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PODHALE AREA RESEARCH GROUP

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© The Podhale Area Research Group (PARG) -- all rights reserved
Bi-Monthly Newsletter # 1 -- July-August 1999
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Hello Podhale researchers! Here is our first bi-monthly newsletter. You
are receiving this because we have been in contact before or you have posted
somewhere on the web that you are researching your roots from somewhere in
northern Orava county, Slovakia or southern Poland's old Nowy Sacz province
(now Malopolskie, this was extreme SW Galicia). This issue is being e-mailed
free to all who are online and to the rest via standard mail. For all of you
who want to print this newsletter out for reference we'll try to keep it to
4 type-written pages in length!
The beautiful Podhale valley on the foothills of the mighty Tatry
mountains west of Zakopane and Nowy Targ, Poland is along the famous Dunajec
river. This valley extends both into Poland (P) and Slovakia (SK). In the
late 1800's and early 1900's many, many people immigrated from this
beautiful land due to poor conditions and made a new life in the U.S. In an
attempt to help everyone researching their ancestry here, the Podhale Area
Research Group has been set up to help out. Membership is FREE. We ask only
that you share what surnames and area stories you have in order to use the
resources provided by others in PARG.
The PARG study area is just west of the very popular ski resort town of
Zakopane, Poland. The official study area is a circle roughly 12 miles in
radius with Liesek, Slovakia at its center. Over 80 villages of both Slovak
and Polish origin are in PARG and they include the dozen or so Slovak
villages which became part of Poland when the border changed in 1920.
We have a PARG website under construction which will soon have village
info, surname lists, photos and more. For now at least it includes a full
list of all of the villages and is worth a look. It is found temporarily at:
http://members.xoom.com/PARG_NET
(A group similar to PARG started a year ago called "ZARP" which studies
the area EAST of Zakopane. They have grown to over 300 members and their
surname list just went over the 2000 mark! Seventeen of them are traveling
together in August to their study area to do research and meet new-found
family. You can also visit their website at: www.iols.com/users/bingham to
see what our PARG future might look like!)
Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
-- Paul K. Bingham
PARG Team Leader
bingham@iols.net

WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT______________________
Great Orava, SK website: http://slovakia.eunet.sk/
Lots of PARG photos: www.sknet.sk/orava-tour/gb/index.html
Polish Podhale church photos: http://193.193.73.3/tatra/
Podhale Cable Railway: www.zakopane.pl/pkl/ski_tour-z.html
Malopolkie Zipcodes: http://malopolska.tcig.tarnow.pl/kody/a.htm
Slovak-English Dictionary: http://premium.isternet.sk/slovnik/
Lots of Slovak Links: www.panorama.sk/en/
Find Nearest LDS FHC: www.lds.org/en/2_How_Do_I_Begin/4_where_is.html

