Prussian Partition Circle Tour

Created and led for PGSA by…

Dates - 2019: May 11th – 22nd

September 7th - 18th

Duration: 12 days

Arrival: Gdańsk

Departure: Gdańsk

12-day program prepared especially for members of PGSA, based on our 10 year experience organizing genealogy tours and providing genealogy research

11 nights in the most beautiful Pomeranian towns:

Gdaosk (5 nights), Toruo (2 nights), Gniezno (1 night), Poznao (1 night), Szczecin (1 night),

Kołobrzeg (1 night)

14 towns to be visited: Gdaosk, Gdynia, Sopot, Malbork, Pelplin, Rywałd, Toruo, Gniezno, Lednica, Poznao, Wolsztyn, Szczecin, Kołobrzeg, Lębork

4 genealogy sessions: o a presentation of the State Archive in Gdaosk

o a visit and lecture in the Diocesan Archive in Pelplin

o presentation of the Diocesan Archive in Poznao

o "Pommeranian Ancestry" - an afternoon workshop with our specialists As an option, we offer individual 1- or 2-day trips to the places related to your ancestry - if not covered

by the tour program

We offer you an unforgettable tour through the heart of the region that for more than two

centuries was part of Prussia and Imperial Germany. The tour includes:

Gdańsk rynek/neptun/kran

DAY 1

Arrival in Gdaosk (Danzig).

Transfer from the airport to the hotel in the center of

Gdaosk.

Time to relax.

In the evening - welcome meeting with a walk around the

Old Town.

Overnight: Gdańsk: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 2

Arrive Gdańsk, Poland, formerly Prussian Danzig.

We start our tour by exploring the Old Town of Gdańsk,

where the Teutonic Knights and Polish kings used to

promenade hundreds of years ago. Over the centuries

Gdaosk was a strategic port on the Baltic shore.

In the evening, we invite you for a welcome dinner of fine

Polish cuisine.

Overnight: Gdańsk: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 3

We start the day with a presentation at the State Archive

in Gdaosk, This is where genealogists spend most of the

time exploring the genealogies of families from East

Prussia and Pomerania.

During the lecture organized especially for you, we

explain how this archive works.

After lunch we drive to the Emigration Museum in Gdynia.

It depicts the stories of Poles who emigrated at different

periods, to various places and for diverse reasons. The

exhibition allows you to feel and understand what it meant

to emigrate. It shows the reality of a sea crossing for 3rd

class passengers - from the moment of embarkation all the

way through the immigration procedures on the famous

Ellis Island.

The last activity is a visit to Sopot (Zoppot). The history of

this part of Tri-City goes back to 13th century. Over the

centuries it was the place where wealthy merchants built

their summer residences.

You can relax here by walking along the longest pier on

the Baltic Sea. Next to it you will find the legendary Grand

Hotel that hosted the most prominent European guests.

Overnight: Gdańsk: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

After breakfast we drive to see the medieval Castle of the

Teutonic Order in Malbork - the most complete and

elaborate example of a Gothic brick building from the 13th

century and the largest castle in the world measured by

land area. It was built in the 14th century by German

Teutonic Knights who carried out crusades against the

pagans on the Baltic coast.

After lunch in Malbork we return to Gdańsk to visit the

European Solidarity Centre whose mission is to promote

the message of the Solidarity movement and the

opposition to communist in Poland and throughout the

world. As you go from room to room you are told the

story of the Solidarity from its humble beginnings to the

end of communism and first democratic elections.

Overnight: Gdańsk: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 5

It is time to move south. Our first stop is the town of Pelpin,

where our main destination is the Diocesan Archive that

maintains a unique collection of records not available in any

other place.

You will learn how the archive is organized and how to

research records of interest.

Afterwards we see the beautiful cathedral that has 23 altars

- some of them are over 400 years old.

DAY 4

On the way to Toruo we stop in Rywałd - at the Marian

Sanctuary that was the place in which the Polish prelate,

Cardinal Stefan Wyszyoski, was imprisoned for some time in

1953 and where he drew the Stations of the Cross of the

walls of his cell.

Rywałd’s monastery and church (first mentioned in the

14th century) are a popular pilgrimage destination.

Overnight: Toruń: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 6

We spend the whole day exploring Toruń (German: Thorn),

known as the birthplace of Copernicus and one of the best

preserved Polish medieval town.

Built in the 13th century as a headquarter base for the

conquest and evangelization of Prussia, the Old Town

impresses with its buildings from the 14th and 15th

centuries including the House of Copernicus.

