Over the past month, the internal passports, 1919-1940, for towns in
the Telsiai District have been translated. They are now available to
qualified contributors on the Telsiai DRG shutterfly web site.

Kartena & Darbenai - 517 records
Andriejavas & Kuliai - 153 records
Mosedis - 138 records
Plateliai - 114 records
Kretinga - 740 records
Salantai - 499 records

The Salantai records have just been translated and it may be another
day or two before they are available. Those records are dated 1920,
1921, 1922, and one record for 1923. Regarding internal passport
records, the dates are very important. They indicate the approximate
date the individual returned to Lithuania >from the Eastern part of
Russia where they were forced to go in 1915.

The records will not be added to the database, which is free and available
to all, for 18 months. Qualified contributors to the Telsiai District
Research Group (DRG), receive instant access and do not have to wait
18 months to see the records.

If you have not already contributed, I urge you to do so. In addition to
the internal passport records, you will also see vital records as well as
other types of records for the entire district.

Go to www.litvaksig.org/contribute
Scroll down to District Research and choose Telsiai. Key in $100 in
the proper space. You can use your credit card as the site is secure.

For a complete explanation of internal passports, go to
http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Lithuania/InternalPassports.htm

Howard Margol
Litvak SIG Coordinator for Records Acquisition

Over the past month, the internal passports, 1919-1940, for towns in
the Telsiai District have been translated. They are now available to
qualified contributors on the Telsiai DRG shutterfly web site.

Kartena & Darbenai - 517 records
Andriejavas & Kuliai - 153 records
Mosedis - 138 records
Plateliai - 114 records
Kretinga - 740 records
Salantai - 499 records

The Salantai records have just been translated and it may be another
day or two before they are available. Those records are dated 1920,
1921, 1922, and one record for 1923. Regarding internal passport
records, the dates are very important. They indicate the approximate
date the individual returned to Lithuania >from the Eastern part of
Russia where they were forced to go in 1915.

The records will not be added to the database, which is free and available
to all, for 18 months. Qualified contributors to the Telsiai District
Research Group (DRG), receive instant access and do not have to wait
18 months to see the records.

If you have not already contributed, I urge you to do so. In addition to
the internal passport records, you will also see vital records as well as
other types of records for the entire district.

Go to www.litvaksig.org/contribute
Scroll down to District Research and choose Telsiai. Key in $100 in
the proper space. You can use your credit card as the site is secure.

For a complete explanation of internal passports, go to
http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Lithuania/InternalPassports.htm

Howard Margol
Litvak SIG Coordinator for Records Acquisition

Note to moderator: I suspect that by "not only Jews in 19th-Century
German states" she meant "within 19th-Century German states, not only
Jews but all others."

Best, Roger Lustig Princeton, NJ USA Research co-ordinator, GerSIG

Note to moderator: I suspect that by "not only Jews in 19th-Century
German states" she meant "within 19th-Century German states, not only
Jews but all others."

Best, Roger Lustig Princeton, NJ USA Research co-ordinator, GerSIG

Ezekiel Albert BENJAMIN, a Sephardic Jew, was born in Singapore c.1859 and
employed in London, England by Messrs Sassoon. He spoke seven languages, but
in consequence of going to live with a Gentile and having a family with her
his wealthy Jewish friends discarded him. In about 1881 having come into a
fortune of £20,000 [£1.5M in today?s money] he changed his name to Edmund
BURKE and invested in the Avenue Theatre. By 1882/1883 he was bankrupt and
life went down hill >from there.

Edmund BURKE left the first family and married Daisy HAGGER in 1919 when he
said his father was Albert, a General Merchant, deceased.

I would like to know when Ezekiel came to England and to know about his
Asian family. I believe it links into the wealthy Benjamin family of
merchants, but have no documentary proof.

