HI,

YES, I will go to the LDS source as well:

Two of the main sets of Hungarian records at Family Search
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list?page=1&countryId=1927145
now indicate that they were last updated on January 4, 2014, over two
months ago. However, I know that as recently as a few days ago the
update date given was in December or so - I think for both of them.

It is hard to tell when new records were actually added - indeed it does
not seem that the numbers have changed much since Dec. - and I am
curious if the date was only changed now due to a clerical error or the
normal functioning of these helpful resources.

Thanks!
--
Todd Edelman
Los Angeles
edelman@...


Researching:

EDELMAN-FRIEDMAN-PETERFREUND-POLSTER-WEISBERGER-? family of present-day
eastern Slovakia and eastern Hungary + Israel:

EDELMAN (Hrabkov, Kosice, Plavec, Mad,Spisska Nova Ves, Tokaj + Jerusalem)
FRIEDMAN (Plavec, Tokaj)
POLSTER (Plavec, Szepes megye and Saros megye, Kosice)
WEISBERGER (Medzilaborce)

see also www.peterfreund.org


KUNSZTLER-SUSZHOLCZ-KLEIN-MALEK-ICKOVITZ-? family of present-day eastern
Hungary,Carpathian Ukraine (Uzh River basin), and northern Transylvanian
Romania + Israel:

BERNAT (Debrecen, Klarafalva, Puspokladany)
BLAU (Budapest, Hajdu megye, Ung megye)
FISCH (Eastern Hungary)
FRIEDMAN (Giraltovce, Perechyn, Saros megye, Ung megye, Budapest, NYC)
ICKOVITZ (Medzilaborce, Ruscova)
KLEIN (Biharnagybajom, Debrecen, Hajduboszormeny,Puspokladány)
KUNSZTLER (Bucharest, Budapest, Petah Tikvah, Perechyn, Püspökladány,
Uzhgorod)
LICHTMANN (Budapest, Debrecen and all eastern Hungarian counties)
MALEK (Petrosani, Ruscova, Temesvar)
MOSKOVITZ (Michalovce, Sobrance)
SUSZHOLZ (Michalovce, Perechyn, Uzhgorod)

HI,

YES, I will go to the LDS source as well:

Two of the main sets of Hungarian records at Family Search
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list?page=1&countryId=1927145
now indicate that they were last updated on January 4, 2014, over two
months ago. However, I know that as recently as a few days ago the
update date given was in December or so - I think for both of them.

It is hard to tell when new records were actually added - indeed it does
not seem that the numbers have changed much since Dec. - and I am
curious if the date was only changed now due to a clerical error or the
normal functioning of these helpful resources.

Thanks!
--
Todd Edelman
Los Angeles
edelman@...


Researching:

EDELMAN-FRIEDMAN-PETERFREUND-POLSTER-WEISBERGER-? family of present-day
eastern Slovakia and eastern Hungary + Israel:

EDELMAN (Hrabkov, Kosice, Plavec, Mad,Spisska Nova Ves, Tokaj + Jerusalem)
FRIEDMAN (Plavec, Tokaj)
POLSTER (Plavec, Szepes megye and Saros megye, Kosice)
WEISBERGER (Medzilaborce)

see also www.peterfreund.org


KUNSZTLER-SUSZHOLCZ-KLEIN-MALEK-ICKOVITZ-? family of present-day eastern
Hungary,Carpathian Ukraine (Uzh River basin), and northern Transylvanian
Romania + Israel:

BERNAT (Debrecen, Klarafalva, Puspokladany)
BLAU (Budapest, Hajdu megye, Ung megye)
FISCH (Eastern Hungary)
FRIEDMAN (Giraltovce, Perechyn, Saros megye, Ung megye, Budapest, NYC)
ICKOVITZ (Medzilaborce, Ruscova)
KLEIN (Biharnagybajom, Debrecen, Hajduboszormeny,Puspokladány)
KUNSZTLER (Bucharest, Budapest, Petah Tikvah, Perechyn, Püspökladány,
Uzhgorod)
LICHTMANN (Budapest, Debrecen and all eastern Hungarian counties)
MALEK (Petrosani, Ruscova, Temesvar)
MOSKOVITZ (Michalovce, Sobrance)
SUSZHOLZ (Michalovce, Perechyn, Uzhgorod)

Thanks to more than a dozen volunteers the German town database has grown to
38,949 names, with more to come, While the sources of this information are
all located in former West Germany, the persons listed were born all over
Germany and, in many cases, in Eastern Europe. The names may be accessed at
JewishGen or on Steve Morse's website.

