SA-SIG - Southern Africa Jewish Genealogy: General Sources of Information

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Southern Africa Jewish Genealogy SA-SIG

General Sources of Information

Editor: Dr Saul Issroff
Copyright © 1999-2017 Saul Issroff, Mike Getz, SAfrica SIG
and Jewishgen Inc.
URL: http://www.jewishgen.org/SAfrica/general.htm
Revised: 9 January 2017

CONTENTS

Archive Depots

Genealogical Societies

General Libraries & Museums

General Resources in South Africa

Jewish-Interest Museums & Libraries

Jewish Resources

Libraries

Military Records

Museums

Newspaper Resources

Miscellaneous items

Archive Depots
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National Archives of South Africa: (Contact: The Head); (houses both the Archives of Central Government; and of Gauteng, formerly Transvaal province); Private Bag X236,; Pretoria, 0001.; or; 24 Hamilton Street,; Arcadia,; Pretoria.; Telephone: +27 (0)12 323 5300; Facsimile: +27 (0)12 323 5287; E-mail: arg02@acts.pwv.gov.za; Web-site: http://www.national.archives.gov.za/; • In October 2000, Jules Feldman wrote: The information is obtained from the National Archives of South Africa and as far as I know the information is listed by surname. One emails arg06@dacst4.pwv.gov.za and requests details of a surname. Alternatively one may write to National Archives, Private Bag X 236, Pretoria 0001 or FAX (012) 323 5287 or Tel: (0122) 323-5300 documents with info they have on file for the given name. This list gives reference numbers and then one may order copies. The list is on a diskette/s and have to be paid for in advance.

One has to be prepared for whatever shows up; i.e. jail time, building houses, Estate distribution and lots lots more. If one is researching a rare name it is great. The usefullness gets less with less rare names. •
Cape Town Archives Repository, (Contact: The Head): Private Bag, X9025.
Cape Town, 8000.
or
72 Roeland Street,
Cape Town.
Telephone:+27 (0)21 462 4050
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 452 960 ??
Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository,: (Contact: Chief of the Natal Archives Depot)
Private Bag X9012,
Pietermaritzburg, 3200.
or
231 Pietermaritz Street,
Pietermaritzburg, 3201.
Durban Archives Repository (Contact: The Head): Private Bag X22,
Greyville, 4023.
or
Nashua Building,
14 Demazenod Road,
Greyville, 4023.
Telephone: +27 (0)31 309 5681/4
Facsimile: +27 (0)31 309 5685
Free State Archives Department, (Contact: The Chief): Private Bag X20504
Bloemfontein, 9300.
or
37 Elizabeth Street,
Bloemfontein, 9301.
Port Elizabeth Archives Repository, (Contact: The Head): Private Bag X3932,
North End, 6056.
or
1 De Villiers Street,
North End,
Port Elizabeth.
Telephone: +27 (0)41 546 451
Facsimile: +27 (0)41 546 451

Genealogical Societies
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Jewish Genealogical societies are active in Johannesburg and Cape Town. They do not undertake research on behalf of researchers but they will guide, assist and teach you how to go about researching your own family. Both societies hold regular meetings, undertake projects and publish newsletters.

