100 Years in America

Lighting the way for the Christ Child

2011-12-15T02:05:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to join with my fellow blogging friends to share a bit of caroling this season. Thank-you, footnoteMaven, for gathering us together once again!

My absolute favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. The beautiful words and ascending phrases of the music stir my heart as I revel in the glory of Christmas. Many of my childhood Christmas Eves were spent savoring the holiness of this very special night. After the rest of the house had gone to sleep – or at least after I had gone to my own room – I would sit at my desk and look out the picture window overlooking our front yard. It was the tradition in my neighborhood to set out luminarias - brown paper bags weighted down with sand and illuminated by a burning candle set inside. My family and I took time each Christmas Eve afternoon to work alongside our neighbors shoveling the sand, filling the bags, and getting everything ready for sunset on this, the most joyful night of the year. I didn't know it at the time, but this tradition had originated with the Spanish people who had immigrated to the New World. It was a way that they, as Catholics, helped "light the way" for the Christ Child to visit their homes and hearts on this very special evening.

Each year, after my family and I had gone to Christmas Eve Mass, we would come home to light the luminarias, share a small dinner, and head to bed in anticipation of Christmas morning. Once I was up in my room and ready for bed, I sat at my window and always watched for as long as I could, counting the candles that had gone out and savoring the glow and warmth of the peace that is Christmas Eve.

A few years ago I read and smiled at the words of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) about Christmas Eve, “Who can sleep on this night that God became man?” I still stay up through most of the night every Christmas Eve, savoring the quiet and sometimes listening to a rendition of O Holy Night as I enjoy the peace and anticipation of this beautiful evening when Mary brought forth her firstborn Son.

O Holy Night

Verse 1
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world1 rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Chorus
Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine.

Verse 2
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.

Chorus
He knows our need, He guardeth us from danger
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Verse 3
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Chorus
Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

On the hunt for roots in Hungary: The basics of Hungarian genealogy

2011-11-18T05:43:00.001-05:00

If you have roots in Hungary, your research will center around the records of the Roman Catholic Church - no matter the faith of your ancestors. That's one of the basic facts of Hungarian genealogy that I've shared in my latest article over at The Catholic Gene.

King St. Stephen presiding over Buda Castle, Budapest

It was over 1,000 years ago that the Hungarian state was founded under the leadership of Stephen I, later to be canonized and remembered as King St. Stephen. Today as the Hungarian parliament has reaffirmed the nation's ties to its Catholic foundation with the creation of a new constitution, the faith of the Hungarian people continues into the 21st century. Anyone doing Hungarian genealogy will come face to face with the Catholic legacy of this nation. For more on this topic - including an overview of Hungarian research, tips and resources for the search, and examples from my own family tree - stop over to my article entitled Hungarian Genealogy: It All Goes Back to the Catholic Church.

Catholic Family History: The Rosary Through the Centuries

2011-10-07T13:31:00.000-04:00

"Along with these mysteries we also weave our intentions, thoughts, imaginations, emotions, and desire for union with Christ."

Thus wrote Alice Camille, M. Div. within her recent article Full of Grace: Reclaiming the Rosary, about the age-old Catholic devotion of praying the Rosary while meditating on the mysteries within the life of Christ. In the case of my family, along with "weaving" those things as we pray the Rosary, we are weaving new strands into the same fabric of faith that has been passed down to us through many generations over the centuries.

My beloved great-grandmother's portrait
draped with one of her handcrafted Rosaries

The Rosary in its current form has been a part of the lives of faith-filled Catholics for over 500 years, and part of my family for many generations. If you have Catholic ancestors, chances are that the Rosary played a role in their lives, too. Visit my latest articles over at The Catholic Gene for a tribute to the Rosary as the Catholic church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. Within my article Ave Maria in the Languages of Our Ancestors you'll find photographs of a Franciscan Monastery Rosary Portico where you can read the prayers of the Rosary in the languages of your ancestors. Visit String of Prayer: The Rosary in the Lives of Our Ancestors to read the story of the age-old devotion Catholics call the Rosary - including the story of a dramatic naval battle - and to learn more about the tradition of Rosary-making being passed down within my family.

Given names and family mysteries - at The Catholic Gene

2011-09-12T03:39:00.000-04:00

"The job of a genealogist is much like that of a police detective. Success in both pursuits depends on searching predictable hidden places where evidence would be expected. A true detective genius, however, finds traces of clues out in the open – signs within plain sight yet invisible to the average eye."

So begins my first article at The Catholic Gene, the new blog dedicated to genealogy and the Catholic faith. Stop on over to The Catholic Family Detective: Finding Clues in Given Names to read more. I've shared some stories about the significance of many of the first names within my Catholic family tree. I hope you'll be inspired to look at your ancestors' names in ways you never have before.

The church on the postcard and the faith of my ancestors

2011-09-04T06:37:00.003-04:00

The picture of this beautiful church was truly a gift to me.

Its yellowing photographic postcard passed down to me from my immigrant great-grandmother: a link to the past.

Its facade: a reminder of the connection that my ancestors and I share across language, cultural and geographic barriers - our mutual Catholic faith.

Postcard image of Legrad's Holy Trinity Catholic Church,
c. early 20th-century

Years ago when photographs of the little Catholic church in what is now Legrad, Croatia (in Koprivničko-Križevačka County) came into my possession, I didn't know much about the place. The church's name was a mystery, as was the Croatian handwriting. With a little bit of time, research and help from a translator, I was able to unlock a few of the clues that gave me some insight into this beautiful little church that figures so largely in my ancestral history.

The village of Legrad, now in northern Croatia, has at
different times been part of both Austria-Hungary and Yugoslavia

The Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Legrad (Župa Presvetog Trojstva) is a charming late-Baroque one-nave parish church. Built around 1780, it was the site of many sacramental rites of passage for my Ujlaki, Bence and related ancestors in the little village. The photographic postcard, which was sent to my great-grandmother Ilona (Bence) Ujlaki by loved ones in the old country, shows the church as it looked in the early 20th century. Here you can see how it looks today:

Legrad c. 2008
(Photos thanks to a current resident)

In addition to the postcard shown at the beginning of this article, I have in my possession a photograph of the church sent to my great-grandmother following World War II. Inscribed on the back in the Croatian language is a plea for monetary help to assist in repairs because of damage to the church during the war.

A native Croatian speaker and Legrad resident kindly translated the inscription on the back of the photograph for me back in 2007. The blue writing reads:

Dear Lady Miss,

I'm sending you the picture of our lovely church, which was destroyed in World War II and is very damaged. No one is starting to do anything about it or starting repairs. We are afraid that the church tower is very damaged and that it can't stand in this condition longer. It can crumble any time and destroy four church bells and the organ. Please ask the generous Croatian people there who can send us some money for the first necessary repairs. I hope in God's and in your help.

According to the translator the church was still in need of some repairs back in 2007, although it certainly has recovered much since its difficult days during World War II.

According to the Croatian National Tourist Board, the Holy Trinity Catholic Church (called Župa Presvetog Trojstva in Croatian) has a "harmoniously fitted belfry rising from the main front", several late Baroque-classicist altars, and a "Holy Sepulchre". The wall paintings within its sanctuary date back to 1793, while its pulpit dates to around 1798.

Outside in Legrad's main square resides a group of five 18th-century columns. The central column features the church's namesake: the Holy Trinity. A column next to the center featuring St. Florian dates to 1735.

Legrad's Pilovi Svetog Trojstva

Legrad resident turned Canadian immigrant Maria Bango had a strong love for her home village and its church. She returned home for several months each year and continued to be a part of the community until her death. Within her charming children's books she has shared some sweet stories of the church and its holy celebrations from a child's eye view. (I'll share more about those stories later.)

I enjoy thinking back to the many special family occasions that were celebrated within the walls of Legrad's Catholic church. My great-grandparents Ferencz and Ilona (Bence) Ujlaki, the patrons of this blog (you see their faces on the banner of 100 Years in America), were married there on what was probably a frosty winter day in February 15, 1905. Because of the step they took that day together in the sacrament of matrimony, and the gift they gave me by passing down their beloved Catholic faith, I am who I am today. And I am passing the light of faith down to my own children - the same faith that was sparked in so many of my ancestors' lives within the walls of the little church of Legrad.

