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2021 CGSI Conference

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A CGSI conference is a great place to learn, share, and connect with family history and genealogy of those from the Czech and Slovak ancestral lands of Central Europe.

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Join Us

Join us in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from October 12-16, 2021 for the 18th CGSI Genealogical and Cultural Conference.

The CGSI Conference is the premiere event to learn about techniques for genealogical research. Presentations throughout the conference will explore the history, culture, and traditions of the people who lived in present-day Czech Republic and Slovakia.

This CGSI Conference offers:

  • presentations
  • workshops
  • networking opportunities
  • ethnic-focused tours of the Milwaukee area
  • entertainment

 

2021 CGSI Conference Programming

Listed here are the scheduled workshops and presentations. These selections are subject to change.

Wednesday, October 13, 2021 (at Blessed Sacrament Church)

Small Group Workshops

  • Koláče Baking Workshop by Ann Cramer
  • Strudel and Šišky Baking Workshop by Ann Cramer
  • Vánočka or Houska baking workshop by Blanka Lednická
  • Bryndzové Halušky Cooking Class by Dennis Ragan

 

Thursday, October 14 through Saturday October 16, 2021 (at Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport Hotel)

Small Group Workshops

  • Conversational Czech - Who Wants to be a Millionaire Style! by Anna Cookova
  • Learning to Decipher the Old German Script - An Introduction by Antje Petty
  • Working with Old German Documents by Antje Petty
  • Reading Kurrent Workshop by Blanka Lednicka
  • Traditional Glass Bead Ornament Workshop by Daniela Mahoney  
  • Making Your Own Fashion Jewelry from Czech Glass Beads Workshop by Daniela Mahoney 
  • Easter Traditions and Egg Decorating in the Czech Republic Workshop by Daniela Mahoney  
  • Christmas Crafts and Traditions Workshop by Daniela Mahoney   
  • "Interpreting Family Artifacts to Write Family History": Part I: "What are Family Artifacts?" by Evelyn Funda  
  • "Interpreting Family Artifacts to Write Family History": Part II: "Tips for Writing about Artifacts?" by Evelyn Funda
  • Intro to Czech for Genealogy Research by Kate Challis  
  • Slovak Conversation for Travel and Conversation by Michael Kopanic, Jr.
Thursday, October 14 through Saturday October 16, 2021 (at Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport Hotel)

Regular Breakout Sessions

  • Story of One Czech Family by Blanka Lednická
  • Czech Cadastral Maps Online - How to Use Them in Your Research by Blanka Lednická
  • The Estate System and Estate Registries by Blanka Lednická
  • Šel vojáček po silnici - What Can You Find in the Military Records by Blanka Lednická
  • Finding Your Ancestors Path Back to Europe by Bob Heck
  • House Research in Europe by Bob Heck  
  • How to Know Just Enough Slovak to Get By by Dennis Ragan    
  • German and Czech Emigration from the Liechtenstein Estate of Landskron / Lanškroun Bohemia to the Midwest by Ed Langer
  • Stitching History from the Holocaust: How 8 Czech Dress Designs Began a Genealogical Journey and Museum Exhibit by Ellie Gettinger
  • Guidelines for Recording Names and Place Names from Old Bohemian Parish Books by Frank Starman 
  • Accessing and Acquiring the Records of Czech Republic and Slovakia: FamilySearch Efforts 2009-2021 by Greg Nelson
  • Researching Czech Census Records by Greg Nelson
  • 50 Years Traveling the Backroads of Bohemia Moravia Slovakia Ruthenia by Helene Cincebeaux  
  • The Cycle of Life in Bohemian Moravian Slovak Villages by Helene Cincebeaux 
  • Slovak Genealogy Research by Iveta Blahútová
  • East European Research by Iveta Blahútová
  • Past and Present of Jews in NW Slovakia by Iveta Blahútová
  • All You Should Know Before Visiting Your Ancestral Village by Jan Dus   
  • Find It Yourself - Genealogical Resources Available On-Line? by Jan Dus 
  • Time Machine by Jan Dus   
  • Beer in Czech and Slovak History by Jan Dus
  • High Tide of High Hopes and Unlimited Opportunities: The Wave of Emigration from Tepl - Tepla Monastery Villages in Western Bohemia to Calumet County, Wisconsin from 1850-1890 by Joan Naomi Steiner  
  • Finding Bohemia by Way of England by Joan Naomi Steiner
  • Before the Boat -Exploring the Practicalities of Tickets, Train Travel, Ports and Steamships at the Turn of the 20th Century by Joe Gayetsky  
  • Shipping Lines and Their Unseen Influence on Immigration by Joe Gayetsky
  • Ivan Lived in 5 Different Countries and Never Moved: A Tale of a Carpatho-Rusyn Family by Karen Varian 
  • World War II Resistance in Slovakia – The Carpatho-Rusyn Factor by Karen Varian
  • Early Wisconsin Czechs by Kate Challis
  • How to Use Czech Land Records by Kate Challis
  • Intro to Czech for Genealogy Research by Kate Challis
  • Racine, the Czech Bethlehem by Kevin Kittilson
  • Slovak Strong: The Tale of Everyday Life During War, Illness, etc. by Lisa Alzo and Renata Calfa     
  • Researching European Archives from Your Easy Chair by Lisa Alzo   
  • Jumping Over Hurdles in Eastern European Research by Lisa Alzo  
  • Creating a Family History Legacy Project: Your Blueprint for Success by Lisa Alzo  
  • The Moravian Field Register by Marek Blahuš
  • Principles of Autosomal DNA Testing with Regard to Czech Ancestry by Marek Blahuš
  • Principles of Y-DNA Testing with Regard to Czech Ancestry by Marek Blahuš 
  • Building Czechoslovakia 1919-1922 by Mark Dillon
  • Key Slovak Words for Genealogical Research by Michael Kopanic, Jr.     
  • Circle of Life in Slovakia by Michal Razus
  • Emigration from Slovakia to USA in the late 19th & Early 20th Century by Michal Razus
  • Slovak Land Records and Maps by Michal Razus
  • Rusins: Nation from the Carpathian Mountain by Michal Razus
  • How They Lived: A Year in the Life of Our Czech Ancestors by Miroslav Koudelka
  • How to Research Czech Birth/Marriage/Death Registers on the Internet: A Practical Lesson by Miroslav Koudelka
  • Sedlák, Pasekář, Fleischhacker or Inquilinus? Let Us Get Acquainted with the Professions of Our Czech Ancestors by Miroslav Koudelka
  • Czechs in Milwaukee: The Complicated Ties to the Homeland, 1914-1918 by Stepanka Korytova-Magstadt
  • The Jewish Czech Experience: Historical Overview and Personal Journey by Tina Edstam

Subscribe to CGSI's eNews newsletter for the latest information on the conference.

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