I feel like there's a joke about this one...

I guess I've been lucky that, so far in Poland, I haven't had any "what is happening here!!?" moments like I did all the time in Ukraine. Until today.

I started off in the Central Archives, but like yesterday, when I got there, all the machines were being used. However, unlike yesterday, this morning, the security guards wouldn't let me go upstairs until there was an open machine. This meant waiting in the coat room, typing away on my computer. Thankfully, the whole "as soon as you walk away from an elevator it will arrive" trick worked, and as soon as I leaned over to plug in my power cord, the security guard gave me authorization to go upstairs to the reading room. I sat down at the open machine, and just before I clicked on the light, I heard shuffling and mumbling around me. When I tried clicking on the light, I realized that the electricity had gone out for the machines in my row! Strange experience of the day #1. But for some reason I had the feeling that it was a planned electricity outage, since there was a sign on the door to the reading room that mentioned electricity. Oh well. When the power came back on, I began reviewing the microfilms I had ordered, and noticed that I was given one of the films that was being reprographed yesterday (still don't know what that means!). I went up and asked about the other film that was being reprographed, and the archivist responded that it wouldn't be ready until Friday. So that means one last trip to the archives on Friday.

Next I set off for the Warsaw Rising Museum, a museum dedicated to telling the story of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, in which the Polish people of Warsaw started a sort of revolution against the Nazis to take back Warsaw. In the end it failed, but it lasted for a good two months. Anyway, I decided that I would take public transportation to get there, and I would walk back. I went to the stop to catch the tram, but after a half-an-hour, there was no tram. In fact, no trams were passing that stop. I was thoroughly confused, because it was the same stop and the same tram that I've taken many times before. I started walking to the next stop, hoping that the tram would stop there, but there was also no tram there. I began walking to the next stop, and then, coming out of a street perpendicular to the regular route of this tram, was my tram! Strange experience of the day #2, the tram suddenly has a new route. But thankfully it still got me to the museum.

Now, if you just read my two sentences about the Warsaw Uprising, you probably have learned just as much as I did by going through the museum...because it really made little sense. You start off on a "cobblestone street" where, logically, one side of the room describes the beginning of the war. But the very other side describes the end of the war. Then there's a room with children's objects, describing how children were involved in the uprising. But the uprising didn't start yet! Then there's a series of battles, and then the uprising starts. And on the first day of the uprising, the Poles are free (?). Then you enter a huge room that has an airplane in the center. Then you watch a movie about the extent to which Warsaw was destroyed after the uprising. Then you watch footage of the uprising, and then you enter a room that describes how Nazis gave the order to destroy Warsaw after the uprising. Then you go upstairs, where the uprising is still going on. Then it ends (again), and then Pope John Paul II speaks. Then you learn about paratroopers. Then you manage to find your way to the exit. Now, I don't know if it was just me, because all of the other people visiting the museum seemed to understand what was going on. But for me, it was definitely Strange experience of the day #3.

Then I walked over to the Palace of Culture and Science, the tallest building in Warsaw that was a "gift" from Stalin to the people of Warsaw. I heard that it has a nice view from the top, so I ventured over to check it out. I bought a ticket from the ticket booth, and little did I know that I would also be buying a ticket to the natural history museum also inside the building. You start in an exhibit about gorillas and Charles Darwin, and then ride an elevator to the 30th floor for the nice view. Then you ride down to the 6th floor, and you're in an exhibit about Neanderthals! Then you go to the next room, and there's a display of cave paintings. And a Ford advertising area complete with flat screen panels and touchscreens. Then you figure out that to exit, you need to take the elevator down again, and then walk up the stairs to the door. Strange experience of the day #4. But on the way out, I had my best experience of the day! And that was finding a freshly-squeezed-orange-juice-vending-machine. It's exactly what you imagine: a machine squeezes oranges and pours the contents into a plastic cup. A good way to end the day! (and I guess a little strange, too).

Palace of Culture and Science

A view from the top of the former Ghetto area: note the Nozyk Synagogue on the left, behind the cranes, and Prozna Street on the right

Instant freshly-squeezed orange juice!

Life is like a box of chocolates...

So far, this week of work in the Central Archives has not been too successful. Today, I arrived at the archives to find that all the microfilm machines were occupied, except for one. I asked if that machine was taken, and the woman at the desk said that someone was using it. I sat down at a table to wait for a machine, wondering who was using the one open machine, and in walks in a film crew! From what I could tell, they were filming either a news report or a documentary. Either way, it was very clearly staged. One of the archivists brought out a microfilm and showed the TV hostess/actress how to use the machine, and then the cameraman filmed her rolling through the film. It was funny, but I just wanted to be able to use the machines myself! Eventually, the crew left and another archivist brought up an extra machine for me. I started looking through films to try and find Papa Joe's mother's birth record, but when I went to retrieve the film from the most likely birth year, the archivist told me it was being reprographed. That makes two of those! He said that they'll hopefully be done soon, and I told him I would be back tomorrow to check on them. I also requested what I think are the last microfilms for me to look at. I'll review those tomorrow as well.

