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PolishOrigins Tours

PGSA / PolishOrigins

Russian Partition Tour

5-16 September 2020

10-20 Travelers

Air-conditioned minibus or bus

3 & 4 Star accommodations

Experienced, English speaking tour leader

throughout the full itinerary

Archive visits & genealogical lectures

Major locations to be visited

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Day 1 (Saturday) September 5 Warsaw

You will be met at Warsaw airport for transportation to your hotel in the center of Warsaw with some time to rest after the flight.

In the evening the group will be welcomed by the English speaking guide and enjoy dinner

of a 3 course menu (with water, tea or coffee).

Accommodation is the Polonia Palace Hotel,

which is the capital’s second oldest hotel and one of the few buildings that survived the

war. The name Polonia Palace was chosen during the Period of Partition to have a strong patriotic element.

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Day 2 (Sunday) September 6 Warsaw

A Guided Tour of Warsaw introduces you to the capital of Poland with its Old Town that

was meticulously rebuilt after World War II. It is an outstanding example of a near-total

reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th centuries and, as a result, it was placed on the UNESCO World

Heritage list.

We will also take you to Łazienki Park

where you will have the opportunity to listen to the open air Chopin music concert.

In the afternoon you will visit the POLIN Muzeum of the History of Polish Jews. It is

not a well-known fact that most of Warsaw’s

population before the WW2 was Jewish, comprising about 30% of the population! The core exhibition of

the museum presents the thousand-year history of Polish Jews. We will be immersed in the world of Polish Jews from their arrival in Poland as traveling

merchants in medieval times until today. The exhibition of POLIN museum is stunning: a huge

number of sources were selected. They use modern technologies. The museum is currently one of the best in Poland and recipient of awards.

https://www.polin.pl/en

Dinner in Warsaw (3 course menu with water, tea or coffee). Accommodation: Polonia Palace hotel in Warsaw

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Day 3 (Monday) September 7 Warsaw to the Kurpie region In the morning we plan to start with a visit at one of the archives or a genealogy

lecture. (See the notes section at the end for details regarding visits to archives.) Around noon we departure to Kurpie. It is the region noted for its unique traditional

customs including costume, architecture, music and annual celebrations. The Kurpie region is located in Poland on a lowland plain called the Mazovian Region

(Mazowsze), which was once covered by two forests known as the Puszcza Zielona (the Green Wilderness) and the Puszcza Biała (the White Wilderness).

Currently the region is most associated with the famous

Kurpie cut-paper artworks. Will we receive a guided tour and

workshop in the private Kurpie Museum.

Included is a country party,

including dinner, with the presentation of traditional music.

Accommodation: 3* Hotel in the area of Ostrołęka.

_______________________________________________________________ Day 4 (Tuesday) September 8 Kurpie to Suwałki

The morning will have us visit either the state or diocese archive in Łomża. Then we continue to Tykocin to experience the beautifully renovated 17th century synagogue

where you can admire the historic wall paintings and decorative ceiling. Tykocin is one of the oldest towns in the region. It was an important residence of

Polish and Lithuanian kings since medieval times. Today it is a picturesque, small Polish town at the Narew riverbanks.

In the afternoon we arrive in the Suwalki Lakelands. If weather permits, we will

have a boat cruise on beautiful Lake Wigry with its many rare species of birds

and spectacular views of Camaldolese monastery. The lake is a part of a famous canoe trail of John Paul II.

Dinner (3 course menu with water and

tea or coffee) Accommodation: 3* Hotel in the area

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Day 5 (Wednesday) September 9 Suwałki – Vilnius/Wilno We will arrange a meeting either with representatives of Projekt Podlasie, the project to index vital records from the Mazovia nad Podlasie region, or a meeting

with a member of the Jaminy Indexing Team that is saving records from the Biebrza region, former Augustów deanery, Grodno region (in today’s Belarus).

After the meeting, on our way to Vilnius/Wilno, we will stop in Wisztyniec area: the meeting point of the three borders:

Polish, Lithuanian and Russian.

Also on the way we will pass through the historic town of Kaunas/Kowno with its wedding chapel in the square.

Dinner (3 course menu with water, tea or coffee)

Accommodation: 4* Hotel in the center of Wilno.

_______________________________________________________________ Day 6 (Thursday) September 10 Vilnius/Wilno – Trakai/Troki

You start the day with a guided tour of old Vilnius, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest “Old Towns” in Europe (three times bigger than Kraków’s).

Vilnius has always been an important cultural center and melting pot. It had a very specific importance for Poles, Lithuanians, Belarusians and Russians. Because of its

large Jewish community, Napoleon named it the “Jerusalem of the North”. An important stop is the “Gate of Dawn” (Ostra Brama), a

shire to Our Lady revered by Poles. After lunch is a trip to 600 year old Trakai castle situated

on an island. A notable feature of Trakai is that the town was built and preserved by people of many different

nationalities. Communities of Lithuanians, Russians, Tatars, Jews and Poles lived here.

