HUNGARY subdivisions, each with several parishes. The most important sections of the city were Staré M‚sto, Nové M‚sto, Malá Strana, Hradûany, Czechoslovakia, 1918 Vy»ehrad, Vinohrady, and Josefov. If your Prior to 1918 the regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Austrian Silesia were part of the Austrian empire and now make up the Czech Republic. research concerns Bratislava, which is the The region of Slovakia was part of the Hungarian empire and is now capital of the Slovak Republic, or any bigger the Slovak Republic. city in the Czech Republic or Slovakia, we recommend that you specify the part of the city in which the person was born, was married, resided, or died. The best sources of genealogical information in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are the church C Determine when your ancestor was born, records kept by the local parishes. The Family was married, or died. If you cannot find an History Library has microfilmed copies of these exact date, indicate a close approximation& records for much of Slovakia. From the Czech preferably within three years. C Determine your ancestor’s religion. Until the Ministerstvo vnútra SR 1900s, vital records were kept by church odbor archivníctva a spisovej sluÙby parishes or Jewish congregations. The records KriÙkova 7 of different religions were kept separately. If 811 04 Bratislava you are not sure of your ancestor’s religion, Slovak Republic start by searching Catholic records. Catholicism was the dominant religion in the former Austro- Records from 1900 to the Present Hungarian Empire. If you wish to obtain birth, marriage, or death When you send your request, it might be helpful to records from the year 1900 to the present, send a send copies of personal documents, such as birth request to the Czech or Slovak Republic Embassy: certificates, passports, or residency certificates issued in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire or Embassy of the Czech Republic Czechoslovakia. 3900 Spring of Freedom St., NW Washington, D.C. 20008 RESEARCH BY MAIL Embassy of the Slovak Republic The government of former Czechoslovakia 2201 Wisconsin Ave., NW consolidated all records of genealogical value in Suite 250 1951. Most records more than 100 years old are Washington, D.C. 20007 now kept in the state regional archives. Records that are more recent are maintained at the vital You will be sent application forms. records sections of local city offices. Genealogical records are accessible for research by writing or by How to Send Payments personally visiting the archives or local city offices there. Do not send money with the initial request. In your application, specify your limit on research Records Created before 1900 charges. When the research is completed, you will be notified directly by the archival administration If you wish to obtain birth, marriage, or death or from a firm authorized to collect a payment (in records created before 1900, send a request to the the Czech Republic it is a company called Czech or Slovak Administration of Archives of the Archivex). In the notification you will be advised Ministry of Interior. These agencies are about a research fee and asked to make a payment. responsible for processing genealogical research You will also be instructed on how to make your requests and arranging for searches of records payment. The report will be sent to you upon the deposited in the state regional archives. Your receipt of your payment. request for research will be sent to the appropriate archive in the Czech or Slovak Republic. You WHAT TO EXPECT should make a copy of your letter for your own records prior to sending it. Make sure to mark the It may take up to six months to receive a reply to envelope Air Mail. your request for information.

Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia. If your ancestor was When you receive a reply, send the requested from the area formerly governed by Austria payment. If you need to request further (Bohemia, Moravia, or Austrian Silesia), send your information, refer to your earlier letters and their application directly to the Czech Administration of return letters by date. There will usually be a Archives of the Ministry of Interior: reference number (indicated by either na»e znaûka or û.j.). Include that number as well. Archivní správa ministerstva vnitra ÷R Use Czech-English or Slovak-English dictionaries Milady Horákové 133 to help you understand the reply. Sometimes you 166 21 Praha 6 can hire an accredited genealogist or someone else Czech Republic who is fluent in the language to translate for you. The Family History Library has published the Slovakia. If your ancestor was from the area Czech Genealogical Word List (34032), which formerly governed by Hungary (Slovakia), send also may be helpful. your application directly to the Slovak Administration of Archives of the Ministry of If you do not receive an answer within six months, Interior: write again, attaching a copy of your first letter.

2 HOW TO WRITE A LETTER IN want to request permission to do research in the archives yourself or if you have CZECH OR SLOVAK questions about heraldry, you will need to write a letter rather than send a form. Your letter should The archival administration prefers that all include: genealogical requests be submitted on an application form. Following are Czech and Slovak C The name and address of the addressee. forms, with English translations in brackets. C Specific information about your relative, including birth date, birthplace, and other Make a copy of the form for each request. Use a biographical data. separate form for spouse and child when requesting C A short, specific, genealogical request. detailed information. C An assurance that you are willing to pay for the services. 1. Request only one ancestral line at a time. C The date and your signature. 2. Fill in the appropriate blanks, providing all C Your return address (including your information necessary to start the research. country). 3. Type or print neatly. 4. If you know of diacritical marks and special Be brief and simple. Write short sentences, and û ý Ï characters (such as á, , , ö, or ), make make clear requests. Do not ask for too much at sure they are included. one time.

