This is a copy of an email received from the Czech genealogist, Martin Pytr, 21 March 2008.  He explained how he became aware of the fact that some information concerning Waczlaw Andel (a blacksmith born 1651) had been improperly altered in the Trebon Archives.  Waczlaw Andel was my eigth great-grandfather from my Kostohryz ancestry line. One small phrase in an entry of his record of death (1702/03) in the Trebon archives indicated that he was the son of Jan  Andel (born about 1621), the Duke (Vladyka) of Ronovece. The small phrase was apparently inserted in recent years. Whether or not that illegal entry represents correct information of the true history cannot be verified at this time. I did see copies of the before and after of the archive but the links below are probably no longer functioning correctly. My guess is that the relationship of our Andel  kin to the original 14th century nobel Andel family did exist, if for no other reason than there would have been few people of that region during the 14th century that could have passed on the Andel  family name.  The person that altered the files might have actually had family records thathe/she felt justified the alteration.

Hello Vernon,

I am very sorry to inform you that we were cheated.

I am writing about the oldest found Andel - the blacksmith Vaclav (Waczlaw).

When I studied the church registers of area of your Kostohryz, Andel and related lines in Trebon archive, I did not have digital camera, yet.

And until 2007 was not even possible to make photocopies by researchers at Trebon (unlike in another archives in the Czech Republic).

When the Trebon Archive start to allow to photocopy the records, I asked my friend (also genealogist) who planned to go to Trebon,  to photocopy

the record for me. I planned to surprise you with it.

But when he came back fro archive he informed me that he photocopied the page for me, there is actually recorded death date of blacksmith Waczlaw Andel but there is written nothing about his noble origin!?

I was upset to see the photocopy. I was sure that I have seen the record with the note of noble origin - can I believe my eyes?

Worse was, that I looked like a cheater. To solve this mystery I planned to visit archive at Trebon and to check every page of the book to find the missing part of record.

Meanwhile - the Archive staff with aid of LDS Church start to digitally photocopy their church registers and to display ones at their website (they started with parish areas with first letter A and B  see http://digi.ceskearchivy.cz/index.php?doctree=1nr ).

It means that they photocopied also records of Bernartice parish area (where is recorded also the mentioned Waczlaw Andel).

I was very surprised that I read the record in the same variant what I wrote in 2002, includes the note about noble origin!

I compared the 2 photocopies - they are identical with exception of the note!

I called immediatelly to my friend who made the first photo to inform him about this mystery.

He said that he made the photo, not from the original book but from microphilm. But in 2002 I read it from original book and the digital photos at website were made also from original books. Why the microfilm record differs from original book?

Somebody falsed the original record in original book - and did not know that the book is microfilmed already!

You can compare both of the photocopies - the record is the very first on the top of page

Firstly from the microfilm: http://www.mageo.cz/home/MYTHAGO/skenovat0002.jpg

dne 24 Marty Pochowan gest Waczlaw Andiel Kowarz

z Podolskyho Weku sweho Mage.................52 Letha

Now from the book:

http://www.mageo.cz/home/MYTHAGO/Andel-vladyka.JPG

dne 24 Marty Pochowan gest Waczlaw Andiel Kowarz

z Podoli /Syn Wladyky Jana Andiela z Ronowce na Mirowicich / wiek.................52 Letha

When I wrote down the record with noble-notice in 2002, I did not know that this record was falsed by somebody, already.

Together with another genealogists we decided to contact the staff of Trebon Archive and inform them, that somebody falsed the record.

I am very sorry for it, that my message will perhaps disappoint you, I fell also disappointed and cheated.

I hope that everything is OK with you, Mercedes and your son James, give them my warmest regards, please!

Sincerely Yours,

Martin Pytr