I agree with Dorothy's comments 100%. I have actual copies of pages from parish registers and unless you have all the described training, you would not even recognize what is written there. Basically it is like trying to read scribbling; the language is not even recognizable sometimes. As much as anyone might enjoy sitting at a microfilm reader looking at page after page of gibberish, I would recommend getting a professional to do your research. On one family line, I have used 3 different persons plus the Brno Central Archivists because of their availability over ten year period. It is very reassuring where one professional can pick up where another left off in order to finish a particular branch. Ron At 06:47 PM 06/14/2004, you wrote: >Hi Susan, >That's a big question--my personal opinion is that I think they are trying >to organize their records for themselves first. IF and that's a big IF >it happens, it will likely be when the current government changes over >and there are more people who are currently under age 40 in positions of >authority. I think there are too many old guard still around. Then maybe >the Mormons will have a better chance to talk to them and get something >going again. > >My question to you is, how fluent are you in Czech grammar (especially the >7 adjective and noun case changes for each of the 3 genders--which also >applies to surnames, first names, villages and regions), Czech geographic >names and changes and the German variation, vocabulary, and old >handwriting, even Czech in German script? You will find all of that in >the records plus the German and Latin languages. This is, of course, on >top of reading the microfilms. When I get copies from a researcher, it is >hard enough to find my family on the one page they send me, and read the >citation. Finding it in the original book can be quite daunting if you >are looking for anything older than 1900. Not to discourage you, but >there are a host of difficulties. >Dorothy > >Susan Williams wrote: > >>Dorothy, >> >>Thanks for your explanation to the list -- I have made extensive use of my >>local Mormon research center and they (other researchers too) have been of >>great help. Next time I'm in Mesa (I have family there) I plan on visiting >>their center. >> >>My question to you is -- do you foresee the Czechs making microfilms of >>their church records available outside the country. At some time, I may >>engage a professional researcher but, to tell the truth, I really enjoy the >>quest of finding information myself. Thanks for your comments. Susan >> >> >> >>==== CZECH Mailing List ==== >>The mailing list is configured to reply only to the list. If you are >>making a personal reply to a poster, it will be necessary to delete the >>list address and add the individual's address. >> > > > > >==== CZECH Mailing List ==== >To unsubscribe, send an e-mail message to: > CZECH-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) > CZECH-D-request@rootsweb.com (for a digest of multiple > messages) > In the body include only one word: unsubscribe