German Immigration to America


Book Description

If you are researching your German family history, this book is a must-read. The book should help you answer the questions, why did our German ancestors immigrate; when did they leave; how did they get here; where did they settle? It includes descriptions of many aspects of German history that affected immigration to America, and the material should give you vital insights into your ancestors' immigration. Remember that each immigrant has a unique story, and it is our challenge to dig out as many details of their immigration saga as we can when doing our family history research. I am sure this book will help point the way to many exciting stories about your family history. The stories will help your ancestors come alive. Our immigrant ancestors are the foundation of our roots in the United States. Our lives would be much different if they did not endure the challenges of emigration from Germany. Do not underestimate their contributions. They played a critical role in factories and farms in the United States. Their lives were building blocks in the growth of their new country.




Polish Immigrants and Industrial Chicago


Book Description

Chronicles the experiences of immigrants in two iconic South Side Polish neighborhoods in Chicago to demonstrate how Poles created new communities in an attempt to preserve the customs of their homeland.




Polish Immigrants, 1890-1920


Book Description

Discusses the reasons Polish people left their homeland to come to America, the experiences the immigrants had in the new country, and the contributions this cultural group made to American society. Includes sidebars and activities.




American Warsaw


Book Description

Pacyga chronicles more than a century of immigration, and later emigration back to Poland, showing how the community has continually redefined what it means to be Polish in Chicago.




Polish Genealogy


Book Description

When did your Polish ancestors immigrate, from where did they leave, why did they leave, how did they get here? These are questions we all hope to find the answers. The four steps outlined by the author will give a simple method to do your Polish genealogy research and will help you find your ancestors. The methods used are designed to give the researcher the tools to be more successful in finding their Polish origins. The book outlines a simple process that will identify where your ancestors were born and where to find their Polish records. Other books may have great reference materials but this book will help find the records. The author, Stephen Szabados, uses his own genealogical research experience to outline this simple process that has been successful for him. The book lists many sources of information that will add to your family history; identify where your ancestors were born and where to find their Polish records. Traditional sources are covered but it also discusses many new and exciting sources for Polish records that have been implemented by genealogy societies in Poland. The book includes many screen prints of internet pages and includes explanations on how to use them. The hints and tips discussed should prove useful for both the beginner and the veteran genealogist. The information in this book covers the most up-to-date collection of sources for Polish genealogy and should prove to be invaluable when doing Polish research.




Polish Refugees and the Polish American Immigration and Relief Committee


Book Description

The end of World War II found a devastated Poland under Soviet occupation. Many Poles--those displaced to work camps in Germany, those in German concentration and P.O.W. camps, and those still in Poland made the decision to immigrate to the United States. Their journey, however, would not be easy. The rigors of the war had affected America as well, and immigration laws were strict. Fortunately, many Polish refugees received help from the Polish American Immigration and Relief Committee (PAIRC). Founded in 1947 to help Polish citizens displaced by World War II, the committee continued its work as the postwar period became the Cold War era and Poles continued to flee the communist regime. This study of the PAIRC and its work includes both the broad history of the committee and stories of specific individuals, which add detail and lend insight into the plight of the refugees and the importance of the advocacy that the committee provided. Drawing on information from committee archives and firsthand consultations with prominent members, this book covers such topics as American immigration law, aid for the Polish Republic, and the effect of political change in Poland itself. It also discusses how the downfall of the communist government transformed Poland into a country that opened its own arms to the world's refugees.




A History of the Polish Americans


Book Description

In the last, rootless decade families, neighborhoods, and communities have disintegrated in the face of gripping social, economic, and technological changes. Th is process has had mixed results. On the positive side, it has produced a mobile, volatile, and dynamic society in the United States that is perhaps more open, just, and creative than ever before. On the negative side, it has dissolved the glue that bound our society together and has destroyed many of the myths, symbols, values, and beliefs that provided social direction and purpose. In A History of the Polish Americans, John J. Bukowczyk provides a thorough account of the Polish experience in America and how some cultural bonds loosened, as well as the ways in which others persisted.




The Polish Peasant in Europe and America


Book Description

Focusing on the immigrant family, this title brings together documents and commentary that is suitable for teaching United States history survey courses as well as immigration history and introductory sociology courses. It includes an introduction and epilogue.




The Polish American Encyclopedia


Book Description

At least nine million Americans trace their roots to Poland, and Polish Americans have contributed greatly to American history and society. During the largest period of immigration to the United States, between 1870 and 1920, more Poles came to the United States than any other national group except Italians. Additional large-scale Polish migration occurred in the wake of World War II and during the period of Solidarity's rise to prominence. This encyclopedia features three types of entries: thematic essays, topical entries, and biographical profiles. The essays synthesize existing work to provide interpretations of, and insight into, important aspects of the Polish American experience. The topical entries discuss in detail specific places, events or organizations such as the Polish National Alliance, Polish American Saturday Schools, and the Latimer Massacre, among others. The biographical entries identify Polish Americans who have made significant contributions at the regional or national level either to the history and culture of the United States, or to the development of American Polonia.




The Exile Mission


Book Description

Considering the two distinct Polish immigrant groups after World War II - the Polish-American descendants of pre-war ecomomic migrants and polish refugees fleeing communism - this study explores the uneasy challenge to reconcile concepts of responsibility toward their homeland.