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Guestbook

Note (January 11, 2021): I am well aware the guestbook isn't working, and hasn't for several years,
therefore haven't added any comments as a result.
I am looking for an alternative free guestbook to use. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
If you desire to make a comment for the guestbook, simply write to me for now.


Sunday 10/02/2011 10:43:58am

Name:

Valerie Smith

E-Mail:

vjsc1234@hotmail.com

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

Raleigh, NC USA

Comments:

I am doing a family tree and my grandmother Natalie was one of the children of Jozef/Joseph. It appears that Jozef/Joseph Lisiewicz was born on July 31, 1875 in Wizna Russia/Poland. He married Wiktoria/Victoria (maiden name unknown) around 1896, presumably in Wizna. Victoria was born around 1877 in Russia/Poland. They had twelve (12) children: Maria/Mary born around 1899 in Russia/Poland (perhaps died on December 7, 1918 in Queens), Louis born around 1900 in Russia/Poland, Natalie born around 1901 in Russia/Poland, Jennie born around 1903 in Russia/Poland, John born around 1904 in Russia/Poland, Frank born around 1906 in Russia Poland, Anthony born on June 7, 1908 in Queens, Gertrude born around 1911 in New York, Stella born around 1914 in New York, Casimir born around 1915 in New York, Florence born around 1918 in New York, and Lillian born around 1921 in New York. The entire family immigrated to the U.S. in 1906.

Joseph arrived first on April 24, 1906 on board the S.S. Batavia. He was listed as Josef “Lischewitz” on the Ellis Island index. Victoria and the six (6) children arrived on September 6, 1906 on board the S.S. Campania. They were indexed on the Ellis Island site as “Wutoria Lesiesvus”. Joseph’s last residence was listed as “Wisni” and Victoria and the children’s as “Wizne”. I believe the correct spelling would be WIZNA.

What I am looking for is if there are any marriage records and or birth records for any of my relatives. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Valerie Smith

Jose,
Thank you for your response. I am trying to find more information. My next step is to locate area churches to see if I can locate marriage & birth recoeds for my Lesiesvus/Lischewitz relatives. Your website was very helpful and I enjoyed looking at the pictures shown. I will check back periodically. Thank you again.


Monday 7/05/2010 6:23:30pm

Name:

Fanny Kerbel

E-Mail:

Frkerbel@aol.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. USA

Comments:

I have been periodically looking through this website over the years. I am amazed at the updated information and pictures every time I tune in. My grandparents are Sonia and Samuel Gostkowski. The new photo of a greeting card written by my grandmother to her sister, my Aunt Frieda, brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for this website and all of your efforts! I cannot express how it has touched my life.


Tuesday 12/01/2009 6:31:45pm

Name:

K. Kapelewski

E-Mail:

k.abbott9@gmail.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Syracuse, NY USA

Comments:

Thank you for a wonderful site! I'm looking to research the family of Victor and Mary (Markowski) Kapelewski who came to the US from Wizna in the early 1900s. If anyone has any info, I would really appreciate it. This site is amazing!!!


Monday 9/21/2009 11:53:57am

Name:

Dawid Czapnicki

E-Mail:

davmal@hotmail.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Israel

Comments:

I was thrilled to discover my family on the Wizner album. My father is Avigdor Czapnicki son of Dawid & Chasya Czapnicki. I would love to learn more about my family. THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE.


Saturday 2/14/2009 5:31:01pm

Name:

Ronit Snir

E-Mail:

snironit@gmail.com

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Israel

Comments:

I am really excited to see this website. the name of my grandmother was Yafa Gostkowski. She made aliya to Israel at 1939, just before the war. Her entire family was murdered in Wizna. My grandmother died before I had a chance to ask her about her childhood and family. I'm looking for details about the family. If someone knows anything about it please contact me. I guide students trips to Poland and I'll be in Wizna soon.


Saturday 2/14/2009 9:02:30pm

Name:

Bonnie Griner

E-Mail:

bonnie_griner@yahoo.com

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Chicago, IL

Comments:

Great site, Used it before. My grandfather was from Wizna, his name was Edmund Detkiewicz. His mother Julianna Chmielewska was from Bronowa. I'm still looking for info on his brothers Telefor, Czlaw and sister Waleria. If any one can help, greatly appreciated.