The archival administrations in the Czech Republic Writing dates. Write dates as numerals in the and Slovakia are accustomed to mail inquiries. If European style: day, month, year. For example, the form does not meet your needs, you may write for December 10, 1989, you would write a letter in English instead. For example, if you 10.12.1989.

3 ØÁDOST O GENEALOGICKÝ VÝZKUM V ÷ESKÉ REPUBLICE [Request for Genealogical Research in the Czech Republic]

For Bohemian and Moravian ancestors, send to: Archivní správa ministerstva vnitra ÷R Milady Horákové 133 166 21 Praha 6 Czech Republic

Øádám o poskytnutí genealogických informací o této osob‚ [I am requesting genealogical information about the following person]:

C Pµíjmení [Last name]:

C Jméno [Given name]:

C Datum narození [Birth date]:

C Místo narození [Birthplace]:

C BliÙ»í urûení místa narození (po»ta, farní úµad, okres, v‚t»í m‚sto poblíÙ) [Further details about the birthplace, such as the post office, parish, county, or nearest larger city]:

C NáboÙenství [Religion]:

C Jméno otce [Father’s name]:

C Jméno matky za svobodna [Mother’s maiden name]:

C Dal»í informace (není nutné) [Other information (optional)]:

Pµíbuzní osoby, která je pµedm‚tem výzkumu (není nutné, ale ûasto velmi uÙiteûné) [Relatives of the person being researched (this is optional but often very helpful)]:

ManÙel nebo manÙelka [Husband or wife]:

 Jméno [Name]: NáboÙenství [Religion]:

 Datum narození [Birth date]: Místo narození [Birthplace]:

 Datum s©atku [Date of marriage]: Místo s©atku [Place of marriage]:

D‚ti narozené pµed vyst‚hováním [Children born before emigration]:

Jméno [Name] Datum narození [Birth date] Místo narození [Birthplace]

4 Bratµi a sestry [Brothers and sisters]:

Jméno [Name] Datum narození [Birth date] Místo narození [Birthplace]

Také Ùádám informace o následujících osobách [I am also requesting information about the following persons]:

* V»ichni pµedci pµímé linie [All direct-line ancestors] * Pouze pµedci muÙské linie (stejné pµíjmení) [Paternal-line (surname) ancestors only] * Sourozenci pµedkÏ pµímé linie [Siblings of the direct-line ancestors] * ManÙel/manÙelka [Spouse(s)]

Rozsah zprávy [Scope of research]:

* Prosím, zaznamenejte informace získané výzkumem podrobn‚ s vysv‚tlivkami a údaji o pouÙitých pramenech. [Please report the information you find in detailed narrative style.] * Prosím, zaznamenejte informace získané výzkumem na genealogických formuláµích. [Please report the information you find on the genealogical forms.] * Øádám doslovné opisy záznamÏ s udáním pouÙitých pramenÏ. [I request complete transcriptions of the original records.] * Øádám fotokopie záznamÏ s udáním pouÙitých pramenÏ. [I request photocopies of the documents pertaining to my ancestors.] This option may involve extensive cost. * Øádám výpisy z matrik na matriûních formuláµích s udáním pouÙitých pramenÏ. [I request extracts from records on modern vital statistics forms.] This option may involve extensive cost.

Nejvy»»í ûástka, kterou zaplatím za genealogický výzkum je $ . Zavazuji se zaplatit v»echny poplatky spojené s genealogickým výzkumem. Beru na v‚domí, Ùe zpráva mi bude doruûena aÙ po zaplacení.

[My limit on research fees is $ . I am obliged to pay the applicable costs for the genealogical information, for which the archival administration will bill me in connection with the reply. I understand that the genealogical report will be sent only upon the receipt of my payment.]

