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Posts by Wroclaw  

Joined: 1 Apr 2006 / Male ♂
Last Post: 19 Aug 2013
Threads: Total: 44 / In This Archive: 25
Posts: Total: 5359 / In This Archive: 2494
From: Wroclaw and Berlin
Speaks Polish?: More than yesterday.
Interests: Family History. Photography.

Displayed posts: 2519 / page 8 of 84
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Wroclaw   
21 Jun 2009
UK, Ireland / Modern Plantation for Poles in Ireland [352]

massive numbers of poles moving into areas and becoming the majority and completely changing the landscape

if this is the case can you please give us links to all the housing developments which would be needed to cater for this so called plantation.
Wroclaw   
20 Jun 2009
Genealogy / Advice for Members: Genealogy / Family History [NEW]

PolishForums and Genealogy / Family History. (part 1)

Looking for a family name.

The first thing new members and guests like to do is check the existence and meaning of a family name. This is worthwhile because some names might have gone through a series of changes over the years.

In the past, when people moved from Poland to another country, they were required to give details to the local authorities. In most cases the members of staff working for these authorities had no knowledge of the Polish language. This meant that names were often transcribed phonetically. Added to this was/and still is the problem of using a different alphabet.

The thread: The Meaning Of Your Polish Last Name: by Polonius3 will help you in the search for a meaning to your family name.

Spelling of a family name.

The modern spelling of your name may make things seem difficult. But there is always an answer. Whereas the modern version might be a corruption caused by phonetics, it can be traced back by the same method. This is where a native speaker can knock down walls and give you something more to work with.

Am I really Polish ?

Many family papers and records might well give the impression that your family originated in countries other than Poland. For example: Russia, Prussia, Austria.
This is a result of history and changing borders: The Times of Partition. It is always wise to read up on the history of Poland. Don’t over do it though. Wikipedia is a good place to start, but please also consider the many well informed members and guests at PolishForums. Polish history is a popular topic, which means that, if you have a specific enquiery someone on the Forums will probably have an answer.

Other place names that can appear in family records include: Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine. Again, this is a result of history when Poland had expanded her borders.

The answer to this problem is not in the country of birth, but in the place of birth: village, town, city.

By using PolishForums Genealogy Resources thread you should find links that help to identify where a village is located. Keep in mind that as borders changed so did the name of some villages and towns. Members of this Forum are adept at coming up with answers to this type of enquiery rather quickly. And some relish the opportunity to help.

Part two will follow shortly.
Wroclaw   
17 Jun 2009
Life / Poor people / street children in Poland? [34]

In twenty years... I've never seen any in Wroclaw.

is it many beggars in poland?

Begging is a seasonal thing in Poland. There are some beggars, usually at intercity railway stations.
Wroclaw   
17 Jun 2009
Life / Poor people / street children in Poland? [34]

like it was some years ago in poland?

If you give more details of what it was like... then I/we might be able to give a description of present day Poland... for you to compare.
Wroclaw   
14 Jun 2009
UK, Ireland / England, Dirty, Expensive and a dangerous place to live? [205]

I have to say one last thing before I leave this forum. This person speaks through her a..., just look at this quote and make your own opinion! Nothing to do with being over-committed before they took out a mortgage then ShelleyS!

I can't see anything in ShelleyS' post/quote that could cause offense.
Wroclaw   
14 Jun 2009
Genealogy / What region of poland is my family from? [27]

but everyone still says Polish? I am confused about it.

Your family name occurs mostly in southern Poland.

At the time your family moved to the USA this part of Poland was under Austria.

Check the history of Poland at wikipedia to get a better understanding
Wroclaw   
14 Jun 2009
Food / Wroclaw has an Indian Restaurant [34]

As a British indian restaurant owner we open an indian Restaurant in Wroclaw

table for two, please. my wife and I will visit in the next couple of weeks.
Wroclaw   
13 Jun 2009
Life / I live in Warsaw and my hot water is brown!!! [32]

the thing is many cities in Poland draw a considerable portion of water from running waters (rivers) - this is the case of Wrocław

We have a fillter connected to the water supply... for drinking water. When the fillter is changed one gets to see what one might have ingested.

