Free family history records on Ancestry ®
I have had an account on Ancestry ® for years and searched for hundreds of people there. Records for family history in the U.S. or Great Britain are amazing, and it is a useful tool for genealogists. Although there are some digitized collections relating to Central and Eastern Europe, I was never very hopeful to find my Polish ancestors there. I get notification emails with potential matches, but they are always so random and are never even close to the names in my family tree. That was until yesterday…
Automated research help
Normally, I look at the resources and the DNA suggestions from Ancestry® even if the heading suggests that the record comes from the US census. The details never match though – even though the surnames are not particularly common. Once, I tried to get in touch with a third cousin twice removed (whatever that means), but I was not successful. I believe it works for some members who uncover their pedigree on the website, for me not so much. It would be quite a treat though to connect with a relative through the database. The notifications are easy to set up and change, and it is not too laborious to check them.
Aggregate tool for genealogy records
I have noticed more and more genealogical sources come from sites other than ancestry.com. The search engine explores other online archives. Some are available for free but unless you are an experienced researcher, you may miss out on them. They often cover specialist historical documents held by small institutions or departments. If they are freely available, you get free access through Ancestry ®.
Free family history tips…
Yesterday, to my surprise I received a file relating to my great-grandfather Jan Czyż. He died during the Second World War when he was working in Germany. For over 80 years nobody has been able to learn what really happened to him. The reasons why he was shot dead by the Gestapo have been unclear, so any additional information is priceless. The historical record included a list of graves of several workers from Hallendorf Work Camp. The document confirmed the exact location of my great-grandfather’s grave. The Arolsen Archives digitized and made it available as part of their online family history resources. The organization has the World’s largest collection of documents relating to the concentration and labor camps in Nazi Germany and people persecuted by this horrific regime.
…leading to new discoveries
With this new information, I searched the Find My Grave website and initially, I did not get any entries for Jan or Johann Czyż. I love genealogy research and know that being persistent and not easily discouraged is key. If you don’t get it right the first-time round, try a different combination. Don’t settle for the results from the search engines as they are far from perfect. If you have time, browse through the family history records. It may be frustrating flicking through pages of census records, but it often pays off.
I did just that when I clicked on the full list of graves at the Westerholz Cemetery. I couldn’t see his grave, but I grew curious about his eternal neighbors there. Lo and behold, I traced plot E33 with the remains of Julius Komza and E35 with Ivan Godik. The burial plaques contain two names and there it was: no. E34 Johann Ozyz – someone made a mistake and turned the letter “C” into “O”. The dates match though. As well as the plot number. It is clearly my great-grandfather’s grave!
What next?
It is an emotional moment, but I am glad I followed the information. Discovering your family history can be like a rollercoaster. My great-grandmother Helena was a widow for 60 years and she knew the town where Jan was buried. I don’t think she had the details. She and her daughters never had a chance to visit – traveling to West Germany before 1989 was impossible, later it was impractical and expensive. Perhaps, I will be able to make it right and light a candle there.
Are you ready for your genealogy adventure?
I am a professional genealogist, archivist, and research expert in Polish and German genealogy. I help people to connect with their roots and support their citizenship applications. If you are inspired to dive into a fascinating world of history research, please contact me at dorotawalker@gmail.com.
Article for information purposes only.
Read more about genealogy in Poland and obtaining Polish citizenship.