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

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. > >

I now realize you are absolutely correct in the difficulty of reading the records. I have spent about three years reading the Hungarian church records -- some would consider those records easy to read because the headings are in Latin (relatively easy to translate) and the information is in column form rather than sentence -- so there are no grammar rules to decipher. I did attempt to read some Italian and French records -- all the problems you mentioned existed in full force. Looks like I'll be using a researcher someday too. Thanks for the advice and information -- I actually experienced all you mentioned very recently. My mother's first cousin sent me a copy of a baptismal certificate from Bohemia for my great uncle born in 1854. I saw all the problems you mentioned on one piece of paper! Take care. Susan

I attempted to obtain census records which did not survive and so the kind researcher checked the Church index of believers from 1855 to 1859 which (HAPPY DANCE, folks, can you hear those taps tap tap tapping?!) did contain family. Because the house numbers are on the copies I am able to "see" the family names. I admit that I am very happy I have that "pointer". I absolutely required the help of professional researchers once I crossed the water. Elaine Hello Dorothy On Monday, June 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