Professional Researchers Tracing YOUR Genealogy

Newsletter

Summer 2024

2024 Fall Trip Plans!!

I'm looking forward to returning to work in Italy in Fall 2024, see www.gentracer.com/nextrip.html and see www.gentracer.com/lastrip.html.

My last research trip was in April 2024, as follows:

On 9 April, I flew from SLC to CDG, arriving the next morning and then catching the flight to Roma and picked up the rental car. Booking early, I was able to get a room in one of my favority places, Flaminio Village Bungalow Park, on the edge of a forest but near a train line to go downtown.

On 11 and 12 April, I worked in the Vatican archives on prisoners of war. Then I drove down to Castropignano, stopping along the way at the Free French Military Cemetery in Venafro.

The following day was Sunday, so I drove to the nearby archaeological dig and museum at Sepino.

On 15 April, I met my client at the church of San Giorgio Martire in Petrella Tifernina (Campobasso province), built in 1165 with some wonderful medieval artwork. The Church archives are across the street and the priest was very helpful in our research.

The next day, I drove down to Villa San Giovanni (Reggio Calabria province), enjoying the coast and farmland.

On 17 and 18 April, I worked in the town civil records office obtaining paperwork for a probate. I was able to meet with some of the heirs who were very hospitable, feeding me lunch. I really enjoyed the view of the Strait of Messina from their home!

On 19 April, I drove up to Serrastretta (Catanzaro province) and found my lovely B&B. The next day I drove down the mountain to Lamezia Terme for the Passover Seder (yes, a couple days early, but scheduling for a hotel dining room on a weekend). There were 16 of us so I made some new friends and Rabbi got to see some old ones. That evening I had dinner with Rabbia and her husband in Serrastretta, good friends.

On 21 April, I drove onto the ferry to cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily and then on to one of my favorites, Duca di San Martino Agriturismo in Partanna. It was a great reunion with Lucia and the farm animals.

The next day, I drove to Marsala to work in the civil records to obtain the birth record necessary for a client's citizenship application.

On 23 April, I relaxed around Partanna on my last day in Italy.

The next day, I returned the rental car at the Catania Airport and caught my flight to Paris where I spent the night on the edge of the lovely village of Roissy en France.

On 25 April, I flew home.

In the Fall, I will be researching in the Vatican Apostolic Archives regarding Prisoners of War. Then work in the Inquisition trial records held at the Archivio di Stato in Napoli for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Then driving down to Sicily, hoping to find the Jewish Star of David window that remains of the synagogue now a post office in Taormina. Also hoping to get into the church records in Alia again. I also plan to work in church and provincial and town records at a few towns and cities yet to be determined. I'm looking forward to meeting with both American and European friends (old and new), as well as returning to favorite places and visiting towns I haven't seen before!

I am scheduled to present a variety of talks in 2024, see www.gentracer.com/schedule.html.

I'm expanding the information at www.gentracer.org to reflect my research done in the last few years on the Holocaust, Italian Concentration Camps, and the Polish 2nd Corps. Most of this information is found in my presentations listed at www.gentracer.org/wwpresentations.html.

At www.gentracer.com, I'm expanding the pages to include more on the history of Jews in Italy. More of this information is found at www.gentracer.com/presentations.html. Also, see The Secret Jews of Calabria, a video by Rabbi Barbara Aiello.

I've also been updating the Adventuring Genealogist website at www.gentracer.net with photos and videos from Christine's trips.



My book on CD titled Sicily, Part 1 and Part 2 is available on 2 CDs or .rar files. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.



My book titled American Prisoner of War Camps in Colorado and is available at Amazon in paperback format. I've beeen updating the information for presentations at various conferences and meetings as shown at www.gentracer.com/schedule.html.