PARG REGION SURNAMES________________
° Bobrov, SK: PAJDUSAK
° Czarny Dunajec, P: BANIECKI, CHLEBOWSKI, OZAISTOWICZ,
WILCZEK
° Dzianisz, P: GRUSZKA, KOZMELY, SZTASSEL
° Jablonka, P: KARNAFEL, SLOSARCIK
° Jasenica, SK: JACZKULIK
° Klin, SK: HABCAN, LAPIKAS, ZIVCAK
° Lipnica Wielka, P: ADAMCZYK, BOLIBRUCH, NIEMIEC, STERCULA
° Namestovo, SK: BENEDEK, BRIEDON, BROMERSKY, BYSTRICAN,
CAPRUDA, DEMKO, DENDIS, FARSKY, HANAY, HERKEL,
JACKULIK, JAGELEK, JAKULIK, JANOVIAK, JASURA, JURINAK,
JURIS, KLUCH, KOHUTIAR, KOLADA, KOLLADA, KOVACIK,
KOVALCIK, KOVALIK, KREMEN, KRUSINSKY, KUBICA, KUCKO,
KUCZKA, LAPEKAS, LAPIKAS, MICUDA, MIKLUSICAK,
MISKOVCIK, MURIN, NANISTA, NILKOVA, OVSIAK, PAFCIK,
PAJDUSAK, PITAK, PUVAK, REM, RENTKA, RIK, RUSINA,
SIMON, SIVON, SLUNA, SMRZIK, STEPUNESIK, STERCULA,
STRAKA, SVETLAK, SUNEGA, TICHVON, TRABALIK, TRNKA,
TYLKA, UHLIARIK, ZILOVA, ZMORAK
° Nizna, SK: CSERVEN, HLAVAJ, HUCHALA, HUCSALA,
HUJO, HUGO, KANDIERKA, KANDJERKA, KORCUSKA,
KUBINEC, KUBINES, LABDIK, LAHOCZKY, MATALA,
NAKASKA, OBRINESAK, PAL, PAVCUGA, PAVLICK,
PAVLISZ, PRUN, SELING, SELLING, SULYAK, SVRCEK,
TOMANOCZCY, TOMIGA, TOMIGAT, TUKA, VRANA
° Podbiel, SK: BENUSIK-ZEMAN, PAZURIK, SCHELLING
° Podszkle, P: BANIECKI, OZAISTOWICZ
° Rabca, SK: FEDOR
° Slanica, SK: BALEK, BAZAN, BELCSAK, BERNATYAK,
BERONEK, BLSKA, BOLY, BRANDISZ, BRIJA, BROMERSKY,
BRNOLAK, BRNOSAK, BRNOSIK, BRUNKALAK, BUDZOVSZKY,
CSAJKA, CUJAK, CURJAK, CVERNYAK, CZUPAK, CZVERNYAK,
DELMCSIK, DELMSZAK, DEMKO, DOBROVOLNY, DROBNIK,
DYELINCSIK, FABIAN, FARSZKY, FARUBSZKY, GALASZ,
GAUASZ, GOGOLYAK, GOLAK, GRACIK, GRACZIK,
GYURJANCSIK, HRUBJAK, HRUBOSS, HURKALA, JACKULIK,
JACZKULIK, JAKULIK, JANEK, JANOSEK, JANYAK, JATAN, JENDREJSZKY, JURCAK, KADLUBJAK, KAPUSZTA,
KAPUSZTYAK, KAVIAK, KAVJAK, KIRCSBAUM, KISSAK,
KLINOVSZKY, KOISZ, KORBELY, KOV, KOVALIK, KOZAK,
KRAHOVSZKY, KRASZNICZA, KRASZULA, KRICSPAUM,
KUBAJDA, KULCSAK, KUSSAK, KUSZYAK, KVASZ, LARYAK,
LATYAK, LISAK, LUKACS, MALATINSZKY, MARKOVCSIK,
MARSSAK, MATKOVESIK, MATYKOVCSIK, MICKULCZIK,
MISCSAK, MLINARCSIK, MORAVISIK, MROZSAK, MUSKA,
MUSSKA, NANISTA, ONDRASZIEK, ONDRASZKA, PACZIGA,
PALLASZ, PASS, PASSKO, PIENTEK, PRIADKA, PUVAK,
RAVJAK, SCHNERCH, SCHNERCS, SCHURGOSS, SEBENSKY,
SESSCSIK, SILANY, STEPUNCSIK, SZESZTRENEK, SZIKORA,
SZKLENCSIK, SZLAMCSIK, SZTASSEK, SZTRAHA, SZVIDRANY,
TAK, TELENCSIK, TIMCZAK, TOMIK, UTRASA, VANGEL,
VANGELL, VANGELY, VASILOVSZKY, VASZILROSZKY,
VESZELOVSZKY, VITCH, VITEK, VOJTANEK, VOLYAK,
VRANCSIK, VRSAK, WRANGEL, ZEMANESIK, ZIGMUND
° Ustie, SK: PAJDUSSAK
° Vavrecka, SK: ADAMIK, BARDISZ, BUGAN, CIERNIK, DENDIS,
HOLUB, JANOLO, JANOLY, KOLYAK, KRIVDA, MARTINESCH,
RENTKA, SIMLASSIK, SIMORDIK, SMRZIK, SNADIK, SUCAK,
TURCEK, UCHALY, ZUFA
° Witow, P: HARAS, KOIS, KOJS, SUTOR
° Zubrohlava, SK: RANDJAK, STYRCULA
° Zubrzyca Dolna, P: KOSMAL
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*** This is just the start, folks! We are going to continue digging and post
MANY more! If you have surnames from villages known to be within the PARG's
region please send them in so we can share them with the others. And a
special thanks to J. Batzel, M. Hadsell, The Huchalas, L. Lapikas, R.
Nanista and M. Sheremata who contributed greatly to this list!

