The information provides a letter in a format to inquire about ancestors in Slovakia. I think John Hudick provided a very useful service (in 1996), perhaps you have something to add to improve on what he was posted? Dr. "Q" Robert Jerin wrote: >""Dr. Joe Q"" <DoctorQ@comcast.net> wrote in message >news:3F63A56A.7020108@comcast.net... > > >>Below is some general information regarding letters about ancestors >>written by John A. Hudick regarding Slovak and Rusyn Roots, sorry I >>don't have the URL. >> >>9. BLIND LETTERS TO THE ANCESTRAL VILLAGE >>If you think you may have relatives in a certain village but are not >>sure you can write a blind letter and address it to the mayor of that >>village. Insert a few U.S. Dollars into the envelope, or use two >>International Postal Reply Coupons, (IPRC’s) available from U.S. Post >>Offices. The address to write to the town mayor of the town of Hostovice >>in the Humenne District with a zip code of 06735. >> >>In SLOVAK In ENGLISH >>Starostovi mesta Hostovice Mayor of the town of Hostovice >>06735 Hostovice Hostovice 06735 >>Okres Humenne Humenne District >>Slovak Republic Slovak Republic >> >>Be sure that the U.S. Postal clerk understands that this is going to the >>Slovak Republic, (U.S. Postal Country ID number 333) and not to >>Slovenia, which is a part of the old Yugoslavia. >> >> > >Oh I see and California is a part of old Spain! One would think that those >who voted for independence would get some respect and that we could simply >call the country..... Slovenia! > >Yugoslavia 1929-2003 RIP! > > > >>The following is a letter I wrote to the Mayor of the village of my >>ancestors. The first is in English and the second is the translation in >>Slovak >> >>To the Mayor of the town of [village name] >>District of [ ] >>Slovakia >> >>If there are any persons in [Slovak village name] with the family name >>[enter family names], please give this letter to them. >> >>My name is {your name}. I am the grandchild of {Grandmother} and >>{Grandfather} who came to America in {year of immigration} and lived in >>{state}. I have been investigating my family ancestors and would like to >>communicate with [family name] family members who live in [Slovak >>village name]. >> >>I live in near [your nearest major city], in [your town] , [your state] >>. I am [age] years old. I am a university graduate with a degree in >>[your degree]. I work as a {your occupation}. >> >>I would like to hear from you. Please write to me. Tell me about >>yourself and your family. Tell me about the town of [village name], what >>kind of town it is, the people, how many people, it’s farms, the church, >>the mountains, it’s industry and so forth. >> >>There is a possibility that I may visit Slovakia and [village name] this >>summer. >> >>I am sending two International Reply Coupons for your reply postage. You >>should exchange them at your post office for stamps. >> >>If you can make your reply in English it would be helpful to me because >>I do not know the Slovak language. This letter was designed for those >>people who do not understand Slovak. >> >>Sincerely, >> >>For the following letter, the diacritical marks are lost in e-mail >>transmission. If you would like a copy of this letter, send a SASE (Self >>Addressed Stamped Envelope) to me at my address listed below. Mention >>“Slovak letter”. >> >>John Hudick >>123 Baywood Road >>Boulder Creek, California 95006 >>FAX: 408 338-2120 >>eMail: hudickj@pab281a.ssd.loral.com >>or mtnmann@aol.com or mtnmann@got.net >> >> >>Starostovi mesta [village name] >>Okres [District name] >>Slovensko >> >>Vazena >>Ak su v [Slovak village name] osoby, ktore maju priezvisko [family >>names], odovzdajte im prosim vas tento list. >> >>Ja sa volam [your name]. Som vnuk [Grandmother (GM)] a [Grandfather >>(GF)] , ktorii prisli do Ameriky v roku [year of immigration] a zili v >>[state]. Robim si vykum o predkoch mojej rodiny a rad by som sa spojil s >>clenmi [GF family name] a [GM family name] rodiny, ktori ziju v [Slovak >>village name]. >> >>Zijem blizko [your nearest major city], v meste [your town] v [your >>state]. Mam [your age] rokov. Mam skoncene univerzitne vzdelanie v >>odbore [your degree]. >> >>Pracujem ako [your occupation]. >> >>Prosis by som Vas, keby ste mi odpisali. Napiste mi o sebe a o svojej >>rodine. napiste mi o meste (obce) [village name a o tom, ake je to >>mesto, aki l'udia tam ziju, kol'ko ma obyvatel'ov a podobne. tiez by som >>rad vedel, ake su tam polia, hory, priemysel, atd'. >> >>Je celkom mozne, ze tohto leta navstivim Slovensko. >> >>Posielam Vam dva Medzinarodne predplatene postove kupony na znamky. >>Tieto kupony sa daju vymenit na poste za znamky. >> >>Obracian sa na Vas prostrednictvom listu, ktory bol zostaveny pre osoby, >>co nevedia po slovensky. Ak Vasa odpoved' bude v anglictine, privitam >>to, lebo patrim prave k tym, ktori po slovensky nevedia. >> >>s uprimnym pozdravom, >> >>[your name] >> >>I hope this helps, you're welcome. >> >>Dr. "Q" >> >> >>Rob & Elaine wrote: >> >> >> >>>Could someone provide me with a sample letter to send to people in >>>Zohor, Slovakia who have the same surname as that of my mom's parents >>>who emigrated from Zohor? They may be related, but I don't know and >>>I'm not sure how to write them and not be offensive. Each culture has >>>its own way of speaking and I just don't want to blurt out, "Are you >>>relatives?" >>>And, if you can provide a sample letter, any suggestions on where to >>>get it translated into Slovak? >>> >>>elaine summerhill >>>