The Chodove People

Roy Rushka will be doing a presentation at the 2009 CGSI Conference in Cleveland this year!

Roy's presentation at the 2009 CGSI Conference in Cleveland will be about the overall history of the "Chod" with emphasis on genealogy. He will be describing our group of ancestors who had first moved, in early 19th Century, from Czech villages near Domazlice and Klatovy to the District of Galicia. Galicia was the most eastern area of the Austrian Empire. These ancestors then moved-on to the Americas (Canada, USA & Argentina) starting
about 1870 and continued until the end of World War Two. Interestingly, some of them moved back to Europe and the Czech Republic. This movement and relocation of families continues to this day as it has since the beginning of human existence. For example DNA testing for the Genographic Project shows that most of our ancestors moved from the Rift Valley of Africa to the
Middle East and then on into Europe. Scientists use our genetic markers to trace the movement of our very first ancestors.

It is disappointing that Dr. Kelly Hignett, history professor in the UK, was unable to join us for the Conference. She has researched and written two history books about the Chod. My presentation at the Conference will include information taken from her two books. Her first book compares the Chod with two other border communities; the Cossacks of Southern Russia and the Uskoks of Dalmatia. This publication is available online or through your local university libraries. The Routlege web site is www.informaworld.com and provides information about this book.The name of the publication is Global Crime and title is "Co-option or criminalization? - The state, border communities and crime in early modern Europe".

Dr. Hignett has completed a first draft of her second history book; "The Guardians of Bohemia - A History of the Chodove People 1325-1695". In this book Kelly includes extracts from many sources and she credits us as follows: "Roy Rushka for his research, books & sharing; Paulette Gilchuk for use of her website www.chodovepeople.com &
access to Roy's works; Eva Tochor for her translations of the (Chod) Royal Documents of Privileges". This second book should be published later this year.

Another item of interest is that several of our group, (Chod) descendants from western Canada is planning to attend the 2009 Conference. Donna Fitzsimmons & spouse Gerry Cooke from Vancouver Island and Agnes Hallama & her sister Mildred from Winnipeg intend to attend. The CGSI website www.CGSI.org provides information for attending the
Conference. This includes the speakers and their topics and brings together experienced genealogist from across the continent (Canada & USA) along with professions from the Czech and Slovak Republics.

Roy looks forward to meeting you or others from our family group.