Saturday 6/02/2007 1:22:23pm

Name:

James Brodzinski

E-Mail:

jamesbrody6@aol.com

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Paradise, California, USA

Comments:

My mother (Gladys Milewski, her father Jozef) was born, I believe, in Wizna and came to America about 1912. I was hoping to discover any information possible of her (my) family there. Do you show any records of that name in your town? It looks like a beautiful area and I'm having fun with your website. Thank you. James


Tuesday 2/27/2007 8:38:24am

Name:

Wil Brasse

Homepage:

http://members.home.nl/w.brasse/genealogie_joods.htm

E-Mail:

wil.brasse@sittard-geleen.nl

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Sittard/NL

Comments:

Very impressive website. I am myself working on a webpage with information on Jewish families from my home town Sittard (Sorry, in Dutch language), but it does not compare to your great work!
Shalom, Wil Brasse


Friday 12/01/2006 8:30:31am

Name:

Yair Ben-Dov

E-Mail:

yairbd@int.gov.il

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Gedera, Israel

Comments:

I was referred to your site by Amnon Even-Kesef, Bet Hanan, Israel.

Thank you for this wonderful site.


Saturday 10/22/2006 3:52:28pm

Name:

Yeheskel Zilberstein

E-Mail:

ZIK@inter.net.il

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Rishon-Lezion, Israel

Comments:

Thanks to your unending efforts, inspiration and enthusiasm you were able to magically locate and send us a copy of the arrival ship manifest and immigration listing 84 years ago of our beloved aunt Frieda Gostkowska to the United States after immigrating there from Poland in 1922 when she was 18 years old.

This listing documents also that Aunt Frieda is about to be met and join her brother Mayer Miller, (last name Gostkowski before his immigration from Wizna to the US on 1905), who was 17 years older than Aunt Frieda and lived with his family in Manhattan.

These few official authentic dry words on the manifest line excited my imagination to see in my mind the excitement scene of Frieda's going down the steps of S.S.Finland and the welcoming kisses and hugs with brother Mayer, his wife Gossie and his children.

I would like also to use this opportunity to thank you and express my deep appreciation for creating this Wizna web site that restores the history of the Jewish community that lived there for many generations. It is a fabulous work with limitless historical and nostalgic value. I am sure that my brother Amnon Even-Kesef and all former Wizners, their children and descendants and everybody else who visit your web site feel the same way.


Wednesday 10/18/2006 3:20:21pm

Name:

Joe Miller

E-Mail:

jofusmiller@yahoo.com

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Comments:

Many thanks for the priceless data you have sent on the Gostkowski clan


Wednesday 10/18/2006 9:56:12am

Name:

Donna Even-Kesef

E-Mail:

donnaek@gmail.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Gaithersburg, MD USA

Comments:

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of time, persistence and heart you and others have put in to mapping and placing in written history - our family.


Tuesday 2/21/2006 9:29:10pm

Name:

Holly

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Orland Park, Illinois (SW of Chicago)

Comments:

I was thrilled to find this website and learn more about the town of Lomza where my grandfather, born around 1884, had his origins. At the same time, I am terribly saddened to learn of the beautiful families of Wizna whose lives were lost because of man's inhumanity to man. It saddens me deeply to know that so many Jewish families perished and as if it could not have been any worse, near a place they called home. May we treasure the Jewish people who are hardworking, super intelligent, loyal to their families and faithful to God and from whom we all have much to learn. God has blessed us abundantly with many colors and cultures. May we all come to know and never forget that we are all people of God, meant to welcome one another with open arms and live together in respectable peace on God's Earth.


Saturday 6/04/2005 4:25:28pm

Name:

Sandra Ross

E-Mail:

Shawney.ross@tisclai.co.uk

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Derbyshire England

Comments:

My father Pawel Stankiewicz has just passed away, and looking at his polish army book I discovered that his birthplace was Wizna. His family moved to France when he was a boy but your website has made me feel a whole lot closer to him and I would Love to learn more. Thank you.


Thursday 5/26/2005 10:38:57am

Name:

David Linden

E-Mail:

itinerantscribe@att.net

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

East Williston, NY; U.S.A.

Comments:

You have done a wonderful thing with this site.
David Linden, Member, SLSIG


Tuesday 4/19/2005 9:37:03pm

Name:

Eran Even-Kesef

E-Mail:

eranek@gmail.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Foster City, CA

Comments:

Thanks for all you have done...


Friday 12/17/2004 7:49:04pm

Name:

Shirly Akerman

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Israel - Tel Aviv Yafo

Comments:

I am a relative of Urke Nachalnik. I'm looking information about him and his family Farberowicz in the time before the war.


