Yesterday Uncle Stan was visiting our house and we talked about his dad. Apparently, John Zvolanek was a Machinist Apprentice in Czechoslovakia for a while, which could possibly explain why he left his Russian birthplace and moved West. Is this what he was doing in Stare Ransko, southeast of Prague?
On some of John's documents, he had listed himself as a "machinist" which I thought was an error because I knew he was a car mechanic. What I didn't realize is that he was able to make car parts too.
Uncle Stan had memories of his dad creating very precise machine parts with a metal lathe. And although his dad died when Stan was very young, Stan remembered using his dad's metal lathe to make fake nickels. A practice that John Z. told him was not only wrong, but cost more in materials to make than an actual nickel!
Both Grandpa John and his brother Jim were also blacksmiths.
I think about them when I'm welding and creating moving-gear wooden art sculptures, called "automata."
Do I have a genetic love of all these things? Maybe this explains why I also love to collect old foundry molds -- big wooden sprockets and cogs used as patterns for big machine parts.
Sure wish I'd met them both...
Join me as I explore the mysteries within my grandfather's undelivered letter of 1917, written to his family in Russia.
Hello Denise,
ReplyDeletei found this link http://www.mapy.cz/#x=136368032@y=134540435@z=16@mm=FP@sa=s@st=s@ssq=49%C2%B041'19.96%22N,%2015%C2%B051'9.59%22E@sss=1@ssp=136074655_134443248_136088527_134453944
which displays central part of Krucemburk which is 13 kilometers from Chotebor. Ther is a cemetry of soldiers which died during world war 1914-1920. There is mentioned that died these people:
mr.Zvolánek František
come form Krucemburk house No. 85, worked in agriculture, no married, died 1917 city Lublan - country Poland
mr.Zvolánek František
machinist, lost, somwhere in Russian!!!!
mr.Zvolánek Antonín
come form Krucemburk house no. 15, sales representative, shot down 15. june 1918 town Assiaga, country Italy
Mr.Zvolánek Rudolf
come from Krucemburk housez no. 86, agriculture, not married, shot douwn 1916 town Gorice,country Italy
mr.Zvolánek Rudolf
record from Krucemburk cronicle „… agriculture rolník from house no 145, not married, profesional soldier, shot down 27. VII. 1917, Zborov.“
Thank you Tomas! This is good information, but it makes me sad to see so many young men that died. I will look through my grandfather's letters to see if he mentions any of these names and addresses.
ReplyDeleteFor my relatives and friends, I contacted Tomas Zvolanek through the LinkedIn Business Network because he lives in the Czech Republic. We do not know if we share the same ancestry, but maybe someday we'll find out!
He has graciously contributed the above information, and has offered to help translate a letter for me.
So good to hear from you, Tomas.