Legrad's Holy Trinity Catholic Church today
(Photo courtesy Filip Lucin)

This article was written for the 109th edition of Carnival of Genealogy. The theme is Places Our Ancestors Worshipped and it is hosted for the first time at the brand new blog The Catholic Gene.

Announcing the baptism of a brand new blog!

2011-09-03T06:06:00.000-04:00

This little girl dressed in her finery on First Communion day is here to make a special announcement. She is hanging out over at a new blog and would love for you to come visit!

The Catholic Gene is a brand new project in the works dreamed up by one of my favorite genealogy bloggers: Donna Pointkouski of What's Past is Prologue. The new blog will feature the writings of a chorus of Catholic genealogy bloggers who may already be familiar to you (including myself, pictured here on my First Communion day.)

If you have an interest in family history and (A) are a card-carrying Catholic or (B) have ancestors who were Catholic, do we have a treat for you! Whether the season is one of feasting or fasting, we'll be serving up a bountiful harvest of articles designed to inspire you in your genealogical pursuits related to the Catholic faith.

If you feel moved by the Spirit, take a Sunday drive on over to The Catholic Gene and join us in celebrating the joys of the Catholic faith and all things related to Catholic genealogy. See you there!

The Hungarian language & the "poetry" of my childhood

2011-08-19T04:24:00.002-04:00

Thomas Lynch in his memoir Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans mentions his memories of the words that his grandfather repeated often after blessing the food and giving thanks at family meals. He states, "This was part of the first poetry of my life."

I enjoyed reading the impression that those words made on his life and the interesting chain of events that resulted from childhood memories of his grandfather's references to the family members still left behind in Ireland.

Thomas Lynch's idea of "the first poetry of life" is a thought-provoking one. It sparked in me the desire to remember the "poetry" or "soundtrack" of my own childhood. In the process I asked myself some questions. What were the first sounds and words that have most influenced my view of the world? Whose words do I remember most clearly from my early days, and why?

One of the strongest memories that I do have, perhaps because it stood out from the voices of other family members, was the strong accent of my great-grandmother.

Lisa with Grammy Ulaky

A native Croatian and Hungarian speaker, she and her husband spoke Hungarian to their children, but reserved the Croatian language to speak of subjects that were not appropriate for little ears. By the time I came around, no-one was left for her to share a conversation in the Croatian language, and only her children could speak Hungarian. That language, like Croatian, was never passed down to the succeeding generations.

I loved hearing my great-grandmother speak with her strong accent, and I enjoyed listening to her childrens' pronunciations of Hungarian words. At one point in my childhood, I asked my grandmother to help me write out a Hungarian glossary of the words and phrases that she used most, pronunciation guide included. I still have the handwritten list of Hungarian words that I made that day. Unfortunately, my proficiency with the language has not gotten too far beyond that first start.

The loss of my family's link to the Croatian and Hungarian languages, woven throughout the lives of my family members just a couple of generations ago, saddens me. It is perhaps one of the reasons that I find myself drawn more and more to learning the history, culture and languages of the lands of my ancestors. I am thankful that at the very least I had a small taste of these wonderfully rich cultures as a young child in the "first poetry" of my life.

For more on the Croatian and Hungarian languages here at 100 Years in America, see:

This article first appeared here at 100 Years in America on August 13, 2008. Thanks to Loretta Murphy for recommending the book Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans via the 7th edition Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: Looking into the heart of Ireland.

A St. Patrick’s Day miracle for the Irish/Hungarian genealogy blogger

2011-03-17T12:35:00.002-04:00

You may be thinking, “It’s a miracle! Finally a new blog article from Lisa!”

Though this very well might be a small miracle, there is a real miracle I’d like to share with you in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. It is a documented phenomenon that occurred over three centuries ago that is still remembered and celebrated today. It is close to my heart for a very special reason, as you’ll see when you read on.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Smallest Leaf!

As a Catholic and a mother, I often look to Christ’s mother, Mary, for inspiration. She is the perfect example of womanhood. Her life has provided encouragement to women for many generations, including my own and my beloved ancestors’ (on both the Irish and Hungarian/Croatian sides of the family).

In many places throughout the world, Mary is remembered by a special name or title, or honored with a particular statue or painting containing her image. There are countless “names” for Mary. I thought I had heard of most of them.

I was surprised to come across a new title for Mary recently that I absolutely could not believe. As the descendant of Irish and Hungarian ancestors, I was thrilled to discover the Irish Madonna of Hungary. The story behind this title of Mary involves a beautiful painting, two European cities a continent apart, and a documented miracle that is as surprising as it is inspiring.

The village of Clonfert in County Galway, Ireland could not hide from the troubles facing the island during the middle of the 17th century. Oliver Cromwell was imposing his will on the Irish people – often brutally – and many, particularly church leaders, were displaced, persecuted, or killed. Among those was one Irish bishop by the name of Walter Lynch. As history tells us, Bishop Lynch was forced to flee his native Clonfert to Galway city. After the attack and capture of Galway, he was pursued to the island of Inisbofin, and then escaped to mainland Europe. He was in Austria by 1655 – four years after fleeing Clonfert. While in Austria, the good Bishop met the Bishop of Győr, Hungary, who offered him the opportunity to continue his ministry within the Győr diocese until the time when Bishop Lynch could safely return to his homeland.

Sadly, Bishop Lynch, who was making plans to return to Ireland, passed away in Győr in the year 1663, twelve years after leaving Clonfert. During his travels as an exile, the Bishop had carried with him a painting of Mary and the child Jesus (shown below), which he had saved from the Clonfert cathedral. Before his passing, Bishop Lynch had placed the picture in the care of the Bishop of Győr, who put it on display in the Győr cathedral.

Thirty-four years passed with the painting housed in the Győr cathedral. The Hungarian faithful venerated this beautiful image of the Madonna, and felt sure that Mary’s intercession on their behalf had ensured their recent victories over the Turks. By the year 1697, Hungary was enjoying newfound peace. Unfortunately, that same year, Ireland was beginning to face one of its greatest trials: the outlawing of the Catholic faith, the confiscation of its churches, and the banishment of all Catholic clergy from the British Isles.

As historical accounts tell us, on the feast of St. Patrick on March 17, 1697 a miracle occurred in Győr. According to the account of a priest who witnessed the event, “…the picture of the Blessed Virgin in the cathedral began to weep copiously.” Additional details recorded indicate that this “weeping”, or “bloody sweat”, went on for several hours, and that witnesses of various denominations were unable to attribute the occurrence to any natural cause. Eventually, word of the miracle spread throughout the city. It was witnessed by thousands, many of whom signed a document indicating their presence at the time of the miracle. These included the imperial governor of the city, mayor, councilmen, the Bishop, priests, Protestant ministers, a Jewish rabbi and many more. A linen cloth used to soak up the liquid is still on display today in the cathedral. The inscription on the case reads: “This is the true cloth which was used to dry the blood, which this picture shed in this church on St. Patrick’s Day 1697.”

The linen cloth on display in Győr Basilica today
(Image thanks to Győri Egyházmegye - Győr Diocese)

The beautiful image of the Irish Madonna of Hungary, also referred to as the Consolatrix Afflictorum (Consoler of the Afflicted), remains in the cathedral to this day, framed in silver above the altar. For over three centuries, it has played a special role in drawing together the two nations of Hungary and Ireland.

Every March 17 since 1947 (the 250 year anniversary of the miracle), even during the Communist regime, Hungarian priests have made a pilgrimage to the Győr cathedral and visited the Győri Könnyező Szűzanya (Győr Weeping Virgin Mary) or Ír Madonna (Irish Madonna), as they call the painting in the Hungarian language.

Hungarian priests in procession at Győr Basilica
(Image thanks to Győri Egyházmegye - Győr Diocese)

Other special celebrations occur regularly for Hungarian lay Catholics to honor Mary’s weeping image in Győr, and there is even an annual Croatian-speaking celebration. Irish Catholics, too, regularly make pilgrimages to the Irish Madonna of Hungary. The year 1997 (the 300-year anniversary of the miracle) saw a special exchange as the Irish Clonfert Bishop John Kirby was presented a copy of the painting by Győr Bishop Lajos Papai on his visit to the city.

