Genealogy research and travel: Tracing a Family’s History

Recently, our agency was contacted by a client from New York, Jonathan Kolodny. The 25-year-old planned a trip to Budapest and Oradea with his 88-year-old grandmother to trace their family roots. They were particularly interested in learning more about Henrik Günszberg, a Neolog cantor, his wife, Golda, and their children.

Our task was to compile the family tree based on the available data and uncover as much of the family’s history as possible. Staša found several key records in the original registers: Henrik Günszberg (1857–1922) and Golda Starzinsky (1868–1922) were born in Lida, a town in the northwestern part of Belarus. Lida is located about 150 kilometers west of Minsk and today serves as a center for the country’s Polish minority.

Henrik Günszberg and Golda Starzinsky migrated to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 1890s and settled in Oradea (formerly Nagyvárad, now in Romania). There, they had two children, Miksa (1887) and Janka (1890), while Ilona (1892), Berta (1896), and Izabella (1901–1902) were born in Sighetu Marmației (formerly Máramarossziget, now in Romania). Miksa and Janka emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. In 1913, Ilona married Miksa Rozenthal in Košice (formerly Kassa, now in Slovakia). Their marriage record lists two witnesses: Illés Halper and Manó Ábrahámson, the renowned chief cantor of the Pest Israelite Community.

I spent several days researching information about Henrik Günszberg. In Budapest, I contacted the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives and reached out to synagogues where Günszberg may have worked as a cantor. Magda Vadász from the Bét Yehuda Synagogue at the National Rabbinical Seminary–Jewish University replied to my inquiry. Since our clients only spoke English, I asked if Magda could welcome them at the synagogue. She recommended a specialized tour guide, Andrea Medgyesi, to show our clients around Budapest’s Jewish Quarter and other important Jewish heritage sites in the city. In the meantime, we found the graves of Henrik and Golda. They are buried in the Jewish cemetery in Košice, both having passed away in 1922.

With this information, we sent our clients a detailed letter with suggestions on what to visit in Budapest, along with the names of key contacts. Following our advice, one day they traveled to Košice, where they visited their ancestors’ graves in the Jewish cemetery to pay their respects. The grandmother quietly revealed that it felt very special to be there by their graves.

We also had the chance to meet our American clients in person in Oradea. The journey from Novi Sad took about five hours, passing through beautiful landscapes. Oradea, located along the Crișul Repede River and surrounded by rolling hills, is often called the “capital of Partium” and is a true hidden gem.

Once we arrived, our first stop was the Aachvas Rein Synagogue (Sinagoga Aachvas Rein), which now houses the Jewish History Museum. Built in 1926, this former Orthodox synagogue has been transformed into a museum that tells the rich history of Oradea’s Jewish community across two floors. The ground floor focuses on key moments in the history of the Jewish population in Oradea, while the upper floor is dedicated to remembering the victims of the Holocaust.

Next, we visited the Sion Neolog Synagogue (Sinagoga Neologă Sion), which also serves as a museum. Built in 1878, this beautiful Neo-Moorish-style synagogue is one of the largest in Romania and the third largest in Europe, with seating for over 1,000 people.

Together with our guests, we walked through the central square (Piața Unirii), surrounded by impressive buildings. We were particularly struck by the Black Eagle Palace (Palatul Vulturul Negru), a remarkable Art Nouveau building completed in 1908 and designed by Jewish architects Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab. Once a center for Oradea’s Jewish elite, it remains one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

In the same square stands the Oradea City Hall Tower (Turnul Primăriei Oradea), an iconic symbol of the city. This neoclassical building, opened in 1903, has been the administrative center ever since. The most striking feature is the 50-meter clock tower, which offers stunning views of Oradea. Originally, the clock had a musical mechanism that played a melody every hour.

At the Mihai Viteazul Street Orthodox Synagogue, we were welcomed by Robert Ivan Rezmuves, a cantor-in-training. We told him we were expecting Jonathan Kolodny and his grandmother from the U.S., who only spoke English, and asked for his help in receiving them. He gladly agreed and even recommended a Romanian writer and translator, Raluca Lazarovici Vereș, who plays an important role in promoting Italian culture and language in Romania. We thanked him for his assistance.

