Law / Can a Polish woman get divorce from another country? [5]

My grandmother was living in Germany when she went through the divorce process in 1949. Whether there was a divorce lawyer involved I am not sure since the older family members are keeping it a secret. What copies of documents I have, suggested she went through the church in order to get granted a divorce. There were children involved as well. One was 21, 1 at 11 and the 3rd at 7. If there was a settlement nothing was mentioned or written down.

Genealogy / Claiming WW2 medals for Polish father [37]

I have been in touch with a lady by the name of Margaret Goddard who has a connection with the MOD in the U.K. I sent her a copy of the certificate that was issued with the medal that my grandfather received. The certificate has a number of issue and the date it was issued was in 1948. I also sent a copy of a letter that my grandfather wrote that states what units he was with and the time frame he was with each unit.

Usually, how long does it take to respond to such a request? My grandfather never served with the Polish Armed Forces outside of Poland during the 2nd world war. Since the certificate appears to have been issued from the U.K. I am hoping they may limited information on service records.

Law / Family law in Poland - want the Polish children back to the Irish courts [53]

delphiadomine regardless what side of the ocean I am on is irrelevant. the results of a polygraph test are admissible in court. it is up to the judge and jury to decide if the results are necessary in order to make a decision.

please check liedetector.ie/faqs/#.UymvRPI.t-p

Law / Family law in Poland - want the Polish children back to the Irish courts [53]

If she tries to claim that the house is unlivable, have you made a counteroffer of renting a flat for the duration of the work? That way when you go to court you can say that you are willing to rent a place that meets the court expectations of livable conditions while the original location is being brought up to snuff. Also, try and get 3rd party evidence that will stand up in court as to the problems you state to prove that you are trying to remedy the problems and make the location livable. As for witnesses, ask the your lawyer to get testimony and a polygraph results to help with determining what was happening before things went wrong. Such as what was said while you and the mother were off doing your own thing with friends. Sometimes things are said to others while the person being talked about is not present.

Real Estate / Giving up a house in Poland [3]

So, in other words you actually mean that you wish to sell the house? If so, then you might want to have the house inspected and evaluated (appraised) based on what the condition of the house is like. The other choice is if the house is sitting empty, you can rent it.

Work / I'm retired teacher, age 69 - I want to teach English in Poland voluntarily, in return for Polish language [18]

Eugene
Another thing to consider in order to make your pension go the distance if you want to teach would be to bargain. For example, if a school takes you up on your offer, have them help you with the cost of accommodations. Or someone can offer you a couple of rooms to work out of and then you would have to help out with incidentals such as food. By having a sitting room included with the bedroom, then you could teach privately or assist students with their homework.

News / Russo-Polish row over who started WW2 [34]

The Russian ambassador seems to have forgotten that it was the Russians and the Germans that were responsible for starting the war. Second, the Russian ambassador also seems to have forgotten that it was the Stalinist government that was responsible for the war crimes against Poland in regards to the Katyn massacre. Yet, it was the Polish military under the auspices of the British that helped to fight the Nazis.

News / RUSSIA TO MAKE PUBLIC THE KATYN FILES... [274]

It has been quite some time now that Russia was supposed to declassify their files on the Katyn Forest Massacre. Has anyone heard what has happened as of yet to these records? Have the records been reviewed, scanned and turned into pdf files so people can access and read them?

USA, Canada / New social security rules for Polish-Americans? [9]

Slightly off topic, but on the same theme, my grandfather applied for Veteran allowance in 1964. Since the CAW is unable to find his service records, I am wondering where to enquire about obtaining information about this. He served between July 1919 and August 1922 and then again in Sept. 1939. What information do I need to provide in order to get this information and what kind of information will be provided in regards to military service and civilian employment. His military service was with the Signals regiment/battalion as he put it and both times in Poland.

Law / Can I leave Poland with my children without my husbands written permission or not? [17]

Are your family members willing to help you to return to Britain in order for you to visit with them? That will give you and the child a break away from the current situation and a chance for the kid to visit your side of the family. Also, it might give the father a wake up call that if he doesn't smarten up and own up to the fact that he needs to get some employment and take a more active participation in the kids' life. And if he wants you to come back, then you can force the situation by going to a marriage counselor to work things out before going through with a divorce or the courts. My parents got a divorce when I was under the age of 5 and I never really got to know my father or his side of the family. When I did make contact, things started to come out that family on both sides were interfering a bit, but I never did get the full story. Then when my father died, I attended his funeral, but I never missed a beat since I never knew him well enough to be upset at his death.