Győr, Hungary's Bishop Lajos Papai giving a copy of the
painting to Clonfert, Ireland's Bishop John Kirby
(Image thanks to Hitvallás)

As Clonfert’s Bishop John Kirby wrote, “The kindness shown to Bishop Walter Lynch has led to an unusual link between the small Irish rural diocese of Clonfert and the large Hungarian diocese of Győr centered in a big industrial city. It has shown us the value of friendship and the way that the consideration shown to a refugee can deepen the understanding between peoples who might otherwise never have known each other. The history of the painting has an even deeper message. It reminds us of the faith and trust in the intercession of Our Lady that existed both in Ireland and in Hungary 350 years ago.”

The Basilica of Győr today

Where were my Irish and Hungarian ancestors 350 years ago? I haven’t determined that yet, but it is interesting to imagine the possibilities knowing the history of the time.

As you may know, Catholics like to choose patron saints for themselves. I think it’s pretty obvious that Mary, the Irish Madonna of Hungary, is the ideal patron saint for this Irish/Hungarian genealogist! I hope that Győr’s Weeping Virgin Mary, the Consoler of the Afflicted, will smile down on my efforts to continue the search for ancestors on both sides of my family tree: those from Bishop Lynch’s beloved native Ireland, and those from Hungary, the country that welcomed him with open arms.

If you'd like to read more about the history of the Irish Madonna of Hungary, check out the following websites and books:

Hitvallás (Creed) 2005, a Győri Egyházmegye folyóirata (the online magazine of the Diocese of Győr) - special online issue in the 350th anniversary year of the painting's arrival in Győr (website in Hungarian and English)
The Irish Madonna of Hungary by Zsolt Aradi from Shrines to Our Lady Around the World published in 1954 by Farrar, Straus & Young (webpage in English)
Győri Egyházmegye (Győr Diocese) (webpage in Hungarian)
Szomorúak vigasztalója : a győri könnyező szűzanya - az ír madonna by Hetény János, Kiss Tamás, Szabó Béla (book published in 2009 in Hungarian; German and English translations available - see this book review in Hungarian)

Note: This article is cross-posted to one of my Irish genealogy blogs, Small-leaved Shamrock. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

A blessed holiday season to you from 100 Years in America

2010-12-13T19:14:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my faithful 100 Years in America readers who have checked back here for updates every now and then over the past year. I have neglected to "officially" announce that I was taking a break from blogging this year because I really haven't wanted to do so. Yet here it is almost Christmas!

I hope you'll find me here at 100 Years in America more often during 2011 than I have been in the recent past. Have a wonderful holiday season and I hope you'll take some time to visit some of my earlier Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories articles and pay a few more visits back here in 2011!

My family's Hungarian Kifli recipe (otherwise known as "Gramma's Christmas Cakes") is one of my holiday favorites.

On babies and transatlantic crossings

2010-03-08T10:37:00.001-05:00

It was just a few short years ago that my husband and I took a very memorable trip to Europe. We traveled accompanied by our children, including the newest addition to the family: our baby daughter just shy of five months old.

The trip was challenging in many ways. Long plane flights, long walks, luggage-toting, frequent adjustments to new sleeping arrangements in hotels and guest houses...

The trip was not for the faint-hearted. Each child was tasked with toting their own suitcase and/or carrying a backpack, etc. I carried my baby almost continuously for two straight weeks. Time strapped into her car seat was very limited (only a couple of taxi rides and one rental car trip required it). We traveled almost exclusively by train through France, Switzerland and Germany, baby in my arms. We didn't even consider taking a stroller. It was hard enough to get on and off the Paris metro with a baby and her siblings not to mention a bulky stroller!

Our littlest one loved the trip. She constantly had new things to look at. It was the dream vacation for a baby who has not yet had the inclination to crawl.

Some friends with similar-aged children thought we were crazy to attempt such an adventure. One, whose baby was the same age as ours, said, "I can barely make it to the grocery store. How did you make that trip to Europe?"

During some of the more difficult moments of our trip, when things seemed momentarily overwhelming for this traveling mother and her young family, I found inspiration in the memory of my great-grandmother's journey from Europe with her toddler to meet her husband in America, who had left several years before. Ilona (Bence) Ujlaki, known to me as Grammy Ulaky, had faced her trip alone with her young son. His illness and his resultant stay at Ellis Island had to be a trial extraordinaire for a young mother, only age 24. Surely, if she could make it through that ordeal, I could make it through my journey. I pressed on knowing that my struggles were not half as difficult as hers.

Now, several years later, I have additional inspiration in the perseverance of motherhood: my great-grandmother Maria (Németh) Tóth. Like Ilona, Maria had crossed the Atlantic alone on her way to join her husband in a new country. She, however, had three young children with her - plus a baby!

You may have read the post about my discovery of baby Lajos' name on the U.S.S. Pennsylvania passenger list originating in Hamburg and then again on the list at Ellis Island. I was amazed to find the name of a family member who I had never heard existed. After further contemplation, I am even more amazed at the fact that this poor mother, my great-grandmother, survived such a trip with her young children and baby and made it to America with her sanity intact.

Imagine this: one adult with four young children ages six, four, two and five months. No disposable diapers. Not even a toilet, for goodness sake. No bag full of extra cookies, snacks and juice boxes. Probably not even decent meals or clean water, if enough water was even available. Fifteen straight days in the steerage section of a ship after a cross-continent trip by train from Hungary to Germany.

Ughhhh.

Don't forget to consider the fact that along the way Maria faced difficulty in communicating with fellow passengers, train and ship employees, and workers at the ports of Hamburg and Ellis Island. I wonder how many Hungarian speakers she actually encountered along the way. It must have been a relief to speak with someone in her native tongue.

I know from traveling with young children that no trip is easy. But what I know about the journey of my great-grandmother Maria (Németh) Tóth is almost unthinkable to me as a mother. In pondering the struggles that she must have faced on her journey to America, I can only hope that somehow she received special grace from God during her trial and met a few kind and helpful strangers on her way.

I never had a chance to meet my great-grandmother, known to her family as Grammy Toth. If I could do so today I would thank her as a great-granddaughter and a fellow mother: with thanksgiving for her perseverance during what was possibly one of the greatest trials of her life. Her courage and sacrifice made it possible for our family to begin a new life in America.

This article was originally published on March 10, 2008. It has been reposted here in honor of women's history month.

Hungary Exchange: A new stop on the web for Hungarian genealogists

2010-02-12T05:20:00.004-05:00

A new resource for Hungarian genealogy has set up shop on the web this week. The Hungary Exchange website, put together by Nick Gombash, hopes to become a stopping point for many a researcher in search of Hungarian roots. Nick created this new online resource in hopes of helping Hungarian genealogists to make new connections to further their research. He writes that the "main objective of the new website will be the sharing and exchanging of records and documents". Among its amenities are a surname database where genealogists can submit names and corresponding locales of research, and an online discussion forum and message board for those researching Hungary and countries formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Hungary Exchange website includes the following webpages:

The Hungarian Marriage Project, Databases and Surname Database pages are works in progress that are off to a good start and will become useful to more researchers as Nick adds data over time. As Nick states on his blog, "The most important of these databases, a major project that I have undertaken, is the Hungarian Marriage Project. My plan is indexing the marriage records from pre-WWI and including them in a database. I'm hoping to eventually have help down the line, as well. I already have records from four parishes, soon to be five and with an estimated total near 5,300 marriages."

My Hungarian surnames are listed within the surname database - add yours today! As Nick states in his announcement of Hungary Exchange on his genealogy blog, "Let's knock down all those brick-walls and find family!"

The Hungary Exchange website’s Links page includes both national and regional Hungarian resources helpful to genealogical research. It lists web addresses for archives (national archives and at least one for each county), maps and gazetteers, online databases, a Hungarian family tree website, genealogy societies, research aids/guides, translation services, and Jewish resources.

Nick Gombash was recently the subject of an edition of Gini Webb's "May I Introduce You to..." series on Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers blog. To learn more about Nick visit the article, stop by his blog, or visit his Gombash and Rodgers Family Website.

