KUCZAJ family

I am currently in Krakow, having spent time in Mszana Dolna and Letowe trying to researching my family name - KUCZAJ.

I have copies records given to me to assist me in my research, yet I am unable to find anything.

Priests are reluctant to let you see their books and this makes it difficult. By 3 priests, I have been directed to the Krakow Archives. Tomorrow, 18 October, I set out for the Archives

Is there anyone out there that has been through this and can give me some advice? My time in Poland is drawing closer to my return to the US.

Any advice is appreciated -

I would think someone would be able to direct you , I was told that you have to know
someone , my thoughts are you should just tell them your going to speak to the monsignor
and maybe they will stop sending you away.

you could prob have the priest look for you, but they prob want a fee.. thats why they
might be turning you away, cause the books are pretty old, the less they are handled
the better shape they stay in.. this I know from just researches here in the states with
old directories that we are not allowed to copy because the pages are dry and fall out of
the book so easy.

food for thought.

:)

Yes, all priests ask for a fee and each church have their own conditions

you may need someone locally that can arrange everything for you, if you don't speak polish and you can not visit personally the people you will be lost

I had a similar problem, but don't give up. The priest needs reminding he has a legal duty to show the archives - but you may have to prove who you are in relation to the person you are searching. If you have relatives out there, go with them as it helps to have someone from the family there. The church records are kept in fairly good nick in that part of Poland. You need to go the local Gmina (Council) as it too may have archives copied from the churches.

I had travelled from Krakow to a village near Tarnow, only to be received by the priest through the intercom and I was told to return the following morning during the hours of 7.30 - 8.30 am when he receives people. Fair if those are his hours of receiving, but I hadn't expected to meet him coming out of church at precisely 7.30am to be told by him that he was missing his breakfast!!! I had been warned the day before by the Gmina (council) office that I would be very lucky to get a good reception, so I was well braced. The priest spent 20 minutes moaning about missing his breakfast but it only took ten minutes to find the necessary documents. Naturally, I gave a contribution towards the "church".

I would have made an official complaint against this priest had I not had any family there. It is shocking the way some priests in Poland act as if the world belonged to them. Everything is an inconvenience.

But the message really is PERSIST with a smile and you will get the information you are looking for.

Good luck

My last name is KUCHAY but, we changed it from KUCZAJ in the 60s. My great grandfather was either from mzsana dolna or letowe. I don't know who you are tater2010 and I hope we have never met. My grandfather made a tree in the 1990s. Maybe you could call me at 708-224-9585. Seriously, I hope you are a distant relative because we haven't had much luck figuring out our family history either.