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The Princess Diaries: My Three Week Odyssey In Poland And Romania

The Princess Diaries: My Three Week Odyssey In Poland And Romania

Old Oct 19th, 2016, 08:10 PM
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The Princess Diaries: My Three Week Odyssey In Poland And Romania

For many third generation American Ashkenazim like myself, we have led comfortable lives, and rarely think about what our grandparents and their predecessors went through in Eastern Europe. I grew up knowing two grandparents, one from each side, and I remember feeling embarrassed by their accents and they both seemed to have some inner turmoil. Long gone now, I wished I had interviewed them about their lives in the "Old Country," but I never did--I only knew they came through Ellis Island on a boat. My maternal grandfather was one of several children, and he was the only one to have come to the US from Poland before WWII, and I'm sure you can guess what happened to the rest of the family during the war.

I decided to put together my own roots trip, and the planning took me over a year. Each city that I visited, with the exception of Sighisoara, Romania, which was a rest/stopover point for two nights, either had a synagogue, a concentration camp, or both. The trip was quite fascinating. It was the first time that I got the logistics down perfectly, as well as the pacing. Here is the itinerary:

Oh, and special thanks to thursdays, for suggesting going to Brasov. It was much more cool than Sibiu, you were right, and the synagogue was beautiful


Wed Aug 31 - airberlin flight to Dusseldorf, Berlin, Krawko
Thur Sept 1 - arrive in Krakow
Fri Sept 2 - Jewish Kazimierz, Old Town, 7 PM services at Isaac Temple, 8 PM dinner
sleep in Krakow
Sat Sept 3 - Auschwitz/Birkenau Concentration Camps
sleep in Krakow
Sun Sept 4 - Podgorze: The Jewish Ghetto, including Schindler's factory, Pharmacy Under The Eagle
sleep in Krakow
Mon Sept 5 - Take 8:13 AM train to Wroclaw, arrives at 11:31 AM, Jewish Walking Tour, Synagogue
sleep in Wroclaw
Tues Sept 6 - Walking Tour of Ostrow Tumski and Old Town, Royal Palace
sleep in Wroclaw
Wed Sept 7 - Fly Wroclaw to Gdansk via Warsaw
Monument to Shipyard Workers, European Solidarity Museum
sleep in Gdansk
Thur Sept 8 - Malbork Castle, 28 minutes away, via direct train
sleep in Gdansk
Fri Sept 9 - Stutthof Concentration Camp
sleep in Gdansk
Sat Sept 10 - Morning Walking tour of Gdansk, including Oliwa area
fly Gdansk to Sibiu via Munich
sleep in Sibiu, Romania
Sun Sept 11 - Walking tour of Sibiu, Great Synagogue, and ASTRA museum
sleep in Sibiu
Mon Sept 12 - 8 AM pick up, driver from Sixt Rent a Car, see some of the 18 villages of Marinimea, and Transfaragen Highway
sleep in Sibiu
Tues Sept 13 - 8 AM pick up, driver from Sixt Rent a Car, one way transport to Sighisoara, stop at Brasov Synagogue en route
sleep in Sighisoara
Wed Sept 14 - Walking tour of old town Sighisoara in the morning, hike the Breite Plateau in the afternoon.
sleep in Sighisoara
Thur Sept 15 - 8 AM pick up from driver Cristian Hrusca, one way transport to Sighetu, see sites along the way, including Targu Mares Synagogue
sleep in Sighetu Marmatiei
Fri Sept 16 - Elie Wiesel House, Wijnitzer Klaus Synagogue, Jewish Cemetery, Sighet Village Museum
sleep in Sighetu Marmatiei
Sat Sept 17 - 8AM pick up from driver Cristian Hrusca, takes me to sites around Sighet, arrives back at Sighetu 6 PM
sleep in Sighetu Marmatiei
Sun Sept 18 - 8 AM pick up from driver Cristian Hrusca, one way transport to Suceava, see villages along the way, arrive 6 PM
sleep in Suceava
Mon Sept 19 - 8 AM pick up from driver Marius Ciobanuday, see monasteries and salt mine, return 6 PM
sleep in Suceava
Tues Sept 20 - 8 AM pick up from driver Marius Ciobanuday, visit Gah Synagogue, and more monasteries and fortresses
sleep in Suceava
Wed Sept 21 - TAROM flight RO 810, 5:55 AM departure for Bucharest, arrives at 7:10 AM
Jewish walking tour, including Holocaust Museum, then Old Town (Centru Vechi)
sleep in Bucharest
Thu Sept 22 - Departure for Berlin, Dusseldorf, Los Angeles