ANCESTRAL VILLAGE PHOTOS/VIDEO_______________
As mentioned, 17 "ZARP" members are going August 12th to their ancestral
villages east of Zakopane. I am going, too, and will stay nearly another
week after the tour ends to do photos, video, and interviews with village
priests and potential family members for other ZARP members.
I also have family from the Zakopane, P. and Namestovo, SK (within our
PARG area). I will be researching thereafter in the Podhale area for another
ten days. If you would like me to go with my translators/drivers to your
villages I can. I make this offer ONLY to those with PARG-area family. (I
will not have time to travel to any other regions of Slovakia or Poland.)
Cost for a copy of the Podhale and Tatry area video, including the
custom footage of your particular village, ancestral church & graveyard is
just $99. Additionally I will record priest & family translated interviews
and attempt to look at local parish records for $40.
Those who subscribe to "Slovak Heritage Live" know that a similar offer
to video in your ancestral village is priced at well over $400. And one
Slovak photographer on the web offers to shoot still photos in your village
for $99 (doesn't include shipping or surcharge for Poland) and he keeps the
negatives (you have to pay him extra for any reprints). Since I am doing all
this for you at cost, you really won't find another opportunity like it.
I can STILL take a few more signups but need to complete my arrangements
for stay there based on my scheduled stops. If you want me to video in your
village you must contact me by July 15th. And I will need your prepayment of
the $99 or $139 along with your village, family surname(s) and other info
you want to send me by July 31st. I will accept personal checks and my
mailing address is: Paul Bingham, P.O. Box 31264, Mesa, AZ 85275. Fax me:
480-854-1983 or e-mail me: bingham@iols.net

PARG MICROFILMED RECORDS AVAILABLE_____________
The following microfilmed PARG records are available through your local LDS
(Mormon) Family History Library:
° Bobrov, SK 1788-1895 Rolls #1922398, 1922399
° Cimhova, SK 1787-1879 Rolls #1978909, 1978910
° Habovka, SK 1787-1897 Roll #1980593
° Hladovka, SK 1787-1893 Rolls #1980595, 1980596
° Huty, SK 1787-1896 Rolls #1981147, 1981148
° Kriva, SK 1855-1898 Roll #1924899
° Lipnica Wielka, P 1801-1870 Rolls # 949117, 949118
° Locka, SK 1741-1898 Rolls #2002461, -62 & -63
° Namestovo, SK 1757-1895 Rolls #2003299, -300, -301
° Namestovo Jewish 1850-1921 Roll # 2004578
° Oravsky Biely Potok 1787-1913 Rolls# 2004589, -590
° Rabcice, SK 1766-1905 Rolls #2010680, 2010681
° Trstena, SK 1763-1950 Rolls #2062254, -55 & -56
° Tvrdosin, SK 1686-1906 Rolls #2062267, -68 & -69
*** Remember, many smaller village records are included in the larger
parishes. For example Namestovo, SK also includes rcords for Jasenica, Klin,
Slanica & Vavrecka. Please let us know what village records you find on
these rolls. And if we missed any let us know! (Nizna, SK with Podbiel is
available, I believe, but I couldn't find the roll numbers on the new
website.) Give us a hand if you can -- thanks!

DID YOU KNOW? -- PODHALE FACTS___________
This area has many centuries of history. Those who live here are known as
"Goralski" or "Highlanders". Tatry mountain Highlanders have always been a
rugged, hardworking and independant sort. Over the years they have managed
to survive and keep their culture alive regardless of what country or
government might happen to be in power at the time.
When the communists took over and demanded each village turn over its
records, in many cases the highlanders said "What records?" Consequently,
many of these villages do not have records in the archives which the LDS
have been microfilming. For those records you now have to visit the village
itself! Highlanders have for centuries spoke their own dialect, which was a
blend of Polish and Slovak. The dialect locally is called "Po nasimu" which
means "in our own way".

OTHER NOTES______________________________
(1) Due to ISP anti-spamming policies this newsletter is sent out in small
groups of 15 or less. (2) If you would like the current e-mail address of
someone in PARG just contact us. (3) If you have comments or questions just
ask! (4) If you know someone who might benefit from receiving this
newsletter just send their address and we'll add them to the list. Thank
you! H o p e t o h e a r f r o m y o u s o o n !
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