This information is current as of September 1988. INFORMATION ON GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH The Embassy of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic has the honor to inform you about genealogical research made by the Czechoslovak State District Archives. This research is based on vital statistics registers (registers of birth, marriage, and death) and can provide you about names of the searched persons, dates and names of their parents and usually their occupations (only in certificates of birth), names of their wives and husbands and names of the witnesses of their marriage (only in certificates of marriage), cause of death (only in certificates of death), etc. Research can be made either: 1. In the form of a running account 2. In the form of individual vital statistics records GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE FORM OF A RUNNING ACCOUNT This research is based on information about one ancestor (usually on the date and place of his or her birth). From this record of birth it is possible to trace the parents of the searched person and under certain circumstances his or her brothers or sisters (if they were born at the same locality), etc. In order to commence genealogical research about descendants of a known ancestor, it is, however, important to know the date and place of his or her marriage or the date and place of birth of children. It is advisable to enclose to your application a deposit of not less than $50.00. The extent of the research, however, depends on your limit, up to which you are willing to finance it. According to my best knowledge the adequate limit for the beginning research is $100.00. The research fee corresponds with the number of working hours spent for this research by professional archivists plus postage. The administrative processing of your application(s) is free of charge. Owing to the fact that research always depends on the accuracy of information indicated at the application, in certain exceptional cases it is possible that the report will be very limited or completely negative. For this reason, please let us know everything, which could help us identify the searched person (numbers 4 and 5 of the application). The most appreciated assistance will be, however, if you enclose to your application copies of documents issued in Czechoslovakia. VITAL STATISTICS RECORD This research is a step-by-step procedure, from the applicants point of view more time consuming, but less expensive. The deposit for certificate of birth, marriage or death is $10.00 per document. It is possible, however, that because of inadequate information or incomplete application, etc, special surplus will have to be paid. This surplus depends on the number of hours spent for this research by professional archivists. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Please pay appropriate attention to the localization of the place of birth, marriage or death. If this information is incorrect, it will be impossible to receive positive report. 2. Certain localities (small villages or settlements) can have exactly the same or very similar name. These names have been changed over the last centuries after Germanization or Hungarization of geographic expressions and subsequent change could have occurred after the independent Czechoslovakia came into being. The misspelling of geographic expressions could happen in the United States too. For these reasons it is highly recommended to try to find the name of the county, parish, post office, bigger town or other identifiable element. It is not sufficient, however, to advise only Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, Austria-Hungary, etc. 3. It is not necessary to know the exact date of birth, marriage or death and the research can be made in vital statistics registers for a certain period of time (several years). A more precise date of event can make, however, research faster and from the financial point of view more inexpensive. 4. Vital statistics records were administered over the last centuries by several churches and that's why a locality can have several registers. Although the registers of the Roman Catholic Church were dominant, in certain areas other churches were more or less important too. Because of this fact the religion of the researched person is very important too and this information can save much money to the applicant. 5. the current capital of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic Prague was divided among many subdivisions having their own parishes till the beginning of the 20th century. If your research concerns Prague, it is necessary to know the locality where the searched person was born, married, or died. The most important localities are Stare, Mesto, Nove Mesto, Vinohrady, Vysehrad, Smichov, Karlin, etc. 6. The Embassy will confirm the receipt of your application in about 14 days. In this confirmation you will be advised the reference number of your file. If you wish to contact the Embassy in this case, it is necessary to know this number. 7. If you do not have the above confirmation in a reasonable period of time, please make sure the Embassy had received your application. It is advisable to send the application by certified or registered mail. 8. The research can be made in about 6 months. Your inquiry before this period cannot expedite the procedure. 9. As soon as the Embassy receives your report (vital statistic Record) from Czechoslovakia, it will be immediately sent to you. Providing your deposit does not cover the fee, you will be notified about the unpaid balance. As soon as this balance is paid, the Embassy will send the report (vital statistic record) to you by certified mail. 10. The Embassy would appreciate, if you could send your application in two duplicates. Dr. Gabriel Brenka Czechoslovak Consul ****************************************************************** The above information was received from the Czechoslovak Embassy. To start your inquiry, get a set of applications for research from Embassy of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic 3900 Linnean Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008 ****************************************************************** If you have any information on the following surnames from the Koterbachy/Porac area of Slovakia, leave EasyPlex mail to Greg Kopchak 70357,2312: Kopchak Macala Cebula Stanislav Galayda Smik Baluch Varmega ****************************************************************** Gregory Joseph Kopchak 2233 Keeven Lane Florissant, MO 63031 September 24, 1988 ******************************************************************