Any help would be appreciated,

Jocie McBride
England

Ezekiel Albert BENJAMIN, a Sephardic Jew, was born in Singapore c.1859 and
employed in London, England by Messrs Sassoon. He spoke seven languages, but
in consequence of going to live with a Gentile and having a family with her
his wealthy Jewish friends discarded him. In about 1881 having come into a
fortune of £20,000 [£1.5M in today?s money] he changed his name to Edmund
BURKE and invested in the Avenue Theatre. By 1882/1883 he was bankrupt and
life went down hill >from there.

Edmund BURKE left the first family and married Daisy HAGGER in 1919 when he
said his father was Albert, a General Merchant, deceased.

I would like to know when Ezekiel came to England and to know about his
Asian family. I believe it links into the wealthy Benjamin family of
merchants, but have no documentary proof.

Any help would be appreciated,

Jocie McBride
England

Excuse me for once again being a troublemaker, but I have a problem
with information in both the book and the film. I can't get hold of either

from Paris, but what I do have are 4 pages of testimony deposited at

Yad VaShem, by the two sisters Rosenbaum, Miriam (spouse Felman)
and Augustina (spouse Spindel), who are the sisters of Pepcia Dodyk
nee Rosenbaum and sisters-in-law of Jozef Dodyk and aunts of their
orphaned son.

The PoTs concerning Pepcia Dodyk nee Rosenbaum deposited by her
sisters, say:

Augustina Spindel nee Rosenbaum: In a cave together with her husband
(and his family) Jozef and her son Nunio (Norman), the youngest child
to have survived. This cave spread over many kilometers. Some 40 Jews

from Korolowka hid there till the end of the war. Pepcia and her

husband were killed by Ukrainians." Date of Death: "Pepcia: May 1944,
Her husband Jozef: July 1944." Circumstances of death: "Korolowka,
Ukrainians named ?, wrapped her up in barbed wire (in May 1944) after
she came out to get food. Then they threw her alive into a dry
(waterless) well." Relation to the victim is given as "my sister."

Miriam Felman nee Rosenbaum: "Hid with her husband and their little
son in an underground bunker with 40 more Jews." Year of Death:
"1944." Circumstances of death: "Came out to get food, was caught by
the Ukrainians, was killed and thrown into a well." Relation to the victim:
"sister."

The PoTs concerning Jozef (Juzek) Dodyk say:

(Augustina Spindel nee Rosenbaum): "July 1944. Hid in a cave with his
wife (Pepcia) and his young son (Nunio), the youngest child in the
area to have survived and lives in Atlanta (USA). There where about
40 Jews hidden." Circumstances of death: "By a bullet was killed by a
Ukrainian collaborator with the Nazis."

Miriam Felman nee Rosenbaum: "Hid in an underground cave together
with his wife and his 3 year-old son and 40 more Jews." Place of death:
"Killed by Ukrainians in Korolowka." Year of Death: 1944. Circumstances
of death: "Killed while looking for his wife whom the Ukrainians also
killed." Relation to the victims is given as "brother-in-law, husband of
my sister."

The reason I am aware of these PoTs (aside >from my research) is that I
know personally Augustina (Gusta) Spindel and her son, who I consider
as my 'cousin' (another complicated survivors story. My father's first
wife, who perished in the Holocaust, was Cyla Spindel. Her brother
survived, married Augustina (Gusta) Rosenbaum, had a son, Henju, and
all three came to Israel in 1963. Given that my father was Henju's uncle,
he became my 'cousin' .....) I knew about the Korolowka caves long
before they came up in the media as the Priest's Grotto >from the PoTs
and my 'cousin', who is in constant contact with his real first-cousin
Dodyk in the USA (the 3 year old child who survived, orphaned >from his
parents).

from the little I can see here >from the links provided in the posts here

and >from other media clips I saw beforehand, certain points simply do
not fit.

