Research For Displaced Persons...

Early in 2012, I had an extremely rewarding experience while trying to help a friend, Anne, search for ancestry documentation on her ancestors who were Polish/Jewish immigrants in Europe during WW II.  I really had no previous experience searching for specific information on her family's Jewish surnames, but last winter I had been 'scooting' around on the FamilySearch.org website to familiarize myself with new 'links and features' buttons and taught myself a few interesting things about Polish displaced persons research.  I pulled out my notes, wondering if they would help her. I remembered watching several training videos at the 'LEARN/Research Courses' tab on FamilySearch and realized the course materials included discussions on the type of genealogy research skills Anne needed to know.

Although there was some hesitation on my part to offer assistance with her Polish/Jewish research, I realized that my own paternal Polish/Prussian ancestry lead my genealogy research down similar paths as hers. I also realized that my learning curve included tools that would be of great benefit to her, such as, 1) researching and translating Polish surnames, 2) accessing Displaced Persons websites and 3) becoming familiar with Jewish/Polish genealogical information found on the FamilySearch website.  So I decided to speak up.

I let Anne know about one specific training course in particular, entitled Polish Displaced Persons, taught by Cecile Wendt Jensen, MA, CG, that I knew would spark her interest. Toward the end of the course, Ms Jensen even provides the viewer with her own personal contact information on her website: Michigan Polonia, in case viewers need additional research assistance directly from her.

In addition, I shared information on the Polish Genealogical Society of America website which provides access to over 30 additional web links along with email addresses of several outstanding Polish genealogy research organizations and professional researchers. As we spoke together,  I came to place greater value on the Polish ancestry research tools and techniques I had learned last year and, although I did not consider myself a polished or professional research by any stretch of the imagination, I couldn't stop myself from sharing this wealth of information with my friend.

Thinking back over this experience, and pondering the importance of genealogical research from a global perspective, I have come to understand three very important things.  First, I more clearly understood Anne's need to openly address the very solemn issue of WW II displacement and loss of her loved ones. Secondly, I learned that I was providing her with expanded choices of free, research courses she could use that would improve her own intermediate/advanced Polish research skills. Third, I learned that the more time I spent with Anne at the computer, showing her how to move freely from one site to another, the more confidence she was developing in the FamilySearch.org website as a reliable source of research information.

I am deeply grateful to the worldwide family of volunteers and webmasters who have worked tirelessly to provide user-friendly, worldwide access to a myriad of genealogical research links at FamilySearch.org that just might lead my friend, myself and hosts of others directly to the roots of our European story.