You will learn about the Karaite minority who resettled

here from Crimea in the 14th century after the military campaigns against the Asiatic

Golden Horde.

We return to Vilnius for dinner in one of the restaurants serving traditional Lithuanian cuisine (3 course menu with water, tea or coffee).

Accommodation: 4* Hotel in the center of Vilnius.

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Day 7 (Friday) September 11 Wilno - Grutas - Druskinnikai - Białystok After breakfast we will try to arrange a meeting in the State Archive in Vilnius.

On the return to Poland we will stop at Grutas Park: a

sculpture garden of Soviet-era statues and an exposition of other Soviet ideological relics from the times of the

Lithuanian SSR. We will talk a bit about the recent history of both countries. We will also have short stop in Druskininkai, the popular

spa town on the river Niemen (Nemunas). After our arrival in Białystok we will have dinner (3 course

menu with water, tea or coffee) Accommodation: 3* Hotel in the city center

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Day 8 (Saturday) September 12 Białystok - Supraśl - Kruszyniany - Białowieża

At the Diocese Archive in Białystok we will try to arrange a lecture/presentation of the most interesting books kept in the collection and discuss church archives.

Then forward to the Podlasie region, exploring its Orthodox culture and exotic world of the Tatars. We will begin with the visit in the Orthodox monastery in Supraśl and

the museum of icons. The Orthodox Monastery was founded in the 16th century. With the passing of the years, Supraśl Lavra became an important site of Orthodox culture as a result of its large library and lively contacts with other important

Orthodox sites including the Kievan Lavra and Mount Athos Monastery in Greece.

Next we drive to Kruszyniany to visit the Tatar mosque. Kruszyniany is often called a cultural melting pot because here is where three religions intersected: Catholicism, Islam, and the Orthodox Church.

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org

After enjoying dinner in the Tatar style (3 course menu with water, tea or coffee)

you will arrive in the Białowieża Forest.

Accommodation: 4* Hotel with spa complex

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Day 9 (Sunday) September 13 Białowieża - Lublin

Białowieża Forest is one of the last and largest fragments of the primeval forest of the European lowlands. In Białowieża National Park we will visit the Show Reserve of the European bison. You will also see the oldest houses in Białowieża, the

Orthodox church with the porcelain iconostasis and the remains of the palace built for tsar Aleksander III.

In the afternoon we head for the famous and important historical city of Lublin.

After checking in at the hotel we will have

dinner (3 course menu with water, tea and coffee)

Accommodation: 3* Hotel in the Old Town

Picture source: www.listal.com

_______________________________________________________________ Day 10 (Monday) September 14 Lublin and Majdanek

Our morning guided tour explores the old town of Lublin, “the gateway to the East”. For centuries, Lublin was an attractive, multicultural city, enticing entrepreneurs and providing opportunities for quick profit and enrichment. The city was located at

the crossroads of important trade routes from Poznań and Wrocław to Lviv and further on to the Black Sea. Lublin was also famous for great fairs. That is why the

city attracted not only Poles, Russians, Jews and Germans, but even Scots, Italians, French, Hungarians and Armenians! The tour includes Lublin Castle with its famous Holy Trinity chapel decorated by Byzantine paintings.

The afternoon is yours to roam or take an optional trip

to the Majdanek Nazi German Concentration Camp. The State Museum at Majdanek was established at the

site of the former German concentration camp which functioned on the outskirts of Lublin between October 1941 and July 1944. It was opened in November 1944

and was the first museum devoted to the commemoration of the victims of World War II in

Europe. Evening dinner in Lublin (3 course menu with water,

tea or coffee)

Accommodation: 3* Hotel in the Old Town in Lublin

Trinity Chapel in Lublin, Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org

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Day 11 (Tuesday) September 15 Lublin - Warsaw On our return to Warsaw we will stop in Kazimierz Dolny, one of the most

beautifully situated little towns in Poland. Located at the banks of Wisła River, it has been attracting artists, actors and summer residents since the 19th century.

In the afternoon we return to the 4-star Polonia Palace Hotel in Warsaw. After checking in you will have some free time to further explore the city. That evening

we will go to the viewing terrace of the Palace of the Culture and Science for a panoramic view of Warsaw. We will also have our farewell dinner (3 course menu

with water, tea or coffee). _______________________________________________________________ Day 12 (Wednesday) September 16 Warsaw - Departures

We will arrange your transfer to the Warsaw airport or train station.

_______________________________________________________________ Important notices and remarks:

− This itinerary is for your general orientation. Closer to your arrival date

you will also receive more detailed itinerary with hotel addresses, guide

contact number, etc. The order might be slightly changed during the tour

(you will always be informed earlier about any adjustments).

− We recommend you have a small amount of Polish zlotys in cash. Small,

local shops and markets for snacks, traditional products or souvenirs

usually do not accept credit cards. Dollars are easily converted to zlotys.

− You will have wi-fi (wireless Internet connection) in all your hotels.

