Fw: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Escaping from Volhynia

[bfand]

Hi Al
I wonder if the main impediment to leaving Russia or Poland
at this time was only for those who were avoiding the military,
as many of my ancestors left Poland for America in the 1880s
and ive never heard anything about them having a problem with
leaving. Some even went back and forth a couple of times.
My grandmother who was born in Plock told me that there was also
a mass migration of people from Plock to the area near Culm
in aprox 1908-1910. This was at the invitation of Kaiser Wilhelm
who helped to arrange this.
She said all the roads were filled with people, wagons and farm animals
heading west. It would appear that at least at this time there wasnt anyone
attempting to stop these people from leaving Poland.
I also had family members that left Zyrardow just after 1900 and went to
Latvia
and again there seems to have been no difficulty for them in leaving.

Bob Fandrich

----- Original Message -----
From: <AlbertMuth at aol.com>
To: <ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2003 8:17 PM
Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Escaping from Volhynia


> This is a stab in the dark, since my Muths came from Lublin province, on
> the West side of the Bug river.
>
> In the pre World War I period, there was no Volhynia-Poland "border".  We
> are dealing with abutting provinces (gubernia) in the Russian empire.
> In the postwar period (same war), Wolyn was one of the Polish provinces,
so
> still no international border.  I believe it is in this interbellum period
> that one
> refers to Polish Volhynia and Russian Volhynia.  If we are talking about
> Eastern Volhynia in the post 1919 (?) time period, then "escape" may
> be a different story.
>
> I have been following the recent discussion with interest because my
> grandfather Michael Muth 1862-1937 fled Russian Poland with his wife
> and two infants to avoid military service.  This basic fact coincides with
> some of what I have been reading.  From family lore, I know that
> two unmarried men, Eduard Gabert (born about 1869) and Friedrich
> Tullke (born 1866), accompanied them; this story has been borne out
> by the Hamburg passenger list (sailed 15 May 1886 on the "Polynesia"--gee,
> what a cruise!).
>
> In my possession, I have a passport allowing for internal travel between
> provinces within the Russian empire, dated 1886.  In his case, it allowed
> passage from Lublin gubernia to Warszawa gubernia.  Ostensibly, though
> it is not so stated, he was going to visit relatives.  The family story
> includes
> few details, but one of them is that they crossed the border hidden in a
> hay wagon.
>
> Times change, we are dealing with slightly different geography.  I offer
my
> own family story in the hope that it can shed some light on the manner of
> "escape".  SGGEE has several members who have visited (will visit)
Volhynian
> archives and may still maintain contact with them.  May I suggest, for the
> benefit of all, that internal passport records be explored?  I find it
hard
> to
> believe that any relief was felt upon entering "Poland", that is, West of
the
> Bug
> River, since this was still part of the Russian Empire.
>
> How far we are from today's travel itineraries!
>
> More chatter on this issue is needed if it is going to benefit those who
can
> do the primary research in the archives.
>
> Al Muth
>
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