Don't forget to stop by Hungary Exchange Forum and also take a few minutes to send your Hungarian research locales and surnames to Nick for the Surname Database at Hungary Exchange.

This article has been posted as part of the Follow Friday series. Visit Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers for more suggestions for good online reading.

To the guardians of 100 Years in America: Happy 105th Anniversary!

2010-02-10T17:49:00.235-05:00

They were married one-hundred-and-five years ago this week, on the day after Valentine's Day: February 15, 1905. Regular readers will recognize the couple whose photo graces the banner of this blog. They are truly the stars of 100 Years in America. Residing here online, their photograph welcomes you, the readers, and watches over the many family stories, photographs and genealogical details that I have shared.

I have written much about this couple: my great-grandparents Ilona (Bence) and Ferencz Ujlaki. They were both born in the Međimurje region of Hungary, which is now Croatia. Along with many other Hungarian citizens of their generation, they left Europe in search of a new life in America. The stories of their journeys to the new country are the stuff of legends, yet those experiences were just a part of life for them. Their childhoods in an ethnic Croatian village in Hungary and their beginnings in America as foreign immigrants formed them, and have become part of the fabric of our family, inspiring those of us who have come after them.

It is sometimes easy to forget that our ancestors were once young men and women with their lives ahead of them, sorting out who they would be and dreaming big dreams for their lives. This photograph puts my great-grandparent's lives in perspective for me in that way. I am told that it was taken shortly after they were married, and it is the closest thing our family has to a wedding photograph of the young 20-year-old bride Ilona and her new husband, 25-year-old Ferencz.

I was thrilled to be able to view microfilmed copies of the civil marriage registry from the town of Legrad where my great-grandparents were married. Legrad is located today within northern Croatian on the Hungarian border. At the time of Ferencz and Ilona's wedding, the village was part of Zala County, Hungary, so the civil records were written in the Hungarian language.

Ferencz and Ilona were both born and raised in this area - Ferencz in Donja Dubrava (formerly known as Alsó-Domború) and Legrad; Ilona in Legrad. They began their life together as a married couple one-hundred-and-five years ago in Legrad's village church. The Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Legrad (Župa Presvetog Trojstva), a beautiful late-Baroque one-nave parish church, was built around 1780.

A postcard of Legrad's Holy Trinity Catholic Church, c. early 20th-century

Legrad's Holy Trinity Catholic Church today

(Photo courtesy Filip Lucin)

You can see a small portion of the civil marriage registry listing the names of the bride and groom below. See the top right on the image for Ujlaki Ferencz and Benczey Ilona (the Hungarian spelling of the bride's maiden name). Below the bride's maiden name is her married name Ujlaki Ferenczne. This means Mrs. Ferencz Ujlaki. (It is the name under which she is listed on the S. S. Carmania's ship manifest - and the reason that I had difficulty finding her listed at first.) On the marriage registry, also notice the seal of Legrad in the bottom right corner and the Hungarian crests in the background.

More than likely it was a cold winter day in Legrad when Ferencz and Ilona were married 105 years ago. They were married for 34 years until his untimely death at age sixty.

A happy 105th wedding anniversary to my great-grandparents this Valentine's Day! May the memories of their lives and marriage live on in the hearts of their descendants for another century.

This article has been submitted to the Valentine edition of footnoteMaven's Smile for the Camera carnival. Visit her Shades of the Departed blog for more "valentine" photographs.

Sources:

Photograph of Legrad's Holy Trinity Catholic Church today courtesy of Filip Lucin. Special thanks to Filip for the permission to use this great photograph and others in his collection. Visit his Croatian language blog for more.

Map of Croatia thanks to www.legrad.blog.hr.

Hungary. Zala County. Legrad, Házasultak 1895-1906 from series Állami anyakönyvek, 1895-1919 (Civil registration - births, marriages, deaths - for Légrád, Zala, Hungary). Anyakönyvi Hivatal, Légrád, Zala County, Hungary, Ferencz Ujlaki-Ilona Benczey; FHL VAULT INTL Film 1791809 Item 1.

The best of 2009: 100 Years in America iGene Awards

2010-02-05T08:36:00.007-05:00

It's that time of year again...

...time for the 3rd annual Academy of Genealogy and Family History iGene Awards at Jasia's Carnival of Genealogy! As the author of 100 Years in America I have chosen some of my favorites from the blog articles published here over the past year and awarded them "prizes" in various categories.

A selection of 100 Years in America's "best of 2009" would not be complete without a mention of the newest little addition to our family. He is my constant companion this year (24 hours a day) and could easily be selected for "Best Photograph" or "Best Biography" - he's quite a handsome and talented little fellow. However, since this blog is primarily about my ancestors and not my descendants, he won't qualify here. You can, however, read about his arrival at:

Announcing the smallest leaf on my family tree...

Now, without any further delay, are the 100 Years in America iGene Awards for best articles of 2009.

(Drumroll, please...)

Best Picture Award

Best old family photo that appeared on this blog

I wish I'd been invited to this wedding...

"Oh, what a picture! Thanks for sharing it!" ~ Jutka, The Long Journey to Home and Vonmetz

"It sure looks like a great time to me! I wish I had been invited..." ~ Taylortales Genealogy

This treasure of a photograph resided in my great-grandmother's collection. Presumably a group photograph taken of the wedding of one of my distant cousins, it is a visual reminder to me of the connection my branch of the family has to its roots in Hungary and Croatia. When I look at this photo I can just imagine the sounds of those native languages in the midst of the lively wedding celebration.

Best Screen Play

The family story that would make the best movie

Ferencz Ujlaki and the trip he didn't take: Part 1,

Ferencz Ujlaki and the trip he didn't take: Part 2 and

In search of Stefan/Stephanus/Stjepan S.

“This is a fascinating research story about trying to find out exactly when Lisa’s great-grandfather came to America. Donna found the answer after Lisa’s post - see her comment! Well done by a group collaborating with each other!” ~ Randy Seaver, Genea-Musings, Best of the Genea-Blogs February 1-7, 2009

"What an interesting story!" ~ Cheryl Fleming Palmer, Heritage Happens

"Such a story in my family would have been the stuff that legends are made out of... I can honestly say I've never seen a 'not on board' before." ~ Donna Pointkouski, What's Past is Prologue

I was thrilled to discover the 1906 ship manifest listing my great-grandfather's name thanks to the help of a fellow genealogist. A closer look at the document, however, revealed some information that I wasn't expecting. Read my series of articles about my great-grandfather Ferencz Ujlaki's journey to America to learn more about the mystery of his time as a "passenger" on the S.S. Kroonland and to gain some tips for researching your own immigrant ancestors. (Thanks to Jennifer Trahan of Jennifer's Genealogy Blog and Donna Pointkouski of What's Past is Prologue for their help in this search for records relating to my great-grandfather's trip to America.)

Best Documentary

The best informational article about a place, thing, or event involving my family's history

Ilona's emigration: The one hundred year anniversary and

America at last! Ilona's arrival at Ellis Island, 1909

"A beautifully written and eye opening article, Lisa. Terrific!" ~ Jasia, Creative Gene

"...moving and well written... I think many Americans do not realize what an ordeal their ancestors endured when they crossed the oceans to this country." ~ Bill West, West in New England

"An amazing post!! Very well written!! Your Great Grandmother's experiences would make a great book-so interesting. What a strong woman she was to make the trip-and hope for a better future for her son." ~ Tipper, Blind Pig and The Acorn

"Lisa, how I love to read your work! You make me feel so guilty for ever complaining when our ancestors had such a difficult life and rarely complained." ~ footnoteMaven

It was only fitting that a blog entitled 100 Years in America would commemorate the 100th anniversaries of the emigration (departure from Hungary) and immigration (arrival in the United States) of the author's great-grandmother in a special way. This two-part series, each one posted on the respective anniversary date, tells the story of the journey of 24-year-old Ilona (Bence) Ujlaki and her young son, Ferencz. It is a tale with elements shared by many an early 20th-century American immigrant woman: the "good-bye" to homeland and family; the journey by train and ship; and the arrival in the new country. Ilona's journey, however, had additional trials, including the hospitalization of her son at Ellis Island. Read this series to get a glimpse into Ilona's story and to learn more about the experiences of many other women who arrived in America a century ago.