− Passport required (not expiring within six months of return travel)

− No visa required

− Please advise us of any dietary or health restrictions

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Pre- or Post-Tour Individual Genealogical Services from PolishOrigins Before or after your PGSA tour, PolishOrigins offers you their tailor-made tour

service by which you can explore the history of your particular family lines.

− They can perform research as directed by you based on your needs, the “brick walls” you have come upon, or to expand or deepen what you already have completed.

− Want to visit the actual soil where your ancient roots lie? They can take you to the areas and towns where your ancestors lived, to the churches where

they worshipped, possibly to the fields in which they worked, and maybe the cemeteries where they were buried.

To coordinate these plans, inform PGSA when you register for your tour.

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Tour Fee and Inclusions: DOUBLE or TWIN room accommodation:

$2,980 per person SINGLE Supplement:

$790 per person (singles can request introductions to form a

double occupancy to save the single supplement) DEPOSIT to hold your reservation:

$400 per person Total fee includes:

● Transfers on arrival and departure day.

● English speaking tour leader throughout the itinerary (11 days),

● Accommodation in TWIN or DBL room in Warsaw, Ostrołęka, Suwałki, Wilno,

Białystok, Białowieża, Lublin (11 nights and breakfasts)

● Transportation by air-conditioned 28-seat bus with driver (for a smaller group

up to 15 people there will be a 20-seat minibus)

● Fuel, parking fees

● Meal allowance and accommodation for the guide and driver

● 11 breakfasts at the hotels

● 11 dinners (3 course menu with water, tea or coffee)

● Local guides in Vilnius, Białowieża, Lublin and Warsaw

● Entrances to tourist attractions as specified in the itinerary

● Optional trip to the Majdanek Nazi German Concentration Camp

● 3 genealogy visits with archives and area genealogy groups engaged in

record-indexing projects.

Excluded: Not included in the tour cost are:

● Transportation to and from Poland.

● Items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls, mini-bar,

souvenirs, snacks, meals outside those provided in the itinerary, etc.

● Gratuities to guides and drivers

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Following are Parts A and B of the

Registration Forms

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RESERVATION FORM part A - PGSA 2020 Genealogical Tour

Russian Partition – Poland & Lithuania

September 5-16, 2020

To reserve your place complete parts A and B, sign, then forward both forms to:

Polish Genealogical Society of America Attn.: 2020 Tours

984 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60642-4101

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Terms and Conditions

Reservation: Reservation of places on all tours requires two actions: 1. Completion and submission of this “Terms and Conditions” form and the “Registration”

form on the following page, along with 2. Payment of a $400 per person non-refundable (unless the tour is cancelled) deposit by

check. Payment by check saves us the credit card and PayPal processing fees..

Confirmation: Upon receipt by PGSA of both validly completed reservation forms and your deposit, we will confirm your reservation and provide contact data for PolishOrigins. If we have any questions regarding your reservation materials, we will contact you for clarification.

Payment: Deposit to reserve place(s) With these forms see Part B Final Payment is due before 1 July 2020

Cancellation: Deposits & full payments non-refundable except for cancellation of the tour.

Personal Travel: Personal travel conducted before or after the PGSA tour, including engagement of a genealogist or other researcher or guide, is arranged independently by you and is conducted separately from the PGSA tour for which PGSA has no responsibility.

Insurance: For your protection, it is strongly recommend that you consider the purchase of trip cancellation, baggage and travel medical insurance. Contact your insurance or travel agent for options. It is also recommended that you review the details of your personal health insurance policy with regard to international travel.

Passport: A passport, not expiring within 6 months of the return date, is required. A visa is not required for travel in Poland and European Union countries.

Liability: PGSA has engaged the services of established, Poland-based genealogical tour companies to organize and execute the tours. PolishOrigins is the company performing this tour. Therefore, tour members agree that the PGSA and its directors are not, nor will become, liable or responsible for any loss, injury or damage to any person, property or otherwise in connection with any transportation, accommodation, meals, tours or other services of the tour, or resulting from neglect or default of any person, corporation or other entity engaged to supply the same.

By my signature declare I have read, understand and agree to these terms & conditions:

_________________________________________________ Dated:______/______/______

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RESERVATION FORM part B - PGSA 2020 Genealogical Tour

Russian Partition – Poland & Lithuania

September 5-16, 2020 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Your Name_____________________________________________________ Birth Date_________________

Address_____________________________________________________________________________________

City_________________________________ State_________ Zip__________________

Phone________________________________ Email____________________________________________

Names of Additional Travelers with You Age Relationship

______________________________________________ _______ ___________________________

______________________________________________ ________ ___________________________

______________________________________________ ________ ___________________________

______________________________________________ ________ ___________________________

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

PAYMENT CALCULATIONS TOTAL

# of travellers _______ X $2,980 per person = $______________

# single supplements _______ X $ 790 per person = $______________

singles can request introductions to form a double occupancy

Total $______________

DEPOSIT

deposit is fully refundable in the event the tour is cancelled.

# of travellers _______ X $400 per person = $______________

Check payable to PGSA.

Final amount due before 1 July 2020 $______________

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