Peter Lande, Washington, D.C. pdlande@...

Thanks to more than a dozen volunteers the German town database has grown to
38,949 names, with more to come, While the sources of this information are
all located in former West Germany, the persons listed were born all over
Germany and, in many cases, in Eastern Europe. The names may be accessed at
JewishGen or on Steve Morse's website.

Peter Lande, Washington, D.C. pdlande@...

Dear Daniel:
That's one big question! The issues of what was Germany, how that
related to Prussia and how people viewed themselves in terms of
nationality are complex and interwoven.

Briefly: "Germany" was a concept that people all over understood to
refer to the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, more or less--a column
running down the center of Europe, more or less.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HRR_1789_EN.png is a good start.
People in most of this territory thought of themselves as German, no
matter who their king or duke or bishop was. For instance, we think of
Mozart as Austrian, but in his letters he describes himself as German.

Napoleon abolished the HRE in 1806. After his fall, the German
Confederation--with an outline remarkably like that of the HRE, minus
the Netherlands and with a few other adjustments--defined "Germany" for
a while. Like the HRE, the Confederation wasn't much of a political
unit, though there was a goal of creating an actual country called Germany.

Prussia *was* a state, i.e., a single government. Unlike most states, it
had no national definition--there was no ethnic or language group called
"Prussians" underlying the term. In fact, the beginning of the Prussian
state--1000 years ago--was marked by the near-extermination of the
original Prussian people by their conquerors, the Teutonic Knights.
Since ca. 1600 Prussia hadn't even had a state religion, either.

Since the late Middle Ages,when Brandenburg (the area around Berlin) and
Prussia (the SE corner of the Baltic coast) were fused together under
one ruler, the Prussian state had been half-in, half-outside the HRE.
The German Confederation *also* viewed the eastern parts of Prussia
(West Prussia, East Prussia and Posen) as external for most of its
existence.

Most of the population of Posen and a good deal of that in West Prussia
felt the same way: they were Poles, and their land had been Polish until
the late 18thC. East Prussia, too, had been a fief of the Polish crown
until fairly late in the game, though Polish influence there was
practically nil. The Polish population of these eastern regions found
the idea of being Prussian much more palatable than that of being
German, because Prussia was a state that existed to govern, not to
represent a nationality. Not that they wouldn't have preferred
"Polish"--in fact, the city of Posen was a center of Polish nationalist
cultural expression in the mid-19thC.

The two "new" regions--West Prussia and Posen--were viewed differently
by the rest of Prussia. West Prussia (the middle of the Baltic coast and
parts south of there) had been part of the original Prussia in the
Middle Ages, and by annexing it in 1772 Prussia now had unbroken
territory between its two capitals--Berlin and Koenigsberg. Posen was
part of the territory added later (1793), mostly taken away by Napoleon
in 1807 and then restored in 1815. At that point it became a separate
unit, the Grand Duchy of Posen, with the King of Prussia as Grand Duke.
Its status was a little like Puerto Rico's today: same ownership,
different rules. That special status ended in 1847 when Posen became a
regular province and its residents became Prussian subjects like all the rest.

Now, the Austrian Empire--formerly the Hapsburg Empire, which really
didn't have an official name--*also* straddled the conceptual boundaries
of Germany. Today's Austria and Czech Republic were inside, the rest,
outside. (All this is approximate, mind you--plenty of little
exceptions.) So when the idea of making an actual nation-state called
Germany got serious, the question of where to draw the boundaries of the
future state became critical. If Austria, etc. were included, its
emperor would have a good claim to ruling the place, being the only
emperor around. With Austria excluded, Germany would be dominated by
Prussia, which by then had annexed more and more of the rest of German territory.

