Galicia Genealogy Inquiries

Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008
From: Tomasz Knapik <> (United States)
Subject: Użytkownik Tomasz Knapik zaprasza Cię do listy znajomych w serwisie hi5

Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008
From: Shifra Manshari <>
Subject: Bitleh small village near Lvov

Hi
I have been searching for years without success for a small village called Bitleh (not correct spelling, just sounds like this) near Lvov. My father Juda Stohr was born there. His parents were Mordechai and Shifra (maiden name Singer).
My father was married to his first wife (name unknown) and had a son Markus who perished in WW2. My father had a brother Moishe whose wife was Menieh and had 2 sons, Shulem and Israel. Another brother, Israel, survived the war but died in South Africa in 1951.
If anyone has heard of the village of Bitleh and can tell me where to find it or anything at all please contact me.
Thank you for the great site.
Shifra
Looking for: Village called "Bitleh" (exact spelling unknown) near Lvov; Stohr, Singer families; family branches in South Africa.

Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008
From: Elizabeth White <> (United Kingdom)
Subject: Lwow

Hello. I'm looking for any information about my late father's family. His name was Emanuel Ost. He was born in Lwow in August 1909 and was the youngest of 7 children. His father Salomon was a bronzesmith—born in Nisko in 1874, died in 1918 or 1919. His mother was Rosalia Tisch or Tish.
As a soldier my father left Poland in 1939 and never saw or heard from his family again despite efforts to trace them. Any information would be welcome.
Thank you.
Elizabeth Ost White
Looking for: Emanuel Ost, Salomon Ost, Rosalia Tisch/Tish, Lwow/Lviv, family lost after 1939.

Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008
From: Rachael Nicholls <>
Subject: Dutka in Lwow

Hi to anyone that reads this. I am from Australia and completing family history on my father's side.
My Grandfather Michal Dutka was born 3 April 1912, in Lwow, Poland. He lived on Pekarska (Pickarska) St Lwow. I believe he had four brothers and one sister. He attended an English reading and writing school when he was younger. He was also a cook in Lwow and his family lived on a farm. His father was a shoe maker.
In August 1939 he joined the Polish army; by the next month they were captured and taken to Germany as POWs. He later worked at some camps there. At the end of the war he stayed in Germany and met my grandmother Helena Morys; they had a son there named Jerzy. They then headed for Australia in 1949.
If you can offer any information on how I may find out more about his history, get photos of the street or trace other family members, I would greatly appreciate it.
Kind regards,
Rachael Nicholls
Looking for: Michal Dutka (b. 1912, Lwow), Pekarska Street, family history, postwar emigration to Australia.

Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008
From: Stan Brown <> (United States)
Subject: Researching Barna/Barni family of Polany, Galicia Ukraine

If you are interested in 3 Barna brothers from Polany, Galicia (Austria/Russia/Ukraine/Poland), you are welcome to go to The Barna Family of Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, USA.
I am looking for photos (and if possible, translations) of the Greek Orthodox Catholic Church of Polany, Galicia during the late 1800's up to and including 1946, for anyone named Barna, Barni, or Barno. I am also interested in Trilka Barna or Barni, the mother of Wasyl, Petro, and Yocum Barna. She owned a farm in Polany that was confiscated by the government and is now part of a national park in that part of the Carpathian Mountains. Her daughter married a German soldier either during or just after WWII. He had been kind to them during the war.
Petro (Peter) Barna died of a mining accident in Pennsylvania in 1943, but most mail contact was already lost, possibly due to the war. Did Trilka's daughter move to Kamionka, where there are also Barna families? If she is still alive, she would be somewhere between 70 years to 90 years old.
Trilka Barna married another man named Barna/Barni and it is believed some of Petro Barna's step-brothers also came to America. Teodor Barna is buried in Shamokin, Pa., the next town west of Kulpmont. John Barni was said to be related to Petro Barna. John is buried one town north of Kulpmont.
Any help with this branch of the Barna family of Polany, Galicia is appreciated. At my website are also Fedak, Dupnak, and other related families.
Looking for: Barna/Barni/Barno family, Polany (Galicia), Greek Orthodox Church, Pennsylvania connections, 1800s–1900s.

Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008
From: Beecee49 <> (United States)

I am look for information on Stanley Czaczynski, my grandfather, who was born in Lvov in 1883. He migrated to the U.S. at 18 years.
Thank you.
Barbara Czaczynski
Looking for: Stanley Czaczynski, born 1883 in Lvov, U.S. migration.

Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008
From: Jane Fekete <>
Subject: klavinovszky lemberg

I am trying to find out anything about the Klavinovszky(i) family in Lemberg.
My husband's grandfather was Gyula Klavinovszky who was born in Lemberg but at some stage he and a brother and sister were in Satoraljaujhely, Zemplen province, Hungary, as he married there Jan. 21, 1894. His brother was Sandor, sister was Ottilde. She was married to an engine driver but don't know her name. Both Klavinovszky brothers worked for the railway in Satoraljaujhely.
If anyone knows any Klavinovszky's could they please contact me.
Thank you
Jane
Looking for: Klavinovszky family, Gyula, Sandor, Ottilde, Lemberg (Lviv), Hungary connections, railway work.

Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008
From: Gary Clayton <> (United States)
Subject: Quick question?

Thanks for your excellent website. I am sorry to bother you but wonder if you can help with a quick question. In 1916 my grandfather David Tesler came over to the UK with his father. [He was 15.] We've been told they came from Baremel and that that's somewhere in the Ukraine.
My question: is (or was) Baremel in Lvov/Lviv—or does Baremel have any connection with Lvov/Lviv?
-Hope to hear from you.
Gary Clayton
PS: I've never been to Ukraine but have always had a strange affinity with Hungary, which I visit often. I know Budapest is in Hungary and a long way from Lvov, but understand that, even so, Lvov was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire at some stage. Certainly, looking at the photos of Lvov, the architecture looks very similar to many of the older Hungarian buildings and strikes quite a chord.
Looking for: David Tesler, Baremel, Ukraine/Lviv connection, 1916 emigration.

Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008
From: Rachael Nicholls <>
Subject: Dutka in Lwow

I am the granddaughter of Michal Dutka, born 3 April 1912 in Poland. He had four brothers Stan, John, Joe, and Erico, and a sister Jadwiga. Their father was a shoe maker and an uncle was a chef/baker at a hotel in Warsaw.
I believe they were from Lwow before 1939, but I am not sure where they went after the war or if they still live there. My grandfather moved to Australia after being captured. His name was Michal Dutka, born 3 April 1912. He was in the Polish army and was captured during WW2. He met my grandmother Helena Dutka (nee Morys) in Germany. They had a son in Germany in 1946 and boarded the General Haan in 1949 bound for Melbourne, Australia.
I know that he came from the Lwow area, not quite sure where exactly. If anyone knows any Dutkas, I would love to hear from them or anything about them.
Please contact me if you can offer any further information or ideas on how to find their family.
Rachael Nicholls (Dutka)
Looking for: Michal Dutka family, brothers and sister (Stan, John, Joe, Erico, Jadwiga), Lwow area, WW2, emigration to Australia.

Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008
From: Lesley Demeda <>
Subject: Present day family connections around Lviv

Hello, Congratulations on your website—it's just great. My husband's father came from the Lvov area. Sadly, he died in 1991. We have tried several times to find out more about possible family left in Ukraine but we have so little information to go on. His name was Ludwik (Ludwig) Demeda (De Meda) born in August 1920. He served with the Polish Army (joined the 8th British Army) and fought in North Africa and Italy. Ludwik (Lou) as he was known in England never talked about his life in Lvov. We think he spoke occasionally to other Poles perhaps about such matters but not to his sons. He was part of the battle of Monte Cassino (and proud of it too). Strangely, his wife didn't enquire too much about his past life. His sons, including my husband (the eldest), never felt comfortable prying into his family life. Through what we think is true via what little had been revealed before his death, we believe he may have had a sister called Sophie? who married an American and left for the U.S. during the war. He is also believed to have had a brother called Peter? who was killed during battle in Europe. My sister-in-law told me that he disclosed his father and mother's names before he died. We do not know how much of this is true but he said his father was named Gustav and his mother's name was Tanya?? I am told her maiden name was Olejnik. I apologise for any wrong spellings as we have nothing on paper to confirm these. We believe he may have lived on a farm or smallholding in his youth. If what he said was true (he was very ill at the time) we believe this would have been a farm either on the outskirts of Lvov or even further afield in a neighbouring area. Any advice or assistance would be appreciated. As his surname is unusual for a man from Lvov we hope someone out there knows of him or his family or where they did actually live.
LD
Looking for: Ludwik (Ludwig) Demeda (De Meda), born 1920, Lvov/Lviv area, Polish Army, Monte Cassino, possible siblings Sophie and Peter, mother Tanya (Olejnik), postwar connections.

Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2008
From: Andy Bilik <> (United States)
Subject: Bilik or Bilyk?

Hello—looking for any information about Romuald and/or Wladyslav Bilik who may have been in or near Lvov in the early 1950s, or elsewhere in Ukraine/Soviet Union. Also, has anyone heard of Lingaura Street? Thanks.
Andy Bilik <>
Looking for: Romuald and Wladyslav Bilik, Lingaura Street, Lvov/Lviv, Ukraine, early 1950s.

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:09:17
From: Jay Fadgen <> (United States)
Subject: Search for current name of towns

My name is Jay Fadgen. My grandfather, Frank Lech, came to this country in 1900 from Galicia and a city listed in the ships manifest as "Livosa" or "Lmoza" or even possibly "Lirchil". The first letter is most likely an "L" and the last letter is most likely an "a". It is most likely two or three syllables. He came from coal mining country as well. My grandmother followed him in 1903 and the last town of residence listed on the ships manifest for her is "Kamarnik". The lettering is pretty clear so there is less doubt about the spelling than for my grandmother's last residence but I cannot find the city in Galicia. The ships manifest references Polish and Ruthenian on her line but I believe that only confirms the origin as Galicia.
Although there is a separation of about three years between the dates they each immigrated to the coal country of western Pennsylvania, I would assume that both towns are probably close to one another. I did find a "Komarno" which may be a good fit for my grandmother and a I did find a "Libusza" that might be a fit for my grandfather but thought somebody more informed on the changing spellings of place names could affirm my preliminary conclusions or suggest alternatives.
Thanks in advance for any help or thoughts you may be able to provide. Take care.
Jay Fadgen
Looking for: Frank Lech, towns "Livosa"/"Lmoza"/"Lirchil"/"Libusza", Kamarnik/Komarno, Galicia to Pennsylvania, coal country immigration.

Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008
From: Brian Bergner <> (United States)
Subject: Researching Lvov

I would like to know if anyone has information regarding how to obtain birth, marriage and death records of people who lived in Lvov between 1900-1940.
I am seeking information regarding my late father, Ludwig Bergner, who was born in 1909, married Klara Gang in 1932 and had a son Marek, who was born in 1933. My father fought in the Polish army, later becoming part of the Anders Army, and finally became a naturalised UK citizen in 1954. He died there in 1961.
I am seeking information regarding him, Klara and Marek, his parents, Hersh and Sofia (nee Sprotzer) and also regarding siblings, three brothers and a sister, names unknown.
Klara and Marek perished in Bergen-Belsen, the details of their lives and deaths are unknown to me.
I know that Lvov has a local archive. Does anyone know how to access it?
Brian Bergner
Looking for: Ludwig Bergner (b. 1909), Klara Gang, Marek Bergner, Hersh and Sofia (Sprotzer), siblings, Bergen-Belsen, Lvov local archive.

Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008
From: Kym Sutton-Sacca <> (United States)

In working on my genealogy research I recently discovered that my mom's side of the family is from Lvov. Her parents came to New York City in the very early 1900's from Lvov. I am just starting on my mom's side of the family. Her parents were Ellis Island immigrants from Poland...possibly from the Lvov area. I know very little about my mother's side of the family. She was born Judy Teresa Tomczak in New York City in 1923. (She passed away in 1990.) I used to have a copy of her birth certificate, but it is in storage at my sister's house in Spain. My mom talked very little about her family. I'm not sure why...I know she always said she was the black sheep of the family. I am unsure of her parents' names. I know the name Barney was mentioned a few times and her mom's name was different on her birth certificate than she remembered...Josephine or Rosie (maiden name something like Chemelenska??). She had some brothers and sisters. I remember the names Teddy, Teresa and Jocko but that's it. One brother worked at Jack Dempsey's bar in New York and Jocko was a jockey. My mom got married and moved away and from what I can tell only went back once, maybe twice to see her family in New York.
If anyone knows of any Tomczaks or Chemelenska (spelling???) from the Lvov area please contact me.
Kym Sutton-Sacca <>
Palmdale, CA
Looking for: Judy Teresa Tomczak, Tomczak and Chemelenska families, Lvov area, New York immigration, early 1900s.

Galicia Genealogy Inquiries - 2008