One of the clips clearly states that only the men went out of the cave
looking for food. If so, how come Pepcia had to go out of the cave, and
on her own, looking for food? How come Jozef came out on his own
looking for her? Moreover, >from the clips and articles it seems that
"What they accomplished is remarkable, [...] the 38 who went in to
Priest's Grotto in May 1943, came out alive in April 1944 as the
Russians liberated the area." But the area of Borszczow was liberated
only in July 1944 and Pepcia came out for food and was killed in May
1944 and Jozef in July 1944. Something doesn't fit with the dates, here.
I have difficulties also with their date of entry to the caves - >from the
clips it seems they only entered in May 1943. The community of Bilcze
Zlote was relocated to Korolowka sometimes in 1942. Most of the
surviving Korolowka Jews were relocated to Borsczow in September
1942 and the remaining ones - in October 1942. Where were these 38
Jews during the 6 months between September-October 1942 and May
1943? If in Borszczow, how did 38 Jews including toddlers and children
manage to cross 19 kilometers back to Korolowka? Does anyone have
any information ?

As an aside, a somewhat similar story occurred in the village of
Hynkowce near Tluste (District of Zaleszczyki, Province of Tarnopol),
where the three families of Mandberg, Szechner and Spektor, totaling
14 souls including children, were hidden in natural underground sand-
caves and provided for, for almost 2 years, by a poor horseman,
Lynkiewicz, his mistress and his 17 year-old son. For having saved
these 14 Jews, after liberation, the Banderwocy murdered Lynkiewicz's
son and mistress. See: Spektor Klara, "The story of the cave in
Hynkowce", in Lindenberg Gabriel, Ed., Sefer Tluste (Tluste Memorial
Book), Published by the Landsmanschaft of Tluste in Israel and the USA,
printed in Israel 1965, p. 169- 171.

Rivka

Rivka Schirman nee Moscisker
Paris, France
Searching: MOSCISKER >from Brody, Budzynin, Buczacz, Okopy Szwietej
Trojce, Krakow, Lwow), WEISSMANN and REINSTEIN >from Okopy Szwietej
Trojce (Borszczow, Tarnopol)

Pamela Weisberger <pweisberger@gmail.com> wrote:

<<Joyce Field and Brian Lenius have recently recommended "The Secret
of the Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story," and the documentary
based on this book, "No Place on Earth" to SIG list readers. Both the
film -- and the illustrated photobook -- tell the story of 38 Galician
Jews who survived World War II by hiding in caves near Korolowka,
Ukraine.... >>

Excuse me for once again being a troublemaker, but I have a problem
with information in both the book and the film. I can't get hold of either

from Paris, but what I do have are 4 pages of testimony deposited at

Yad VaShem, by the two sisters Rosenbaum, Miriam (spouse Felman)
and Augustina (spouse Spindel), who are the sisters of Pepcia Dodyk
nee Rosenbaum and sisters-in-law of Jozef Dodyk and aunts of their
orphaned son.

The PoTs concerning Pepcia Dodyk nee Rosenbaum deposited by her
sisters, say:

Augustina Spindel nee Rosenbaum: In a cave together with her husband
(and his family) Jozef and her son Nunio (Norman), the youngest child
to have survived. This cave spread over many kilometers. Some 40 Jews

from Korolowka hid there till the end of the war. Pepcia and her

husband were killed by Ukrainians." Date of Death: "Pepcia: May 1944,
Her husband Jozef: July 1944." Circumstances of death: "Korolowka,
Ukrainians named ?, wrapped her up in barbed wire (in May 1944) after
she came out to get food. Then they threw her alive into a dry
(waterless) well." Relation to the victim is given as "my sister."

Miriam Felman nee Rosenbaum: "Hid with her husband and their little
son in an underground bunker with 40 more Jews." Year of Death:
"1944." Circumstances of death: "Came out to get food, was caught by
the Ukrainians, was killed and thrown into a well." Relation to the victim:
"sister."

The PoTs concerning Jozef (Juzek) Dodyk say:

(Augustina Spindel nee Rosenbaum): "July 1944. Hid in a cave with his
wife (Pepcia) and his young son (Nunio), the youngest child in the
area to have survived and lives in Atlanta (USA). There where about
40 Jews hidden." Circumstances of death: "By a bullet was killed by a
Ukrainian collaborator with the Nazis."

