Help reading Czech handwriting

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The Czech handwriting is a bit of a challenge for me and I am hoping someone familiar with Czech handwriting and Czech names can help confirm that this baptism record at https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Konopkova-1 is indeed for Mariana Konopkova (my 2ggm) and transcribe the information for her entry (especially the mother and father).
WikiTree profile: Marie Slavikova
in Genealogy Help by Living Anderson G2G6 Mach 8 (84.9k points)
That's that infernal German script. It's only legible if you already know exactly what it says, so I can't determine what language it's written in, but based on the fact that the printed headers are all in German, my guess would be German, not Czech.
The handwriting is called Kurrentshrift. Do you have the link to the actual record (on soapraha, ceskearchivy, or one of the other sites) rather than just a jpg? That may help, because some of the sites allow you to zoom in closer.

Reading Kurrentshrift takes a lot of getting used to. But there's a lot of resources out on the internet.

There's also a group on facebook called "Genealogy Translations" that may help.

1 Answer

+3 votes
 
Best answer

Maybe Facebook would help too, but we are also able to do it. ;-)

And yes, it is written in german.

But it would be easier if you provide a link to the original source, so one would be able to get it in a better resolution to zoom in more without quality degradation. But it's ok to read, so nevermind.

My own annotation/ translation in square brackets:

Sheet of the register: 180
Date born: 22. August 1835
Date baptized: 23. August 1835
House Number: 262
Name of the conductive priest: Franz Zaphek, canonicus [not sure on the last name!]
Name of the midwife: Anna Bachezer, Hebamme Nr. 263 [midwife number 263; not sure on the last name!]
Name of the baptizant: Marianna
Birth place: Vorstadt [literally: suburban town. As other entries on that page state, maybe the city of "Sladowme" or similar?]
Religion: katholisch [catholic]
Sex: weiblich [female]
Birth: ehelich [born in marriage]
Father: Vinzenz Nowak, Schneidergesell in der Vorstadt, katholisch [Vinzenz Nowak, tailor journeyman at the suburban town, catholic]
Mother: Josefa, Tochter Johann Drayon, Inmann in der Vorstadt [Josefa, daughter of Johann Drayon. Johann is a inhabitant or maybe tenant at the suburban town, Josepha is catholic]
Godparents: Martin Hezner, Antonia seine Ehegattin, Vorstadtbürger aus Kremsier [Martin Hezner and his wife Antonia, citizens at the suburban town from Kromeriz. Not sure on the towns name, but it could be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krom%C4%9B%C5%99%C3%AD%C5%BE.]

So it is the birth/baptize record of Marianna Nowak, daughter of Vinzenz Nowak and Josefa Drayon.

by Jochen Oberreiter G2G6 Mach 1 (17.5k points)
selected by Living Anderson
Just a couple of possible changes: The priest's name is Zaschek, and mother's maiden name Drazon.
You're right, Zaschek, of course.

Nevertheless, the above birth record seems to me as the wrong one.

I've added the birth record of the first son Alois (see https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Slavik-29 and http://actapublica.eu/matriky/brno/prohlizec/9307/?strana=211 ), and it reads that the mother Marianna is a illegitimate daughter of Marianna Konupka, daughter of Andreas Konupka from Wrchoslawitz (north west of Kremsier, map here: https://de.mapy.cz/19stoleti?x=17.2139274&y=49.3326281&z=14)
Thanks Jochen and all!  When I get back from the Arctic, I will need to start learning how to read the the 'kurrentschrift.'  Maybe I will be able to find Marianna's birth certificate and actually read it.

In the meantime, if it is not too much trouble, could you help with the rest of the entry for Alois (especially the Vater)??  Thanks again!!

http://actapublica.eu/matriky/brno/prohlizec/9307/?strana=211, birth entry for Alois Slawik, first on the left page:

