2-2 September 1997

EUREKA! I’VE FOUND IT!

At least I think I have. As you know the microfilmed records of Zichydorf births, deaths, and marriages available through the Family History Library end in 1842, 1851 and 1828, respectively. Most of the pioneers who came to Saskatchewan were born after 1860. Because of this gap, genealogists have been unable to link the family in North America with the records from Europe. That gap may now be closed. I have made contact with a research group in Budapest that claims to have access to the missing records. Through the Internet, I have corresponded with several of their satisfied customers. I have inquired about a lower group rate for their research, but discussions are going slowly due to their summer holidays. More to follow as things firm up.

 

NEW MEMBERS/CONTACTS

 

To contain postage and copying costs, I will not mail a full researcher list with each newsletter. I will include new names in the newsletter for a couple of issues, then update with a complete new list periodically. New names since the last list:

 

Miller, Harold, searching Klug, Faul, Yung, Oberle, Borschowa, Kaip, Nieszner, Engel; 512 Blair Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55103-1637; email hmiller1@isd.net.

 

Schultz, Stephen, searching Schultz, Weist, Stodfeldt, Drescher, Bayerle, Froh, Jacob, Honig, Mass, Vogel; 309 Avenue J North, Saskatoon, SK, S7L 2K1; email s.schultz@dlcwest.com 

 

Eichhoff, John and Penny, searching Amon, Gobatch (Kovatch?), Jung, Wiomi, Hasenfraz, Eichhof; 1194 Van Buren St., Shakopee, MN, 55379; emaillkeandPen@webtv.net 

 

I have recently sent posters to a number of Ontario German organizations asking them to advertise our existence. I am hopeful this will result in new contacts in the east where there are also many Zichydorfers.

 

NEW RESOURCES

 

The following items have been added to the internet site and the binder at the SGS library:

-extracts from the 1901 census of southern Saskatchewan,

-alien registrations of likely Zichydorfers in St. Paul, Minnesota compiled by Richard Barton, and

-extracts from the Familien Kalendar, a list of subscribers to a Banat magazine, have now been posted on the web site after clearing up copyright questions.

 

Also on the web, check out Dave Dreyer’s list of Zichydorfers from Familien Kalendars of other years at http://feefhs.org/banatldufk/zichydor.html. A copy of this work is also in the SGS library.

 

At our last meeting in the spring we voted to purchase two books for the SGS library. These books are now on the shelves. In the Claws of the Red Dragon by Father Wendelin Gruber, SJ, is an account of his experiences and observations at the hands of Tito’s Partisans in Yugoslavia from 1944-48. Es War Einmal by Sister Mary Agnes Theiszmann Pitzer is a “docudrama” of the Donauschwaben with dialogue based on fact and legend.

 

The SGS has ordered a microfilm copy of the St. Joseph’s colony records to the Regina Family History Library on indefinite loan. I have not seen it yet, but apparently it also contains information about people in nearby communities, such as Vibank. Some Zichydorf immigrants first stayed at St. Joseph’s Colony and many settled at Vibank and Kendal. This one should be worth a look.

 

Kay Niedermayer obtained a copy of the Bartole family tree for us. This family has links to the Kainer, Donauer, Anwender, Leitner, Amon, Schneider, Niedermayer, and Frasz families, to name a few. I will be adding this tree to my database of over 4,000 names before placing it in the library, hopefully by Christmas.

 

Other fallout from our spring meeting: We decided we would like to have a photocopy of Achtzener’s Zichydorf book for circulation while keeping the original in the library. The SGS staff advised they could not help due to copyright concerns. We had also hoped to copy John Molter’s video tape, but the SGS was again unable to accommodate us due to copyright. Glenn and John are working on another option. We also decided to investigate obtaining hard copies of the Zichydorf and St. Mary’s (Regina) microfilms. The SGS librarian is attending a conference in Salt Lake City in late September and will investigate this at that time. Purchase of copies of the Zichydorf microfilms is on hold until this is resolved. Glenn was unable to locate The Seven Susannas by Eva Koehler in any Regina library.

 

DUES

 

At our spring meeting we discussed how to apply the $10 annual dues. We concluded that dues would cover a calendar year. Please contribute your dues for the 1998 year in the near future. If you don’t do it right away, you may forget. $10 is not much money, but when several people pull together it adds up. We have made a lot of progress in the last year. We have made many new contacts through mail and the Internet. Both of these methods require some cash. Please help us out. Maybe our next contact will be the one you need.

 

MEETING OF REGINA BRANCH

Regina branch will meet at 7pm, Sunday, October 5, 1997 at St. Timothy School, 280 Sangster Blvd. Mark it on your calendar and please join us. Bring a friend.  

Agenda:

Purchase of resources: What items should we add to our library?

Discovery of Zichydorf records: Arranging our requests to access these records most economically?

Group tour in September, 1998: I must have an indication of the number of people interested so I can begin finalizing arrangements. What would you like on the itinerary?

Translation of Achtzehner book: Elisabeth Hugel (Grob) will outline her arrangement with Johann Achtzehner, her progress to date, her plans for the future, and give a brief outline of the book’s contents.

 

ZICHYDORF DATABASE

 

I have over 4,000 names in my Zichydorf database and I still have three large family trees and data from several letters to enter. Please submit your family trees to me, there is a chance I can tie you in to research that is already complete. That, after all, is one of the primary goals of our group, sharing information so that each of us doesn’t have to research everything individually. If we all work together and share our results, we can accomplish far more than each of us individually. I have been able to assist in making a couple of connections and would love to help make some more.

 

Zichydorf Village Association News

edited by: Glenn Schwartz

2274 Baldwin Bay, Regina, SK, S4V 1 H2, Canada

internet: http://feefhs.org/zva/frg-zva.html

e-mail: schwartc@meena.cc.uregina.ca