The next morning, after planning the day’s itinerary, we headed to the city center. We knew which hotel our guests were staying at and had an idea of their arrival time, so we waited for them in the hotel lobby. Meanwhile, I coordinated with Raluca about the exact meeting time and place.

Our guests arrived as planned. After introductions, they checked into their room, freshened up, and then we reviewed the results of the research, which was led by Staša. It was during this time that they learned that Henrik Günszberg’s wife, Golda (Aranka) Starzinsky, was Jonathan Kolodny’s grandmother’s great-grandmother.

Once Raluca arrived, we started our sightseeing tour. Our first stop was the Darvas-La Roche House (Casa Darvas-La Roche), one of Oradea’s most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings. Built in 1912 based on the designs of Marcell Komor and Dezső Jakab, the villa was originally owned by Imre Darvas, a timber merchant, and the Swiss La Roche family. The building’s stunning decorations, stained-glass windows, and Zsolnay ceramics make it a great example of Hungarian Art Nouveau. Today, it serves as a museum, giving visitors a chance to explore Oradea’s rich Art Nouveau heritage.

We visited the National Theatre (Teatrul de Stat Oradea) and the nearby square, the cultural heart of the city. The impressive building was built between 1900 and 1902 by the famous Viennese architectural firm Fellner & Helmer, which designed many theaters across Central Europe. Built in an eclectic style, the theater’s façade is decorated with large columns and detailed ornaments, while inside, visitors are captivated by elegant frescoes and golden details.

In front of the theater is a statue of Ede Szigligeti, one of the most important figures in Hungarian drama. Szigligeti played a major role in 19th-century Hungarian theater and contributed greatly to Oradea’s cultural life. The square is surrounded by several important buildings that remind us of the city’s once-bustling cultural scene.

Next, we crossed the St. Ladislaus Bridge (Podul Sfântul Ladislau), which spans the Crișul Repede River and connects the historic downtown with the theater area.

While our guests visited the Zion Museum, we took a short break at Independence Square (Piața Independenței) in front of the museum. Afterward, we continued to the Black Eagle Palace (Palatul Vulturul Negru). Walking through the palace’s beautiful glass-domed hallway, our guests admired its rich decorations, wrought iron details, and mosaic artwork, making it one of the best examples of Hungarian Art Nouveau.

After visiting the palace, we returned to Robert, who shared in detail the history of his family and the Jewish community in Oradea. He told us how the once-thriving Jewish community grew and played an important role in Oradea’s economic and cultural development. He talked about religious customs, the famous rabbis and cantors of Oradea, and how the community changed over the turbulent events of the 20th century. During the conversation, our guests asked many questions about the local Jewish community’s life and traditions, and Robert kindly answered, sharing personal stories and memories with them.

Afterwards, we said goodbye to Raluca and, together with our guests, we went back to the Aachvas Rein Jewish Historical Museum, which we had already visited the day before. Since it was their first time seeing the exhibit, we took a short break while they explored it.

With nice weather for walking, we headed from the city center towards the fortress. The Oradea Fortress (Cetatea Oradea) is one of the city’s most important historical landmarks, having played a key role in the region’s defense since the 11th century. The fortress was under the control of Hungarian kings during medieval times and was attacked many times during the Ottoman wars. Although it was rebuilt in Renaissance and Baroque styles, the fortress lost its military role by the 18th century but stayed important to the city for many years. Even though we couldn’t go inside because it was late, our guests enjoyed walking around the fortress and admiring the massive walls, old bastions, and the fortress’s historical importance from the outside.

After a busy day, we sat down with our guests at a nearby restaurant to talk about what we had seen and heard. We also discussed the customs, lifestyles, and even the food in our countries. Jonathan’s grandmother is a very kind, open, and curious lady. She lives in Brooklyn and, thanks to her energy, she handled the long walks really well for her age. She listened carefully to the stories, has a strong personality, speaks her mind, and has great marketing skills. It was really interesting to hear her thoughts on life and her worldview as an older lady born in America, but with Central and Eastern European roots.

In the late afternoon, we said goodbye to our guests, who were staying in Oradea for another day. After such an eventful and memorable visit, we headed back home.