Hello, could you please tell me how to find information about my parents and siblings in the records of those who arrived from Europe in 1950?
I’ve already found my relatives at this link:
I’m in Belarus, so I can’t visit the archive in person. Can I submit an online request to search for the information I need, or is there a specialist there who can help?
The NAA site can act a bit funny regarding links copied directly from their website. Could you list the item, page and line numbers of the image that you are referring to?
Also, could you explain what kind of other details you are looking for?
NAA: A12020, 343-347
Series number: A12020
Control symbol: 343-347
Barcode: 5301538
Number of pages: 42
Title: KOLUBAJ Jan born 2 June 1897;
I already requested a death certificate, and it listed Ivan’s parents’ names, but in Eastern Europe, patronymics are always included, and in this case, it’s Jan’s grandfather’s name, which is his father’s patronymic. Could the names of Jan’s siblings also be listed?
On 27 Mar 1950 Jan, Eugenia and 2 daughters arrive on the USNS General R L Howze.
Their Melbourne arrival passenger list:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=32823909&T=P&S=587 (row#20)
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=32823909&T=P&S=600 (row #52)
On the same ship is also a third daughter (Alexandra):
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=32823909&T=P&S=613 (row#68)
Her “Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons” file:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=5301552
The family settles in Melbourne’s western suburbs
In 1954 Jan and Eugenia apply for citizenship: Making sure you're not a bot!
A year later they become Australians: Making sure you're not a bot!
Eugenia dies only 7 months before Jan in 1978:
Their Grave: Eugenia Kolubaj (unknown-1978) - Find a Grave Memorial
Daughter Nieonila dies on 21 Sep 2017:
Death notice: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/slusarczyk/4551026
Funeral notice: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/tributes/notice/funeral-notices/slusarczyk/4672387
Grave: Nieonka Slucarczyk (1926-2017) - Find a Grave Memorial
(Probable) Daughter Alexandra dies on 23 Aug 2003
Grave: Melbourne Chevra Kadisha | ALEXANDRA PAWLAK (click on “view Monument” for grave image)
Daughter Galina KOLUBAJ dies on 11 feb 2017
Death notice: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/christo-kolubaj/4841250
Funeral notice: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/tributes/notice/funeral-notices/christo-kolubaj/3964854
Grave: Galina Christo (1932-2017) - Find a Grave Memorial
Thank you very much; I had already found some of this myself, but there is also a lot in what you sent that I hadn’t come across before.
I am writing using a translator, so the translation might not always be perfect - please excuse that.
I requested Jan’s death certificate, and it lists his parents’ names.
Is it possible to find out Anton’s patronymic?
Perhaps you found a file like that for Jan? The “Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons” file: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=5301552
Since, according to this archival file reference code
NAA: A12020, 343-347
Series number: A12020
Control symbol: 343-347
Barcode: 5301538
Number of pages: 42
Title: KOLUBAJ Jan born 2 June 1897;
There is a card like that only for Galina and Nionella, his daughters
The file that you’d initially mentioned for Jan is part of that same series# A12020 …
Here is the series description: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=A12020 (NB: it is worth reading the “Series note”)
A direct link to that file that you’d already found: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=ID&Number=5301538
I understand your question regarding patronyms, but countries like England and Australia don’t use that system in official documents. You won’t find patronyms unless they were used as actual second/third/etc names.
From their application for citizenship (in the newspaper), I assume that Jan and Eugenia were born in Łopienica/ Łapienica Mala (now Malaya lapenitsa?) or Wielka (now Hryniewicze?). I’m not sure which documents were left after WW2, but maybe the archives in Hrodna, Białystok or maybe even even Warsaw would be better places to look for e.g. Jan’s birth and/or baptism and other family documents. I’ve checked for online documents from that area but there does not seem to anything recent enough (I could be very wrong here).
Thank you for these clarifications; let me share my thoughts on the matter.
I read the “Series note” section—it’s a useful article—but a few questions came up regarding the content:
The link you sent includes these cards, but it does not contain a specific card for Jan listing his parents, education, nationality, and year of arrival in Germany—like the ones that exist for Galina and Nionella. Does such a card exist for him, or are the details recorded on his daughters’ cards the only ones available in this specific format?
2. Furthermore, the document stated:
“Other original documents created by the IRO in Germany and Austria concerning individual displaced persons are held at the International Tracing Service in Bad Arolsen, Germany (website: its-arolsen.org). CM-1 forms contain information obtained during personal interviews—part of the process for determining eligibility for displaced person status—and may be of particular value. In general, IRO archives are typically housed at the National Archives of France in Paris.”
I already contacted the Arolsen archive in March of this year and am awaiting a reply; the current processing time for requests there is 13 months, and the information I need might be there. My question concerns the archive in Paris: does the data held there duplicate what is available in Arolsen and Australia, or are they different documents?
As for older documents—dating back to 1890–1900 and earlier—preservation is better; for instance, I am currently examining records from the 1600s and 1700s for this area. If you need any advice on the search process, feel free to ask—I’ll help however I can.
1 Yes, I wonder whether Jan and Eugenia do not have their own cards because their approval for admission is based on different reasons: i.e. their full-time maintenance is guaranteed by their daughters (Jan is guaranteed by Nieonila and Eugenia by Galina, see page 5 and 6)
2 I know the Arolsen archives, but I can’t answer your question. I have seen some Australian passenger lists duplicated on the Arolsen site, but have no idea what Paris holds. I assume that Arolsen is still in the process of cataloguing, digitizing and indexing their many holdings, so anything could still be hidden away at the moment. (I’m still waiting for more about a West European uncle who would have been in a Polish camp as a forced laborer.)
3 I’d seen some of those older orthodox films as well (mainly on Family search) and had noticed one or 2 orthodox Belarus films in the Warsaw archives. Unfortunately it is a very meagre selection. I suppose that this is one of those case where DNA might be able to give more answers. (FYI I’m wondering whether Jan might have passed on info to his (grand) children.)
I sent an inquiry to Paris; perhaps something will come of it.
Regarding the territory of Belarus—specifically the part that was part of Poland between 1921 and 1939 (and earlier)—the relevant archives might be located in Belarus, Lithuania, Russia, or Poland, depending on the historical period. It is crucial to know the individuals’ religious affiliation; furthermore, one must bear in mind that vital records could be in Russian or Polish and that names and surnames might reflect Belarusian linguistic features.