Best Biography

The best biographical article

István Tóth: The elusive "John Smith" of my Hungarian family tree

"Thank you for sharing your brick wall - it's an interesting mystery. You with your Toth Istvan and me with my Lizzie Smith - the curse of common names." ~ Greta Koehl, Greta's Genealogy

It is ironic that I would choose an article about the great-grandparent that I know the least about for this "biography" award, but the story of István/Steven Tóth as I know it is one of interesting twists and turns, even though I have much more to learn about his life. Born in Mezőkeresztes, Hungary in 1874, he later immigrated to America, moving his family to New Jersey and then to Massachusetts. He disappears from the family several times according to records I've found, making a final departure sometime during the 1920s, it seems. Much of my great-grandfather's life story is a mystery to me. Sadly, I never had the chance to meet him and have not even been able to learn the details of his death, yet I have been able to put together a chronology of the early part of his life that I hope will help me to eventually learn the rest of his story.

Special Mention

One more item of note

100 Years in America the Beautiful

"What a wonderful piece you have written!" ~ Jean Duncan, Forget Me Knots

"Genea-smacked by your love song...what a great work of heart." ~ Randy Seaver, Genea-Musings

This is my own family's story written as a parody of Katharine Lee Bates' famous song America the Beautiful. The stories of my ancestors inspire me often. In this case, I felt moved to put the story of my family tree into song in response to a challenge by Bill West of West in New England. I hope you'll enjoy reading my version of the song, and that you might try singing along!

Wordless Wednesday: St. Sylvester's, Staten Island, NY

2010-02-03T14:32:00.009-05:00

This vintage postcard of Staten Island's St. Sylvester Catholic Church is housed in the New York Public Library's Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy and is also viewable online at the NYPL Digital Gallery. It reads:

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto of St. Sylvester's Church Concord, S.I. Rev. B.H. Clark, [Rector]

Source:
"Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto of St. Sylvester's Church Concord, S.I. Rev. B.H. Clark, [Rector]." NYPL Digital Gallery. Web. 3 Feb 2010. http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=140234&imageID=104648&total=71&num=40&parent_id=448914&word=&s=&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&lword=&lfield=&imgs=20&pos=45&snum=&e=w#_seemore

"Crossing": A poetic remembrance, 1909

2010-01-21T16:38:00.008-05:00

Crossing
A poetic remembrance, 1909
by Lisa

A young, new mother and her little son.
A village farm. A loving family.
A husband in a distant unknown land.
Her task: to leave and cross the massive sea.

Sad looks and words and tears from family.
Her mother’s broken heart in deepest prayer.
A bag or two, her child, and they must go.
A world to cross before arrival there.

Across the continent by train to shore,
the port looms large and daunting, and right then
a thought suddenly shakes her halting heart:
she’ll never see her home country again.

With husband waiting on the other side,
she and her young son step off of the land
and onto this new vessel of the sea –
but their place is below, so they descend.

In steerage – tossing, shifting, dark and damp –
below the deck they wait and count the days.
In such close quarters her young son takes ill.
She nurses him and counts the hours and prays.

The days pass slowly, painfully – eighteen –

of engine noise and air too stale to breathe.

And fever! Purgatory on the sea!

Her hope is for the day that they may leave.

Amidst her pain and suffering she finds

more travelers in similar despair.

Some countrymen whose ways and words she knows,

but many foreign tongues are from elsewhere.

She finds herself within a strange new world

and wonders where this voyage will yet lead.

Her strength and faith are rising, falling, while

the ship is tossed and pitched out on the sea.

How glorious – the day she hears the news

that land is near; departure eminent.

But joy is short-lived as this mother learns

the place where her ill baby will be sent.

In pain with measles, he must be confined.

Son and his mother forced to separate.

Her salty tears form oceans near her feet.

All she can do is pray and hope and wait.

Then finally the flood of trials departs

when mother, son – and father! – meet once more.

The sea of separation which they faced

is now behind them as they step ashore.

A young, new mother and her little son.

Her husband by her side in a new land.

This family steps into a new life

holding each other tightly by the hand.

Written in memory of the transatlantic journey of twenty-four-year-old Ilona (Bence) Ujlaki and her two-year-old son Ferencz. They traveled by train from Legrad, Hungary to the port of Fiume, Hungary (now Rijeka, Croatia). Their third class (steerage) voyage on the S.S. Carmania to New York harbor lasted for eighteen days: from February 13 to March 2, 1909. While on board the ship, little Ferencz became ill with measles. After the ship docked at Ellis Island, he was separated from his mother and hospitalized. After being reunited, Ilona and her son were able to meet their husband and father, the elder Ferencz, and begin their new life in New York City. Ilona, later to be known as Helen Ulaky, was my great-grandmother.

This poem has been submitted to the 89th edition of Jasia's Carnival of Genealogy whose topic is Ode to My Family's History featuring family history-focused poems. (Thanks to footnoteMaven for this edition's poster shown here).

Want to read more of my poetry? Check out my parody of Katharine Lee Bates' America, The Beautiful: 100 Years in America the Beautiful, my limericks honoring my Irish immigrant ancestor entitled A poem for Patrick, or the little ditty I wrote to describe myself as an Irish family history blogger: A limerick for the love of Ireland.

Why do I trace my family tree?

2010-01-15T09:44:00.004-05:00

I've asked myself this question every now and then over the many years that I've been interested in family history. The fact is, there has never been a time when I was not fascinated by the stories and names and places that have played a role in my family.

My first official effort at genealogy as an eleven-year-old is still fresh in my memory: interviewing my grandparents so that I could fill out a large pedigree chart with my pencil.

I had a friend with a similar interest in genealogy. His parents drove us to a genealogical library one day. I remember the dusty smell of the many old books stacked side by side on the shelves. The sunshine streamed in the window as I determined Soundex codes for each of the family surnames that I knew. Books with large indexes turned up a few possible matches, but there were no real discoveries that day for me. Still, my love for family history grew in that old library.

Perhaps the day in my younger years that I learned the most was the day we mourned the loss of my grandfather. As one of his teen granddaughters, I had been chosen to read one of the Scripture readings at his funeral. I had loved my grandfather very much. It was an honor to do this. Following the funeral, at a nearby funeral home, I learned who had joined us that day. His sisters were there, several brothers of his (whom I'd never heard of), and cousins! I met them all (and their wives and children) and heard stories of their childhoods: where they and my grandfather had lived, their father's occupation, their places of birth, where their parents had come from...

I left that day with a new understanding of my grandfather's life and his role in a family that I had hardly known about, not to mention several pages of notes. Names, dates, places... Once home I carefully entered all the info via pencil into my paper pedigree chart, and marveled at how I could have known so little about my beloved grandfather's life.

My search for family history has continued over the years. Every new bit of information is a spark that lights the fire that makes me want to learn more. And every bit of family history is a gift that gives me an appreciation for the past and an understanding of who I am today. I especially love sharing new family history discoveries with my children and with other members of the youngest generation of the family. In a world that is changing so quickly every day, the knowledge of our heritage and of the people who came before us gives us a solid foundation and appreciation for our lives and the lives and cultures of others.

I enjoyed reading What is Gained by Researching Your Family Tree? by Kimberly Powell. She says, "I research my family history because it provides me with a personal look back into a history that I might not have otherwise ever discovered. The research process challenges me. The learning process enlightens me. The discoveries provide a sense of accomplishment."

I wholeheartedly agree. A little time spent here and there searching for family history throughout the years has provided me with many rewards. Perhaps the best reward is the understanding and appreciation of the world and its cultures that I've gained through the process of discovering my own heritage.

As long as I live I hope to keep busy on my branch of the family tree: looking to the past, sharing stories with other family members and helping to provide the gift of our heritage to future generations.

The image of the Oak tree in winter is circa 1840's. You can view similar historic images from the Fox Talbot Museum at http://foxtalbot.dmu.ac.uk/resources/photo.html

This article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America on November 25, 2007. I have republished it here in honor of the new year and my renewed intent to "give life" to those that have come before me by "fanning the flame of their memories" once more.