Life / Does Magic Jack work in Poland? [11]

Get the magicjack. It will be easier to get it registered in the U.S. before it is sent over. Chances are, she could get it registered over there, but she would need a credit card with enough money on it to cover the cost of the subscription and for the number and the exchange rate.

News / Poland's fight against paedophilia [277]

Better than chemical castration or prison would be to turn the pedophiles into eunuchs. In other words completely remove their genitalia. Then the operation should be made public in order to humiliate the person. Then any other person that gets caught and convicted of the same crime will have the same operation done and publicly humiliated as well. Maybe this might smarten others up and prevent any further incidents.

Law / Polish Citizenship for a foreigner whose parents was born in Poland [174]

Hi Bobert

I don't know if you are still watching the forum and this posting in particular. But a website that might be able to answer your questions is known as foreign expat in Poland. Click on forums and look for Poland and click on the main section labelled immigration. Ask for Polish guy and he can direct you to his posting about all the paperwork that may or will be needed. you can also ask there. But at the same time, try and find the nearest consulate or embassy nearest to you and send them a message to about verification for what you do have and where you can get the rest done after your arrival regarding the rest of the documents that you receive between your visit to the consulate and your trip.

Law / Looking for confirmation of Grandfather's citizenship... [17]

to delphiadomine
I obtained dual citizenship with one country in Europe despite being born here in Canada. So even if the mother of the 1 poster was born in the U.S., chances are she may be Polish. But that poster will have quite a few hoops to jump through in order to get any and all pertinent paperwork in order to prove a point.

to cafeguy
check out the website poland forum expat chances are, there is more information to be found on that site in regards to others that are trying to do what you are doing. Also ask a member on that site by the name of curiousgeorge for a link to his posting in regards to the paperwork a person will need to find/obtain in order to prove a point. While you are at it, check into the Polish Citizenship Act of 1920. That one will be pertinent to your case to determine how much luck you will have to prove a point.

Genealogy / Wierzcholek family surname [14]

kind of odd in a way. my babcia's maiden name was Wieczorek. But my grandmother was born in Kropiwki, NE of Lublin and married someone from a nearby village just north of Podedworze. I doubt there is any connection due to the spelling. But the name sounded very close to hers though.

Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

inWroclaw

a rewire while it may initially cost a bundle, but in the long run will prove to be cheaper. Especially when you consider the alternative and that could be a short circuit which would cause the wires to overheat and maybe cause a fire. Check with the place that covers your insurance for your place. Chances are they may be aware that aluminum wiring may be a hazard and could give you a break on the insurance so to speak if that wiring is replaced. Copper may be more expensive, but if it helps to reduce the potential for causing a fire over aluminum wiring, it is cheaper than trying to replace your belongings that were damaged by fire and the stress of having to relocate during the process after the fire.

History / Finding locations of old Photos - Lublin, Lodz, or Pabianice? [7]

Great thanks. My grandparents would have know where the photos were taken, but they have died over 30 years ago. My 2 aunts don't know and at least I can let them know. Like I said in my main post with the photos while I could not pin either photo down to a specific location because there was nothing written on the back of them or even the year the photo was taken. I could only surmise the supposed locations based on the connections my family had to those locations. Such as Pabianice is where my great grandparents are buried and Gostynin was where they were born. Lublin was where my mother was born and Wegrow was where my grandfather was baptised and some family still live. As for Lodz, had some family living there until the first world war since I have a post card that was sent to them in 1909.

Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

to Plaiddino

on the external power unit for my laptop it does say that it is a dual unit capable of handling either North American or European power supply. if your laptop or play station have more or less external power units then another option would be to find a place to buy the appropriate power supplies for each item if you so desire. Either way, now you have something to think about.

Law / Unable to repay bank loan in Poland. What are the consequences according to the law? [18]

Mie1988
if your employment contract runs out in June 2015, do you have other employment lined up in your home country or do you have job offers lined up after this in Poland itself? try and deal with the bank now so it will be easier later on after June. defaulting on the loan may or may not affect your credit history in your home country but why risk it. That is why it is best to talk with someone from the bank well before hand in order to be able to still repay the loan if you do leave the country. especially what the best method of making the payments without having to pay huge fees over and above in order to make a transfer through bank draft or wire transfer such as western union.

Real Estate / Mother died in Poland, children are US citizens. Real Estate Inheritence in Poland? [5]

Sienna1

Another option to decide who will represent or if all go. The option is to find out if you can find out if you can use video links when court is in session. This way, if it is permitted, then all you have to do is decide who gets to go and the others can partly fund the cost of the trip. Then they can watch the court proceedings and ask/text messages if there is any questions about certain things. Worth asking.

Real Estate / Property on my wife's name - Inheritance in Poland [3]

It might be easier, so to speak, to dispose of the property. But wouldn't it be just as easy to make sure that there is no hidden surprises in dealing with the legalities of the property, such as liens from contractors or debt collectors. I could be wrong. If I was going to buy a property, it would be nice to know and have verified that it has a clear title. If it was sold under the presumption that it had a clear title and didn't, wouldn't that make things rather difficult in order to improve the property and may lead to a court case of misrepresentation. If the 2nd wife lived there until her death, there is no way of knowing what she debts or business dealings she had or made prior to her death. It is also partly confusing when it is mentioned there was 3 children and then it is intimated that there is a 4th.

Life / Will an English bought TV work In Poland? [20]

From what I understand Europe uses the 220-240 volts a.c. at 50 hz Therefore the t.v. that was bought in Britain will work in Poland. The only problem you will have is to use an adaptor for the difference in electrical plugs that are used. If they were to try and bring here to North America, it would not be worth the cost or effort to bring it here since we use 120 volts a.c. at 60 hz.

As for reception of programming signals, that I can not answer of what type of equipment you will need.

Law / Wills. How much time is needed to wait after the death and funeral before the will is dealt with in Poland? [3]

Ouch. As I have said, I know the name of my grandfather's uncle and when he died and the name of the uncle's wife, but nothing of any children. That is why I am having someone try and look for the will for this person. I just don't want to be faced with a large bill in an attempt to find this document. For me, I want to see if the will provides names of surviving family members and maybe that will provide clues to making contact with that part of the family.

Real Estate / Land claim in Poland. [9]

While trying to look into my grandmother's 1st husband's family, an aunt of mine, said she did not want me to continue with my research. It was something that she wanted to more or less forget and put behind her. Not only that, she hinted at owning some property there. But she did not tell me as to how she came to own it. I do not wish her to know that she gave me a clue to look into. I just hope that if she inherited this property from her father, then he may have left a will to indicate who else inherited something of the estate. The only thing is, I don't know if this property is registered in her name. How would I ask about this in Polish? I know where she was born and where her father was born, raised, died, and got buried so I suspect that this property is in that same general area. Hopefully her father left a will and that will give me a clue about others in the family.

Genealogy / Katyn/Starobielsk family survivors in Oz Australia? [11]

Sorry, my grandfather was one of the lucky ones that survived being a P.O.W. whereas the commissioned officers were executed. A draft letter that my grandfather had typed in regards to applying for pension mentions that he was by Czortkow Sept. 1939 when he was captured and may have been interned as a P.O.W. at Starobielsk. Part of my problem is that the military archives are claiming that they are unable to find his service records. Has anybody else had any luck in obtaining military records of family members? My grandfather served in the 1st Signals Regiment in September 1939. Does this ring a bell with anyone else? Thanks. I am hoping there might be records of the prisoners from this camp.

To Wroclaw

I found a report in English that talks about the Katyn Forest Massacre. It can be found at archive.org/details/katynforestmassa06unit. It says it is part 6 and I have been unable to retrieve parts 5 and 7 so far. Maybe someone else will have better luck in checking for those 2 parts. From the information on the frontispiece does not indicate it as being German this was published in the U.S. in 1952 by the Government Printing Office. This report makes reference to exhibits 32 and 33 presented to the committee by the Polish Government in exile.