T.I f. 104 [= Taufbuch I, folio 104 = birth register 1, sheet 104]
Date of birth and baptization: 1861 Februar geboren den 3ten, den 4ten getauft, Wenzl Kloß Pfarrer [born 1861 Feb 03, bapt. 1861 Feb 04 by Wenzl Kloß, priest]
House Number: [Aujezdsko] 25 [Note: the column header states "Nro. conscr." which means "Konskriptionsnummer", which is an administrative ID -- but the low number looks like an actual house number.]
Name of the baptizant: Aloysius [the latin form of Alois]
Religion: katholisch [catholic]
Sex: männlich [male]
Midwife: Rosalia Flascher Nr. 31 in Zlamanka [Rosalia Flascher, registered number 31 from Zlamanka]
Birth: ehelich [born in marriage]
Father: Johann Slawik, Inmann in Aujezdsko, Sohn des + Thomas Slawik, ... in Aujezdsko und dessen Ehegattin Anna geborene Franz Kloch, Viertlers von Traubek [Johann Slawik, inhabitant or tenant in Aujezdsko, son of the already died Thomas Slawik, ... and his (still living) wife Anna, born (daughter of) Franz Kloch, an owner of 1/4th of a house at/from Traubek]
Religion of father: katholisch [catholic]
Mother: Marianna, Tochter der Marianna Konupka, einer Tochter des Andreas Konupka, Häuslers von Wrchoslawitz [Marianna, daughter of Marianna, a daughter of Andreas Konupka, cottager from Wrchoslawitz]
Religion of mother: katholisch [catholic]
Godparents: Michael Lez..ika [?], Bauer von Wrchoslawitz; Barbara, dessen Ehegattin; Wenzl Kloß, Namenfertiger [Michael ..., farmer from Wrchoslawitz and Barbara his wife; Wenzl Kloß, writer of this entry]

The occupation of Thomas Slavik (the grandfather of Alois) is unknown to me, it reads like "Familia..", but I have no clue what it would be; maybe Helmut is able to clarify this. The family name of Alois' godfather is the other unsure data.

So, to sort out the connections:

  • Johann Slawik and Marianna Slawik born Konupka were the parents of Alois.
  • Thomas Slawik and Anna Slawik born Kloch were the grandparents of Alois.
  • Franz Kloch was the great-grandfather of Alois.
It appears that the younger brother Ernest's birth is just a few pages later (first on left page):

http://actapublica.eu/matriky/brno/prohlizec/9307/?strana=218

I am still having trouble reading the writing but it looks like it is the correct record.  There was also a younger sister Barbara born in 1868 but I do not see the mother 'Mariana' listed in the second entry on the left:

http://actapublica.eu/matriky/brno/prohlizec/9307/?strana=220

Thoughts?
I would copy that Ernest is his younger brother, yes.

The mother of Barbara is recorded as Veronica Hajek, daughter of Joseph Hajek and Theresia Tormček. Since there is a high accordance at the fathers side, I would assume that the mother Marianna may have died and the father Johann had married again. Maybe she died as a consequence of Ernest' birth?

To prove that, one has to look into the death and marriage registers (starting from the day of Ernest birth) and try to find

a) the death of Marianna Slawik and

b) the (re-)marriage of Johann Slawik and Veronica Hajek.
I was thinking along the same lines (points a and b) and even looked at the deaths to no avail until I recalled that Mariana was in the 1869(70) census as seen here: https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/9/9c/Slavik-29-10.jpg

The father does appear to be Johann Slavik and the year is correct according to the census but the mother being other than Marianna is a mystery.

BTW, was there any information for the father listed on her entry or either parent listed in Ernest's entry that were not in the entry for Alois?  I would especially like to learn the name of Marianna's father (the maternal grandfather of Alois and Ernest.

ERNEST:
T. I f. 118 [= Tomus I, folio 118 = birth register 1, sheet 118]
Date of birth and baptization: 1866 May geboren 20., getauft 20., Wenzl Kloß Pfarrer [born 1866 May 20, bapt. 1866 May 20 by Wenzl Kloß, priest]
House Number: [Aujezdsko] 25 [Note: the column header states "Nro. conscr." which means "Konskriptionsnummer", which is an administrative ID -- but the low number looks like an actual house number.]
Name of the baptizant: Ernest
Religion: katholisch [catholic]
Sex: männlich [male]
Birth: ehelich [born in marriage]
Midwife: Hebamme Antonia Chytil N. 17 in Zlamanka [Midwife Antonia Chytil, registered number (or house number!?) 17 from Zlamanka]
Father: Johann Slawik, Inmann und Taglöhner von Aujezdsko, Sohn des + Thomas Slawik, Familianter in Aujezdsko und dessen Ehegattin Anna geborene Franz Klech, Viertlers in Traubek [Johann Slawik, inhabitant or tenant and day labourer in Aujezdsko, son of the already died Thomas Slawik, ... and his (still living) wife Anna, born (daughter of) Franz Klech, an owner of 1/4th of a house at/from Traubek]
Religion of father: katholisch [catholic]
Mother: Marianna, Tochter der Marianna Konupka, einer Tochter des Andreas Konupka, Häuslers von Wrchoslawitz [Marianna, daughter of Marianna, a daughter of Andreas Konupka, cottager from Wrchoslawitz]
Religion of mother: katholisch [catholic]
Godparents: Josef Smolka, familiant von Aujezdsko; Katharina dessen Ehegattin; Wenzl Kloß, Namenfertiger [Joseph Smolka, ... from Aujezdsko and Katharina his wife; Wenzl Kloß, writer of this entry]


