PO Box 374 • Bellevue, Washington 98009-0374
Eastside Genealogical Society invites you to attend an event or become a member.
The Family Tree Maker SIG meets on the 3rd Friday of most months from 10:30AM to 12:30PM Pacific time via Zoom. (Check this website for information on each upcoming meeting date.) If you would like to attend and are not on the SIG e-mail distribution list, please send an e-mail to ftmsig@eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org to request the meeting link.
Presenter:
Josian Schmidt
Josiah Schmidt is a
history and genealogy
specialist for the Saint
Louis County Library
System in Saint Louis,
Missouri. He specializes
in German, Jewish and
Genetic Genealogy.
When: Friday, 9th of January, 2026
from 12:30 to 2:30 pm PT
Zoom Registration Required:
https://tinyurl.com/ypmc7kyx
Topic: Free Websites for German
Genealogy
Take a guided exploration of how to
access and use numerous free
websites for your German family
history research.
More information: Visitors are
always welcome. Our website is:
Please note that the IIG will not meet in December.
Date: January 17, 2026
Time: 1:30 PM (PT)
Topic: Italian POWs in the US during WWII and The Ferramonti Concentration Camp in Italy
Presenter: Kathy Kirkpatrick
Presentation #1: Italian POWs in the US during WWII
Description: During World War II there were 1,210 POW camps, hospitals and cemeteries for German, Italian and Japanese soldiers in the United States. Among those POWs were 51,000 Italian soldiers. The camps not only gave the Italian prisoners a glimpse of American life, but enabled interaction with Americans leading to friendships and even marriage. About two-thirds of Italian prisoners chose to become Allies and served in Italian Service Units here and as part of the Allied push to liberate Italy. This presentation discusses camp life and rules, work by the POWs, and postwar activities. A variety of records and repositories in the US and Italy are described in detail with links.
Presentation #2: The Ferramonti Concentration Camp in Italy
Description: This presentation takes us to Italy to learn about the Ferramonti Camp and the local Italian community. Out of the 3,823 prisoners, only fifty died. One hundred forty-one of these prisoners were Italian, the rest having fled from Europe before capture in Italy, Bengasi (Libya) and Rhodes (Greece). Most of the prisoners were Jewish and were able to observe that religion in the Camp. There were also non-Jewish people from China, France, Greece, and Yugoslavia. The cooperation between the camp staff, prisoners, and the community enabled this situation in a dark time. Sources and repositories described.
Presenter: Kathy Kirkpatrick
Kathy Kirkpatrick earned her B.A. in History from Humboldt State University at Arcata, California. She is currently President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Utah. Kathy has written family histories, genealogical and Italian research instruction, and eight volumes on American Prisoner of War Camps since 1986. Kathy speaks locally and internationally on a variety of topics since 1993, including at RootsTech, National Genealogical Society, the Foundation of Eastern European Family History Studies (FEEFHS), and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS). Kathy’s research takes her on-site to Italy (including the Vatican Secret Archives since 2015), Sicily, Greece, the United Kingdom, and France as well as close to home in the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. Her extensive websites are at http://www.gentracer.com for genealogy
and http://www.gentracer.org for military research and cemeteries.
Please note that the Genealogy Book SIG will not meet in December.
Eastside Genealogical Society’s Genealogy Book SIG will meet Friday January 9th at 10 AM PT via Zoom.
The book for this month is The Quest For Annie Moore
of Ellis Island by Megan Smolenyak
Email Kimberly Nichols at vicepresident@eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org to request a zoom link and be added to the email list.
Please note that there is no EGS general meeting in December.
Our speaker: Andrew Redfern
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Networking and announcements at 6:30 pm Pacific; program at 7:00 pm
Via Zoom—join the meeting
About our speaker: Andrew Redfern is a passionate family historian and technology educator. Since his initial interest in researching his family tree in the mid- 1980s, Andrew has developed a deep interest in how technology can enhance the way we explore and preserve our family histories. The integration of AI into his genealogical toolkit was a natural progression and he is excited by the possibilities while remaining aware of the limitations.
About our program: Whether you’re a seasoned genealogist or just getting started, this talk will provide you with valuable insights and strategies for using AI to uncover your family’s unique story. Lots of practical demonstrations and uses of various tools currently available will provide a starting point for attendees to use these technologies straight away with their own family tree. And for those not sure, there will be plenty of discussion about navigating security, privacy and bias.
Everyone is welcome—we hope you will join us.
For more information about EGS, visit our website at eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org
Presenter: Anette Isaacs
German born, Anette Isaacs is a Historian and Public Educator who has been presenting programs all over the United States.
She holds Master’s Degrees in American Studies, Political Science, and History and is currently serving as the Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at FIU (Florida International University) in Miami, FL.
When: Friday, 5th of December, 2025
from 12:30 to 2:30 pm PT
Zoom Registration Required:
https://tinyurl.com/4jpfbswx
Topic: Frohe Weihnachten:
Unwrapping the Charms of German
Christmas Traditions
Uncover the rich history and cultural significance behind cherished customs such as the Advent calendar, Christkindlmarkt, and St. Nicholas Day. Delve into the heartwarming tales of the
Christkind and the festive decoration of the Tannenbaum, while also exploring the delectable delights of traditional holiday treats like Lebkuchen and Stollen.
Join German Historian Anette Isaacs and journey through time and tradition, exploring how Germany’s unique customs have shaped the magic of Christmas celebrations worldwide.
More information: Visitors are always welcome.
Our website is: https://gig.eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org
How Italian Migration Laws Affected Our Ancestors
DATE: 15-Nov-2025 (Saturday)
TIME: 1:30 pm (PST)
TOPIC: How Italian Migration Laws Affected Our Ancestors
PRESENTER: Victoria Calabrese
PLACE: Zoom meeting
Description: How easy was it to emigrate from Italy? What was the process like after one made the decision to leave? This presentation will discuss Italian emigration laws regarding migration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and how these laws influenced our ancestors’ lives. The talk will cover topics such as who could and could not emigrate (and why), what was needed to get a passport, how to buy tickets, and travelling to the port of departure.
Speaker Bio: Victoria Calabrese received her Ph.D. in modern European history from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. Her research focuses on modern Italian history, gender, migration, and nation building. Her book, Italian Women in Basilicata: Staying Behind but Moving Forward during the Age of Mass Emigration, 1876–1914, was published by Lexington Books in 2022. The book examines women in the southern Italian region of Basilicata and the many ways their lives changed when their husbands emigrated. In addition to the women who remained behind, she has written articles on honor and infanticide, and on traveling child musicians. Victoria is an avid genealogist, focusing on southern Italian genealogy research. She is currently an adjunct professor at Lehman College, teaching courses in early modern and modern European history.
Meeting Friday November 21, 2025 10:30 AM PT
The Family Tree Maker SIG meets on the 3rd Friday of each month from 10:30AM to 12:30PM Pacific time via Zoom. (Check this website for information on each upcoming meeting date.) The next meeting will be on Friday, November 21, 2025. If you would like to attend and are not on the SIG e-mail distribution list, please send an e-mail to ftmsig@eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org to request the meeting link. The Family Tree Maker SIG does not meet in December.
Eastside Genealogical Society’s Genealogy Book SIG will meet Friday November 14th at 10 AM PT via Zoom.
The book for this month is The Marriage Certificate by Stephen Molyneux
Email Kimberly Nichols at vicepresident@eastsidegenealogicalsociety.org to request a zoom link and be added to the email list.