Silesia

• FamilySearch – Silesia Research Websites – A comprehensive collection of church records, civil registration, and genealogy databases for Silesia.
• Silesian Roots – Silius Radicum – A Polish genealogy society focused on Upper Silesia, offering civil registry records , historical maps, and research tools.
• FamilySearch – Silesia Online Genealogy Records – Includes birth, marriage, and death records, as well as immigration, land, and military records.

Mapping Ancestry

• Kartenmeister – Helps locate historical towns within Silesia and their modern equivalents in Poland, Czech Republic, or Germany.
• Digital Library of the University of Wrocław – Contains historical maps and town descriptions from 18th-century Silesia.

Archives & Records

• Polish State Archives – Official Polish archives with civil registration, military records, and historical documents. Visit the Polish State Archives for more information.
• Szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl – A searchable database of archival materials from Silesia. Visit Site

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Silesians in the United States

Many Silesians, particularly those of German descent, fled to the United States after World War II, seeking refuge from displacement. The Displaced Persons Act of 1948 facilitated the resettlement of European refugees, including Silesians, in the U.S.

Silesian immigrants often settled in cities with strong German-American communities, such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York. Some earlier waves of Polish Silesians also arrived in Texas and Minnesota during the 19th century, establishing communities that preserved their cultural heritage.

For more information on German Silesians in the U.S., explore:

• Silesia to America – Polish Silesian Settlement in Minnesota
• German Silesians in America – Genealogy Forum
  – A discussion thread on German Silesians who migrated to the U.S.
• Wikipedia – Silesians – Overview of Silesians, their migration, and identity.

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Town Family Books: “Town family books” (“Ortssippenbücher” or “Ortsfamilienbücher”) compile detailed family histories specific to various towns, including records of births, marriages, and deaths. These books are indispensable tools for genealogical research.