Miriam Felman nee Rosenbaum: "Hid in an underground cave together
with his wife and his 3 year-old son and 40 more Jews." Place of death:
"Killed by Ukrainians in Korolowka." Year of Death: 1944. Circumstances
of death: "Killed while looking for his wife whom the Ukrainians also
killed." Relation to the victims is given as "brother-in-law, husband of
my sister."

The reason I am aware of these PoTs (aside >from my research) is that I
know personally Augustina (Gusta) Spindel and her son, who I consider
as my 'cousin' (another complicated survivors story. My father's first
wife, who perished in the Holocaust, was Cyla Spindel. Her brother
survived, married Augustina (Gusta) Rosenbaum, had a son, Henju, and
all three came to Israel in 1963. Given that my father was Henju's uncle,
he became my 'cousin' .....) I knew about the Korolowka caves long
before they came up in the media as the Priest's Grotto >from the PoTs
and my 'cousin', who is in constant contact with his real first-cousin
Dodyk in the USA (the 3 year old child who survived, orphaned >from his
parents).

from the little I can see here >from the links provided in the posts here

and >from other media clips I saw beforehand, certain points simply do
not fit.

One of the clips clearly states that only the men went out of the cave
looking for food. If so, how come Pepcia had to go out of the cave, and
on her own, looking for food? How come Jozef came out on his own
looking for her? Moreover, >from the clips and articles it seems that
"What they accomplished is remarkable, [...] the 38 who went in to
Priest's Grotto in May 1943, came out alive in April 1944 as the
Russians liberated the area." But the area of Borszczow was liberated
only in July 1944 and Pepcia came out for food and was killed in May
1944 and Jozef in July 1944. Something doesn't fit with the dates, here.
I have difficulties also with their date of entry to the caves - >from the
clips it seems they only entered in May 1943. The community of Bilcze
Zlote was relocated to Korolowka sometimes in 1942. Most of the
surviving Korolowka Jews were relocated to Borsczow in September
1942 and the remaining ones - in October 1942. Where were these 38
Jews during the 6 months between September-October 1942 and May
1943? If in Borszczow, how did 38 Jews including toddlers and children
manage to cross 19 kilometers back to Korolowka? Does anyone have
any information ?

As an aside, a somewhat similar story occurred in the village of
Hynkowce near Tluste (District of Zaleszczyki, Province of Tarnopol),
where the three families of Mandberg, Szechner and Spektor, totaling
14 souls including children, were hidden in natural underground sand-
caves and provided for, for almost 2 years, by a poor horseman,
Lynkiewicz, his mistress and his 17 year-old son. For having saved
these 14 Jews, after liberation, the Banderwocy murdered Lynkiewicz's
son and mistress. See: Spektor Klara, "The story of the cave in
Hynkowce", in Lindenberg Gabriel, Ed., Sefer Tluste (Tluste Memorial
Book), Published by the Landsmanschaft of Tluste in Israel and the USA,
printed in Israel 1965, p. 169- 171.

Rivka

Rivka Schirman nee Moscisker
Paris, France
Searching: MOSCISKER >from Brody, Budzynin, Buczacz, Okopy Szwietej
Trojce, Krakow, Lwow), WEISSMANN and REINSTEIN >from Okopy Szwietej
Trojce (Borszczow, Tarnopol)

Pamela Weisberger <pweisberger@gmail.com> wrote:

<<Joyce Field and Brian Lenius have recently recommended "The Secret
of the Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story," and the documentary
based on this book, "No Place on Earth" to SIG list readers. Both the
film -- and the illustrated photobook -- tell the story of 38 Galician
Jews who survived World War II by hiding in caves near Korolowka,
Ukraine.... >>

Hi - Thanks for everybody that responded! I've had a wide range of
responses. Someone pointed out something I didn't realize, that the
people who take portraits in the "old days", would have clothing for the
people to wear. So the clothing on the children might not have actually
been owned by the family.