Keeping watch on Badnjak (Advent Calendar: Christmas Eve)

2009-12-24T01:12:00.003-05:00

"Who can sleep on the night that God became man?"
- Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

I have often asked the same question since I can't seem to rest for long on Christmas Eve. It may have started when, as a child, I spent hours gazing out my bedroom window at the beautiful Christmas candles that our family lit outdoors each year on Christmas Eve. It may just have been the magic of the evening - the wonder of the Holy Child's birth surrounded by the joy and excitement of sharing Christmas Day with family.

Only this year did I learn of the Croatian custom. It turns out that Badnjak, which is the Croatian word for Christmas Eve night (and also the word for the yule log in Croatian), is traditionally kept awake, burning candles and a yule log. The custom is to keep watch (or vigil) throughout the night, at least until the return from Christmas Mass.

According to this article by Betty Labash Kovacs on Croatian Christmas Customs, the etymology of the word Badnjak actually comes from the Glagolitic (ancient Slavic script) for bdjeti, which means "to be awake". Thus, vigil is kept through the night as the shepherds kept watch on the night of the Savior's birth.

The article, which was published in The Zajednicar, the newspaper of the Croatian Fraternal Union, goes on to explain that traditions of Christmas Eve vary in different villages and regions of Croatia. However, the use of the yule log is the center of the celebration in many Croatian homes. Here she describes its use in Croatia and in other countries of the former Roman empire:

On this night there must be heat and light, represented by the ritual candle and as no other light may appear before the ceremonial candle is lit, the domaćin [head of the household]lights it before dark has fallen, accompanied by traditional phrases and verses, varying from region to region. Some of these still remain and are carefully nurtured not only by peasant families, but by specialists - folklorists who travel from village to village, recording and codifying folk culture for future generations. The custom of the Yule Log or panj existed in pre-recorded times in all of southern Europe - Spain, Portugal, France, Croatia, all former regions of the Holy Roman Empire or lands adjacent to it. Northern Slavs from Poland, the Ukraine, the Carpathians did not adopt the practice, but just as there are remnants of the Roman connection in the Istrian word for Christmas (vilija), so the Croatians as they settled in southern lands accepted the Badnjak, the Yule Log.

Badnjak is not only a night of "keeping watch", but the evening when all the house is to be decorated for Christmas. Andrea Janekovic's Christmas in Croatia article describes her memories of Badnjak. According to Janekovic, Christmas Eve was a day of preparation. By this day the Chrismas Wheat (Pšenica) would be at its height. On Christmas Eve food is prepared (although the baking may have been done already) and homes are decorated with ivy, holly and tree branches and the traditional straw is brought in. If the family has a Christmas tree, this is the night to decorate it. And, of course, the candles and yule log are lit, and prayers are offered for departed family members and friends.

As you celebrate your own traditions on this Christmas Eve, I hope that you enjoy the beauty of this night of celebration after the long wait through Advent. Light a candle, say some prayers and enjoy the magic of Badnjak as the shepherds did on that night so long ago.

In the words of a traditional Croatian Christmas Eve blessing:

Eto sine, živ i zdrav bio - do godine Badnjak na kucu metnio!

May you live and be healthy to place the log on the house next year!

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It is included this year as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 24: Christmas Eve. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

A ring, yellow roses & a Flying Cloud (Advent Calendar: Christmas Sweetheart Memories)

2009-12-23T01:03:00.002-05:00

It was Christmas 1929 and when Mitzi arrived home her mother had some news for her. There was a small package for her on the Christmas tree. It was a box from Steve, whom she had met at the St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Church during Easter that year. Steve's sister Helen had taken Mitzi for a nice visit to their home in June of that year, and Mitzi and Steve had gotten further acquainted. Now this gift awaited her on the Christmas tree, accompanied by a dozen yellow roses.

She opened the box to find a friendship ring from Steve with a sapphire stone. In the months following that Christmas, the two exchanged letters. Steve came to visit Mitzi's family's home several times, always arriving in his Reo Flying Cloud automobile with loud "cut-outs" on the exhaust, as Mitzi remembers.

It was only six months after she received the Christmas friendship ring that Mitzi and Steve were married. A beautiful outdoor reception was held for the guests, complete with an arbor made just for the occasion by her father. According to Mitzi's sister Wilma, "He had brought fresh sapling trees from the nearby forest to place into holes dug into the yard to shade the wedding feast. They looked as though they grew there."

Mitzi's mother and a friend made all the food for the reception. It was a beautiful day in 1930 for this eighteen-year-old bride and her twenty-five-year-old groom and their families.

The wedding celebrated, the reception waning, the couple drove off to their honeymoon - in the same Reo Flying Cloud.

Minus the "loud cut-outs".

Image of the 1927 Reo Flying Cloud Sedan ad courtesy of John's Old Car and Truck Ads.

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It is included this year as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 23: Christmas Sweetheart Memories. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

Heavenly music and "little stars" (Advent Calendar: Christmas Music)

2009-12-21T23:04:00.011-05:00

I've often wondered what Christmases were like for my great-grandmother as a child growing up in what is today northern Croatia. What were the traditions of the season in her home and village when she was a six-year-old girl in 1890? I know that Christmas was predominantly centered around their Catholic faith and the way in which their village church celebrated the season. A big part of their celebration must have been the beautiful Christmas carols sung at church and around the village.

I was interested to learn, according to Darko Žubrinić on this Croatian history webpage, that there are more than five hundred Christmas folk songs in the Croatian language. Many of these originated as far back as the 12th-century. It is interesting that even though Croatia is a small country many of these folk songs have traditionally had different melodies in various regions while retaining similar lyrics.

Thankfully, many of these beautiful songs are alive and well. In fact, they have been performed on a worldwide scale thanks to a Croatian girls' equivalent of the Vienna Boys' Choir. In fact, many Europeans consider them to have surpassed the famed Vienna Boys' Choir. Zvjezdice (in English that translates to Little Stars), is an international award-winning girls' choir out of Zagreb which was selected as a Cultural Ambassador of the European Union Parliament. They are two-time world champions of the Llangollen International Music Festival of choir music. Zvjezdice has brought the music of Croatia to venues all throughout Europe and the United States.

For a taste of Croatia's rich heritage of Christmas folk songs, listen to their renditions of Radujte se Narodi (Rejoice, Peoples) [mp3] and Svim na Zemlji mir veselje (Peace and Joy to All on the Earth) [mp3] (The choir is accompanied here by the Zagreb Soloists.)

Here are the words in Croatian to Svim na Zemlji mir veselje, thanks to this Croatian history webpage:

Svim na Zemlji mir veselje
Peace and joy to all on the Earth

Svim na zemlji mir, veselje
Budi polag Božje volje.
To sad nebo navješćuje
I glas s neba potvrđuje.

Dobre volje svaka duša
grijeha neka vech ne kuša
Nego hvali, diči Boga,
Što je posl'o Sinka svoga.

Sinka svoga, Boga moga,
S Ocem, Duhom jednakoga
Duhom Svetim začetoga
Od Djevice rođenoga

Check out Croatia Records' Christmas webpage for other suggestions for Croatian Christmas music, including some links to iTunes downloads.

For more on the music of Zvjezdice see this Cantus webpage or this Tamburaland webpage. I have been unable to find an official site for Zvjezdice. If anyone knows of such a site, please let me know.

Radujte se narodi (rejoice, peoples!) in the beautiful Croatian music of the season!

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It is included this year as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 21: Christmas Music. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

Bokréta: "Reconquering culture" one folk dance at a time

2009-12-15T00:00:00.002-05:00

If you are a regular reader of 100 Years in America, you know the appreciation that I have for the heritage and culture of my Hungarian and Croatian ancestors. Living far from their homelands, however, it is not always easy to retain a part of those cultures within the life of my own family, even though I am only a few generations removed from my immigrant ancestors. As stated so well by the famous Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály:

"You cannot inherit culture.
Ancestral traditions disappear rapidly unless
each generation re-conquers them for itself."
~ Zoltán Kodály

One aspect of culture that I would love to "reconquer" in my family is the folk dance of my ancestors. Along those lines I am happy to help announce the Bokréta Hungarian Folklore Ensemble's Winter Workshop in Montreal. The workshop, now over ten years old, will run from February 12-14, 2010 and will for the first time also include a concurrent children's workshop.

