[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] EWZ Files

[Sigrid Pohl Perry]

Frank,

Whether your families can be found in the EWZ files depends on where 
they were living between 1939 and 1941. If they were ethnic Germans 
living in Volhynia (now Ukraine or Belarus), Russian Poland (the Lublin 
region and other areas near there), the Baltic countries, Romania, 
Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia, then they were likely resettled and 
information recorded which is in the EWZ files. Some of the groups have 
created alphabetical files of these people, e.g. Volhynians and 
Galizians. But most of those living in Poland must first be searched in 
the alphabetical EWZ index, their Stammblatt file number noted, and yet 
another file consulted which was created for each village processed. 
See: 
https://www.archives.gov/research/captured-german-records/berlin-document-center.html

In the past both the alphabetical microfilms and the individual 
Stammblatt films could be ordered from FamilySearch, but microfilms may 
no longer be ordered. The films themselves are at the National Archives 
in College Park, Maryland and in Berlin. I asked a FamilySearch 
representative if they would be digitizing those microfilms and they did 
not yet have an answer.

It is possible that an SGGEE member who lives near College Park, 
Maryland, would be willing to look up a few names for you if you are 
quite certain you know of families who might be there. But if you do not 
have specific information, the alphabetical files are quite daunting. 
For example, I knew my families all lived in particular villages near 
Lublin. I began with one film for Domres and two films which included 
Pohl. I found those families but had to look carefully through those 
films because I only knew the names of my immediate parents and 
grandparents. I had to watch carefully for any siblings, aunts, uncles, 
or cousins who lived in other villages. Then I had to order more films. 
I found information. But the Lublin records indexing project eventually 
gave me the real parish records and accurate information--not the oral 
history recorded by National Socialist bureaucrats from frightened 
people about to be resettled.

However, all that information on EWZ is a place to begin--very important 
if nothing is known.

Regards,
Sigrid Pohl Perry

On 10/4/2017 12:39 PM, Frank Schultz wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Could anybody please tell me how I can find out whether there are EWZ files about people I am researching?
> Is there an index somewhere with names? How could I obtain copies if files are available?
>
> Thank you,
> Frank
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