But when that 2nd option was actually used, all of Prussia became part
of the German Empire, including the not-so-German parts. And many of the
residents of those regions never accepted the idea, and how could they?
"Germany" had tried to define itself in nationalistic terms even as it
occupied a large chunk of the former Poland. Austria, for all its
problems, had never pretended that all its territories--Galicia,
Hungary, the Balkan parts, etc.--were all of one nation.
--------------------------
Up through the 1870 US Census, German immigrants often reported that
they came >from Baden, Holstein, Bavaria, Prussia, etc. Some said
"Germany," but for people >from Posen Province to do so would have been
even more of a political statement than for others.

Technically, Germany as a state by that name came into existence on
January 1, 1871, and for the first time all the parts east of the old
HRE boundaries were officially and unquestionably German. Before that,
the old boundaries defined Germany more as a state of mind than as
anything else, but that consciousness--whether one supported or opposed
it--was very real.
--------------------------
I should point out that the Jews in the eastern provinces were generally
far more eager than most of their Gentile neighbors--especially the
Catholic ones--to think of themselves as Prussian, let alone as German.
But that's yet another complication...

...so when your ancestors wrote "Germany" or "Prussia" on the forms,
they may have been expressing political or national consciousness as
well as--or perhaps even instead of--geographical fact. Not to mention
the possibility that some census-takers, bureaucrats, etc. may have been
more or less precise about the terms. This stuff was complicated for them too!

Roger Lustig Princeton, NJ USA research coordinator, GerSIG

Dear Daniel:
That's one big question! The issues of what was Germany, how that
related to Prussia and how people viewed themselves in terms of
nationality are complex and interwoven.

Briefly: "Germany" was a concept that people all over understood to
refer to the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, more or less--a column
running down the center of Europe, more or less.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HRR_1789_EN.png is a good start.
People in most of this territory thought of themselves as German, no
matter who their king or duke or bishop was. For instance, we think of
Mozart as Austrian, but in his letters he describes himself as German.

Napoleon abolished the HRE in 1806. After his fall, the German
Confederation--with an outline remarkably like that of the HRE, minus
the Netherlands and with a few other adjustments--defined "Germany" for
a while. Like the HRE, the Confederation wasn't much of a political
unit, though there was a goal of creating an actual country called Germany.

Prussia *was* a state, i.e., a single government. Unlike most states, it
had no national definition--there was no ethnic or language group called
"Prussians" underlying the term. In fact, the beginning of the Prussian
state--1000 years ago--was marked by the near-extermination of the
original Prussian people by their conquerors, the Teutonic Knights.
Since ca. 1600 Prussia hadn't even had a state religion, either.

Since the late Middle Ages,when Brandenburg (the area around Berlin) and
Prussia (the SE corner of the Baltic coast) were fused together under
one ruler, the Prussian state had been half-in, half-outside the HRE.
The German Confederation *also* viewed the eastern parts of Prussia
(West Prussia, East Prussia and Posen) as external for most of its
existence.

Most of the population of Posen and a good deal of that in West Prussia
felt the same way: they were Poles, and their land had been Polish until
the late 18thC. East Prussia, too, had been a fief of the Polish crown
until fairly late in the game, though Polish influence there was
practically nil. The Polish population of these eastern regions found
the idea of being Prussian much more palatable than that of being
German, because Prussia was a state that existed to govern, not to
represent a nationality. Not that they wouldn't have preferred
"Polish"--in fact, the city of Posen was a center of Polish nationalist
cultural expression in the mid-19thC.

The two "new" regions--West Prussia and Posen--were viewed differently
by the rest of Prussia. West Prussia (the middle of the Baltic coast and
parts south of there) had been part of the original Prussia in the
Middle Ages, and by annexing it in 1772 Prussia now had unbroken
territory between its two capitals--Berlin and Koenigsberg. Posen was
part of the territory added later (1793), mostly taken away by Napoleon
in 1807 and then restored in 1815. At that point it became a separate
unit, the Grand Duchy of Posen, with the King of Prussia as Grand Duke.
Its status was a little like Puerto Rico's today: same ownership,
different rules. That special status ended in 1847 when Posen became a
regular province and its residents became Prussian subjects like all the rest.

