Unreich Genealogy Research

 

Note to the reader, please keep in mind, regardless of the research outcome, it’s the process of learning how to conduct research which is as important as finding the desired result.  For example, define your objective and goals, as shown below.

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Without the assistance of Nancy Holden with JewishGen, the partial success of our family research wouldn't have been possible. Thank you! 

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For more information about the Brody community, please read: https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/brody/brody.html

 

Research Objective: 

With a focus on the following 3 key Unreich family members all born in Brody, Ukraine, with one (my great-great-grandfather) ending up in Bratislava, ranging from the years of 1816 to 1944.  

 

3 Goals:

[1] Find death date records of Unreich family members, namely David Isaac Unreich [B] and his father Moshe Unreich [C]. 

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[2] Find cemetery records of Unreich family members, namely David Isaac Unreich [B] and his father Moshe Unreich [C]. 

 

[3] Find supporting evidence of migration records (i.e. via census, birth, taxpayer records, etc.) of Unreich family members, namely David Isaac Unreich [B] and Sulim Jonas Unreich [A]. 

 

Family Members Information: 

[A] Sulim Jonas Unreich (שלום יונה אונרייך) 

Born: Feb 2 1874 
Died: ~ Oct 5 1944 

Birth place: Brody, Ukraine 

Migrated: Bratislava, Slovakia  

 

Sulim’s father: 

[B] David Isaac Unreich 

Born 9/15/1846) 

Birth place: Brody, Ukraine 

Death: Unknown 

Migrated: Unkown 

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David’s father:  

[C] Moshe Unreich משה אונרייך  

Born 1816 

Birth place:  

Death: Unkown  

Migrated: Unkown  

Research Outcome

In case you’re interested, enclosed below are some details and assumptions about the origins of the Unreich’s from Brody dating back to the late 1700s through the 1900s.

I believe I found the progenitor (an originator or a founder) for Brody and his brothers who first settled in Brody possibly from Germany or Prussia at that time.

The oldest of the original Brody family is Kopel or spelled Jacob Kopel or Kopel UNREICH, born about 1755 and died in 1831, married to Frieden (1758-1818).  Source: https://search.geshergalicia.org

Assumptions:
Jacob Kopel [Generation 1] immigrated from Germany with son Aron and his sons sometimes during the Napoleonic Wars.

It’s unclear if they owned or leased properties in Brody, but a common thread of residence in House Number 257 seems to indicate relationships. See map of houses from period: https://maps.geshergalicia.org/cadastral/brody-1844/

Based on this information we can assume they had the surname from 1797 prior to residence in Brody. However, each period and region has different spellings based on transcripts, for example, in a town called Tyszowce in Poland, a few hours north of Brody, you’ll find possible relatives with the spelling UNRUCH, but if you open the microfilm images for Aron UNRUCH married to Chana in 1826, but it's actually written “Unreich”.  Source: https://www.jri-poland.org/databases/jriplform.php

[Generation 2] Aron Unreich b 1771 d 1816, his sons below:

[Generation 3] the brothers: Marcus, Abraham Moses, Motel, Meier, Moses
Marcus living at #257 in 1831
Abraham living at #257 in 1818 then moves to #159 in 1819 and then to #161 in 1830
Abraham Moses died in 1856 at 65 (b 1791)
Abraham Moses d 1850 living at #246 b 1797 CENSUS RECORD 1850 birth probably not correct
Motel living in #159 in 1820 then to #262 1831
Moses living at #86 in 1820 then to #159 in 1822
Meier living at #87 in 1818 then in #86 in 1821 then #257 in 1828

What’s the connection for our generation?

Abraham Moses son Moses Unreich b 1816 married to Zijwe (Liebowiz) Wadawicz.  Their son David Isaac or Isac b 1846, married Sarah (Szara) Chaye Birnbluth, b 1846 had children…

Rabbi Sulim Jonas Unreich 1874 - 1944 - my great-great-grandfather, which is Zalman/Maurice/Alex, father.

David Isaac’s other sons, which you’re* affiliated with:
Elimelech Unreich 1876 - 1944*
Aron Salomon Sigismundo Unreich 1860 - 1927
Jacob Unreich 1881 - ?*
Zigmound Unreich 1868 - ?
Pinchas Unreich 1870 - ?
Elias Jozsef Unreich 1884 - 1908
Heinrich Unreich 1895 - 1917
 

Migration Paths:
Sulim (my great-grandfather) was originally from Brody, Poland, today in the Ukraine. Sulim’s father, David Issac, immigrated to Bratislava with his family when Sulim was a young boy.  Some of the Unreich family immigrated from Brody, through Hungary to Vienna and then settling back into Bratislava permanently around 1895 - after Heinrich was born.

Before they left, into the 19th century, Brody was considered one of the largest and most thriving Jewish communities in Europe and a central hub of trade in the Galicia region. The financial prosperity of the Jewish community in Brody ended by the end of the 1800’s and quickly turned into another poor city most likely giving reason to David Issac taking his family out of Brody to a new opportunity in Bratislava.

On the other hand, Jacob Unreich, left Brody in 1930 from Cherbourg and sailed to Buenos Aires.

Clearly the brothers went into different directions.

Interesting Facts:
The Unreich’s in Brody held the following occupations:
Butcher
Tailor
Upholsterer
Porter
Baker
Clerk