In any event, I think the key thing pointed out by several people was
the "dropped waist" dress that the girl was wearing. This I believe
dates it either in the late 1910s or the 1920s, when this style was common.

The mystery about this photo is that it was only in the possession of 1 of
4 sisters (great aunts to my wife), and this one sister never married.
Since it's a copy, it's curious that the other sisters didn't have copies
either. Since it was in a nice portrait holder (with cover), I'm assuming
that it was an important photo, i.e. perhaps some well known relative (at
least to the sister), and this is the reason why I'm trying figure out who it is.

I sure wish that these ancestors would have written on the back of the
photos, who the people were!! :)

Mark London
Natick, MA

Hi - Thanks for everybody that responded! I've had a wide range of
responses. Someone pointed out something I didn't realize, that the
people who take portraits in the "old days", would have clothing for the
people to wear. So the clothing on the children might not have actually
been owned by the family.

In any event, I think the key thing pointed out by several people was
the "dropped waist" dress that the girl was wearing. This I believe
dates it either in the late 1910s or the 1920s, when this style was common.

The mystery about this photo is that it was only in the possession of 1 of
4 sisters (great aunts to my wife), and this one sister never married.
Since it's a copy, it's curious that the other sisters didn't have copies
either. Since it was in a nice portrait holder (with cover), I'm assuming
that it was an important photo, i.e. perhaps some well known relative (at
least to the sister), and this is the reason why I'm trying figure out who it is.

I sure wish that these ancestors would have written on the back of the
photos, who the people were!! :)

Mark London
Natick, MA

I would say it makes lots of sense for them to land in Beirut. It was
usually either Beirut or Jaffa. I know in Jaffa the port wasn't deep
enough and they got into small boats that took them to shore.

As to the camels, I can't be sure. Maybe donkeys and carts. I also know
that the ships that did stop at some port in Eretz Israel also stopped in
Beirut as they went around the Mediterranean basin.

I wonder if Mark Twain wrote anything in his book about his travels in
the area.

Rose Feldman
Israel Genealogy Research Association

I would say it makes lots of sense for them to land in Beirut. It was
usually either Beirut or Jaffa. I know in Jaffa the port wasn't deep
enough and they got into small boats that took them to shore.

As to the camels, I can't be sure. Maybe donkeys and carts. I also know
that the ships that did stop at some port in Eretz Israel also stopped in
Beirut as they went around the Mediterranean basin.

I wonder if Mark Twain wrote anything in his book about his travels in
the area.

Rose Feldman
Israel Genealogy Research Association

Dear genners,

Last year I set up a family project at Family Tree DNA for the surname
LIEBES. A classical surname project is a group of individuals researching
a particular surname, and specifically those trying to establish a common
ancestry by testing the Y-DNA of individuals who trace a direct paternal
line to a family with that surname. This project is a little wider, as it
also tests mixed-line descendants of anyone with LIEBES among their
ancestors, using the Family Finder test.

The LIEBES surname is found in various locations (Posen Province, Prussia
(now Poznan, Poland); Lemberg, Prussia (now Lvyyv, Ukraine);
Alsace-Lorraine, France). How do these connect?

To date, the project has been quite successful in confirming evidence of
relationships, suspected >from paper records, among a number of LIEBES
descendants >from Posen Province.

I would like to widen the project to include (for the time being)
a) anyone who has LIEBES among their ancestors;
b) anyone who has a known ancestor who lived in Kempen/Kepno or nearby
(In the Duchy of Posen, later Posen Province) during the 19th century.

Anyone corresponding to one or the other description please contact
me privately.

Never forget that DNA testing is no substitute for the "paper trail".
It can only confirm or reject paper trail proposals.

