Advice and more archives

My first stop today was at the Genealogy Center of the Jewish Historical Center, a set of offices on the lower level of the blue skyscraper that stands on the site of Warsaw's Great Synagogue. Anna, a woman who works in the office there, welcomed me in and asked me to begin listing everything I knew about each grandparent. When we got through two--Mama Manya and Papa Joe--Anna turned to me and asked, "So, if you already found all these records and know all this information, why do you need my help?" I explained to her what happened at the civil registry office, how they weren't willing to show me Mama Manya and Papa Joe's siblings' birth records. She recommended I go into the office again and try to speak to the director if needed--I need to go back there to try to find Papa Joe's father's first marriage certificate anyway. I also told her about a problem I had at the central archives. They have some microfilms there including records from the years, for example, 1877-1921. Since the 1921-end of the film is restricted due to the fact that it's less than 100 years old, the whole microfilm is restricted access. Meaning, even though I'm looking just for a record on this microfilm from 1883, I can't see it because I might sneak a peek at the later records too. Anna helped me with that too.

We then went through what I know about Zayde's family and Grandma Esther's family, and Anna gave me some suggestions as to where to turn for more information: mainly, places where I can find records pertaining to people in Displaced Persons camps. Unfortunately, the only records that really exist for Grandma Esther's town are from the 1860's, and those really aren't helpful in this case, so it will be very hard to find anything further unless I find someone (who's still alive) who lived in her town and might know something. Another thing will be to try and search the International Tracing Service (ITS) again--this is a set of records that the Holocaust Museum in Washington has, containing mostly Concentration Camp lists/cards and DP camp information. When I go to Israel (in two weeks!) I'll be able to search the ITS records myself, which will be much more efficient than waiting the (about) year it takes to receive records in response to a research request through the museum in Washington. I'll be able to search for Chaim Zylberman and Milka Licht on that as well, and maybe that search will yield some information on their fates.

Anyway, next I went to the central archives to try and find Mama Manya's paternal grandfather's birth record. I requested a number of microfilms, which, put together would give me the records from about 1860 till 1890 (he would have been born somewhere around 1880). After looking through the first set, which went up to 1876, I went to get my next set. But, as usual, there's always a reason why I can't get a record I want to see. "Sorry, that microfilm is being reprographed." I'm still not sure what that means, but they said that it will hopefully be ready in a couple of days. I also asked about the microfilm with marriage records from 1877-1921--this would include a record from 1883 of Mama Manya's maternal grandfather's first marriage. I asked if they would look over my shoulder while I viewed it, to make sure I didn't look at the restricted records. They said that they wouldn't, but they said that they could check the record for me, and would let me know if there was any information to be found. I'll let you know!