HUNGARY-L Archives

Archiver > HUNGARY > 2004-04 > 1081289974


From: "Joseph \(József\) Serflek" <>
Subject: Re: [HUNGARY-L] advise
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 18:19:35 -0400
References: <4d.3d145ca2.2da43faa@aol.com>


If I remember correctly when Hungary was dismembered (re Trianon) then a lot
of the churches sent copies of their registry etc to their regional
headquarters and or the national archives. Below are some addresses to look
into for info and research.

http://feefhs.org/ethnic.html
http://hungaria.org/hal/genealogia/
http://rootsweb.com/~autwgw/agslki.htm
http://www.cyndislist.com/
http://user.itl.net/~glen/Hungarianintro.html
http://www.tccweb.org/helpful.htm
http://www.ssees.ac.uk/hungary.htm
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/HUN/
http://kvtlinux.lib.uni-miskolc.hu/lib/archive/kiadv/magylevt/index.htm#egyh1
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wghungar/Mail/mail.html

JĆ³zsef (Joseph) Serflek
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 1:15 PM
Subject: [HUNGARY-L] advise


Cris,
What Elizabeth stated may well be true for Hungary, but since your
location
of interest is now part of Romania, you have a complete different
situation.
While some churches in Romania may have "bootleg" copies of old birth
records,
for all practical purposes, all church records were turned over to the
Romanian
Government (by decree) and are housed at various National Archives
thoughout
the country. In general, there are National Archives for each county. In
researching ancestors which were from Szatmar (now Satu Mare, Romania), I
personally visited the actual churches only to be told that they turned
their records
over to the Government. The only way I could obtain access to the National
Archives was by using a researcher registered with the Romanian Government
allowing him to search the records. Even with the use of a registered
researcher, an
appointment had to be made with the National Archives to research their
records.

The alternative suggested by Elizabeth, using FHC microfilmed records,
unfortunately does not work for parts of Hungary which are now in Romania.
Few, if
any, church records from Romania have been microfilmed by the LDS. My
understanding is that it is not because they would not like to but the
Government
Authorities will not allow it.

There are civil registration birth records for Hungarian areas now part of
Romania that start in the very late 1800's. They are housed in each
village
office where the birth took place. Again, this may not be a solution as:

1)The villiage authorities are very protective of the records. When I went
there personally, they allowed me to view but would not give me a copy of
my
father's birth record (born 1907)

2) Being your grandfather, his birth was probably before the time of civil
registration.

3) If civil records are available, it is possible but not easily done, to
obtain a copy of the record by request to the Romanian Embassy. I am on my
second
request and have not even received an acknowledgement.

Cris, I wish I could be more encouraging, but my experience is that the
only
timely and practical way to obtain your grandfather's birth record, being
he
was born in a part of Hungary which is now Romania, is to employ to
registered
researcher to do it for you. If other's have an alternative, I also would
be
most anxious to here about it.

Jerry


This thread: