[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Germans and Poland

[Otto]

Evening Margaret,
I am not quite certain as to exactly what you are asking so I give  
answer on the two main words in your request.

The confusion is caused by not properly defining the words  
'genealogy' and 'nationality'.

Genealogy is about genes- Gene'alogy.
  It is about our genes, it is what we were born and remain.
The die is struck.

Nationality is a political construct- Nation'ality.
I like to refer to 'nationality' as an imaginary circle drawn on a  
map, then bestowed with a bundle of imaginary rights.
"Nationality" subjugates one to those bundle of rights-
Try leaving a nation without a passport. . .
A nation will take on 'ethnicity' over time only as its subjects  
cross-breed with each other.

Religious constructs have a greater effect on shaping ethnicity than  
political constructs.

Genealogy is about genes. -Direct descent from an ancestor; lineage  
or pedigree.
It is referred to loosely at times using the word, "ethnicity".
Ethnicity relates to racial and cultural ties of a group.
We are the sum of our genes.
As a rule we are not related to our spouses, yet they may be of the  
same ethnicity.
We are related only 50% to our sons and daughters.
Sons and daughters are related to both father and mother.

One of the best simple illustrations I've heard defining the  
difference between genealogy and nationality was from a dear old  
friend of mine, (Herb Rossol) born and raised in Russian Poland.  
Referring to ethnicity, "If a horse is born in a cow-barn, is it now  
a cow?"


On Apr 22, 2007, at 8:48 PM, Marlo50 wrote:
> I have been following this subject and am totally confused.
. . .   Otto

             " The Zen moment..." wk. of April 1, 2007-
              ________________________________
              "Like fishing. . . always beyond the surface."