As the website states, "Hungarian folk dance and music enthusiasts have been gathering in Montreal every Valentine's weekend to learn to improvise folk dances and music. This year, the Montreal Winter Workshop is pleased to once again present some of the best dancers and musicians directly from Europe." The 2010 workshop will also feature a new twist: it will introduce Gypsy dances, music, and songs from Moldava nad Bodvou (Szepsi), Slovakia, which according to the Bokréta website, have never before been seen in North America.

View Larger Map

Love Hungarian and Slovakian music but don't want to dance yourself? Plan to attend the Bokréta Gala Concert on February 11 featuring the workshop musicians from Europe.

For information, workshop registration and/or concert tickets visit the Bokréta website.

Image of the Bokréta Hungarian dancers thanks to Sergui Popa.

Thanks to Folklor Digest for announcing the event.

A Hungarian boy's 1st Christmas in America, 1923 (Advent Calendar: Holiday Travel)

2009-12-12T00:00:00.019-05:00

I enjoyed reading the beautiful memoir written by Richard Bujaki about his father, seven years old at the time, and his first Christmas in America in 1923. "This may be the greatest Christmas present you will ever receive," Bujaki's grandmother told her children. The "gift" that this little boy and his siblings received that year was to make it the most memorable Christmas of his life. You can read Bujaki's story, Twas the night before Christmas, 1923 on The Christmas Archives website.

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It is included this year as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 12 Holiday Travel. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

A pot of pšenica for Sveta Lucia (Advent Calendar: Other Traditions)

2009-12-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

One legend about the Holy Family's flight to Egypt tells of a miracle that occurred to protect them from danger. One version of the story is retold in Frederick Hackwood's Christ Lore: The Legends, Traditions, Myths, Symbols, Customs and Superstitions of the Christian Church. The story is also illustrated within the beautiful 15th-century illuminated manuscript Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry painted by the Limbourg brothers. (See the bottom frame of the image below. You may click on it for a larger view.)

According to the Christus Rex webpage about the manuscript and the Christ Child's flight into Egypt, the story goes like this:

"While fleeing Herod's men, the Virgin and Child met a peasant sowing wheat. Jesus reached into the bag of seed and threw onto the path a handful, which immediately sprang into wheat as high and as ripe as if it were a year old. When Herod's soldiers arrived and asked the peasant if he had seen a woman carrying a child, he answered, 'Yes, when I sowed this wheat,' whereupon they gave up the pursuit."

This legend may have inspired the origin of one of my favorite Christmas traditions that I mentioned earlier. It is perhaps the most distinctly Croatian of all Christmas traditions: Bozicna Pšenica.

On December 13, Sveta Lucia Dan (St. Lucy's Day), wheat seeds are placed in small round bowls or dishes of water (no dirt is needed). If all goes well, the wheat will grow to about 6-8 inches tall by Christmas Eve. When it is tall enough, a red, white and blue tri-colored ribbon representing the Croatian trobojnic is tied around the wheat. The wheat may be a symbol of the soul's rebirth in Christ. This tradition also represents the hope that the new year's growing season will be a good one.

A candle is sometimes placed in the middle of the pšenica. The candle may symbolize Christ, the Light of the world. According to Christmas in Croatia by Andrea Janekovic, in some regions "a small glass with water and oil is placed in the center of the wheat, on which a floating wick (a dusica - from the word for soul, dusa) is placed. Its glow can be seen through, rather than above, the wheat. The glow represents the soul within each of us."

According to Adriatica.net's Croatia's Christmas Traditions in the Past & Nowadays, the wheat is planted or given to birds after Christmas. Croatian tradition dictates that nothing from Christmastime should be thrown away.

Although it is a small country, different areas of Croatia celebrate Christmas in many different ways. In fact, in some parts of the country, Sveta Lucia may deliver gifts to children on her feast day.

If you would like to grow your own Bozicna Pšenica, visit a local farm supply or similar store and purchase seed wheat. If you are reading this on December 13, today is the day. A happy Sveta Lucia Dan to you!

I'm off to go plant my wheat seeds...

Image of Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry courtesy of Christus Rex.

Image of Bozicna Pšenica courtesy of Roberta F. via Wikimedia Commons.

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It will be included as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 11: Other Traditions. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

Of falcons and family: Christmas greetings from Hungary & Croatia (Advent Calendar: Grab Bag)

2009-12-09T00:00:00.012-05:00

The joy-filled Christmas season is celebrated in so many countries on so many continents throughout the world. The merriment and hope of the season crosses borders and language barriers.

How much fun it is to learn how to wish others a "Merry Christmas" in a different language, particularly the language of one of our ancestors! In the spirit of the season, I'd like to share with you what I've learned about sharing holiday greetings in the languages of my Hungarian and Croatian ancestors.

In Hungarian, you may wish someone "Merry Christmas" by saying "Boldog Karácsonyt". Other traditional Christmas wishes are, "Kellemes Karácsonyi Ünnepeket " which means "Abundant Christmas Holidays" or "Karácsonyi Üdvözlet" which means "Christmas Greetings".
Adding a wish for a happy new year to your greeting, you might say, "Kellemes Karácsonyi Ünnepeket és Boldog Újévet!" which means, "Pleasant Christmas celebrations and a Happy New Year!". If you'd like to hear how to pronounce that last phrase, click here.

The Hungarian word for Christmas, Karácsony, has an interesting origin. According to Charles Dombi, webmaster of Hunmagyar.org, the story goes like this:

"The origin and meaning of the Hungarian word for Christmas, Karácsony, has its roots in ancient pre-Christian (pagan) culture and religious beliefs. It is associated with the most important celebration of pagan peoples, that of the winter solstice. It was an ancient Hungarian custom to celebrate the event with the releasing of falcons which were called 'kerecsen solyom' - 'solyom' means falcon, and 'kerecsen' refers to the type of falcon. Since ancient times, birds of prey have had special symbolic significance, and in the ancient Near Eastern civilizations, the falcon was associated with the sun or the sun-god. This tradition has been preserved by the ancient Magyars (Hungarians) and their ethno-linguistic relatives. The Hungarian word for Christmas, 'Karácsony' is therefore derived from the word 'kerecsen'."

For more on the origin of the word for Christmas in the Hungarian language, see the Hungarian article on the web entitled Karácsony szavunk eredetéről és jelentéséről.

If you'd like to learn how to celebrate the Advent and Christmas seasons in a traditionally Hungarian way, you might enjoy browsing the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Museum's webpage on Christmas in Hungary. It includes an introduction to Christmas in Hungary and provides many links to explore.

In Croatian, the equivalent of "Merry Christmas" is "Sretan Bozic". If you want to get a little more specific, you might say, ""Sretan i Blagoslovljen Božić! Nadam se da ce vam nadolazeća godina donijeti mnogo radosti, mira i sreće." This means, "Have a blessed and joyful Christmas! Hope this coming year will bring you and your family a lot of joy, peace and luck."

If you are interested in learning more about the Christmas celebrations of the Croatian people, you might enjoy reading an article posted online on the Croatian World Network website entitled Croatian Christmas Traditions by James Monti. The article was published in the Advent 2006 edition of the Catholic devotional magazine Magnificat. The focus is on the faith traditions of the Croatian people of Bosnia-Herzegovina. As Monti states in his article, "The strong sense of family characterizing Croatian Christmas customs serves as a reminder of the joy of the Holy Family at the birth of Christ and the future joy of heaven."

In the tradition of my Hungarian and Croatian ancestors, I wish you...

Boldog Karácsonyt and Sretan Bozic!

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It will be included as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 9: Grab Bag. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article is based on several others that originally appeared here at 100 Years in America:

The first was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

Kifli again: Hungarian Christmas Cakes revisited (Advent Calendar: Christmas Cookies)

2009-12-08T00:00:00.002-05:00

Some of you may have read this article when it was posted last Wednesday, December 2, and are wondering why it has reappeared this week. It was posted earlier on Day 2 of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 (theme: Holiday Foods) and also submitted to the GeneaBloggers Holiday 2009 Recipe Contest and Holiday Cookbook, but I couldn't resist sharing it again this week to be included within the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 8: Christmas Cookies. And by the way, if you haven't gotten around to trying your hand at making your own kifli, here's one more reminder before Christmas Day!

