Hi I really don't know where these two families came from. Pokrefky is suppose to be german Bohemian. Anton (Anthony) Pokrefky came to the US about 1869 with his wife Josephina Bellahovak and 1 son that I know of Frank Anthony Pokrefky who was about 7 years old. I don't know what cities they came from and I don't know how to go about finding out. Michael Svehla and his wife Maria ?, came to the US also about 1869 they came with 4 children, Maria b 1856, John b 1857/58, Michael jr. 1860/61, Frank 1863/64 and Anna 1867 and they had two more children in the US. Both families came in at New York. Both families settled in Detroit, Michigan. I was told that someone might have the Leo Baca Books and that I would probably find them in vol IV, if some kind soul would look them up for me I would be grateful. If anyone can help me or point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated. Hoping to hear from some one. My E-Mail address is joann809@msn.com<mailto:joann809@msn.com<about:blank>> Joann

Iglau in the Czech Republic is now known a Jihlava. Karen

Joann, this is the German Bohemian site. Not one of your surnames is German, so I doubt that anyone can help you here. You have to get to the Czech genealogical site, they probably could be much more helpful in your case. But they will also need to know from where they came. So I suggest that you use this link here and put the last names in it, to see when they arrived at Ellis Island. They have a name register and you may be able to find their place of origin. Try this, before you contact the Czech Bohemians, and good luck! Aida Ellis Island Register - search by surname http://webcenter.ellisisland.netscape.com/sign/index.asp Czech City locator map: http://mapy.atlas.cz/mapviewer/mapviewer.aspx ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joann Pokrefky" <joann809@msn.com> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2006 8:53 AM Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] sirnames Pokrefky and Svehla > Hi > I really don't know where these two families came from. Pokrefky is > suppose to be german Bohemian. Anton (Anthony) Pokrefky came to the US > about 1869 with his wife Josephina Bellahovak and 1 son that I know of > Frank Anthony Pokrefky who was about 7 years old. I don't know what cities > they came from and I don't know how to go about finding out. > Michael Svehla and his wife Maria ?, came to the US also about 1869 they > came with 4 children, Maria b 1856, John b 1857/58, Michael jr. 1860/61, > Frank 1863/64 and Anna 1867 and they had two more children in the US. > Both families came in at New York. Both families settled in Detroit, > Michigan. I was told that someone might have the Leo Baca Books and that I > would probably find them in vol IV, if some kind soul would look them up > for me I would be grateful. > If anyone can help me or point me in the right direction, it would be > greatly appreciated. Hoping to hear from some one. My E-Mail address is > joann809@msn.com<mailto:joann809@msn.com<about:blank>> > Joann > > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Would you like to see messages that were posted before you joined the > list? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist.html and request an > archive. >

Thank you. They are either from the Czech Republic in the Iglau area or from the Slovak Republic in the Iglo area. We are still checking. Thanks. ----- Original Message ----- From: <KarenHob@aol.com> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 10:39 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Haky, Kolesar > If you know the surnames of your Bohemian ancestors were Czech and that > they > spoke Czech you may get more help from the Czech-L list. > > The Chicago Czech community is well represented on that list. > > Karen > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? > Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html > >

Karen - Happy Friday! I am not sure that I have ever used the Czech-L. Can you tell me how to get access?? Thanks! Mary Jo ------ Original Message ------ From: KarenHob@aol.com Date: Friday, February 3rd, 2006 12:46 PM CST To: GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Haky, Kolesar If you know the surnames of your Bohemian ancestors were Czech and that they spoke Czech you may get more help from the Czech-L list. The Chicago Czech community is well represented on that list. Karen ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== Forgotten how to UNSUBSCRIBE? Visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/mailinglist/mailinglist.html

If you know the surnames of your Bohemian ancestors were Czech and that they spoke Czech you may get more help from the Czech-L list. The Chicago Czech community is well represented on that list. Karen

Found a website about Czech Heraldry --- coats of arms for the towns and cities. http://www.ngw.nl/int/cze/czech.htm Karen

Of course there is a Runarz / Runarov (czech with accents on a and r) in todays Czech Republic: former Politischer Bezirk Litovel, Gerichtsbezirk Konice, not in Bohemia, but in Moravia, near Olomouc. That Runarz was an "Ortsgemeinde" of its own (sort of municipality), 1910: 727 inhabitants). greetings from Austria Hermann Rafetseder

In message <1e5.4c20cfac.3111c442@aol.com>, KarenHob@aol.com writes >There are at least nine places named Beneschau in Bohemia. Do you know >which one they Bergers were from? > >Karen > Hi Karen, I think the most likely is Benesov nad Ploucnici, as their child Wendelin was born in Ulgersdorf 19 Oct 1876. My father says they all came from round the Decin area. By 1900 they were in Merzdorf, just next to Eulau. Regards, -- Helen Oram

Thanks for the suggestions. They all married into the BERGER family from Beneshau, apart from Paulina PECHANZ who married Heinrich FUNKE . The FUNKE family lived in Merzdorf near Eulau. Other names of interest are ENDESFELDER , JÄCKEL, RIPKE, FRITSCH. <http://www.wtoram.co.uk/famtree/surnames.htm> Regards, -- Helen Oram

There are at least nine places named Beneschau in Bohemia. Do you know which one they Bergers were from? Karen

