Re: [Cz-L] Help for Noemi Eshet -- Archives in Cz.

From: Mark Wiznitzer <markwiznitzer_at_gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:15:47 -0400
To: czernowitz-L <czernowitz-l_at_list.cornell.edu>, noemi.eshet_at_gmail.com
Reply-to: Mark Wiznitzer <markwiznitzer_at_gmail.com>

 Hi Noemi -

I'd like to add to what Mimi has written to share with you my own
experience with the archives in Chernivtsi.
My knowledge is limited, but based on the experience in May 2010 when
I traveled with a cousin to discover our fathers' youth in Bukovina.
In this we were helped immensely by our Lviv-based guide and driver,
Serhiy Bilichenko (serhiybilichenko_at_hotmail.com),
who is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish, and was our
interpreter into English.

First, you should be aware that there are two archives in Chernivtsi.
The federal archives on the outskirts of town houses all available
Bukovina records over 75 years old.
These are primarily birth and death records from Chernivtsi and
surrounding towns, but there are also extensive business registries at
a separate location.
I say "available" because in my own case, there were only 10 years of
records during the Rumanian period for the town of Vashkivtsi where my
father was born, and so there was no official record of my father's
birth in 1910 or my grandmother's death in 1914.

Working with Serhiy, who had transmitted in advance the names and
dates of people we were searching for, the archive staff had pulled
and researched the records for before our arrival, and provided ready
access to the actual registers. The archive staff was also helpful
making copies of and certifying documents (for a fee) that we were
interested in, such as the record of my grandfather's death in
Czernowitz in 1929.

There is also a municipal registry located in the heart of town where
records under 75 years old are housed (similar records may be
available in other municipalities, which are required by law to
forward these to the federal registry every year). The staff at the
Chernivtsi city archives was more bureaucratic and less helpful.
They demanded evidence of family relationships to allow us to see, for
example, the record of death of my cousin's grandfather and aunt, who
died in Czernowitz shortly after the war's end in 1945. While they
eventually relented in showing us the death records despite our
lacking official documents to prove the relationship, they would not
make copies for us to take along. So be prepared with documentation
if you are looking for such newer records.

As Mimi indicated, please be generous with the people who help you
find your ancestors, both in the archives and you interlocutors, who
will advise you on the appropriate donation, for salaries in Ukraine
are low and you will be making it easier for those who will follow you
in a similar search.

I hope this information will help you in your search. Good luck and
enjoy the wonderful city off Czernowitz.

Mark

(
On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 7:05 AM, <mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu> wrote:
>
> Dear Neomi and anyone else wanting information from the archives:
>
> I do not know how long it takes to get information from the archives,
> nor what the procedure is. But I know of many people, who obtained
> information from the archives through the help of Zoya Danilovich,
> who is a tour guide and English translator in Chernivtsi.
> Anyone requesting information from the archives, has to pay a fee
> at the archives and of course, Zoya has to be paid for her work,
> in going to the archives, as well.
> I do not know what the total payment is likely to be, but Zoya
> is an honest and trustworthy  person and probably, but not definitely,
> could quote a price in advance.
>
> Zoya's Email is: <welcome.zoya_at_mail.ru>
>
> Mimi

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This moderated discussion group is for information exchange on the subject of
 Czernowitz and Sadagora Jewish History and Genealogy. The opinions expressed
 in these posts are the opinions of the original poster only and not necessarily
 the opinions of the List Owner, the Webmaster or any other members
 or entities connected with this mailing list. The Czernowitz-L list has
 an associated web site at http://czernowitz.ehpes.com that includes a
 searchable archive of all messages posted to this list. Please post in "Plain
 Text" if possible (help available at:
<http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/PlainText.html>).

To remove your address from this e-list follow the directions at
http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/elist/lyris/leave.html

To receive assistance for this e-list send an e-mail message to:
owner-Czernowitz-L_at_list.cornell.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on 2011-09-01 08:22:01

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.2.0 : 2012-01-01 16:10:47 PST