There are two types of records that are extremely valuable to the
genealogist: Registration Lists and Town/Village Records (Ewidencje) of
Repatriates and Resettlers. Both types of records may not be available for all
powiaty. Furthermore, determining the type of record is not easy due to
the various methods of cataloging the material at each of the State Archives.
These reports in Opole were listed as "Ewidencja
ludności". Unfortunately, for the several powiaty
checked in the Wrocław State Archives, I could not locate any such village
reports. The archivists said that there is a chance that they may be
catalogued under a different heading. However, I did not have enough time to
look at all document types, as the PUR Collection is enormous.
For locations where Ewidencje exist, there may be one, two or all
three types available for research.
The three lists represent a standard practice of collecting information in a
step-by-step process. Most of the information is carried from one form to the
other.
The first form is on huge papers, some forms reaching over three feet long!
The names are not sorted in any way other than grouped by village or town within
the gmina and then within the powiat.
This information was transcribed onto the pre-printed forms. I’ve seen
several different types of forms containing the same transcribed information.
One form title is "Imienny Wykaz Osiedlonych" ("List of Settlers),
while another is simply titled only "Nazwa
miejścowości ________ i gminy __________" ("Name of place ______
and gmina _____").
The third form takes the above information but sorts it for each village by
house number and for each larger town by street. This form usually has the title
"Formularz Ewidencyjny".
The forms contain information not only about the amount of land, farm animals
and equipment the person brought with himself, but also what was left behind.
The Repatriates were supposed to get an equivalent size farm in their new homes
in the western provinces as compared to what they originally had in the Kresy.
The Polish government was supposed to reimburse the forced migrants any lost
land and materials. In reality, this was difficult. If the person expelled from
the Eastern Territories left in haste, he might not have all the official
documents proving ownership of land or animals. Also, local Communist
authorities in the newly acquired western and northern provinces divided up land
vacated by the Germans to the indigenous Poles for favors and loyalty. This
sometimes left the Repatriates with the poorest selection.
The forms vary from powiat to powiat. The usual pieces of
information included in these forms is found below:
| Nazwisko
i imię (głowę rodziny podkreślić) |
Surname and first name (head of
family underlined) |
| Data urodzenia |
Date of birth |
| Miejsce urodzenia
(wieś, powiat) |
Place of birth (village, county) |
| Imiona rodziców |
Names of parents |
| Stan cywilny |
Marital status |
| Zawód |
Occupation |
| Skąd przybył
(wieś, powiat) |
From where came (village,
county) |
| Data przybycia |
Date of arrival |
| Nr. domu |
House number |
| Stan domu |
Condition of house |
| Ilość izb
mieszkalnych |
Number of rooms |
| Ilość izb zajętych
przez niemców |
Number of rooms occupied by
Germans |
| Ilość kuchni |
Number of kitchens |
| Inwentarz żywy
własny i niemiecki |
Inventory of living property
(and German) |
| koni (P./N.) |
Horses (Polish/German) |
| krów (P./N.) |
Cows (Polish/German) |
| wołów (P./N.) |
Oxen (Polish/German) |
| buhaji (P./N.) |
Bulls (Polish/German) |
| świń (P./N.) |
Pigs (Polish/German) |
| kóz (P./N.) |
Goats (Polish/German) |
| owiec (P./N.) |
Sheep (Polish/German) |
| Zabudowania gospodarcze |
Farm buildings |
| stodoły |
Barns |
| obory |
Cowsheds |
| stajnie |
Stables |
| Ilość ziemi należy
do gospodarstwa w hektarach |
How much property was within the
farm in hectares |
| Uwagi |
Notes |
Unfortunately, due to size and fragility, I was not able to
acquire a photocopy of a Village List. However,
click here to see a sample page of a
Village List from the State Archives in Opole. The village is Kurznie,
Opole powiat. (At the time of the resettlement at the end of the war, the
village was known as Kuchary and was in Brzeg powiat.)
