We met with the Mayor of Hniezdne at 3 p.m.
Ida had written to the Slovak Consul in Montreal seeking help finding her family in Slovakia. He sent her request to the Mayor and the Mayor sent the information to Peter Vira who then shared it with Marta Krupka. That got the ball going.
Ida thanked the Mayor for all his help in reuniting her with her family.
They brought out two of the original registrar books and quickly found the entry for Ida's and Karl's birth (two separate volumes). Amazing!
Guess what? Aunt Margaret's birth is not recorded here. It's a true story folks, she was born in the woods and is probably registered in another village closer to where she was born!
Ida then signed the guest book and is the first Canadian to do so. Paul was also asked to put in a comment and we both signed the book.
Everyone must have a civil marriage here and all newborns were registered here. This photo is of that room. This no longer occurs unless someone is born at home. All births now take place in Stara Lubovna about 4 km away. Kind of sad, eh?
Photo with Mayor - Clerk, Maya, Mayor, Ida, Zuzanna, Magda, Peter.
The Mayor presented Ida with a book on the region and copies for the rest of her family in Canada, CDs of the area and we all got a cap with the city's crest.
I am so grateful to the Mayor for helping my mother on her odyssey to find her family. How grand that they met.
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