Now, the Austrian Empire--formerly the Hapsburg Empire, which really
didn't have an official name--*also* straddled the conceptual boundaries
of Germany. Today's Austria and Czech Republic were inside, the rest,
outside. (All this is approximate, mind you--plenty of little
exceptions.) So when the idea of making an actual nation-state called
Germany got serious, the question of where to draw the boundaries of the
future state became critical. If Austria, etc. were included, its
emperor would have a good claim to ruling the place, being the only
emperor around. With Austria excluded, Germany would be dominated by
Prussia, which by then had annexed more and more of the rest of German territory.

But when that 2nd option was actually used, all of Prussia became part
of the German Empire, including the not-so-German parts. And many of the
residents of those regions never accepted the idea, and how could they?
"Germany" had tried to define itself in nationalistic terms even as it
occupied a large chunk of the former Poland. Austria, for all its
problems, had never pretended that all its territories--Galicia,
Hungary, the Balkan parts, etc.--were all of one nation.
--------------------------
Up through the 1870 US Census, German immigrants often reported that
they came >from Baden, Holstein, Bavaria, Prussia, etc. Some said
"Germany," but for people >from Posen Province to do so would have been
even more of a political statement than for others.

Technically, Germany as a state by that name came into existence on
January 1, 1871, and for the first time all the parts east of the old
HRE boundaries were officially and unquestionably German. Before that,
the old boundaries defined Germany more as a state of mind than as
anything else, but that consciousness--whether one supported or opposed
it--was very real.
--------------------------
I should point out that the Jews in the eastern provinces were generally
far more eager than most of their Gentile neighbors--especially the
Catholic ones--to think of themselves as Prussian, let alone as German.
But that's yet another complication...

...so when your ancestors wrote "Germany" or "Prussia" on the forms,
they may have been expressing political or national consciousness as
well as--or perhaps even instead of--geographical fact. Not to mention
the possibility that some census-takers, bureaucrats, etc. may have been
more or less precise about the terms. This stuff was complicated for them too!

Roger Lustig Princeton, NJ USA research coordinator, GerSIG

Hello,
I've been trying for many years to find out where my SELIG ancestors came from.
I know that the family immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts about 1858, but I
don't know exactly where they came from. I've noticed that (during the 1860's)
whenever asked where they came >from (census, immigration papers, etc.)
the SELIGs always said "Germany." In contrast, some of my other ancestors
who came >from the area around present-day Posnan, Poland, always listed their
country of origin as "Prussia" during the 1860's.

I'm wondering if there was a distinction between Germany and Prussia in the
1860's, such that saying you came >from Germany would indicate only a particular
geographic region. Any help would be appreciated!

Daniel Krasnegor, Charlottesville, Virginia dgk@...

Moderator note: At the GerSIG website are links to current and historic maps
of Germany and The German Empire.
http://www.jewishgen.org/GerSIG/resources.htm#maps

Hello,
I've been trying for many years to find out where my SELIG ancestors came from.
I know that the family immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts about 1858, but I
don't know exactly where they came from. I've noticed that (during the 1860's)
whenever asked where they came >from (census, immigration papers, etc.)
the SELIGs always said "Germany." In contrast, some of my other ancestors
who came >from the area around present-day Posnan, Poland, always listed their
country of origin as "Prussia" during the 1860's.

I'm wondering if there was a distinction between Germany and Prussia in the
1860's, such that saying you came >from Germany would indicate only a particular
geographic region. Any help would be appreciated!

Daniel Krasnegor, Charlottesville, Virginia dgk@...

Moderator note: At the GerSIG website are links to current and historic maps
of Germany and The German Empire.
http://www.jewishgen.org/GerSIG/resources.htm#maps

Greetings:

I am working on my family tree and trying to learn more about my
(maternal) Cohen and Newman side.

My maternal grandfather was Samuel House Cohen (1903 - 1979) who
married Lena Newman (1902 - 1943).

Sam H. Cohen's parents were Israel Cohen (1875 - 1950) and Rose House
(1881 - 1964).

Lena Newman's parents were Harry (Aaron - Hebrew >from his stone)
Newman (1875 - 1931) and Sarah Meister (1880 - 1947).

