Volume XX, No. 8 31 August 2019 ISSN 1555-774X. Copyright © 2019, PolishRoots®, Inc. Editor: William F. “Fred” Hoffman, e-mail: [email protected]< > CONTENTS Welcome! The New Szukajwarchiwach Site Polish Professional Genealogists Association Geneteka Index Updates An Overview of Recent Periodicals Upcoming Events More Useful Web Addresses You May Reprint Articles... *************************************** *** WELCOME! *** to the latest issue of Gen Dobry!, the e-zine of PolishRoots®. If you missed previous issues, you can find them here: <http://polishroots.org/GenDobry/tabid/60/Default.aspx> *************************************** Gen Dobry!, Vol. XX, No. 8, August 2019 — 1 *** THE NEW SZUKAJWARCHIWACH SITE *** by William F. “Fred” Hoffman [email protected]< > For months now, the website Szukajwarchiwach (literally “Search in archives”) has been promising a new and improved version. On 8 June 2019, the Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe (National Digital Archive) made good on the promise by launching that version. The URL is <https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/>. I should add that the previous link, <https://www. szukajwarchiwach.pl/>, still works in order to make the transition go smoother. I imagine it will lapse eventually, and researchers would be wise to make the switch now. Since I don’t do genealogical research, and I’ve been busy working on two books that have nothing to do directly with genealogy, I haven’t really paid a lot of attention. I figured as time passed, those who familiarized themselves with the site would speak up, and I was willing to wait and see what they had to say. Besides, any new website is going to have its bugs. It’s only fair to allow a little time to work them out. I did notice that Julie Roberts Szczepankiewicz – a researcher I respect – was willing to discuss the new site as early as 10 June 2019. That’s when she posted on her blog, “From Shepherds to Shoemakers,” an overall look at the site, which she considered a definite improvement. <https://fromshepherdsandshoemakers.com/2019/06/10/szukajwarchiwach-version-2-0- better-than-the-original/> If you haven’t used the site much, I strongly suggest you read Julie’s evaluation. She points out what’s different, what’s not, and how to dive in and make progress. What brought this back to my attention was an item in the 11 August 2019 issue of Nu? What’s New. It summarized the opinion of Philip Trauring, webmaster for the Jewish genealogy site “Blood and Frogs” at <https://bloodandfrogs.com/>, for which he recently received the IAJGS Outstanding Resource Award. His article, dated 8 August 2019, bears the title “Figuring out the Polish State Archive changes,” and is available at <https://tinyurl.com/BloodFrogsPSA>. While he recommends Julie’s blog entry as a good overview, he doesn’t entirely agree with her assessment. He writes, “As it currently stands, the new site cannot do the same kinds of searches as the old site.” He states the new site is more complex, and one of the subtitles is “A lack of elegance.” He cites chapter and verse to back up his opinions. He also offers five specific suggestions on how to improve the site. This impressed me, because anyone can complain; those who offer constructive criticism are usually the ones you should listen to. I think between Julie’s overview and Philip’s assessment, you can get a very good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the new version. I know I hate it when someone revamps a web site that worked well. I accept, however, that sometimes changes affect the long-term viability and Gen Dobry!, Vol. XX, No. 8, August 2019 — 2 effectiveness of a site. The basic ideas behind these changes strike me as sound. Let’s hope for the best. By the way, an earlier issue of Nu? (4 August 2019) pointed out that the Blood & Frogs site has a “Polish State Archives Contact List,” with contact information for other archives in Poland, at <https://bloodandfrogs.com/2019/08/polish-state-archives-contact-list.html>. Nu? wrote, “For each of the identified 78 institutions there is physical address, phone number (click to dial from a mobile phone), email address, web site, a link to the list of records in that archive, a link to the branch description, and a Facebook page if present.” *************************************** *** POLISH PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGISTS ASSOCIATION *** by William F. “Fred” Hoffman <[email protected]> The Polish genealogy monthly More Maiorum has an interview dated 24 August 2019 that is potentially of great interest – especially for Poles seeking their roots, but surely also for descendants of Poles in other country. The interview is with Mariusz Michalak, owner of the firm <http://genusmeum.pl/>, and the Polish original text can be read by downloading the August 2019 issue of More Maiorum at <http://www.moremaiorum.pl/aktualny-numer/>. The interview deals with Michalak’s experiences doing research for others, and especially with his decision to join with six other professionals to form the Stowarzyszenie Polscy Profesjonalni Genealodzy (SPPG), The