General Libraries and Museums
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The South African Library: Queen Victoria Street,
Cape Town, 8001.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 424 6320
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 424 4848
Web-site: http://aleph.salib.ac.za
The State Library of South Africa (Contact: The Director): P.O. Box 397,
Pretoria, 0001.
or
Cnr. Andries and Vermeulen Streets,
Pretoria.
E-mail: postmaster@statelib.pwv.gov.za
Telephone: +27 (0)12 21 8931
Facsimile: +27 (0)12 32 5594
Campbell Collection (Contact: The Africana Librarian): 220 Marriott Road,
Berea,
Durban, 4001.
Africana Museum: The Public Library,
Market Square,
Johannesburg, 2001.
Barberton Museum: P.O. Box 33,
Barberton, 1300.
Bloemfontein War Museum: P.O. Box 704,
Bloemfontein, 9300.
Colenso R.E. Stevenson Museum: P.O. Box 22,
Colenso, 3360,
Natal.
Durban Local History Museum: Old Court House,
Aliwal Street,
Durban, 4001.
Durban Museum and Art Gallery: City Hall,
Smith Street,
Durban, 4001.
East London Museum: 319 Oxford Street,
East London, 5201.
First National Bank Museum: P.O. Box 1153,
Johannesburg, 2000.
Fort Beaufort Historical Museum: P.O. Box 94,
Fort Beaufort, 5720.
George Museum: P.O. Box 564,
George, 6530.
Graaff-Reinet Museum: P.O. Box 104,
Graaff-Reinet, 6280.
Albany Museum: Somerset Street,
Grahamstown, 6140.
Web-site: http://www.ru.ac.za/affiliates/am/
1820 Settlers Memorial Museum: Somerset Street,
Grahamstown, 6140.
Cory Library for Historical Research: Grahamstown.
Telephone: +27(0)46 603 8436 Facsimile: +27(0) 46 622 3487
Web-site: http://www.ru.ac.za/library/cory/
Web-site: http://www.ru.ac.za/library/cory/genealogy.html
Greytown Museum: 68 Scott Street,
Greytown, 3500.
Hottentots-Holland Museum: P.O. Box 19,
Somerset West, 7130.
Howick Museum: Box 5,
Howick, 3290.
Huguenot Memorial Museum: P.O. Box 37,
Franschhoek, 7690.
Johannesburg Public Library: Market Square,
Johannesburg, 2000.
Telephone: +27 (0)11 836 3787
E-mail: joburg@mj.org.za
Web-site: http://joburg.org.za/jhblib
Kimberley Public Library: Africana Library
Du Toitspan Road, P.O. Box 627, Kimberley, 8300.
Has records of the Kimberley Jewish community,
eg. Birth registers, Synagogue History etc.
E-mail: afrilib@global.co.za
Kaffrarian Museum: 3 Lower Albert Road, Kingwilliamstown, 5600.
Klerksdorp Museum: P.O. Box 99,
Klerksdorp, 2570.
Ladysmith Museum: P.O. Box 380,
Ladysmith, 3370.
Lydenburg Museum: c/o The Town Clerk,
Lydenburg, 1120.
Mafeking Museum: P.O. Box 42,
Mafeking, 8670.
Maritime Museum: The Castle,
P.O. Box 1,
Cape Town, 8000.
Martello Tower Naval Museum: P.O. Box 1,
Cape Town, 8000.
McGregor Museum: P.O. Box 316,
Kimberley, 8300.
National Cultural History & Open Air Museum: P.O. Box 3300,
Pretoria, 0001.
National Museum: P.O. Box 266,
Bloemfontein, 9300.
New Germany Museum: c/o Public Library,
Shepstone Road,
New Germany, 3600.
Paarl Old Parsonage Museum: Main Street,
Paarl, 7646.
Old Synagogue: Pietermaritzburg.
McRorie House Museum: P.O. Box 42,
Pietermaritzburg, 3200.
Natal Museum: 237 Loop Street,
Pietermaritzburg, 3201.
Pilgrim’s Rest Museum: Private Bag X519,
Pilgrim’s Rest, 1290.
Port Elizabeth City Library: Main Street,
Port Elizabeth, 6000.
Comment: Card index: Jewish notables, country cemetery details)
Port Elizabeth Museum: P.O. Box 13147,
Humewood, 6013.
Potchefstroom Museum: P.O. Box 113,
Potchefstroom, 2520.
Potgietersrus Arend Dieperink Museum: P.O. Box 34,
Potgietersrus, 0600.
Pretoria Voortrekker Monument: P.O. Box 3300,
Pretoria, 0001.
Transvaal Provincial Library & Museum: Private Bag X288,
Pretoria, 0001.
Queenstown and Frontier Museum: P.O. Box 296,
Queenstown, 5320.
Roodepoort Municipal Museum: P.O. Box 317,
Roodepoort, 1725.
South African Police Museum: Private Bag X94,
Pretoria, 0001.
South African Cultural History Museum: P.O. Box 645,
Cape Town, 8000.
South African National Museum of Military History: P.O. Box 52090,
Saxonwold, 2132.
Simon’s Town Museum: c/o Municipal Offices,
St George's Street,
Simonstown, 7995.
Somerset East Museum: P.O. Box 151,
Somerset East, 5850.
South African Museum: P.O. Box 61,
Cape Town, 8000.
State Museum: P.O. Box 1203,
Windhoek, Namibia.
Stellenbosch Museum: Drostdy Street,
Stellenbosch, 7600.
Telephone: +27 (0)46 622 2312
Facsimile: +27 (0)46 622 2398
Swellendam Drostdy Museum: Swellengrebel Street,
Swellendam, 6740.
Transvaal Museum: P.O. Box 413,
Pretoria, 0001.
Tulbagh Oude Kerk Volksmuseum: Church Street,
Tulbagh, 6820.
Uitenhage Africana Museum: P.O. Box 45,
Uitenhage, 6230.
Vereeniging Museum: P.O. Box 136,
Vereeniging, 1930.
Voortrekker Museum: P.O. Box 998,
Pietermaritzburg, 3201.
Vryheid Nieuwe Republiek Museum: 119 Landdrost Street,
Vryheid, 3100.
Weenen Museum: P.O. Box 13,
Weenen, 3325.
Worcester Museum: 21 Baring Street,
Worcester, 6850.
Zululand Historical Museum: P.O. Box 37,
Eshowe, 3815.

