Jewish Family History

World War II witnessed the extermination of 6 million European Jews, literally eliminating three and sometimes four entire generations of families.  Surviving family members found it almost impossible to trace missing relatives, either those killed in the death camps or those left wandering about a tattered and dysfunctional post-war Europe.  Descendants were challenged by Swiss banks to produce non-existent death certificates to access family bank accounts.  Through the tangled mess of a war-ravaged continent, how could anyone find records to begin building a family tree. Are personal anecdotes and old newspaper clippings all that we have?

Where to start?  You have no real official records, only a few old photographs and some faded letters.  You cannot read German.  Can DNA testing help?  How does that work for Ashkenazi or Sephardic Jews

For the answers to these questions and many more, consider joining your local genealogical society.  For instance, huge volumes of Jewish records have been recovered intact and are now accessible online.  Genealogical society folks can assist you in your own search.  Some archives, websites, and Facebook groups are focused specifically on Jewish ancestry. 

Ron Gilmore

Email:   rvg3@me.com

Website:     https://www.rgenealogy.ca