After that it was off to the civil registry office, but not before buying the women there a little present to put them in a good mood for my return visit: a box of chocolates. When I got to the office, I rang the bell to announce my presence...and out walks a woman who I'd never seen before. Well, that was awkward! I went to buy these two specific women chocolate, and now one whom I've never seen before answers the door! Anyway, I asked her if she spoke English, and she responded in Polish, "No, we only speak Polish here." But she then went to talk to someone in the back, and when she said "There's an American here," out walked one of the ladies from last week, armed with the forms I handed in then. It's funny that once she heard about an American there, she knew it had to be me. I handed her the box of chocolates, saying that last week was over, and this week is a new week. She was very flattered, and I could tell that this put both her and the other woman in a very good (and helpful!) mood. I explained that I wanted to fill out new forms, this time requests for Papa Joe's father's first marriage certificate and the birth record of Papa Joe's half-brother, Solomon. Unlike last week, today everything happened efficiently. They pulled out the forms, I filled them out, and although they said they couldn't have them ready by today, they agreed to have them ready by Thursday. I'm convinced that their eagerness to help was the chocolate working its magic! When I left, I told them to enjoy the chocolate, and I could tell that they were excited to do so. I'll be back there on Thursday, and maybe they'll even be in such a good mood that they'll show me the original records from Solomon's birth. Or maybe that's me being too optimistic. You never know...a little chocolate can go a long way!

Later, I did a little sightseeing: First I walked around a part of the Old Town district (actually called New Town, because it's not as old as the rest of Old Town) where many of the buildings are painted with pictures of people, animals, etc. Next, I couldn't find the location of the Mila 18 bunker, from where the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was organized (apparently no longer on Mila Street), but one place I did visit was Prozna Street, basically the only street from the Warsaw Ghetto that maintains its original buildings. I also visited a site a little down the road where the only fragments of the Warsaw Ghetto wall have been preserved. Tomorrow, after I visit the archives, hopefully I'll be able to visit the museum I've been wanting to go to--the Warsaw Uprising (not Ghetto Uprising, another one) Museum, which is supposed to be really well done. More then!

An example of a painted house in the New Town district

The entrance to Prozna Street, with the windows of the buildings displaying pictures of Jews in pre-war Warsaw

One of the buildings on Prozna Street

A fragment of the Warsaw Ghetto wall

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!

Mapping it out II

Well. Once again a predicted-to-be-sunny day turned out with pouring rain. Which meant no museum for me, since it's a 30 minute walk away. Instead, I put together everything I learned this past week in order to prepare what I want to look for this upcoming week. I organized everything into family trees, and looking at everything in that form, it's really amazing to see how much I've accomplished in one week! I've gone from knowing several names and possible birth years to generations of names and many confirmed birth-dates. I'll be starting off this week by seeking advice from the director of the Genealogy Center at the Jewish Historical Institute, so hopefully I'll have another productive week, before it's off to Austria! Fingers crossed for nice weather...

Synagogue (and sunny Saturday)

I can't believe Shabbat #4 in Eastern Europe is already over! Friday night services were at the Nozyk Synagogue, about a 15 minute walk away from my apartment. If you read last week's post-Shabbat post, you might recall that I met the Chief Rabbi of Poland, Rabbi Michael Schudrich, at synagogue in Krakow. Rabbi Schudrich spends most of his time as the Rabbi of the Jewish community of Warsaw, so naturally, he was at synagogue last night. He remembered me, and invited me to a community dinner that's held after services each week. On the way to dinner, I met two graduate students who are also visiting Warsaw--Alexandria and Hailey, both fellows at the Auschwitz Jewish Center. Since there was a large group from California also at Shabbat dinner, to make room for everyone, Alexandria, Hailey, and I sat up front with Rabbi Schudrich. It's kind of crazy that we had dinner with the Chief Rabbi of Poland! But really he's just a normal guy, an American, who's set on revitalizing the Jewish community of Warsaw and greater Poland. He told some stories about people who have come to him in the past, wondering if they were Jewish or not after evaluating strange family customs--like not drinking milk after eating meat, or grandma baking a strange pancake once a year (Matzah), or being called "Meshugganeh" when misbehaving.

Anyway, over dinner I explained to Rabbi Schudrich what happened in the civil registry office on Friday, since I thought he might know someone who could help me figure out what to do next. He told me that the director of the Genealogy Center at the Jewish Historical Institute would be at synagogue this morning, and that he would introduce us. This morning, I returned to synagogue, and met some Chicago high-school students on a Shorashim trip to Berlin, Warsaw, and Israel--including my kindergarten teacher's niece! I was just about to go ask the Rabbi to introduce me to the director of the Genealogy Center when Alexandria and Hailey, who were talking to a local woman, called me over. I told them that I was looking for the director of the center, and it just so happened that the woman with them was the director's wife! She introduced me to her husband, Yale Reisner, and they both graciously offered me to stop by his office to talk about my project and to ask any questions!