It's the first time that I read the term "Familianter" or "Familiant", but according to Wikipedia (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familianten) it was used in conjunction to jewish families (between 1745 and 1859). But the religion of mother and father is catholic, so "Familiant" may be just a general term for "someone that has a family".

BARBARA:
Tom: I Pag: 122 [= Tomus I, page 122 = birth register 1, page 122]
Date of birth and baptization: 1868 December gebor: 3 getauft. 4 Thomas Cantal[?] Pfarrer [born 1868 December 03, bapt. 1868 December 04 by Thomas Cantal[?], priest]
House Number: [Aujezdsko] 38 [Note: the column header states "Nro. conscr." which means "Konskriptionsnummer", which is an administrative ID -- but the low number looks like an actual house number.]
Name of the baptizant: Barbara
Religion: katholisch [catholic]
Sex: weiblich [female]
Birth: ehelich [born in marriage]
Midwife: Hebamme: Antonia Chytil aus Zlamanka Nro. 17 [Antonia Chytil, registered number (or house number?) 17 from Zlamanka]
Father: Slawik Johann, Inmann und Taglöhner in Aujezdsko und Sohn des + Slawik Thomas, Familianter in Aujezdsko und dessen Eheweibes Anna geborene Laucyke[?] Franz, Viertlers in Diwok[?] [Johann Slawik, inhabitant or tenant and day labourer in Aujezdsko, son of the already died Thomas Slawik, ... in Aujezdsko and his (still living) wife Anna, born (daughter of) Franz Laucyke[?], an owner of 1/4th of a house at/from Diwok[?] ]
Religion of father: katholisch [catholic]
Mother: Veronica, Tochter des Joseph Hajek, Podsedkers in Aujezdsko und dessen Eheweibes Theresia geborene Tomeček Häuslers in Scheleschowitz [Veronica, daughter of Joseph Hajek, in Aujedsko uand his wife Theresia born Tomeček, cottager from Schelleschowitz]
Religion of mother: --
Godparents: Joseph Kaschar[?], Häusler in Aujedsko; Franziska dessen Eheweib; durch Thomas Cantal Pfarrer [Joseph Kaschar[?], cottager in Aujedsko; Franziska his wife; by Thomas Cantal, priest]

I'm not sure on

  • the family name of the priest,
  • the father of Anna Slawik (Laucyke, Laucke in Diwok. I tried to find Diwok or similar as a place, but nothing found that fits) and
  • the family name of Barbara's godparents.

If you say that Marianna is mentioned later at the census, the further possibilities beside a remarriage (I) would be

  • II) this is an entry belonging to another family living in another house (Nr. 38 instead of Nr. 25), and the name of the father and grandfather of Barbara are just a remarkable coincidence. This may happen, even if its unlikely.
  • III) the (new?) priest Thomas Cantal had make a mistake at the entry of the mother. This may also happen, but what makes it unlikely is that all of the information is different to the previous births.


Further possibilities to try:

  • Set the focus on the house numbers. Based on the birth register, make a list who was born in number 25 and 38. Look at the marriage register who has 25 or 38 as living place. Check the death registers who died in 25 and 38.
  • Check if you find a "Veronica Slawik" at the death register. When and at which place has she died?
  • If this is not working, my final way of solving such ambiguousness things is to visualize all families with that name in the town and surroundings, e.g. make a list of all marriages and try to associate all births and deaths of that name. With this I get a feeling of what families had lived at that time in that town and surroundings and how they are related to each other. The drawback of this method is that is consumes a lot of effort to search and sort things out!

There was no information of Marianna's father, you have to search her birth record. It may happen that this is a dead end, that means that this information is not recorded. Illegitimate births could have been seen as disgrace or disrepute of the mother/family, it had happened that the baptization of illegitimate children were done in a surrounding parish not to let the neighbors and friends know that there was a illegitimate birth.

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