However, my Uncle Stan's granddaughter and her husband are currently traveling in Europe and hope to visit Prague and ancestral sites in the area.
To that end, I'm posting this address of the Briz family. It's my belief that both Grandfather John and his brother Jim (Jan and Waclav) lived in this area just before emigrating to the United States. The Brizs' were either friends or cousins. I'm not sure why the Zvolaneks left their birthplace in Russia to live outside of Prague, but I'll guess that there was more work for them, since John was a machinist and Jim listed his trade as blacksmith. We saw a LOT of ironwork in and around the buildings of Prague.
Below is a letter from the Briz family - showing their address in Nove Ransko during the 1920's - two years after my mother was born in Nebraska. More about the Briz family - and a translation of another one of their letters - is contained in a different blog post. I hope Sam and Nick Draper can uncover more information about this family and this period of John Zvolanek's life!
Update as of October 12, 2010: Mr. Tomas Zvolanek of the Czech Republic, whom I contacted through LinkedIn, an internet business contact website, has translated the letter below for our family. This letter - from Anton Briz dated 1920 - was among my Grandfather's papers. Sadly, it does not appear that they were able to keep in touch after Grandfather left for America. Thank you Tomas for the translation which appears after the letter.
PAGE 1
Dear and precious friend
Accept from us many cordial greetings
I write to you after four years and wish that the letter will be delivered.
I still expect that you know about yourself but we do not have any report from you
no message about you but we are still remember you what you are doing.
We expect that you are married and you have your own home and nice wife with children
PAGE 2
By me a lot of things change, girls are bigger, Františka is 21 year old, Tonička 18 year old and Růža is 11 year old
Me and my father is very old, he was 18 months at war in Russia and for all that time he wasn't at home, I cant write how was it terrible.
Now is little bit better but my type of work is still not going well, father was going to sawmill and must work at Ždírec.
All is very expensive especially clothes and boots.
Good old times passed away when you visited us we never not remember you.
PAGE 3
We wish you all the best and when you obtain our letter and you answer to us
we after send you our photos.
We will be waiting for your answer
with God
family Břízova
Antonín Bříza, Nové Ransko in this time under Ždírec
