Martin Waldinger's Birth Certificate
Translation #1 (furnished by a friend, Alexander Sharon, who is from Borislaw):
(edited) Your father-in-law's birth certificate issued in Drohobycz, is an excellent source of information about his roots. This birth certificate of your father-in-law's represents an unusual wealth of knowledge.
Even the mohel's name who performed the bris mila is there, alongside the resident address and full names and occupations of the child's parents.
In addition, the names of the Yiddishe midwife and witnesses are also exhibited.
I (Mr. Sharon) believe that this particular "Jewish" birth certificate, issued in newly independent Poland (year 1923), is similar to the birth documents issued by the Polish Roman Catholic Churches.
To answer the question of why one would need such a document after the birth, there are several reasons:
1. Application for the Polish domestic identification (like our driving license of today)
My response: He was not old enough to drive, but I suppose one needed I.D.
2. Application for the travelling document (an international passport) in order to travel abroad
My response: We know that the wheels were in motion by cousins in the US to bring him over and so he would need a passport.
3. Application to attend educational institutions (schools, organized sports) where proof of age is required
My response: One of the first things done was to admit him into an "orphanage". This was his last residence before coming to the US.
4. Proof to claim an inheritence
My response: Someone in the family has laid claim to an Oil refinery in Borislaw. However, I don't think this was a concern then. It might be now!)
5. Proof that the child is an offspring of the legitimate marriage and of the Jewish faith.
My response: We know that if one did not have a civil ceremony, the union was considered illegal by the Polish government. Any children of this union were deemed illegitimate and given the surname of the mother. Since surnames were fairly new to the peoples and moreso to the Jews of Eastern Europe, many did not bother with the civil ceremony. This encouraged all to register; Sometimes Jews only married religiously. However, there is no doubt when you look at the birth document, the Polish word for Jew is quite prominent.
Translation #2
(from Mark Jacobson via email):
Email #1
Hi Amy!
I have some familiarity with this handwriting - it's
the same clerk that wrote out the birth records for my
grandfather and his brother when they left Drohobycz
in 1921-22. I have had these for many years. His
Polish is very ornate. I also have some other records
in his handwriting, so I am familiar with his
flourishes.
This child was born at number 5 Spitlana (hospital)
Street. My grandfather Joe Kamerman's family lived at
number 7 Spitlana, so they were neighbors.
I even recognize some of the witnesses. Old family
friends of my grandfather's family. Salomon Wilf was
my grandfather's neighbor when he was growing up and
he was one of the witnesses to my grandfather's birth
in 1898. My grandfather spoke well of him, and my
grandfather's brother was close with the Wilf family
in New York. Osias Leizer Sternbach was also a
neighbor and witness to my grandfather's brother's
1893 birth.
The father is Isak Wolf (ir im means double name)
Reich, worker, and it appears the couple was married
in 1910.
The mother is Ettel Reich Uuberweiser (I guess he was
trying to turn the umlat over the U into Polish and
came up with two u's). Daughter of Feigi Uuberweiser
and Moses Mendel Schatzman.
Witnesses Osias Leizer Sternbach and Hersch Low.
Other names Solomon Wilf who gave the circumcision (he
was a grain peddler when my grandfather was born!) and
Gitel Ervman was the midwife.
Regards,
Mark Jacobson
Boca Raton, FL
Email #2
Hi Amy
Your website is great! I would be happy if you added
my e-mail to your site.
Also on the birth record I'm sure you already know
that it says that he was born May 31st and his bris
was June 7th (both birth and bris were at home at 5
Spitlana Street in Drohobycz). I see on the top left
corner that this official copy was written in 1934
when your father in law Moses Mendel/Martin was 11, so
it probably was obtained for travel purposes.
My grandfather came to the US in October 1922, 7
months before Moses Mendel was born, but his mother
(my great grandmother) Leah Malia Kamerman was still
living at 7 Spitlana so she was probably aware of the
birth. My great grandmother sold vegetables in the
Drohobycz rynek marketplace for many years. Sorry to
read about your father in law being orphaned.
Unfortunately it was a common problem in Galicia -
many people died young and poor and left a lot of
children who wound up in the Jewish orphanages. Other
relatives were also poor and had many children of
their own. Some of my Koppel cousins who were in
Stebnik (a village between Drohobycz and Boryslaw)
were orphaned young and grew up in the Drohobycz
Jewish orphanage.
If you have any questions or need more information
please let me know.
Mark
Last Update: 12/02/o4
Web Author: A.S. Waldinger
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