Poland Pilgrimage Day 7

Poland Pilgrimage Day 7


Danuta has become a professional “form filler-outer”. She needs a raise. That poor woman filled out forms today till she had writer’s cramp. She is a great secretary, ha ha! Well, today we drove to Katowice. I think Danuta was a little nervous because it is a big city and she was afraid of getting lost, but the GPS got us there before they opened and all was well. We put our stuff in the lockers and noticed that they had some books for sale. Tomorrow I will see if I have time to check the Family History Library catalog to see if we have them or not. Unfortunately, I can’t do it at home at the Ulfik’s because of the fact that I have this dumb internet problem. As we were driving and such we were happy to find that the archive was not in the Centrum, rather on the outskirts so we could avoid the Katowice traffic.
Well, we got in and there were about 3-4 other people there besides us. We didn’t notice any cameras as had been in the Gliwice archives, very visably displayed. There were computer plugs and quite a lot of space to work and many stations in which to sit. No problem there. We had to fill out forms, again. We filled the same 2 page form with all my information on it. One for Danuta and one for me. They were all in Polish and so all I did was sign my name. Then we had to start filling out requests. This archive, although they knew I was coming, did not have my books ready as the other archive did. We had to have our book order placed by 9:30, but because we filled so many forms to do this we were really racing against the clock. They told us the 5 book only rule. I told them that the manager had given me permission for more, but they were still not quite sure how many I could have. Ended up I got a lot and we were working like crazy until closing time. This time the copy situation was much different than in the Gliwice archives. Luckily no post office to deal with, however, all my requests have to be reviewed by the manager because they don’t own the books only are the caretakers of them and so the manager was not in today. (of course..) Hopefully tomorrow. The one item I really wanted to see had been sent to repair and they weren’t sure if I could see it. Another manager problem. So again, there is always tomorrow. I didn’t have to pay yet for the copies. After they determine if I can have everything I requested, then it takes 3 weeks and then after that they will bill me and send them to Danuta on CD.
We worked straight through lunch without a break till we went home,. During the wait times, I did as I had in Gliwice posting my blog entries and emailing and reading emails. And Answering Sylvie’s translation request. So I found some really interesting stuff today. My brain is so full I can hardly think of what they were. First there were moving records, Influenza reports, law suits., arrest forms, foreign workers etc. I had no idea that “flocks” of Galizian people came to Koszecin. There were 2 family names in my line from various towns in Galizien. While looking through the court records, I found in 1894 an arrest record of my great-grandfather, Franz Gralla. He was found guilty of breaking a law (It gave the official law number, not the crime) and fined him 20=== or 3 days in jail. That was probably the start of his life of crime in poaching, ha ha! Npw here is the thing, he wasn’t the only family criminal, I HAD LOTS OF THEM!! Many different family lines. I can’t wait to get the copies to read through these crazy things. I really had no idea, the many crazy types of records that give so much data were available in the archives. I have learned so much already. So then I found travel passes, forest workers from Galicia records giving their former residence and passports. I am just crossing my fingers that I will get those copies. If not, it will be more than a bad thing.

Well, after a hectic day at the archives, we completed the day’s work and decided to eat. A little hard to find a restaurant where we were but finally we did. Nothing fancy, but OK. We then went to the bakery and got a different version of a poppy seed cake to bring home, also some traditional Silesien Wafers. They are quite cool. Then we got in the car and followed Bobby Sue’s (my GPS) directions back to Koszecin where we gassed up our diesel car and we have driven 1 week clear from Warsaw on ½ tank of gas. I kept thinking we would run out and it just never moved. We filled in 149. Zl about $50.00. (sounds better in dollars, I think!) I can’t wait to put some pictures in my blog, but I just don’t get the opportunity, which is a bit frustrating. I know how plain text can be boring… Then we found the market and bought some water and some cool Polish items that I will bring home. No mushroom chips here, although there were some rather interesting flavors, I must admit. Danuta bought some items, too. I bought some Haribo gummy dinos. Now there’s one I hadn’t seen before. Then back to the Ulfiks, where as usual dinner was ready. It was spaghetti and for dessert our Poppy seed cake. I liked today’s cake better than yesterday’s, but Jan preferred the one from yesterday. We all laughed because no one could agree on the best one.

Malgosia and family were all there and she is building a new house and asked about all the modern American kitchen amenities. I told her and she said, she would be having some of them but not all. It is really interesting to me how Polish people linger over the meals, not eating, but talking and talking, laughing and just being together. It is nice, but the dishes never seem to get done! Her little daughter Weronika likes to entertain us with American children’s songs, counting in English and just being a cute little 5 year old. Right now it is pouring rain outside. Theresa said that it had rained a lot during the day, but we didn’t have any in Katowice or driving to and from the archives.

Tomorrow is another day at Katowice archives and we are driving Theresa to Piekarny Slaska which is on the way for her little school friends get-together. So that will be fine. I got some nice pictures today. One of a sunflower field just full of flower…I know, again no picture. Well, I will get to the pictures, too, eventually.

As we were driving Danuta had asked me to turn on the radio. I did and a man’s voice, a very sexy voice came on and I said, wow, what a sexy voice and Danuta said, yes, that is the Catholic Priest on the Catholic radio station talking about confessions…OK, I repent.

As I am upstairs, I can hear the family and Danuta just laughing and laughing, so I am glad that Danuta is having a good time, also. It is very comfortable to be here., I love it.

Well, whomever is reading this, till next time. On the weekend there may be a little silence on this end, unless I find a internet spot somewhere. On Saturday night we are going to some kind of a cultural event at the Palace. With folk dancers and so forth. Sounds nice.

Oh, I can’t remember if I already wrote this or not. But the tornado in Koschentin that occurred about 2 years ago, which was on the US News and happened in Koszecin was 1 km wide and when it happened it blew over the bus or van that the Polish dance group Slask was traveling in. I think a couple of people died if I remember. I remember hearing it while in the kitchen listening to TV while cooking and thinking that I had hoped none of my family was too near this. Well, it took out the farm of my great grandfather, Franz Gralla. I am so glad that we saw it while it was still intact in 1992. I had just hoped to get some good photos and I got photos, but the old stuff was no more.