One of the most enjoyable holiday treats in my childhood memory (counting all the holidays) was one of my grandmother's specialties. Everyone in our family calls them "Gramma's Christmas Cakes". When I was a child and the Christmas season rolled around we could always be sure that these delicious treats would make an appearance. Sometimes we would hear in advance that Gramma was working on them. (Later in life I learned how labor intensive they were.) Other times we would be surprised by the sudden appearance of a pretty doily-decorated plate loaded with the apricot jelly-filled crescent-shaped goodies. Every now and then Gramma's beloved Christmas Cakes would make an appearance at Easter, to the great delight of those who enjoyed them the most.

Inspired to carry on the tradition of baking these holiday goodies, I invited Gramma over to my home one day to have her teach me how to do it. I learned that day just what a labor of love Gramma had performed for her family for so many years. With my own small children causing distractions underfoot throughout the whole process, I gained a new appreciation for my dear grandmother and her patience and dedication to Christmas Cakes and her role as grandmother and great-grandmother.

Gramma had learned to make Christmas Cakes by watching her mother-in-law, who had immigrated to America from northeastern Hungary. Because of this I assumed that the recipe was probably something from that region. It was only a few short years ago that I learned, thanks to a letter from a family member of my grandmother's generation, the true identity of these goodies. Like so many of our ancestors who emigrated from their home countries and found it more convenient to Americanize their names, the Christmas Cakes had done the same. Their Hungarian name was Kifli. I was thrilled to learn this and also to find that recipes for them were found in many Hungarian cookbooks and orders could be placed for them with Hungarian bakeries even in the U.S.

Of course, nothing can replace the taste of Gramma's own version of kifli. With the understanding that written directions can never replace watching and learning from an expert like Gramma, here is my version of Gramma's recipe for those of you that are interested in giving them a try:

100 Years in America's
Family Kifli Recipe
Otherwise known as "Gramma's Christmas Cakes"

Apricot Jelly

3 lbs. apricots
1 1/2 cups sugar
Cinnamon

Put them in a pot with enough water to cover them plus about 1 inch more
Cook for about 45 minutes until soft, stirring frequently
Mash the apricots
Add sugar
Cook about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until very thick (the longer the better), stirring frequently
Sprinkle the jelly with cinnamon

Christmas Cakes

4 cups flour
1/2 lb. sweet butter at room temperature
6 eggs - separated - at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. sour cream at room temperature
4 tablespoons sugar
1 packet of yeast (prepared by mixing with 1 teaspoon sugar & about 1/4 cup milk)
Homemade apricot jelly
1 lb. walnuts (add 4 teaspoons sugar to each lb. when chopped)
Confectioner's sugar

Mix flour with butter and then salt and sugar
Make a well in the middle - add egg yolks, vanilla and sour cream gradually
Mix and kneed until smooth (keep working the dough until ready)
Use flour to make it not too sticky (can freeze - wrap in freezer paper and cover with flour)
Roll out dough
Cut the dough into 4 pieces
Chop walnuts and whip egg whites
Roll out one of the 4 pieces of dough
Cut into individual 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 squares and fill with a heaping teaspoon of homemade apricot jelly
Roll each into a horn (crescent)
Top each with egg whites and nuts
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until light brown (about 30-35 minutes)

Kifli may also be served with a prune filling (prepared similarly to the apricot filling) or a walnut filling, although the apricot kind has always been the favorite in my family. If using walnut filling, add boiled milk to the nuts until pasty, then grated lemon rind.

I am always happy to hear that family members are baking a batch of Christmas Cakes and continuing to keep them in the family for the future generations to enjoy and remember.

We join with generations of Hungarian families that have made and enjoyed these goodies. In fact, the origin of kifli may go back to the 17th century. According to The Urban Fakanál by Andrea Miklós on The New Hungarian Voice webpage, legend has it that Budapest was threated by Ottoman Turks at the end of the 1600's. Supposedly the Turks intended to capture the city by building tunnels under the city wall. Hungarian bakers, who worked the early shift, caught the Turks in action and the attempt failed. To remember their success, the city's bakers baked bread in the shape of the Turkish Empire's emblem: the crescent. Kifli immediately became popular in Budapest and Vienna. In the 18th century, Marie Antoinette may have brought kifli back to Paris, inspiring the French to make their own version: the famous French croissant.

If you're pressed for time or not brave enough to try making your own kifli, here are a few bakeries in the U.S. that offer them for purchase:

Dobo's Delights Bake Shoppe of Piqua, OH
Hungarian Bakery of Earlysville, VA

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It is included this year as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 2: Holiday Foods and Day 8: Christmas Cookies. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.

Childhood memories of a Croatian winter's night (Advent Calendar: Holiday Parties)

2009-12-07T00:00:00.005-05:00

Marija Bango wrote a charming children's book entitled Kralj Drave (King of the Drava) about the lives of two young sisters growing up near the Drava River in the village of Legrad in what is now northern Croatia. Marija was born in the village in 1917 and became friends with my great-grandmother and her family (also natives of Legrad), visiting them in New York after her immigration to Canada in 1960. Marija went on to become an accomplished poet, and divided her time each year between her home in Montreal and her stays in her native village of Legrad.

Marija's book of children's stories gives a heart-warming glimpse into her childhood and the traditional way of life that was still common in Legrad and the rest of the Međimurje area during the early 20th-century. I enjoyed reading the chapter entitled Pod snijegom (Snow Bound). Her story makes it easy to imagine myself as the little girl Marica trying to keep awake to listen to the storytelling of the grown-ups as they gather at her family's home in wintertime for feather-sorting.

Enjoy this excerpt from Kralj Drave (King of the Drava) and a nostalgic trip back to Legrad's winters past...

Darkness came early; it crept across the garden and into the stables; the chickens were dozing in the coop; the Back Room (as it was called because it faced the kitchen garden, across from the Front Room which faced the flowerbeds along the street) was already dark. Marica and Klarica's mother Agneza lit a kerosene lamp and hung it on the wall by the window. Grandma was steadily stirring corn mash on the stove, corn flour mixed with a little melted lard in the pot; a sharp hissing sound could be heard now and then as the steam rose from the water sprinkled on the cooking mash. Its aroma filled the room... The table was set. The men, five of them (Agneza's brothers), bringing with them the smells of the stable. They were quick to eat their supper because family and neighbors were coming to help sort feathers collected all year in large sacks.

The muffled sound of footsteps could be heard, snow stamped from boots at the front door. The door to the room was opened to let light into the hall. The women were the first to come in from outdoors, wrapped mummy-like in woolen shawls from head to waist. They took seats around the table while the men settled on benches along the wall, on Grandma's chest of drawers, on the edge of the bed. Since there were unwed girls among the womenfolk, there were plenty of young men. This was to be an evening of singing, storytelling, jokes and laughter until late of night. These were evenings when Marica listened, all ears, while her younger sister Klarica lay fast asleep on the bed next to her.

I'm thankful that Marija took the time to turn her childhood memories into these sweet stories about Marica and Klarica. They are a treasure to those interested in life in Legrad and similar small Croatian villages in centuries past.

If you are interested in reading more of Marija Bango's writings (both poetry and prose), here is a list of some of her works in various languages:

Children's stories: Pinklec na panklec (English & Croatian)
Stories for the young: Večernje pripovijetke (French)
Poem cycles: Po naši poti (Kajkavian) & Po belem svetu (Kajkavian)
A collection of children's games, legends and beliefs: Kre Drave (Kajkavian)
Lyric and prose poetry: Poetska čežnja (French, English & Croatian)
A study of poetry and prose: Les Beautés de ce Monde - The Beauty of this World (French)

This article is part of a series written in celebration of the Advent and Christmas seasons. It will be included as part of the GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2009 Day 7: Holiday Parties. Make a visit to Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers website for some additional inspiration to get yourself in the holiday spirit!

The article originally appeared here at 100 Years in America and was included in Thomas MacEntee's Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2007.