I have the ship manifest showing Lena coming to America >from Russia
with her mother, Sara. Name on the manifest shows Neiman. This was
about 1900.

Israel Cohen's US Citizenship paperwork indicates he was born May 10,
1875 in Vilna, Russia. Israel and Rose had a son, David, born
8-Aug-1900 in Russia, according to the paperwork. I have visited
the grave locations here in the Boston area. As they were born in
Russia, knowing their exact dates and places of birth is of key
importance to me. Israel's ship manifest to the US mentioned he was
visiting his brother David, so David must have been born in Russia.

I have reached out to the local library in Connecticut for any
insights they can provide about Joseph Cohen on the street noted on
the manifest around that time, but there are a variety of Josephs and
nearby addresses, and we know nothing about Joseph - he existence on
the manifest is the first we learned of him.

Also, as Rose' maiden name was House (Americanized), I'd love to learn
the true, traditional spelling of her maiden name and exactly where
and when she was born. Israel's citizenship paperwork only indicates
Rosia was born 1877 in Vilna, Russia.

Lena Newman's US Citizenship paperwork indicates she was born
11-Oct-1902 in Volin, Russia (likely meant Wolyn, Russia). She came
to the US with her mother, Sara Newman (ship manifest shows their
surname as Neiman).

Also, leads to finding Lena's details, and more accurate location in
Russia, would be most appreciated. I have seen her first name
referred to as Liba and Leba.

Israel COHEN's naturalization index lists his dob 10 May 1875 Vilna,
Russia, address 9 Linwood St Malden MA, tailor, wife Rosie, date of
admission 8 May 1922.

I have joined the Vilnius DRG and reviewed a few spreadsheets, but
with so many, it is nearly impossible to review them all.

I have searched the Jri-poland and ALD databases, but no reasonable
matches.

I have reached out to various places in Lithuania, and am currently
looking for Lithuanian synagogues that might have some leads.

I am least looking for original names, marriage, date of birth,
locations where they lived, and when. Something that can help me
then start to work further backwards.

I have also been actively searching my ancestry account, but dead ends.

Any additional help/leads most appreciated.

Thank you very much for any help you can offer.

Scott Ehrlich

Greetings:

I am working on my family tree and trying to learn more about my
(maternal) Cohen and Newman side.

My maternal grandfather was Samuel House Cohen (1903 - 1979) who
married Lena Newman (1902 - 1943).

Sam H. Cohen's parents were Israel Cohen (1875 - 1950) and Rose House
(1881 - 1964).

Lena Newman's parents were Harry (Aaron - Hebrew >from his stone)
Newman (1875 - 1931) and Sarah Meister (1880 - 1947).

I have the ship manifest showing Lena coming to America >from Russia
with her mother, Sara. Name on the manifest shows Neiman. This was
about 1900.

Israel Cohen's US Citizenship paperwork indicates he was born May 10,
1875 in Vilna, Russia. Israel and Rose had a son, David, born
8-Aug-1900 in Russia, according to the paperwork. I have visited
the grave locations here in the Boston area. As they were born in
Russia, knowing their exact dates and places of birth is of key
importance to me. Israel's ship manifest to the US mentioned he was
visiting his brother David, so David must have been born in Russia.

I have reached out to the local library in Connecticut for any
insights they can provide about Joseph Cohen on the street noted on
the manifest around that time, but there are a variety of Josephs and
nearby addresses, and we know nothing about Joseph - he existence on
the manifest is the first we learned of him.

Also, as Rose' maiden name was House (Americanized), I'd love to learn
the true, traditional spelling of her maiden name and exactly where
and when she was born. Israel's citizenship paperwork only indicates
Rosia was born 1877 in Vilna, Russia.

Lena Newman's US Citizenship paperwork indicates she was born
11-Oct-1902 in Volin, Russia (likely meant Wolyn, Russia). She came
to the US with her mother, Sara Newman (ship manifest shows their
surname as Neiman).

Also, leads to finding Lena's details, and more accurate location in
Russia, would be most appreciated. I have seen her first name
referred to as Liba and Leba.

Israel COHEN's naturalization index lists his dob 10 May 1875 Vilna,
Russia, address 9 Linwood St Malden MA, tailor, wife Rosie, date of
admission 8 May 1922.

