Warsaw Travel Forum

i am trying to find my fathers birth certificate, i believe he was born in warsaw in 1923, can you suggest where i should start looking? please reply in english

If your father was Catholic...as much of Poland has been...you will probably have to find his records in a church archive. The task is not always easy. I had to travel to a number of churches before I found my grandparents' records. Sometimes the records were moved during a war or an occupation. Begin with the year of his birth and learn the history of the city during that time. It might give you a clue as to where the records could be found. BTW...I had no luck with mail. I went in person... several visits. Good luck!

If your father was Catholic...as much of Poland has been...you will probably have to find his records in a church archive. The task is not always easy. I had to travel to a number of churches before I found my grandparents' records. Sometimes the records were moved during a war or an occupation. Begin with the year of his birth and learn the history of the city during that time. It might give you a clue as to where the records could be found. BTW...I had no luck with mail. I went in person... several visits. Good luck!

You could also try the local Urzad Stanu Cywilnego in Warsaw where copies of births in the local area should be kept. However, I don't know what area the Warsaw Urzad Stanu Cywylnego will cover. My dad was born and baptised in 1919 in Krakow and the Urzad had him recorded in their books and were able to issue a birth certificate.

Going in person will be much more effective than writing to them as you will need to show that you are directly related to the person whose data you are trying to find.

Do you know the address, or at least the part of Warsaw where your father was born? That could give you a clue where he could have been christened. If the church is still there, you could enquire there. But you may have to ask in a number of churches before you find the right one. A friend of mine did find her family's birth and marriage certificates in this way.

You could also try and write to the following address:

Urzad Stanu Cywilnego Warszawa-Srodmiescie,
Archiwum, 02-678 Warszawa, Smyczkowa 14, Poland

This is the archive for Warsaw.