[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Margaret-Research in Poland?

[Otto]

Margaret,
You requested an opinion on 'origin' and I could not hesitate giving  
one, due to hearing like requests or statement similar to yours.

Nationality
n : the status of belonging to a particular nation by birth or  
naturalization.

-Best described as one's political home- An area of land circled  
around with imaginary lines and imbued with imaginary rights.  These  
throughout the course of history have proved to be temporal  
arrangements at their best.
   What finer example could one choose than East or West Prussia,  
Pomerania, South Prussia, New East Prussia, Lithuania and the grand- 
daddy of them all, Poland.  Few of my ancestors set foot on what can  
be termed German soil (national) before WW2.  Some did set foot on  
and lived on Prussian soil.  Many, even though in Russian Poland for  
generations never lived on "Polish' soil, politically it was Russian  
soil.  Ethnic Poles had great difficulty living on "Polish" soil.  
(until 1989)  Nationality was of little value for one seeking  
identity. Ethnicity and culture served much better in this case.  I  
am an American, I was born on the soil. . . To my neighbors I am  
still a "kraut".

Ethnicity
n : an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or  
cultural ties; "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status  
relations".

-Best described as one's genetic heritage upon which a culture or  
cultural unity is based. Perhaps greater understanding can be gleaned  
reversing the statement, "Ethnicity is one's cultural heritage upon  
which genetic lineage is based."  Genetic identity fades to an almost  
nothingness in some 300 years while the cultural trappings tend to  
linger. Surnames remain as no more than a 'historic handle' one can  
grasp on to. Culture may be the greater of the forces gluing together  
a breeding group.  Today, through modern means of transportation in  
what is now a global environment, cultural identity is melting into  
one of the family of man.

Most seek 'identity' by relationship, hence the effort expended by  
many (self included) in genealogical research, we 'follow the paper  
trail', establishing the adventurous road traveled through the flow  
of time.  Many come to realize 'origin' can never be established for  
it does not exist.  Life is about that wondrous trip we so relish.   
Language oft serves as a matrix around which culture is built. Each  
family usually kept their language learned at the mother's knees  
alive in their kitchens behind closed doors. Which language did these  
relatives  you query speak among themselves at home?  As Uwe asked,  
"is it important for you, which origin your ancestors have?"  And if  
the answer is yes, I simply ask you, "Why?"

While nations and cultures tend to clash because of self-interest,  
most people I've met care and share with their neighbor.

My ancestors were of the broad classification Germanic people, but  
then so are the Angles, Saxons, Dutch, Swedes, Danes, Norwegians,  
Germans, Swiss, Austrians and so on and on.  I never could understand  
the classification of, for instance, Poles or Lithuanians and others  
as not being Nordic tribes?  Perhaps a bit of political spin?   Or,  
perhaps religious spin?

The historian, Will Durant, was brief and concise with his succinct  
statement, "Civilization is built on the back of the man with the  
hoe."  One gives thought to the statement and soon comes to realize  
it is a statement regarding 'class' and not an ethnic one.

...  Otto

                     " The Zen moment..." wk. of February 20, 2005-
                           ________________________________
            "Substance is elusive... most grasp the shadows."