Toruo is known for its gingerbread – Pierniki. You will visit

the Living Museum of Gingerbread where you not only

learn about this sweet but make tour own.

Overnight: Torun: 3-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 7

Now we advance to Wielkopolska (Greater Poland).

We make a short stop in Gniezno, whose history dates to

the 10th

century. It is considered the first capital city of

Poland and has been the seat of Polish church officials for

nearly 100 years.

We visit the Royal Gniezno Cathedral that saw the

coronation of several Polish monarchs.

Our next destination is Lednica - this little island settlement

probably witnessed the most important event in early

Polish history: the baptism of Mieszko I. With this

ceremony, Christianity was introduced to Poland, and

Poland to Christian Europe.

Now the island is a home to Poland’s largest open-air

museum - the Museum of the Piast Dynasty.

Overnight: Poznań: 3-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 8

We spend the day exploring Poznań: the charming rynek

(market square), the Renaissance Town Hall, National

Museum, Grand Theatre, Cathedral, Imperial Castle, and

the basilica church on Ostrów Tumski, the birthplace of

medieval Poznao.

We will visit the Archdiocesan Archive to learn about one

of the biggest collections of parish records.

You must taste the famous Poznao pastry known as St.

Martin’s croissant or Rogale Marcioskie.

Overnight: Poznań: 3-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 9

After breakfast we leave Poznao to visit the open-air

museum in Wolsztyn. The reconstruction of an 1800’s

village enables one to see how some of your ancestors

lives at that time. Walking among original houses, barns,

workshops, an inn and even dog houses, you can move

back in time.

Our next destination is Szczecin (Stettin), a major seaport

on the west and Poland's seventh-largest city.

One of its biggest attractions is a viewing terrace called

Wały Chrobrego (Hakenterrasse).

We will visit the National Museum with its medieval

collection, the Ducal Castle, the Old Town and the city's

cathedral.

Overnight: Szczecin: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 10

Now, for a little relaxation, we drive to Kołobrzeg (Kolberg),

founded by Slavic Pomeranians during the early middle

ages.

A must see is a monument called the Millennium Memorial.

It commemorates "1000 years of Christianity in Pomerania"

and a tribute to Polish-German Reconciliation.

As our tour comes to an end, in the evening you may join

the genealogy workshop, summarizing what you learned

during the tour.

Afterwards we invite you to the farewell dinner.

Overnight: Kołobrzeg: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

Jakaś fotka Lęborka..

DAY 11

During our drive to Gdańsk, where our tour comes to an

end, we take a short break in the charming little town of

Lębork (German: Lauenburg) with its quaint buildings and

Teutonic Castle.

We arrive in Gdaosk in the late afternoon with ample time

to relax and savor your last evening Poland.

Overnight: Gdańsk: 3-star or 4-star hotel in a central location.

DAY 12

Leisure time and departures from Gdaosk

Your transport to the airport is included in the tour.

Pre- or Post-Tour Individual Genealogical Services

Before or after your PGSA tour, we offer you two additional services by which you can explore the history of your particular family lines.

We can perform research as directed by you based on your needs, the “brick walls” you have come upon or to expand or deepen what you already have completed.

Want to visit the actual soil of where your ancient roots lie? Let us take you to the areas and towns where your ancestors lived, to the churches where they worshipped, and possibly to the fields in which they worked and the cemeteries where they were buried.

To coordinate these plans, begin your contact with us through PGSA as you register for your PGSA tour.

Costs

$2,400 Per person ($200/day)

$ 769 Single supplement

Includes:

Transport from and to Gdaosk airport. Let us know if you are arriving or departing by train or other means because of personal travel.

Comfortable, air-conditioned transportation

Accommodation in 3- or 4-star hotels, buffet breakfast included (9 nights)

Meals as per itinerary (7 x lunch, 1 x welcome dinner, 1 x work-shop dinner, 1 x farewell lunch)

English-speaking tour escort assistance

Entrance fees to all the places mentioned in the itinerary and obligatory local tour guides

3 genealogy sessions: State Archive in Gdaosk

Diocesan Archive in Pelplin

Archdiocesan Archive in Poznao

Special Notes:

Passport (not expiring within six months of return travel); No visa requirement

Please advise us of any dietary or health restrictions

On the PGSA website, please refer to “Some Important Points” on the Itinerary page and the “Terms and Conditions” on the Registration Form for further details.

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