As genealogists we are often asked how we got started & when our interest in researching our family began. I almost always tell the story of how I met Łukasz Firkowski on the internet in 2002. Our research together uncovered over 3,000 in my paternal namesake line.The truth is, I think...
Some Firkowski family members attend the memorial for Stefania Firkowska.A number of years ago in 2009, I received a VERY interesting email. The email involved one of my distant relatives in Poland.The email has been translated from Polish, but I have included the original Polish version. They researched for 3 years...
We have heard about many of the terrible things that happened in occupied Poland during WWII in the Nazi Concentration Camps, but how many of us have heard first hand accounts of those events? One of my distant relatives (Mirosław Firkowski) found himself in three of these camps when he was...
Following the end of WWII my father "Walter" chose to stay in the American sector of Germany, as we had left our world in Poland and did not want to return because Poland was no longer "free". My sister and I were raised as poles living in a new world. My...
Archcatholic Basilica of St. Peter and St. PaulAfter I finished packing up my bags, I left Wrocław early this morning and drove to Poznań. I would be meeting Piotr & Dorota Firkowski and their daughter and son, Monika & Jakub. It was about a 3 hours drive but it took me...
GREAT NEWS! My mother has finally been able to connect with family from her biological father!It had been a while since I have made a post, but that's what happens when you are busy. I had to take some time to write this Blog Post as a follow up to my...
From L-R: My Father - Eric Firkowski, Grandmother - Zofia, Grandfather - Wladysław (Walter), Father Walenty Waloszek & Aunt - Anastasia in Ludwigsburg, Germany 13 March 1950Who was Father Walenty Waloszek and why is he important to a family's genealogy? He is important to my family history because he was the...
Constitution Day in Poland is a national holiday that celebrates the declaration of the Constitution on May 3, 1791. The Constitution of May 3, 1791 is considered one of the most important events in Poland's history, despite the fact that it was only in effect for about one year, until the Polish-Russian...
Photo of William D. Bond from his Naval Personnel RecordsI have long sought to locate my biological grandfather. My search is finally over. After finally finding clues to who he might be, I acquired the Naval Personnel Records of the person I believed to be my biological grandfather and now I...
I had begun looking for the obituary of William D. Bond. Since I did not know where that obituary would be, I contacted the library in Sandersville, Washington County, Georgia, which was where he was living when he died. Beth at the library was very helpful. I told her what I was...
Now that I have located some records to corroborate the verbal story of my biological grandfather, it is time to start collecting evidence that will show who he is. I went to Ancestry.com and did a search for his full name "William D. Bond" and located a Photo used with permission...
Uniform patch for those that served on the USS Raton in WWIIContinued fromAfter examining the clues I had put together over the years, I began to look for William D. Bond in US Navy Records from WWII on the Fold3 website. A general search for William Bond gave me 23,343 matches...
Continued from Part 2The next piece of evidence was found in the 2/1999 issue of the quarterly Skarbiec Ducha Gór.The reader, Mr. Zbigniew Tomery, who is no longer alive, wrote a letter to the quarterly referencing an article about Black Manor from the December 1998 issue.Jelenia Góra, 08/18/46, at the gate...
Story continued from Part 1Here is how the process began for Jacek, in learning more about the unknown Polish manager of Black Manor.Lithograph from about 1850 by: Eduardo SachseThe unknown Firkowski/Wirkowski took over the management of not only the manor, but also, the entire agricultural property, which until recently was called...
This is the third in a series of Brick Wall posts about my Biological Grandfather (William D. Bond). You are invited to read the first and second parts.I contacted the County courthouse in Manitowoc, WI in hopes I may find the paperwork dealing with the childsupport case for my mother, but...
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...
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