Øadatel [Person requesting the information]:

C Znaûka pµedchozí korespondence [Reference number of any previous correspondence]:

C Jméno [Name]:

C Bydli»t‚ [Address]:

Datum [Date]: Podpis [Signature]:

5 ØIADOSÀ O GENEALOGICKÝ VÝSKUM V SLOVENSKEJ REPUBLIKE [Request for Genealogical Research in the Slovak Republic]

For Slovak ancestors, send to: Ministerstvo vnútra SR odbor archivníctva a spisovej sluÙby KriÙkova 7 811 04 Bratislava Slovak Republic

Øiadam o poskytnutie genealogických informácií o tejto osobe [I am requesting genealogical information about the following person]:

C Priezvisko [Last name]:

C Meno [Given name]:

C Dátum narodenia [Birth date]:

C Miesto narodenia [Birthplace]:

C BliÙ»ie urûenie miesta narodenia (po»ta, farský úrad, okres, blizke väû»ie mesto) [Further details about the birthplace, such as the post office, parish, county, or nearest larger city]:

C Vierovyznanie [Religion]:

C Meno otca [Father’s name]:

C Meno matky za slobodna [Mother’s maiden name]:

C êa»ie informácie (nie je záväzné) [Other information (optional)]:

Príbuzní osoby, ktorá je predmetom výskumu (je nezáväzné, ale ûasto vemi uÙitoûné) [Relatives of the person being researched (this is optional but often very helpful)]:

ManÙel alebo manÙelka [Husband or wife]:

C Meno [Name]: Vierovyznanie [Religion]:

Dátum narodenia [Birth date]: Miesto narodenia [Birthplace]:

C Dátum sobá»a [Date of marriage]: Miesto sobá»a [Place of marriage]:

Deti narodené pred vysÁahovaním [Children born before emigration]:

Meno [Name]: Dátum narodenia [Birth date] Miesto narodenia [Birthplace]

6 Bratia a sestry [Brothers and sisters]:

Meno [Name]: Dátum narodenia [Birth date] Miesto narodenia [Birthplace]

TieÙ Ùiadam informácie o nasledujúcich osobách [I am also requesting information about the following persons]:

* V»etci predkovia priamej línie [All direct-line ancestors] * Iba predkovia muÙskej línie (rovnaké priezvisko)[Paternal-line ancestors only] * Súrodenci predkov priamej línie [Siblings of the direct-line ancestors] * ManÙel/manÙelka [Spouse(s)]

Rozsah správy [Scope of research]:

* Prosím, zaznamenajte informácie získané výskumom na genealogických formulároch. [Please report the information you find on the genealogical forms.] * Øiadam doslovné opisy záznamov s udaním pouÙitých prame©ov. [I request complete transcriptions of the original records.] * Øiadam fotokopie záznamov s udaním pouÙitých prame©ov. [I request photocopies of the documents pertaining to my ancestors.] This option may involve extensive cost. * Øiadam výpisy z matrik na matriûných formulároch s udaním pouÙitých prame©ov. [I request extracts from records on modern vital statistics forms.] This option may involve extensive cost.

Najvy»»ia ûiastka, ktorú zaplatím za genealogický výskum je $ . Zaväzujem sa zaplatit v»etky poplatky spojené s genealogickým výskumom. Beriem na vedomie, Ùe správa mi bude doruûena po prijatí úhrady.

[My limit on research fees is $ . I am obliged to pay the applicable costs for the genealogical information, for which the archival administration will bill me in connection with the reply. I understand that the genealogical report will be sent only upon the receipt of my payment.]

Øiadate [Person requesting the information]:

C Znaûka predchádzajúcej kore»pondencie [Reference number of any previous correspondence]:

C Meno [Name]:

C Adresa [Address]:

Dátum [Date]: Podpis [Signature]:

7 © 2000 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS USA English approval: 2/00 The Family History Library welcomes additions No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or and corrections that will improve future editions of reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written this guide. Please send your suggestions to: permission of the publisher. Send all requests for such permission to: Copyrights and Permissions Coordinator Family History Department Publications Coordination 50 East North Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-3400 Family History Library USA 35 North West Temple Street Fax: 1-801-240-2494 Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-3400 36340 USA

4 02363 40000 6 8 36340 Other Resources Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia Genealogical Society International http://www.cgsi.org/

Slovak and Carpatho-Rusyn Genealogy Research Pages http://www.iarelative.com/slovakia.htm

Slovak Heritage Live Newsletter http://www.slovakheritage.org/SHLnewsletter/shl.htm

Czech Mail List on Rootsweb: For help contacting Czech sources through Mail, also contains other useful links for Czech and/or Slovak Research http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~elainetmaddox/czgenealogy.htm

Cyndi’s List Links on the Czech Republic & Slovakia: Including Bohemia, Moravia, Carpatho-Rusyn & the Sudetenlands http://www.cyndislist.com/czech.htm

The Embassy of the Slovak Republic: Genealogical research done by the State Archives http://www.iarelative.com/embassy.htm