Next was lunch, which was again a community meal, but this time minus the Rabbi and the California group from last night. Which left Alexandria, Hailey, and I, a few Israelis, and a group of Polish community members. Only one of them seemed to speak English, and she told us how she used to work as a professional translator, since she speaks 10 languages. Overall, the lunch was interesting, to say the least. It was clear that most of the older people there survived the war, but depending on their situations, likely came back to Judaism much later in life. In a way, it was very familiar to me--old Polish people eating eggs and herring and speaking in a mix of languages--so I'm glad I'll be back to talk to them next week.

After lunch, the three of us walked around Warsaw, mostly through two of its many parks--Ujazdow Park and Park Lazienkowski. Luckily, the rain from last night subsided, and it was a beautiful day. A highlight was seeing the massive Chopin statute in Park Lazienkowski. Apparently there's a group trying to build a replica in Chicago! After our walk I took a nap, then returned to synagogue for the afternoon services. There I met a Harvard student my age who's traveling with his mother. It was great to not only hear about his trip but talk to someone my age here--something I realized I hadn't done yet! Judging by the amount of people I met this Shabbat, I'm sure there will be more to meet next Shabbat as well.

Tomorrow is my second Sunday here, but it will hopefully be my first sunny one here! I think I'll visit some of Warsaw's museums...before getting back to work on Monday. Shavua Tov!

Bump in the road

Yesterday, the Civil Registry archives emailed me to let me know that they had found Mama Manya's birth record, as well as her parents' marriage record--both of which they were willing to copy for me. Mama Manya's siblings' records and Papa Joe's siblings' records, however, they also had found but were only willing to give me if I demonstrated a legal interest in the documents. I went to the office this morning to pick up my records and to try to work something out to get the siblings' records as well.

Well, in a nutshell, they wouldn't give me the siblings' records. They said that since I'm not a close enough relative to the siblings, that they were not legally allowed to show/give me the documents. You have to be either the person in the record, their parent, child, grandchild, sibling, or spouse to see the documents they have there, or you have to demonstrate a legal interest in the documents--which they explained to me, meant proving to them that you need the documents for an ongoing court case. I tried to explain to them that none of those closer relatives exist, and even if I found 100 lawyers to say that I needed the documents for a court case, the only reason why I want them is for personal family research. Some of the people there were understanding, but some were not, so it made it a frustrating situation: although most of them took me seriously, one didn't, and even though she was speaking in Polish behind my back, I could understand what she was saying. I asked them if they could just show me the record, since making a copy was basically already out of the picture unless I wanted to start a court case. They said no, since they signed agreements to protect the personal data found in the records. I asked--whose personal data? And they replied, the data of the people listed in the documents. I told them that those people no longer exist, and the closest family member was me, standing in front of them--so in a way, it was really my personal family data that they wouldn't show me, even though I gave them permission to do so. I think this got to them. They all huddled and starting trying to come up with a solution, and in the end they decided to give me each sibling's birth-date and year of birth, something they were not going to give me before, but they wouldn't show me the original records. So I guess that was a step in the right direction...

Anyway, one of the most exciting parts of the day was getting to see Mama Manya's parents' marriage record, since the document listed both of their parents' names, which helped me find Mama Manya's father's birth record in the other archive later today. Mama Manya's grandparents names were Isak and Chanzia Nissenbaum, and Moses and Dobryz Wolfzahn, and I found out that Mama Manya's father, Nissen, was born in 1900!

So, while much of the day was spent in frustration, it turned out that I discovered a lot in the end. Soon I'll be going to synagogue for Friday night services and dinner, and then tomorrow I'll go back in the morning! Although it was sunny this morning, it's currently raining. I know what I'll be praying for tonight...(besides those birth records!)

Finally feels like July...

My morning in the archives today was unsuccessful--I couldn't find record of Nachman Birnberg's first marriage! I was only able to look at records from 1898-1902, and 1904-1905, so either he was married in 1903, or in a town other than Kolomyja, or later than 1905. I suspect that he was married later than 1905, but we can't know for sure.

I spent the rest of the day walking around and taking pictures--the sun finally came out--so there's not that much to write about. Instead, I'll post a bunch of pictures!

Also, I got an email from the USC archives today telling me that they found Mama Manya's birth record, as well as her parents' marriage record, and her's and Papa Joe's siblings records. I'm going to pick them up tomorrow morning!

The view from my apartment

Barbican--part of old city walls

A street in the Old Town section

One of Warsaw's many parks

Main street leading off of Old Town towards New Town

The Vistula River and a stadium for the 2012 Euro Cup

Old Town plaza--note the grand piano in the middle of everything!

Another Old Town street

One of the "language columns" on the University Library building

The University Library exterior...

...and interior

Actual library entrance

Library gardens

More gardens

Leading up to the roof of the library, which is all gardens! But then my camera battery ran out...next time...