I have joined the Vilnius DRG and reviewed a few spreadsheets, but
with so many, it is nearly impossible to review them all.

I have searched the Jri-poland and ALD databases, but no reasonable
matches.

I have reached out to various places in Lithuania, and am currently
looking for Lithuanian synagogues that might have some leads.

I am least looking for original names, marriage, date of birth,
locations where they lived, and when. Something that can help me
then start to work further backwards.

I have also been actively searching my ancestry account, but dead ends.

Any additional help/leads most appreciated.

Thank you very much for any help you can offer.

Scott Ehrlich

Seeking Chana GLUCKSMAN (survivor >from Warsaw - born 7/17/1921)
Mother's surname WEISBLUM
Chana's maiden name: FERLEGER
Likely went to Germany after the War.

David Ferleger, Esq.
Jenkintown, PA
david@...

MODERATOR'S NOTE: If you have suggestions for research methods
or resources, feel free to share them with the list. Please
respond privately with family information.

Seeking Chana GLUCKSMAN (survivor >from Warsaw - born 7/17/1921)
Mother's surname WEISBLUM
Chana's maiden name: FERLEGER
Likely went to Germany after the War.

David Ferleger, Esq.
Jenkintown, PA
david@...

MODERATOR'S NOTE: If you have suggestions for research methods
or resources, feel free to share them with the list. Please
respond privately with family information.

Hello,

I have an unusual given name spelled several different ways in the
Jaworow Births: Jikel, Jichel, Ichel, and Juchel. Does anyone have any
idea what the most correct spelling might be and what the name
might mean? Also, is it possible that Chaye and Chaje are the same
name?

Thank you.

Ruth Fenichel (201483)
Florida, US

Hello,

I have an unusual given name spelled several different ways in the
Jaworow Births: Jikel, Jichel, Ichel, and Juchel. Does anyone have any
idea what the most correct spelling might be and what the name
might mean? Also, is it possible that Chaye and Chaje are the same
name?

Thank you.

Ruth Fenichel (201483)
Florida, US

A recent message on the JewishGen Discussion Group mentioned
indexes and records recently found at the Przemysl Regional Archives,
including some >from the 20th century for Galician towns. Does anyone
know if Fond 154 includes any Toporow (now Toporiv, Ukraine) records?
Have any other Toporow records recently "shown up" in any of the other
archives? I ask this because I have always been told that there are no
surviving Toporow records.

My WIENER's were originally >from Poloniczna, Kamionka Strumilowa
("KS"), and whilst there are many available records and images online

from KS, I am stuck because my great-grandparents moved to nearby

Toporow. I have absolutely no information on my great-grandfather,
Abraham WIENER, other than he was married to, and (somehow) related
to, my great-grandmother, Mariem WIENER (who later remarried in
Nuremburg to Jakob MANSBACH). Mariem was born in 1876 in
Poloniczna. I know all about her and her two children, and their tragic
fates. My grandmother, Frieda WIENER MENDZIGURSKY, was born in
January 1903 in Toporow, followed by her brother, Abraham WIENER, in
April 1905. Since the son has the same name as the father, and since
Mariem was widowed by the time she and her children emigrated to
Nuremburg in June 1912, I assume that Abraham Sr. died in 1904/1905,
while Mariem was pregnant. I would love to know how Abraham Sr. and
Mariem were related, and who Abraham's parents were. A Belgium,
Antwerp Police Immigration record I found on Abraham Jr. states that
Abraham Sr. was also born in KS. There is an Abraham WIENER born in
1866 in KS, but it is not the same person.

I am also stuck with my MARDENFELD ancestors - they were from
Toporow. Somehow Abraham WIENER Sr. is a "brother" of 3 much
younger sisters born MARDENFELD, who all emigrated to New York in
the early 1900's. I obtained this information >from one of their
daughters who is still alive in New York, turning 101 next week! Two of
the sisters' marriage records state their parents were Samuel
MARDENFELD and Frieda TENENBAUM, but the third says Samuel
TENENBAUM and Frieda MARDENFELD. I therefore assume that Samuel
MARDENFELD or TENENBAUM was first married to a WIENER, that
Abraham had his mother's surname, and that he was just a half-brother
to the 3 sisters. I would love to find Toporow records to confirm my
assumptions!