Hello, Can anyone help with the meaning & origin of these names? STRAKA, BAREŠ, PECHANZ all families living in the villages round Eulau (now Jilove), near Decin. Thanks, -- Helen Oram

Thank you very much. I have found a great link. You probably already found but I will send anyway. _THE SUDETEN GERMANS!!...............WHO ARE THEY?_ (http://sudetengermans.freeyellow.com/) The Eye witness account of the expulsion is more traumatic than I expected. I am beginning to understand why so little has been spoken about this in my family. I am planning on going to Germany to meet with my Aunt who was the oldest girl at the time of the expulsion and perhaps can get more information to write my family's personal story. Deb

Search the web with: Czech surnames derivation There are a lot of hits for sites that may have the answer for you. Karen In a message dated 1/31/2006 11:19:45 AM Mountain Standard Time, helen@wtoram.co.uk writes: Hello, Can anyone help with the meaning & origin of these names? STRAKA, BAREŠ, PECHANZ all families living in the villages round Eulau (now Jilove), near Decin. Thanks, -- Helen Oram

I have found the town (Runarz) spelled Both Runarov and RunAjAov in Central eastern CZ near the Town (Olmitz) Olomouc. This area considered to be south Moravia. I know for cetain that is area was considered part of Sudetenland...and was heavily settled by German speaking people my family included who spoke German in the home. It becomes harder tracking people down when translating from German to Czech etc. My Aunt now in her late 70's had visited her Aunt.. as recently as seven years ago in the town Runarov. _Mapy | Atlas.cz_ (http://mapy.atlas.cz/mapviewer/mapviewer.aspx?cy=-1121000&cx=-574300&icon=default&scale=15000&action=zoomto) Thanks for your help. Deb

I am beginning a search of relatives from Runarz (Runarov) CZ, my mother Hedwig Dostal was born there in 1933, she is one of ten children ,her fathers name was Alois Dostal her mother was Aloisia Grulich....after the war her mother moved to Morlenbach, Germany. Some of the family including an Aunt remained in CSSR. Any information would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks Deb

Thanks for the link to the map, yes indeed, it was the Sudetenland. It is near Zwittau and since I visited my relatives there between 1935 and 1945 I can certainly vouch for it. They had German offices, German schools and the settlements were predominantly German. The area was called the Schönhengstgau. Go to:http://www.schoenhengstgau.de/ and click on "trachten". The German population of the Schönhengstgau were 125,000. You may also go to the link below to see the entire German Gau in Moravia. http://www.landsgesell.de/Herkunft/Schonhengstgau/schonhengstgau.html Aida ----- Original Message ----- From: <BEEPOD@aol.com> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 10:16 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Any information?? >I have found the town (Runarz) spelled Both Runarov and RunAjAov in >Central > eastern CZ near the Town (Olmitz) Olomouc. This area considered to be > south > Moravia. I know for cetain that is area was considered part of > Sudetenland...and was heavily settled by German speaking people my family > included who > spoke German in the home. It becomes harder tracking people down when > translating from German to Czech etc. My Aunt now in her late 70's had > visited her > Aunt.. as recently as seven years ago in the town Runarov. > _Mapy | Atlas.cz_ > (http://mapy.atlas.cz/mapviewer/mapviewer.aspx?cy=-1121000&cx=-574300&icon=default&scale=15000&action=zoomto) > Thanks for your help. Deb > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Visit the German-Bohemian Heritage Society Web Page! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/ >

I believe that you would be served better on a Czech website, because these are all Czech names. I know a little Czech and straka means magpie, (the bird) .....I could not place the other two. Aida Kraus ----- Original Message ----- From: "Helen Oram" <helen@wtoram.co.uk> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 10:17 AM Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Origin of names > Hello, > Can anyone help with the meaning & origin of these names? > > STRAKA, BAREŠ, PECHANZ > > all families living in the villages round Eulau (now Jilove), near Decin. > > Thanks, > -- > Helen Oram > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Visit the German-Bohemian Heritage Society Web Page! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/ >

I can not find any town by either the Czech or German name in the Czech Republic or in Slovakia. But I had a hit in Poland with this name Runarov, Reinartz, Poland Why don't you start checking there while I am going to search a little further..... perhaps someone out there in GB land comes up with a better clue? Dostal is definitely a Slavic name, but Grulich is German; this could explain that part of your family was expelled, while the other part was able to remain. Aida ----- Original Message ----- From: <BEEPOD@aol.com> To: <GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 8:43 AM Subject: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN] Any information?? >I am beginning a search of relatives from Runarz (Runarov) CZ, my mother > Hedwig Dostal was born there in 1933, she is one of ten children ,her > fathers > name was Alois Dostal her mother was Aloisia Grulich....after the war her > mother > moved to Morlenbach, Germany. Some of the family including an Aunt > remained > in CSSR. Any information would be helpful and appreciated. > Thanks Deb > > > ==== GERMAN-BOHEMIAN Mailing List ==== > Visit the German-Bohemian Heritage Society Web Page! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/ >

If you wish to reply to this message, please reply to Monika at <jlurqu@bellsouth.net> and not to me. Paula Goblirsch German-Bohemian List Admin ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jon Urquhart <jlurqu@bellsouth.net> Date: Jan 29, 2006 4:27 PM Subject: subscribe To: german-bohemian-l-request@rootsweb.com attempting to identify my mother's family roots. She was born in Sudetenland around 1931 with the family name of Diwisch. regards, Monika