Best Moments:
1. Malbork Castle near Gdansk is amazing. The audio tour was stellar, and "scolded" me when I took a wrong turn.
2. Stutthof Concentration Camp was fascinating. The dog kennels are still there, and the sign says, sadly, "The smallest German Shepherd housed here was larger than a starving prisoner."
3. I liked the entire city of Sightetu Marmatiei. They filmed the beginning of "Borat" near there, and it is very traditional looking. The city was actually part of Hungary during WWII, and Jews were sent very quickly to Auschwitz. There are two survivors in town, one woman 90, and another 103. When I asked the caretaker at the synagogue if either had children, he said one did, but the other "was experimented on by Dr. Mengele."

Difficult Moments:
1. airberlin misplaced my suitcase for the first 30 hours of my trip. They won't do a search until five days after arrival.
2. LOT cancelled my flights from Wroclaw to Gdansk, and fortunately, my son at home was able to put me on a later flight. No one at the hotel would help. When I got to the airport, I asked the check in guy what happened, and he said, "There was no plane."
CaliforniaLady is offline  
Old Oct 20th, 2016, 01:31 AM
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Looks like a great itinerary. Glad you liked Brasov.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 05:00 AM
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It looks very like an itin I did over two visits and I'm so glad you liked it.

Just take care, the historical perspective of Romanians and Hungarians of WW2 are different and a bunch of stuff is miss-remembered. Like your memory of your grandparents the memories of some of the historical stuff/staff will be driven by so much horrible stuff. When we were in Romania we visited a museum with two large pyramids of skulls which pupported to show how different races were more likely to commit certain crimes. Yes, even after all these years and all those events the stupidity carries on.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 05:07 AM
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A well-planned itinerary. I am an Ellis Island descendant, born in the US and now living in Central Europe. I have made a couple of trips to places in (what is now) Poland that I've learned about through family documents and so forth, and have been grateful to have these opportunities. Now that you have made the trip, any thoughts on your history?
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 07:49 AM
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thursdays - Thanks again for the great suggestion about Brasov. The night before I was headed to Sighisoara, I heard your voice telling me to go to Brasov. I had planned to just visit villages along the way, but the villages in Transylvania were turning out to be quite modern, and not very interesting. In the morning, I asked my driver if we could go to Brasov instead. He called his boss, and there was some negotiation about the additional costs. I tried presenting data about the additional miles and gas, but they didn't want to hear it, so we settled on a middle figure. It was pretty funny.

bilboburgler - Yes, the Romanians, I found, do not get the concept of political correctness. I had a driver for the day in Sibiu, and unprompted, he went on a rant about Jews being snakes, and lots of other stuff. Uncharacteristic of me, I kept my mouth shut since we were headed for the Transfaragen Highway with hairpin turns. At the next stop, he started staring at me, and then he asked me what my religion was. I said, "Uh, Episcopalian." He looked confused, which was my intent. I just couldn't get myself to give him a tip.

fourfortravel - Interesting question. Most of the synagogues, and the concentration camps, had extensive history displays on the diaspora history, as well as WWII history, and I read EVERY word. My ancestors suffered from great prejudice for many centuries in Europe, and it was quite courageous of my grandparents to leave their families and come to the US. My grandfather came by himself at age 20. It makes me appreciate what they went through so that I could grow up taking flute and ballet lessons, and I now forgive my grandparents for being cranky.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:11 AM
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Fascinating report!

Love the reason LOT canceled your flight! Hard to argue with...
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:30 AM
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you did well, CalLady...your planning was perfect for such a trip.I'm an old Eastern Europe hand, having driven through a goodly portion of those countries you mention. From 1970's onward, Cold War and Iron Curtain were not a problem.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:32 AM
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What a great, thorough trip. I made a similar one but in N. Slovakia up on the Polish border. Wanted to see the tiny village my grandfather left in the late 19th century. Strangely enough, I felt a certain kinship with the people there. And, I was able to enter the former family house ! Unfortunately I came down with pneumonia and was rushed to Prague where I spent more than 2 wks in hospital, so wasn't able to explore more.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:38 AM
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Tower - We also drove thru all those countries in 1965 and had no problems. It was a real adventure, much more so than trips today.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 09:42 AM
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Fantastic report CaliforniaLady. I usually cannot be bothered with the Europe forum but am glad that diverted here.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:23 PM
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Kathie - Thanks for the complement. Yes, the entire trip was filled with "dear in headlight" responses every time I asked a question. I also experienced weird customer service at my hotels: "No you may not pay your last hotel night in part credit card, and part cash." "Too bad the internet works everywhere in the hotel but your room. If you don't like our service, then maybe you should leave." That's why I'm going to Asia next year, LOL.

tower - Yes, I read about your previous trips to Eastern Europe. And for all those that don't know it, tower is a WWII vet. You inspire us all with your youthful energy.