I have more than 100 American MARDENFELDs and descendants on my
database, descended >from 3 brothers of Samuel MARDENFELD - Moses
Leib, Abraham Leib and Osias MARDENFELD. Moses and Abraham came
to New York, as did Osias' daughter Gussie/Gertrude. Their parents
were Solomon/Moses/Selig MARDENFELD and Beile SIEGEL, from
Toporow. I have been in contact with many MARDENFELD descendants,
and would be delighted to be in contact with as many as possible! Same
goes for any WIENER descendants >from Toporow and Kamionka
Strumilowa.

Judith Elam
Kihei, HI
elamj@...

Researching: WIENER (Poloniczna, Kamionka Strumkilowa and Toporow),
MARDENFELD, TENENBAUM and SIEGEL (Toporow), MANN and
HASENLAUF (Przemysl)

A recent message on the JewishGen Discussion Group mentioned
indexes and records recently found at the Przemysl Regional Archives,
including some >from the 20th century for Galician towns. Does anyone
know if Fond 154 includes any Toporow (now Toporiv, Ukraine) records?
Have any other Toporow records recently "shown up" in any of the other
archives? I ask this because I have always been told that there are no
surviving Toporow records.

My WIENER's were originally >from Poloniczna, Kamionka Strumilowa
("KS"), and whilst there are many available records and images online

from KS, I am stuck because my great-grandparents moved to nearby

Toporow. I have absolutely no information on my great-grandfather,
Abraham WIENER, other than he was married to, and (somehow) related
to, my great-grandmother, Mariem WIENER (who later remarried in
Nuremburg to Jakob MANSBACH). Mariem was born in 1876 in
Poloniczna. I know all about her and her two children, and their tragic
fates. My grandmother, Frieda WIENER MENDZIGURSKY, was born in
January 1903 in Toporow, followed by her brother, Abraham WIENER, in
April 1905. Since the son has the same name as the father, and since
Mariem was widowed by the time she and her children emigrated to
Nuremburg in June 1912, I assume that Abraham Sr. died in 1904/1905,
while Mariem was pregnant. I would love to know how Abraham Sr. and
Mariem were related, and who Abraham's parents were. A Belgium,
Antwerp Police Immigration record I found on Abraham Jr. states that
Abraham Sr. was also born in KS. There is an Abraham WIENER born in
1866 in KS, but it is not the same person.

I am also stuck with my MARDENFELD ancestors - they were from
Toporow. Somehow Abraham WIENER Sr. is a "brother" of 3 much
younger sisters born MARDENFELD, who all emigrated to New York in
the early 1900's. I obtained this information >from one of their
daughters who is still alive in New York, turning 101 next week! Two of
the sisters' marriage records state their parents were Samuel
MARDENFELD and Frieda TENENBAUM, but the third says Samuel
TENENBAUM and Frieda MARDENFELD. I therefore assume that Samuel
MARDENFELD or TENENBAUM was first married to a WIENER, that
Abraham had his mother's surname, and that he was just a half-brother
to the 3 sisters. I would love to find Toporow records to confirm my
assumptions!

I have more than 100 American MARDENFELDs and descendants on my
database, descended >from 3 brothers of Samuel MARDENFELD - Moses
Leib, Abraham Leib and Osias MARDENFELD. Moses and Abraham came
to New York, as did Osias' daughter Gussie/Gertrude. Their parents
were Solomon/Moses/Selig MARDENFELD and Beile SIEGEL, from
Toporow. I have been in contact with many MARDENFELD descendants,
and would be delighted to be in contact with as many as possible! Same
goes for any WIENER descendants >from Toporow and Kamionka
Strumilowa.

Judith Elam
Kihei, HI
elamj@...