Polish Professional Genealogists Association. I have heard of many of these researchers, and what I’ve heard has almost always been favorable. Their decision to join together in adhering to the principals of the Professional Genealogists’ Code of Ethics is likely to promote the reliability and good reputation of all involved. The website is entirely in Polish, which indicates it is directed mainly at Poles, who have become more and more fascinated by the rather addictive study we know so well. Poles want to find researchers they can count on to do good, honest work; this Association attempts to help them in that search. Here is a translation of what SPPG says about itself on the page <http://progenealogia.org/o- nas/>, “About Us.” The Polish Professional Genealogists Association brings together genealogical companies that conduct research on the current and historical Polish territory. The organization was established on the basis of common experience of professional genealogists who have been cooperating with each other for a long time. It is a response to the need to find their roots in the lands associated with Poland by people who seek professional help, fair offers, and professional service. All members are guided in their daily activities by the high ethical and business standards contained in the Professional Genealogists’ Code of Ethics. It is the only organization of this kind in Poland. The Association makes every effort to ensure that Gen Dobry!, Vol. XX, No. 8, August 2019 — 3 its members constantly improve their competence in genealogical research and have the opportunity to exchange experiences. The Polish Professional Genealogists Association was established in May 2019 by seven professional genealogists: Joanna Lubierska-Lewandowska, Aleksandra Kacprzak, Grzegorz Biłos, Lucjan Cichocki, Alan Jakman, Michał J. Marciniak and Mariusz Michalak. Of course, promises and good intentions don’t always work out so well. We will see how this develops. But I find it encouraging that these professionals recognize the importance of establishing and maintaining high standards. *************************************** *** GENETEKA INDEX UPDATES *** by Waldemar Chorążewicz Editor – Once more, let me pass along some of the new Geneteka indexes shared by Waldemar on Facebook’s Polish Genealogy group this month. You can find assistance with the two-letter province abbreviations online, for instance, at <http://hitchwiki. org/pl/Szablon:Wojew%C3%B3dztwa_Polski>. Note that UK is Ukraine and BR is Belarus. Also worth remembering is the tip Henry Szot shared with us in the April 2018 issue of Gen Dobry! Here is an easy way to find out if an index has been updated. On the top right of results pages, there is a list of options (opcje). The last item is Wyszukaj tylko indeksy z ostatnich (search only indexes in the last), with a choice of 1, 3, 7, 14, 31, and 60 days. This permits receiving results only in the chosen time period. Example of use: 1) select the search page icon, 2) select świętokrzyskie, 3) select parish Sokolina and the wyszukaj option with 31 days, 4) if any, only results entered for the last 31 days will be shown. A surname might be added to further limit results. Births – U[rodzenia] • Marriages– M[ałżeństwa] • Deaths – Zgony. Adamów pow. łukowski (LB) -- M 1866-1909, indexed by Urszula Drabińska Bałdrzychów (LD) -- UMZ 1814-16 (supplemented), 1918, indexed by Incognito Bałtów (SK) -- UMZ 1901-05, indexed by Roman Gmurczyk Bargłów Kościelny (PL) -- 1928-1936a, indexed by Magdalena Wróbel Bęczkowice (LD) -- UZ 1868-76, indexed by Urszula Świerczyńska Bedlno pow. kutnowski (LD) -- UMZ 1891-1915, indexed by Urszula Świerczyńska Biała pow. wieluński (LD) -- UMZ 1907-1910, indexed by Danuta Mieżyńska Gen Dobry!, Vol. XX, No. 8, August 2019 — 4 Bieżuń (MZ) -- M 1911-12, indexed by Piotr Baciński Borszewice (LD) -- UMZ 1843, indexed by Felberg_sławomir Brańszczyk (MZ) -- U 1722-84, Z 1693-1735, indexed by Bogumiła Skrzypczak Chełmo (LD) -- U 1918, indexed by Gadecki.Bogusław Chorzelów (m. Chorzelów) (PK) -- U 1902-35, indexed by Marek Podolski Chorzelów (m. Tuszów Narodowy) (PK) -- U 1785-1792, indexed by Bartłomiej Babiarz Częstochowa św. Zygmunta (SL) -- U 1900, indexed by Stanisław Jegier Dąbrowa Górnicza MB Anielskiej (SL) -- UMZ 1898-1900, indexed by Ela Ginalska Deszno (gr-kat) (m. Bałucianka) (PK) -- Z 1879-82, indexed by Grzegorz Zuzak Dobra (LD) -- UMZ 1895-99, indexed by Krystyna Zadwórna Dobroń (LD) -- UZ 1780-1808, M 1781-1808, indexed by Grzegorz Żychowski Dobrzyń nad Wisłą (KP) -- U 1753-1807,MZ 1754-1807, indexed by Krzysztof Kośnik Dojlidy (Orthodox) (PL) -- U 1906, Z 1907, indexed by Livia Ditto Dolistowo (PL) -- M 1870, Z 1870-71, indexed by Wiesław Chodak Drugnia (SK) -- M 1797-1874, indexed by Edward Jabłoński Drwalew (MZ) -- UMZ 1906-08, indexed by Jolanta Jarosz-Hryniewicz Głogowiec (LD) -- UZ 1915-16,18, M 1915,18, indexed by Józef Dębowski Gniewkowo (KP) -- U 1676-1732, 1790-1810, indexed by Adrian Kaszubski Gomulin (LD) -- UMZ 1815-19, 1820-24, indexed by Monika Ignatowicz Goniądz (PL) -- M 1871, Z 1870-71, indexed by Wiesław Chodak Góra pow.