Bedar - What an interesting story. I wish I knew the name of the shtetls (villages) where my grandparents were born. It would have been interesting to add that to my trip. That's amazing that you were able to find your family home.

crellston - What a lovely complement from you, the world traveler. I'm headed to Sri Lanka (and South India) next year, and I will most certainly pester you when I get an itinerary worked out.
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Old Oct 21st, 2016, 08:50 AM
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Have you looked at your grandparents' US citizenship documents ? Before my trip I got copies of my grandfather's and his brother's. Grandfather became a citizen 10 yrs before his brother, and the form had changed on the later document. It required more information from the applicant, and there it was, the address of the family home ! There was only one street in the tiny village so it was easy to find. Perhaps the shtetls will be listed on your papers. Have a look and good luck !!
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Old Oct 21st, 2016, 09:22 PM
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Wow, Bedar, that's fascinating. I can't imagine these documents are still around, but I can ask my aunts and uncles. Did you get them through your family, or do you look them up somewhere?
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Old Oct 22nd, 2016, 10:24 PM
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I admire you California Lady for taking this trip, which must have been quite emotional as well as fascinating. Though I've good and welcoming friends from Krakow, and have heard it is a beautiful city, I don't quite have the heart to go.
Have you read and/or seen "Everyting is Illuminated" and "Shoah"?
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 05:11 AM
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I am a multi-generational WASP whose ancestors have been here since Revolutionary War times.

I am heart struck at your story and wanting to do a tour of your roots.

Congratulations.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 09:13 AM
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I'm very impressed with your courage at going to all these places where your ancestors and other Jews have suffered so much and for so long.

I've traveled a great deal in Europe, but I have never visited a concentration camp. I just can't bring myself to do it.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 09:26 AM
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Yes, these documents are still around. I now live in the West, but on a trip to the East Coast I visited the Westchester (NY) County Hall of Records ( can't exactly remember the name) where my ancestors would have been naturalized. All documents are archived and cataloged. A fascinating place. If you know where your people would have been naturalized, where they lived, it's an easy task. Ask your aunts and uncles for more information and go to it ! BTW, it's also fun.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2016, 04:19 PM
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Peg, that surprises me. You are so bold and yet can't visit a concentration camp? Any idea why the hesitance?

I am trying to fit in a visit on a day long trip from the cruise ship to Berlin.
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Old Oct 24th, 2016, 07:18 AM
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CaliNurse - Yes, the trip was sad/emotional but interesting/fascinating. I had some internal debate about visiting Auschwitz, as I had been to Dachau twice, once in high school, and once when our children were young. However, I decided to include two concentration camps as a dedication to those who had died there. I truly hope that you will visit Krakow, and that you will design your itinerary based on your interests. I actually visited several beautiful churches in the Old City, and I passed on the salt mines, and Rynek Underground Museum due to time constraints, but I could have easily spent a week there seeing all the sites. I will have to read "Everything Is Illuminated"--I'm an avid reader, and see the movie "Shoah."

mcheryl - Thank you, mcheryl. I did forget to mention, that when I read the text at the synagogues, museums, and concentration camps, I was struck by the stories of the resistance movement. These courageous people worked without cell phones, and risked their lives to save people.

Pegontheroad - You are certainly not the only one who feels that way about visiting the camps. At Auschwitz, for example, there is an exhibit showing hair that they shaved off the women prisoners, that was going to be used for textiles. It was quite disturbing. However, there were also stories of courage. At Stuttgart, there was a detailed story of the ONLY prisoner that escaped. As an alternative, the synagogue in Bucharest had detailed history of the long Jewish history in that city. Also, the synagogue in Wroclaw had a detailed exhibit about Jewish women, so there are many alternatives besides visiting the camps.

Bedar - Wow, I had no idea that I could research my roots like that. I'll get on it, thanks.
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