Proving Jewish Ancestry

The Challenge of Post-War Archives

For many descendants of Polish Jews, the trail of family history often goes cold in 1939. The destruction of the Holocaust left a "documentary void." However, a common misconception is that all records were destroyed.

In reality, millions of documents survived. The challenge is not existence—it's bureaucratic complexity, language barriers, and the passage of time.

Why Proof of Ancestry is the Key

To acquire a Polish passport, you must confirm you already hold it by descent. This requires finding:

• Army Records: Service in the Wojsko Polskie often confirms citizenship.
• Kahal Records: Jewish community registers that pre-date civil registries.
• Residential Lists: Księgi Ludności that prove town residency.
• Passport Files: Original 1920s applications with photos and signatures.

Deciphering the "Lost" Languages

Before 1918, Poland was partitioned. Records might be in Old Russian, Yiddish, German, or Latin.

As a polyglot in Israel and Poland, I manually search these handwritten archives. Understanding how surnames changed upon emigration is the difference between success and rejection.