Looking for my grandfather's roots in Poland

[Iskr]

Hello everyone C:

I'm looking for my grandfather family origins. Sadly I do not have too much information avaliable :(. I only know that Eugeniusz Schimanda born in 1932 somewhere in Poland, his parents were probably from Germany, died in 2000 in Poznań, Poland. Surname Schimanda is rare in Poland. It might not be his original surname. I searched through many websites and only found a brief record of his grave on billiongraves.com. I'm not living in Poland so I do not have access to any regional archives.

Many thanks for any help c:

[garstonite]

Hi Iskr and a warm welcome to Familytreeforum - there is a section of Poland that is on the Ukraine border and this section of about 11 miles wide has swapped ownership several times = Polish then Ukriane then Poland -then Ukraine etc...my father in law was Ostap Kabluckyj born 1927 in Rogatyn ,Ukraine - which was Rohatyn when it was Poland ...it is only a suggestion but maybe Eugeniusz was born within this area ?? if you get no joy on this site have a look at www.ukraine.com and look on the left hand side for Genealogy ...join the site for free - just register and wait for acceptance - then click on Genealogy and post a new thread asking about the surname Schimanda and whether it may possibly be Ukranian ?.....at least that way if it isn't in any way Ukranian you can rule that possibility out ...there is a member named Hanniah who is excellent and will probably give you an answer ....good luck....

[garstonite]

I have just asked on Ukraine .com on your behalf

http://www.ukraine.com/forums/genealogy/16857-schimanda-surname.html#post140697

[margaretmarch]

Hello everyone C:

I'm looking for my grandfather family origins. Sadly I do not have too much information avaliable :(. I only know that Eugeniusz Schimanda born in 1932 somewhere in Poland, his parents were probably from Germany, died in 2000 in Poznań, Poland. Surname Schimanda is rare in Poland. It might not be his original surname. I searched through many websites and only found a brief record of his grave on billiongraves.com. I'm not living in Poland so I do not have access to any regional archives.

Many thanks for any help c:

Looking at that entry there are details of the cemetery so I would contact them and ask what information they have that they can give you such as:-

date and place of death
name and address of person who arranged the burial (could be a relative)
name of undertaker who conducted the burial
is there a headstone?
who else if any is buried in the same grave?
any other information they have

If you get details of the date and place of death you should be able to get a death certificate. This may give his birth so you could then get that certificate.

Good luck!
Margaret

[margaretmarch]

I had a further look at the cemetery and found this https://billiongraves.com/grave/Euge...nda/18085386#/ shows the headstone and the date of birth and death. There also seems to be an Edward Pawlak marked on the stone who was born 6 Oct 1907 and died 3 April 1941.

So some clues maybe there to follow up.

Margaret

[garstonite]

Had a reply from Ukraine.com

I suspect that the surname might have originally been Shmanda/Szmanda (Шманда in Ukrainian), and likely a Bohemian (Czech) surname***. In middle of 19th century this ethnic group immigrated to what would be Western Ukraine today (Eastern Galicia and Vohlyn regions) from the Bohemian Province of Austro-Hungarian Empire.

***Also referred to as Moravian.

PS> Anyone born during Interwar Period (1918-1938) in what is Western Ukraine today would have been considered a Polish citizen

hope this is of some advice for you to consider -Allan ;)

[garstonite]

Looks like Szmanda

https://www.geneanet.org

surname szmanda - leave the rest blank - search

Dziadkowko , Poland is mentioned ....

[margaretmarch]

Check out this site https://www.myheritage.com/research?...mf3.1+lnmsrs.1. There are severa family trees on there with your grandfather included.
Margaret

[Iskr]

Thanks alot for all replies, had no idea it might have been a Ukrainian surname. Will look for death certificate as Margaret said.

[margaretmarch]

Thanks alot for all replies, had no idea it might have been a Ukrainian surname. Will look for death certificate as Margaret said.

Also look at the site I gave in post #8 the people who have the trees on there are probably your relatives.
Margaret

[Iskr]

Did some extra research and found some interesting data. Do you think this last name could be jewish ?

[margaretmarch]

Did some extra research and found some interesting data. Do you think this last name could be jewish ?

I think that is a strong possibility.
Did you look at the other tips we posted and have you made contact with anyone with your relatives in their trees?
Margaret

[Iskr]

Yes I did, I also found that surname in slovakian church and synagouge records dating back centuries. My uncle ( grandfather's son ) has dark curly hair and a rather jewish looking face. Sadly my father is polish of nordic type, which makes me a really akward mix.

[EquilibriumYaw]

Hi,
Why not try writing to the following address in Poland:

Archivum Panstwowe
Ulica Pomorska 2
50-215 Wroclaw
Poland

I have actually been to the a/m Polish Archives in Wroclaw and found them to be very helpful in my research. As you are not in Poland - why not write to them - giving them all the information that you have and list those questions that you need answers for. It will only cost you the price of a stamp!!!!!!!

Good luck,

Brian

[Iskr]

Hi,
Why not try writing to the following address in Poland:

Archivum Panstwowe
Ulica Pomorska 2
50-215 Wroclaw
Poland

I have actually been to the a/m Polish Archives in Wroclaw and found them to be very helpful in my research. As you are not in Poland - why not write to them - giving them all the information that you have and list those questions that you need answers for. It will only cost you the price of a stamp!!!!!!!

Good luck,

Brian

That adress won't help as Wroclaw is in completely different part of poland and they only have regional archives.
Instead I will get my grandfather's death certificate which will have his place of birth and original surname on it. From there I have to do is get his birth certificate and it should be enough.