Where did I come from?

Current map of the region

I recently discovered that a distant relative in the U.S. had compiled a family tree. Below is my immediate family tree going back as far as 1834. Sadly it only covers my mother's side of the family, as all records on my father's side were destroyed in WWII.

Betty "Babette" Krumholz (Great Great Grandmother) was born in Szczawnica, Galicien which is now a part of Southern Poland, near the border of Slovakia, in 1834. This is not far from where she settled down with her husband Izidor (Great Great Grandfather) in Slovakia. At the time Betty was born, this was a part of Austria-Hungary. Betty and Izidor had a number of children including Geza (Great Grandfather). Izidor passed away October 4, 1879.

Geza (Great Grandfather), and his twin Kornell, were born October 28, 1877 in Altendorf, Austria-Hungary. From what I can tell - Altendorf is an alternate, historical name for what is now Spišská Stará Ves, Slovakia.

In the 1930-s Geza and his wife Regina Grunwald (Great Grandmother) lived in Zilina, Czechoslovakia. Geza died in the late 1930-s or early 40-s, and was buried in Zilina. Regina survived the Holocaust with their two daughters Edda (Grandmother) and Magda (Great Aunt) and emigrated to Australia with Edda and her husband Karol Palan (Grandfather) and granddaughter Katrina Palan (Mother). Magda and her husband Julius Gregor followed them later (early 60-s) to Australia.

Julius was a pharmacist and had a pharmacy in Zilina, Czechoslovakia before WW II. Toward the end of the war they moved to Bratislava and survived the Holocaust. Magda was a literary person. In the post WW II years she wrote a few books and participated actively in the Writers' Guild of Slovakia in the capital city Bratislava. The anti-Semitic campaign of the communist regime in the mid 50-s forced her to leave the country and join her sister Edda in Australia.

Edda's husband, Karol Palan, was hidden in a small room during the holocaust. Being a tall man, this caused problems for his back. One day in the late 1960's, Karol read a newspaper article about Martin Pollner. Marty had been written up about some U.N. work he had done. Karol sent Marty a very detailed Pollner family tree and were able to establish the family relationship. They corresponded quite a bit in the late 1960's. In fact, Katrina visited the family in New York in 1967 - a trip that she still vividly remembers. Some of their letters I still have.

Karol passed away in 1969 eight days after the birth of his first grandchild, David (Me). Afterwards, Edda re-married to Paul Boros. Katrina and her husband (John) have 2 children - David and Judi (Sister). Judi & her husband Andrew have a baby boy, Joshua (Nephew), born in June, 2003.