S05EP02 - 'The Righteous' with Michal Razus

In this second episode of Series Five - The Righteous - host Andrew meets Slovak professional genealogist, and host of the Slovak Ancestry Podcast, Michal Razus. Andrew finds out how Michal got into researching family history, the challenges of researching in Slovakia, and finds out about his work to assist people with citizenship.

The Life Story - Michal Razus
Michal has chosen his 2x Great Grandfather also named Michal Razus as his relative to tell the life story of. This Michal was born in 1908, and lived in Czechoslovakia (as it was back then). Amidst World War Two, Michal, who worked as a cabinet maker, took in, fed, and employed a young Jewish man in carpentry - thus helping to save him from the on-coming Nazi forces and the Holocaust.

Years later, and after Michal's death in 1985, Michal the younger's family had been unaware of their ancestor's act until contact was made from a man in the USA. That man had been the young Jewish man who'd been taken in, and he came with news that he was being posthumously honoured with the Righteous Among the Nations award by the State of Israel.

The Brick Wall - Juraj Franko
It's a 2x Gt Grandfather, born in Chmelovec, Slovakia in 1890, that is causing Michal a headache.

However, it's not the Slovak part that's the problem - Michal has traced his ancestor Juraj Franko to 150W, 104 Street, Manhattan, New York, USA on 25th April 1942, and that's where his trail ends.

• What happened to Juraj after this date?
• Did he stay in Manhattan, or did he travel elsewhere?

If you think that you can help Michal with a clue or a research idea that might help him solve his brick wall, then you can make contact him via the email address he gives in the episode. Alternatively, you can head to our website where you'll find this episode's show notes, and be able to send a message which we'll pass straight on to him.

In the meantime, Michal is intrigued by Andrew's offer of help - but will he stick to the rules?

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Episode Credits
Series Five, Episode Two

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Michal Razus - Guest

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Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:55 The Interview - Michal Razus
• 18:06 The Life Story - Michal Razus (no, a different one)
• 30:51 The Brick Wall - Juraj Franko
• 39:49 The Departure