Nicole Heymans, near Brussels, Belgium

Dear genners,

Last year I set up a family project at Family Tree DNA for the surname
LIEBES. A classical surname project is a group of individuals researching
a particular surname, and specifically those trying to establish a common
ancestry by testing the Y-DNA of individuals who trace a direct paternal
line to a family with that surname. This project is a little wider, as it
also tests mixed-line descendants of anyone with LIEBES among their
ancestors, using the Family Finder test.

The LIEBES surname is found in various locations (Posen Province, Prussia
(now Poznan, Poland); Lemberg, Prussia (now Lvyyv, Ukraine);
Alsace-Lorraine, France). How do these connect?

To date, the project has been quite successful in confirming evidence of
relationships, suspected >from paper records, among a number of LIEBES
descendants >from Posen Province.

I would like to widen the project to include (for the time being)
a) anyone who has LIEBES among their ancestors;
b) anyone who has a known ancestor who lived in Kempen/Kepno or nearby
(In the Duchy of Posen, later Posen Province) during the 19th century.

Anyone corresponding to one or the other description please contact
me privately.

Never forget that DNA testing is no substitute for the "paper trail".
It can only confirm or reject paper trail proposals.

Nicole Heymans, near Brussels, Belgium

Dear Colleagues:

If you live in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (North Carolina) area, I
invite you to join a group of interested members of our community in
the first meeting of the Triangle Jewish Genealogical Society.

The meeting will be held on Sunday, October 21, 2012, >from 2 - 4 p.m.
at a convenient location in Durham.

The program includes an opportunity to gauge the interest in creating
a formal genealogical organization in this area. Part of the program
will involve an introduction to basic research resources and a brief
presentation about one Triangle resident's incredible discoveries
about her Holocaust past.

Please RSVP me by emailing DebbieTheTeacher@gmail.com. I'll be happy
to provide details.

Debbie Long

Searching for GALAS, CHONYCH, DOBRZYNSKI of Lodz and environs
Also MUNK and KLEIN somewhere in Brazil; also Budapest, Hungary

Dear Colleagues:

If you live in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (North Carolina) area, I
invite you to join a group of interested members of our community in
the first meeting of the Triangle Jewish Genealogical Society.

The meeting will be held on Sunday, October 21, 2012, >from 2 - 4 p.m.
at a convenient location in Durham.

The program includes an opportunity to gauge the interest in creating
a formal genealogical organization in this area. Part of the program
will involve an introduction to basic research resources and a brief
presentation about one Triangle resident's incredible discoveries
about her Holocaust past.

Please RSVP me by emailing DebbieTheTeacher@gmail.com. I'll be happy
to provide details.

Debbie Long

Searching for GALAS, CHONYCH, DOBRZYNSKI of Lodz and environs
Also MUNK and KLEIN somewhere in Brazil; also Budapest, Hungary

I've posted a picture of a tombstone on Viewmate for which I'd appreciate
a translation of the Hebrew inscription. The posting can be found at:

http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/responselist.asp?key=24326

Please respond via the form provided in the ViewMate application or to me
privately by e-mail.

Many thanks,

Roy Ogus
rogus at hotmail.com

I've posted a picture of a tombstone on Viewmate for which I'd appreciate
a translation of the Hebrew inscription. The posting can be found at:

http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/responselist.asp?key=24326

Please respond via the form provided in the ViewMate application or to me
privately by e-mail.

Many thanks,

Roy Ogus
rogus at hotmail.com

Dear Genners,
Recently there was discussion of Russian Army Jewish Soldiers in the
Russo-Japanese War. There is a database which contains only those soldiers
who were injured, killed or missing. Is there a source for Jewish soldiers
who survive?

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Layne Onufer
Huntington Beach, CA

Dear Genners,
Recently there was discussion of Russian Army Jewish Soldiers in the
Russo-Japanese War. There is a database which contains only those soldiers
who were injured, killed or missing. Is there a source for Jewish soldiers
who survive?

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Layne Onufer
Huntington Beach, CA