Wednesday 9/30/2004 5:50:41pm

Name:

Steve Orlen

E-Mail:

sorlen@email.arizona.edu

Referred By:

Web Ring

Location:

Tuscon

Comments:

I read your message today on JewishGen about the Polish gangster, went to the website, and found it very interesting, and also very well put together.


Thursday 7/29/2004 1:19:19pm

Name:

Edward Szostakowski

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

San Antonio, Texas

Comments:

Fantastic web site. I am trying to help my husband find his family. He and my daughter are very interested. My name is Joyce, and I am 80 years old. The records show Wizna stamp. Name also Ostrowski. Thanks for your great work!!


Sunday 5/04/2003 9:14:16pm

Name:

Ed Kapelewski

E-Mail:

edjukappy33@yahoo.com

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania

Comments:

Awesome website!... My grandfather Jan Kapelewski and grandmother Helena Nitkiewicz are both from Wizna. I never thought I would be able to find information on their home of origin. Your website with the documentation and photos provides an excellent feeling of the history of the people of Wizna. Thank you for all your work on this website and research help you have provided me. In addition to the above aforementioned surnames, I am also researching my great-grandparents Peter Czekaj from Glowienka, Austria-Poland and Caroline Piwowar from Toruo, Austria-Poland. 


Monday 4/28/2003 7:01:00pm

Name:

Hanoch Marmari

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Israel

Comments:

Thank you for this unbelievable site.

I was thrilled to discover both my parents on the Wizner Photo Album 2. The person standing to the right with the 1935 Tarbut school is my father, Shmuel Marmari aka Gorzalczany. The lady sitting in front of him is my mother Sara Szturmakewicz, a teacher from Bialystok. They both immigrated to Palestine before WW2, settled in Haifa and got married. I was born in Israel in 1948, and living now in Tel Aviv. My identification is 100% positive because I have here with me the same and exact original photo.

Best Regards,

Hanoch Marmari


Monday 4/14/2003 4:00:34pm

Name:

Itai Sharon

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Haifa, Israel

Comments:

My grandmother came from Wizna (her maiden name was Bryzman, her mother's family, Golombek, also came from Wizna) and this site gave me a lot of information (not to mention your help in finding related documents!)

Thank you very much for your excellent work.


Sunday 2/16/2003 7:22:53pm

Name:

Gwen Dillon

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Oakland, California

Comments:

A hint that relatives came from nearby Lomza (but, not finding the family name listed there), led me to your site. Your list of residents from the 1800s, includes the name of one of my great-great grandfathers, Lapowsky. It is heartwarming to see photos of some of the descendants of his neighbors and the views of the beautiful area where they lived. I'll be coming back. Thank you.


Saturday 1/04/2003 1:19:56pm

Name:

Lukas Domurat

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Jelenia Gora, Poland

Comments:

I found your site not long ago but it appeared interesting to me. I am 18 years old and I am not Jewish, but the main reason I write to you is that I have some of my family in Wizna and I am interested in history. I decided to send you some stuff and I hope it will be something new for you.


Wednesday 10/30/2002 1:24:03am

Name:

Tamar Blumert Arieli

E-Mail:

arieli@mail.jct.ac.il

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Israel

Comments:

Wizna is the town of my grandfather, Israel Blumert.


Sunday 6/16/2002 0:43:07am

Name:

Michael Bank

E-Mail:

docmbank@yahoo.com

Referred By:

Search Engine

Location:

Morristown, NJ, USA

Comments:

I believe my paternal grandfather came from Wizna. He was a baker by trade.


Tuesday 5/07/2002 3:08:42pm

Name:

Bruce Reisch

Homepage:

http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/radauti/radautz.html

E-Mail:

bir1@cornell.edu

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

USA

Comments:

Great page, well organized, great resource!


Wednesday 3/06/2002 10:18:09pm

Name:

Fred Swartz

E-Mail:

realefredy@aol.com

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

London, Ontario, Canada

Comments:

Good work Jose! Regards. Fred


Tuesday 3/05/2002 8:36:17pm

Name:

David Arkin

E-Mail:

Darkin@stny.rr.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Upstate NY

Comments:

I have returned numerous times to browse the pages of Wizna.com. Each time I learn something new and wonderful about a family and heritage which I thought was lost to distant memory. The photos and stories add a dimension that I did not think possible. With these people, who I could not know, I now feel a real connection. Thank you for your sensitive and informative depiction of Wizna, Poland, where our families once walked.

