Comments on Rosenstein Article

Neil Rosenstein’s article, “JRI-Poland Database and Rabbinic Data Merging,” discusses a topic that has interested me considerably. When JRI-Poland made available on its database indexes for records of three of the Gerer Rebbes, I ordered copies of the records and had someone personally present them to the current Gerer Rebbe. The Rebbe sent a bracha (blessing) to me, so I assume that he was pleased.

I am confused, however, about dates in “Example Two: Warsaw,” that describes the birth record of Juda Kamioner. Rosenstein says that Juda was born in 1804, but his birth record was registered in 1840—in other words, a late registration. JRI-Poland results indicate, however, that Juda’s father, Majer Chilel, was 36 years old when he registered his son in 1840; that is, Juda was born in 1804. Obviously, father and son could not have been born in the same year. It appears instead that Juda actually was born on July 26, 1827, as is shown in the JRI-Poland search result.

Rosenstein also writes that Juda’s mother, Jocheved Rebeka, died young—in 1834 in Plonsk. But the JRI-Poland search results show a Plonsk death record of Jochwet Rywka Kamien who died on December 10, 1833. The results also give Jochwet’s father’s name, but his surname incorrectly is placed under the given name.

Deficiencies and/or errors in the JRI-Poland database may come from the scribes living in the 19th, 20th or 21st centuries, but the database has been an invaluable tool in my research.

Hadassah Lipsius

Kew Gardens Hills, New York

Additional Czech Holocaust Resources

Lenka Matusikova’s article on Czech archival sources (AVOTAYNU, Summer 2008) was most informative, and readers might be interested in some additional sources that relate to the Holocaust. The most accessible of these is the 1939 German Jewish census, which was extended to the so-called Sudetenland section of Czechoslovakia. As is the case with German localities, all Jews, or even non-Jews with at least one Jewish grandparent, were required to complete a detailed questionnaire giving name, date and place of birth, address and grandparents’ religion. This collection is available from any LDS Family History Library or at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM—RG-14.013M reel 282). The USHMM also has an electronic version of this material that can be searched to see if a name appears before actually searching the film. The Kreis (counties) included (in the order in which they appear on the film reel) are: Bärn, Freiwaldau, Grulich, Landskron, Mährisch Schönberg, Mährisch Trappau, Neutitschein, Rumerstadt, Sternberg, Wagstadt, Asch, Eger, Elbogen, Falkenau, Karlsbad, Pressnitz, Mies, Neudek, Podersam, Saaz, Tachau, Plan, Aussig, Bilin, Leipa, Brüx, Daina, Deutsch Gabel, Gablonz, Hohenelbe, Komotau, Leitmeritz, Reichenberg, Teplitz-Schönau, Tetschen, Trautenau, Warnsdorf and Rumburg.

Also, researchers need not go to Prague to consult the list of Czech Jews sent to Theresienstadt. This list is available in the two-volume work Terezinska Pametni Kniha, Zidovske Obeti Nacistickych Deportaci z Cecz a Moravy 1941–1945, (Terezin memorial book: Jewish vitims of Nazi deportations from Bohemia and Moravia: 1941–1945) published by Terezinka iniciativa Melantrich in 1995.

A large number of microfilm collections, some quite large, are available at the USHMM and, in some cases, Yad Vashem, that may also be of interest. No restrictions exist on access to these collections. The most recent of these (USHMM citation) is RG 68.002M, 58 reels of film, “Nazi persecution of Jewish communities in Bohemia and Moravia.” The others, all filmed at the Czech State Archives unless otherwise indicated, with a brief description, are:

RG 48.001M 2 reels: Restrictions on Jews, aryanization of property

RG 48.008M 103 reels: Occupation records, treatment of Jews

RG 48.009M 1 reel: Anti-Jewish propaganda

RG 48.010M 221 reels: Prison lists

RG 48.011M 63 reels: Czech Jews in the United Kingdom

RG 48.012M 32 reels: Czech Jews in the United Kingdom

RG 48.013M 9 reels: Lists of doctors and German administrative records

RG 48. 014M 1 reel: Emigration from Czechoslovakia

RG 48.015M 1 reel: German administration

RG 48.004M 6 reels: from Czech Military Historical Archives— military records including deportation lists.

Somewhat more extensive descriptions (but not individual names) of each of these collections can be found on the archives section of the USHMM website, <www. ushmm.org>.

Peter Lande

Washington, DC

How Do You Handle Spelling Variants of Names?

I have encountered many spelling variations of surnames; for example, Vernikov variations include Wernikov, Wernikoff, etc. What is the genealogical rule about how these spelling variations should be handled? Is it proper to use one uniform spelling instead of variations?

In a similar example for the Lefkowitz family, I have primary source documents that show the name Lefkowitz, but in one case the name used is Lefko. The Lefko name is from a birth certificate, but I know for a fact that the father’s name is Lefkowitz. How would you handle this? Would you use the Lefko name because it appears on the birth rec-ord with an explanation of the name variation, or would you use a uniform name?

Jacob Koff

San Francisco, California