Poland is a fascinating travel destination and a vacation in Poland is all the more meaningful if your family originated there. There are travel agencies that specialize in this type of vacation. Plan your next trip around discovering the towns and villages from your family's past.

Background for Travel in Poland

There is probably no place in the world, where you couldn't find someone of Polish ancestry. For centuries Polish people have emigrated to other countries, often leaving their descendants puzzled about family origins. The search for one's roots, the identification of ancestral towns and family trees are difficult, but not impossible tasks. And while it is easier to trace the history of wealthy and prominent families, especially of noble origin, much can also be discovered about middle-class and peasant family lines. Please be advised, that the material included below is for your information only; all prices were quoted by companies or offices not related to the Polish National Tourist Office and are subject to change without notice.

The main help comes form the science of genealogy, a branch of history now regaining popularity in Poland. Actually, Polish genealogy was in quite good shape until World War II. Many books and publications on the subject, such as "The Polish Crown 1728-1744", an 18th century armorial by Kasper Nisiecki, and "Polish Armorial" by Adam Boniecki were well-known and respected all over Europe. The beginning or the 20th century marked the establishment or the first genealogical associations in Poland. The best known among them was The Polish Heraldic Society rounded in Lvov in 1908, which published The Heraldic Monthly magazine and the Annals of The Polish Heraldic Society. While most books published oil genealogical subjects prior to 1939 contain reliable information, it must be noted that there were also some that purposely falsified historical data just so as to fulfill the fashionable public trend toward claiming noble heritage. The twelve-volume "Encyclopedia or Polish Nobility" written by Stanislaw Starykon-Kasprzycki and published in Warsaw between 1935 and 1938 is one such example.

After World War II, genealogy in Poland was in a state of decline, having received little support from the communist government. Only the academic research was continued, resulting in important publications by Prof. Wlodzimierz Dworzaczek. The turning point occurred in the late 1980s. In 1987, a Genealogical/Heraldic Society was established in Poznan, and a year later The Polish Heraldic Society once again started operating in Warsaw, with the goal or continuing its prewar traditions. The two societies publish scientific periodicals: "Gens" quarterly in Poznan, and "Scientific Bulletins" in Warsaw. A more accessible publication is "Heraldic Magazine", the first mass-market periodical in Poland devoted to heraldry, genealogy and cultural traditions. Its bilingual, Polish-English editions may be obtained from the publisher, ul. Wiolinowa 7/23, 02-789 Warsaw, tel. (2) 643-64-99. Subscription rates are approximately $30 in Europe and $40 elsewhere, with foreign subscribers entitled to free advertising.