I also wish to thank you for your contribution to the book, "Neighbors" by Jan T. Gross. It is a moving portrayal of the tragic destruction of these Jewish Communities. Caught between the Russians and the Germans during World War II, and ultimately betrayed by their Polish neighbors. It is an event in history that has remained hidden for too long. Now that we know, let us never forget.

Lastly, I thank you for your tireless efforts in connecting me to my Gutsztejn and Ibram relatives.


Friday 3/01/2002 7:53:29pm

Name:

Sonia Bandrymer

E-Mail:

soniab@netgate.com.uy

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

Uruguay

Comments:

Excelente trabajo José, felicitaciones!


Thursday 2/28/2002 11:16:57pm

Name:

Saul Marks

E-Mail:

saulmarks@hotmail.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Northern England

Comments:

Jose, my friend, you've done it again. After the success of Radzilow.com, who would have thought you could even think of doing the same thing for another shtetl, but you have. I haven't had time to surf Wizna in too much detail, but it looks wonderful & I'm so glad you've stuck so closely to the Radzilow format. Mazeltov.


Sunday 2/10/2002 1:54:41am

Name:

Gary Maher

E-Mail:

garymaher@juno.com

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

New Jersey / USA

Comments:

Bravissimo Jose!! Kudos on a great resource to help us get to the bottom of these family ties!! Keep up the great work!!


Friday 2/08/2002 4:38:05pm

Name:

Elizabeth Eichholz

E-Mail:

Elizabeth.Eichholz@colorado.edu

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Savannah, Georgia & Boulder, Colorado

Comments:

I really appreciate your website; it brings me closer to family that I was never able to meet.


Thursday 2/07/2002 9:06:51apm

Name:

Morris Spector

E-Mail:

mspector@aol.com

Referred By:

Just Surfed In

Location:

Hamden, CT

Comments:

Extremely comprehensive. Yasher Koach for a great effort of love and remembrance.


Wednesday 2/06/2002 11:17:57am

Name:

Stan Goodman

Homepage:

http://www.hashkedim.com

E-Mail:

sgoodman@hashkedim.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Qiryat Tiv'on, Israel

Comments:

Thanks for your heads-up about the new Wizna page.


Wednesday 2/06/2002 2:24:16pm

Name:

Diane G. Burstein

E-Mail:

Dowup22222@aol.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

New Jersey

Comments:

A great site! A lovely tribute to those that came before us. We shall not forget. Thanks!


Tuesday 2/05/2002 10:49:07pm

Name:

Ada Holtzman

Homepage:

http://www.zchor.org

E-Mail:

ada01@netvision.net.il

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Israel

Comments:

Very good and impressive site. I linked to it from my "Communities" web site at:
http://www.zchor.org/comm.htm

YISHAR KOACH!
Ada Holtzman


Tuesday 2/05/2002 1:53:31pm

Name:

Libby Lehman

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Baltimore, Md, USA

Comments:

This web page is great - I learned so much about life in Wizna. It's been a wonderful resource for us. Also, thank you for putting our family's picture on the web page!


Thursday 1/31/2002 5:06:26pm

Name:

Baruch Segelin

E-Mail:

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

Comments:

Once again I must tell you that your newest effort is absolutely amazing. It is organized beautifully and the links provide a wonderful collection of resource material. The photo section brings Wizna alive once again. Thank you for including the photos of my family. It memorializes them in a way that would have brought much pleasure to my mother - z'l....

Baruch (Burt) Segelin


Wednesday 1/30/2002 5:01:02pm

Name:

Mary E. Goldman

E-Mail:

maryegoldman@hotmail.com

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

Los Angles CA

Comments:


Monday 1/21/2002 8:47:04pm

Name:

Elizabeth Weber

E-Mail:

eweber@uclink.berkeley.edu

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

Berkeley, CA

Comments:

I come from the GUZIKIEWICZ and KIWAJKO families (and probably others too).


Saturday 1/19/2002 7:45:27pm

Name:

Penny Peters

E-Mail:

GoldmanFamily@aol.com

Referred By:

Friend

Location:

NY

Comments:

My family came from Wizna, and we thought all clues to our history were lost when my grandparents died. This web site not only opens doors for all of us to our glorious past....but it is bringing to life an entire shtetl that the Nazis believed they had destroyed. Now Wizna and its residents can live on in more than just our memories. What a miracle!!!


Tuesday 1/15/2002 3:24:51pm

Name:

Jackie Wasserstein

E-Mail:

jwasserst@aol.com

Referred By:

E-Mail

Location:

East Meadow/USA

Comments:

Nice Job!