I had some time after I left the previous message to experiment in order to see if there was a way of checking for other parts. I was unable to get part 2 since it was not digitized and uploaded in a pdf format. I did have luck in getting parts 1,3,4,5,6, and 7. that seems to be it on that topic for this since I tried to see if there was an 8 or 9 but nothing came up and it wasn't indicated on part 7. In the last third of part 3 you will find a list of names for the 3 camps. So I hope that will help. I did get in touch with the Boston Public Library about part 2 and was told they have not been able to get around to digitizing the film that it is on. I will try and find out how much it will cost to either duplicate the film and mail it or get them to print it out for me. Best guess it will be about 150 pages in all so I am not sure how much they will charge for the print out. I will let everyone know when I find out.

Okay, here is the one website that I found reports of the hearings on the Katyn forest Massacre. It is: archive.org/details/Katyn forest massa01unit. Substitute 3,4,5,6, or 7 in place of 1 in order to find 6 out of the 7 sections. I got a message from the Boston Public Library in regards to the missing part 2 and they referred me to the website catalog] catalog. hathitrust. org/Records/000595698. broken link?

On this 2nd website I was able to download part 2 1 page at a time since I didn't have the ability to download the whole report because of some technicality. Now I have all 7 parts that I am aware of and now am in the process of printing it out. As nice as it is to have it in electronic format, I kind of like the paper version since I don't have to lug around the computer or need access to it in order to read. Also, I find it easier to make notations when and where necessary if there is something I want to follow up on. But if someone is unable to access either website, let me know and maybe something can be worked out that I could email what I have.

to the mod watching this, I was able to find the site again despite the mix up in the previous posting. But when I was able to get back onto the website, I had some problems in trying to locate the files that I mentioned. Since I was lucky enough to download all 7 parts, albeit from 2 different locations, if someone is interested, they can ask.

Genealogy / My Grandfather was born in Poland and migrated abroad - Can I get a Polish Passport? [68]

I am sorry to say that you can not get a Polish passport just like that. You have to go through some hoops by getting all the documentation you can as to when your grandparents were born, when they immigrated to the States, when your parents were born. When did your grandparents get naturalized in the States? Was it before or after the parents were born? If it was before you have a very slim case. There is the 1920, 1951 and the 1962 citizenship acts for Poland. There has been some updates to the act within the last 10 yrs, but that may or may not help in case. look up the website known as 'talk for expats in poland' and the forum under Poland. if u were to read the 3 sections that they have in regards to polish citizenship you will learn what others have gone through and what you will need in order to try and get a passport.

Real Estate / Land claim in Poland. [9]

You will have to ask yourself when this all happened. If it happened after the 2nd world war you may not stand a chance on getting the property back. Between then and 1990 the communists were in control and the property may have been split up into smaller units and disposed of accordingly. So, if you were to try and claim the property as inheritance, you will not only be fighting a losing battle because you will be fighting the current owners. which could be upwards to 5 or more depending on how the property was subdivided.

So, do some research as to what happened to this property from the time of the eviction and now. If you can obtain legalized copies of any paperwork after the eviction it may or may not help to determine course of action if this property is still in one piece of the size you mention. But do not get your hopes up that you will get the property back. You may be stirring up a lot of bad feelings with the current people that live in the area. Chances are, if you want to pursue the matter, all you could hope for is limited compensation if at all.

Law / Poland's Inheritance Law Without Will [21]

Rey115
If you and your brother do not wish to give up your rights to the part ownership of the property, obtain any documents you can. Such as birth and death certificates. Since your uncle was the owner of the property and died before his parents (your grandparents), and he had no children, how much of the property reverted back to the parents and then after their deaths was divided between your aunt and father. Other postings I have read made allusions that if the owner of a property does not have children to inherit the property then the courts would look at the question did the deceased have siblings and/or parents still living and determine how to split the property if I understand it right.

The point here is who owned the property prior to it being registered in your uncle's name. If ownership got transferred while the original owners were still alive to your uncle there must be some kind of court document to substantiate this. By obtaining the certificates of the individuals involved (birth, marriage and death) may also assist in how the ownership got split may help your claims. By obtaining the various certificates will help to prove your claims to prove that the owner was your uncle because the names of the parents would be on all the birth certificates.

Using the certificates and other documents in proper perspective will help. Your best bet would be to locate a lawyer that will hopefully know the real estate laws and inform you if there is a statute of limitations and how that applies to your case.