Researching: WIENER (Poloniczna, Kamionka Strumkilowa and Toporow),
MARDENFELD, TENENBAUM and SIEGEL (Toporow), MANN and
HASENLAUF (Przemysl)

Dear Fellow Genners

The question today is for a non-jewish family member, decending >from a family
line which married into my Jewish family. Georg Wilhelm Joseph Engelhardt
(b. 06 Feb 1897 in Vienna; d. 07 May 1942 in KZ Gross-Rosen) was arrested
November 13th, 1941 for "volkschädliches Verhalten" (actions harming public
interests). He is classified as a political prisoner. According to the DOW
data bank he was engaged in black market activities with Jews.

I have contacted the DOW archives and am waiting for an answer >from them.
Apart >from that, I would like to know, if anybody in this forum has any
knowledge concerning this concentration camp and its inhabitants. It seems
that a large percentage of the inmates were political prisoners.

Thanks for any tips or hints.

Barbara Ras Wechsler

MODERATOR NOTE: Please sign your full name to messages.

Dear Fellow Genners

The question today is for a non-jewish family member, decending >from a family
line which married into my Jewish family. Georg Wilhelm Joseph Engelhardt
(b. 06 Feb 1897 in Vienna; d. 07 May 1942 in KZ Gross-Rosen) was arrested
November 13th, 1941 for "volkschädliches Verhalten" (actions harming public
interests). He is classified as a political prisoner. According to the DOW
data bank he was engaged in black market activities with Jews.

I have contacted the DOW archives and am waiting for an answer >from them.
Apart >from that, I would like to know, if anybody in this forum has any
knowledge concerning this concentration camp and its inhabitants. It seems
that a large percentage of the inmates were political prisoners.

Thanks for any tips or hints.

Barbara Ras Wechsler

MODERATOR NOTE: Please sign your full name to messages.

A new book about Zagare will be of interest to those of Zagarean descent,
and indeed to all Litvaks,and perhaps to all those who desire to record
their family history.

In her book "Zagare -- Litvaks and Lithuanians Confront the Past" British
born Sara Manobla tells how she came to discover her Litvak family roots.
Together with her cousin and a group of Zagarean descendants she had a
genuine encounter with local people, culminating in the dedication of a
memorial to the murdered Jewish community of the shtetl, and the
presentation of the Yad va Shem Righteous Among the Nations Award to a
local Zagarean whose parents had saved and hidden Jews during the Nazi
occupation. There is also a thoughtful discussion of some of the issues
faced by Lithuanians since the end of Soviet rule.

Central to the book is the story of Valdas, a young man of Zagare who wanted
to learn about the vanished Jews, and to meet the Litvak Diaspora. He worked
with the group of descendants on a number of projects, and encouraged them
to be involved in the life of the town.

The book offers an unusual perspective and ends on a note of hope.

Published by Gefen Publishers of Jerusalem/New York, it is available through
Amazon and online >from Gefen. This is a one-time commercial posting about a
book of interest to all those involved in recording their family history.

Ralph Salinger
Kfar Ruppin, Israel

MODERATOR NOTE: According to Amazon.com, the book will be published in May 2014
and is currently available for pre-order.

A new book about Zagare will be of interest to those of Zagarean descent,
and indeed to all Litvaks,and perhaps to all those who desire to record
their family history.

In her book "Zagare -- Litvaks and Lithuanians Confront the Past" British
born Sara Manobla tells how she came to discover her Litvak family roots.
Together with her cousin and a group of Zagarean descendants she had a
genuine encounter with local people, culminating in the dedication of a
memorial to the murdered Jewish community of the shtetl, and the
presentation of the Yad va Shem Righteous Among the Nations Award to a
local Zagarean whose parents had saved and hidden Jews during the Nazi
occupation. There is also a thoughtful discussion of some of the issues
faced by Lithuanians since the end of Soviet rule.

Central to the book is the story of Valdas, a young man of Zagare who wanted
to learn about the vanished Jews, and to meet the Litvak Diaspora. He worked
with the group of descendants on a number of projects, and encouraged them
to be involved in the life of the town.

The book offers an unusual perspective and ends on a note of hope.

Published by Gefen Publishers of Jerusalem/New York, it is available through
Amazon and online >from Gefen. This is a one-time commercial posting about a
book of interest to all those involved in recording their family history.

Ralph Salinger
Kfar Ruppin, Israel

MODERATOR NOTE: According to Amazon.com, the book will be published in May 2014
and is currently available for pre-order.