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Kresy Siberia Foundation & Virtual Museum

Polish Genealogy

Tim Firkowski

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

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When I was at "Who Do You Think You Are? Live" in London the end of February, I met a group who had a booth set up for the Kresy-Siberia Museum & Foundation. This group is dedicated to Poland's citizens who fought for freedom and survival in eastern Poland and in worldwide exile during WWII. The families of those murdered at Katyn, and over a million others, were persecuted and deported to forced labor in Soviet camps and gulags. Many died from overwork, exposure, starvation and disease before the survivors were released to rejoin the battle against Nazi Germany.

This was the only Polish booth at the exhibition and I was pleasantly surprised to find them there. I talked with Mirka Wojnar who is one of the directors of the UK group. There are many smaller groups that make up the whole organization. Originally founded by Stefan Wisniewski from Australia, this group has grown at an incredible rate.

After a few people began discovering the gulags in Russia, in which the last one operated into the early 1960's, people began communicating with each other from across the globe and formed a Yahoo Group to make it easier to communicate and find others with a similar interest.

This organization has decided to take on a massive project by creating a virtual museum so that all may see and learn right from the comfort of their computers. Kresy Siberia has received funding from numerous organizations & individuals from all over the world to undertake this project. This virtual museum is under construction, but there are now 955 videos available from survivors of these situations, along with numerous special exhibitions. Many more features and exhibitions are planned, so visiting often will yield something new to see each time.

This is a place to visit that may help yield information or clues on finding that elusive ancestor. You may also have some information on an ancestor or relative that you would like to contribute to the virtual museum. You may not have information to share but donations are always welcome to keep this project going, so that everyone will have something to learn from.

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About the author

Tim Firkowski

I have been doing genealogy research since 2002 & have worked full time as a Professional Genealogist since 2008. I specialize in Polish and American-Canadian Genealogy. As a member of APG, I was the 2010/2011 President of the New England Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (NEAPG). I have Certificates of Completion for studies in "Foundations of Forensic Genealogy" and "Advanced Forensic Genealogy Techniques". I have been a volunteer librarian at the local Family History Center, and a genealogy research consultant at “Ask the Expert” Ancestry Road Shows. I have traveled to Poland numerous times & researched in churches and archives. At conferences and special events, you may find me dressed up in my Sherlock Holmes outfit, or my Kujawy (the folk costume from the region in Poland where my ancestors came from).

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Comments 3

Guest - Mirka Wojnar on Wednesday, 13 June 2012 15:40

Tim, thank you very much for writing about the Kresy-Siberia Foundation and Virtual Museum. Your interest and support very much appreciated. Looking forward to skyping and meeting you at another exhibition again. Best wishes, Mirka.

0 Reply

Tim Firkowski on Friday, 15 June 2012 18:09

Mirka, It was wonderful to meet you and learn about all the wonderful things that the Kresy-Siberia Foundation is doing!

0 Reply

Guest - Di Stiff, Collections Development Archivist on Thursday, 07 February 2013 05:50

For anyone with Polish relatives in Surrey, England you may be interested in our forthcoming travelling exhibition: POLISH EXILES IN SURREY AFTER WORLD WAR TWO
Tues 26 March – Sat 27 April 2013, at Surrey History Centre, 130 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6ND, UK.
The display is dedicated to the displaced Polish Allied Forces and their families, who settled in Surrey after the Second World War. The Polish veterans had fought on the Western Front under British operational command, but at the end of hostilities there was to be no return to a free Poland for them. The Polish units in Britain were the first and last foreign army ever to be demobilised on British soil. Their story is told through the history of Tweedsmuir Camp, which stood near Thursley Village, Surrey. This was just one of many disused army bases used as temporary housing for displaced Polish people in Britain. The families stayed at Tweedsmuir Camp until 1958, when they were encouraged to find permanent homes outside the ‘camp system’. The display offers an opportunity to explore the political, social and cultural history behind the events surrounding their settlement.
In the foyer at Surrey History Centre during normal opening times.
Free
Website: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreyhistorycentre
Email: shs@surreycc.gov.uk
More details of the exhibition can be found at http://www.tweedsmuirmilitarycamp.co.uk/Index.html

0 Reply

For anyone with Polish relatives in Surrey, England you may be interested in our forthcoming travelling exhibition: POLISH EXILES IN SURREY AFTER WORLD WAR TWO
Tues 26 March – Sat 27 April 2013, at Surrey History Centre, 130 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6ND, UK. 
The display is dedicated to the displaced Polish Allied Forces and their families, who settled in Surrey after the Second World War. The Polish veterans had fought on the Western Front under British operational command, but at the end of hostilities there was to be no return to a free Poland for them. The Polish units in Britain were the first and last foreign army ever to be demobilised on British soil. Their story is told through the history of Tweedsmuir Camp, which stood near Thursley Village, Surrey. This was just one of many disused army bases used as temporary housing for displaced Polish people in Britain. The families stayed at Tweedsmuir Camp until 1958, when they were encouraged to find permanent homes outside the ‘camp system’. The display offers an opportunity to explore the political, social and cultural history behind the events surrounding their settlement. 
In the foyer at Surrey History Centre during normal opening times.
Free
Website: www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreyhistorycentre 
Email: shs@surreycc.gov.uk
More details of the exhibition can be found at http://www.tweedsmuirmilitarycamp.co.uk/Index.html

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