I understand that some bottled waters have too many salts.
Wroclaw   
10 Jun 2009
Life / Why are all Polish couriers/postmen either morons or thieves? [10]

just look at working conditions, salaries there...

And that's the reason why my children didn't get Christmas presents.

I'm glad the fcuking Polish post office employees enjoyed their fcuking Christmas.

And still no reply from the post office in the UK.

Edit: last Christmas the kids got their prezzies. It was me who got nowt.
Wroclaw   
10 Jun 2009
Life / Why are all Polish couriers/postmen either morons or thieves? [10]

Use courier companies with tracking and insurance... what's the problem? :)

This is a repeat topic and a repeat problem. The post office in the UK investigate the problem... you try to phone for advice, but they are always busy... and so on and so on.

The whole point,which Harry is trying to make, is that the Polish Post Office is a bunch of thieves. And the fact is that they are.
Wroclaw   
10 Jun 2009
Life / Why are all Polish couriers/postmen either morons or thieves? [10]

Why are all Polish couriers/postmen either morons or thieves?

Interesting.

After a recent phone call my father said "Let me know if the parcel arrives"

After a series of missing parcels, my father no longer uses 'when'
Wroclaw   
10 Jun 2009
Life / I live in Warsaw and my hot water is brown!!! [32]

I live in Warsaw and my hot water is brown!!!

In Elgin, thirty years ago, brown tap water was the norm. It is/was probably the main ingredient of Irn Bru.
Wroclaw   
10 Jun 2009
Life / Where to find BEEF in Warsaw ? [14]

find a local abattoir and order a side of beef.

get friendly with someone who works in an abottoir and ask for cuts of beef.

abattoir (sp) ?
Wroclaw   
7 Jun 2009
Travel / Information Needed About Holocaust Related Travel: Krakow, Lublin, Warsaw [25]

should I encounter any problems or slow downs at the German/Polish border?

There is no border

I am diabetic and handicapped

This shouldn't be a problem

I collect militaria.

Check other threads on this site for more info

am asking for clues how to travel, stay, eat, etc cheaply.

buses and hostels are quite cheap

Each of the camps has its own website. Just do a little search.
Wroclaw   
7 Jun 2009
Genealogy / Zapolski- came to New York in the early 1900s, any info? [4]

My family name is Zapolski.

Of the 469 people with this name... most of them come from north-east Poland.

As it is a border area then it's possible that your Great-Grandmother was born in a place that is no longer Poland. To understand this you should read up on Polish history... the short version at wikipedia.

Check your Great-Grandmother's Naturalization Records or Immigration Records. Then get back to us with a place name.

Do a search at: ellisisland.org

Enter only the surname. Make sure that you also try Zapolska, which is the female form.
Wroclaw   
7 Jun 2009
Genealogy / Looking for surname Wyczalkowski [5]

Would have beenBorn 1876 in and around Plock.

Of the 137 people with this name... most of them can still be found in the area of Płock and neighbouring Lipno.

father and mother were born in Sierpc

Sierpc adjoins Płock and Lipno.
Wroclaw   
6 Jun 2009
Food / TINNED CORN (MAIZE) GALORE IN POLAND [11]

Sweetcorn has always been here. Pizza Hut hasn't.

As you know... some vegies are used for decoration or colour. This might be why you saw it in ryba w galarecie.

Five or ten years ago many farmers switched crops and started growing maize. Higher profit and all that.

It's not trendy. Simply, it's not too expensive and can be used in various ways.
Wroclaw   
3 Jun 2009
Genealogy / Skibniewski's Where are you now? [7]

Unfortunately it was easy to look for distant relatives but now that it is under 100 years access to the archives doesn't help.

Have you done name checks at nasza klasa. pl ....facebook etc ?

There might be some WWII info available: military records, death camp records.

Have you checked old directories (business/phone directories)

Have you placed information on a Zambrów (or nearest town) website or asked for information ?

Have you left messages at ancestry.com or genealogy.com

check your PM's
Wroclaw   
1 Jun 2009
Life / Polish people more caring? [20]

People in Poland are just in general more gentle and caring for eachother - and you try to solve problem man-by-man, and this rule is applicable even to strangers.

This is not the Poland I know.