General Resources in South Africa
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Government of South Africa: Web-site: http://www.gov.za/
Department of Home Affairs:: Web-site: http://home-affairs.pwv.gov.za/
Address: Private Bag X114, Pretoria 0001.
Central Statistical Services, Demographics: Information about specific individuals, relationships, religion,
year of arrival and place of birth.
Address: Private Bag x44, Pretoria 0001.
Telephone: +27 (0)12 310 8911
Facsimile: +27 (0)12 322 3374
Contact: Ilse Van Reenen, Information Officer
E-mail: ilseVR@statssa.pwv.gov.za
Web-site: http://www.statssa.gov.za
The Registrar (Births Marriages and Deaths): Department of Home Affairs; Private Bag X114,
Pretoria 0001.
or
Sentrakor Building,
173 Pretorius Street,
Telephone: +27 (0)12 3148911
Facsimile: +27 (0)12 3148911
The Department of Home Affairs (Naturalizations): Private Bag X114,
Pretoria 0001.
or
242 Struben Street,
Pretoria.
Telephone: +27 (0)12 314 8570
Facsimile: +27 (0)12 323 5955
Human Sciences Research Council (Genealogy Section): Closed in November 1997.; Collections are now with:
The Genealogical Institute of South Africa (GISA)
115 Banghoek Road, (Banhoek?)
Stellenbosch.
or
P.O.Box 3033,
Matieland 7602.
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 887 5031
website: http://www.sun.ac.za/gisa
Masters Of The Supreme Court (wills and probates): Private Bag X60,
Pretoria 0001.
or
Santam Building,
Cnr. Church and Queen Streets,
Pretoria.
Telephone: +27 (0)12 323 2404
The Master of the Supreme Court: Private Bag X20584
Bloemfontein, 9300.
The Master of the Supreme Court: Private Bag X9018
Cape Town, 8000.
The Master of the Supreme Court: Private Bag X1010
Grahamstown, 6140.
The Master of the Supreme Court: Private Bag X9010
Pietermaritzburg, 3200.
The Registrar of Deeds: Private Bag X9073,
Cape Town, 8000.
or
Government Buildings,
Plein Street,
Cape Town.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 45 1037
The Surveyor General: Private Bag X9073,
Cape Town, 8000.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 45 4711
The Registrar of Companies: Zanza Buildings,
Proes Street,
Pretoria, 0002.
Telephone: +27 (0)12 310 8740
The Registrar of Patents, Designs, Trademarks: Zanza Buildings,
Proes Street,
Pretoria, 0002.
Telephone: +27 (0)12 3108700

Jewish-Interest Museums and Libraries
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C.P. Nel Museum (The Synagogue): P.O. Box 453, Oudtshoorn, 6620, South Africa.
Baron von Reede Street, Oudtshoorn, 6620, South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)443 22 7306
Museum with one room of Jewish artifacts including the Torah ark
from the former St. John's Street Synagogue.
Calvinia Museum, The: 44 Church Street, Calvinia, 8190, South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)__ 341 1043
Located in the former Calvinia Synagogue which served the
local Jewish community from 1920 to 1968.
Gitlin Library, The: Hatfield Street, Gardens, Cape Town.
Postal address: P.O. Box 4176, Cape Town, 8000.
Cape Town, 8001.
or
P.O. Box 4176,
Cape Town, 8000.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 4625088
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 232616
Hillel House Jewish Museum: 36 Somerset Street, P.O. Box 553, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)__ 461 27012
Holocaust Centre, Cape Town: 92 Hatfield Street, Gardens, Cape Town 8001, RSA.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 423 2420
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 423 2775
E-mail: ctholocaust@mweb.co.za
WWW: http://www.museums.org.za/ctholocaust/
Educational Centre, permanent exhibition, lecture/film series,
educational programs

The following item was published in Maven-announce [http://www.MavenSearch.com] for 24th February 2000.

Cape Town Holocaust Centre
http://www.museums.org.za/ctholocaust/
The Cape Town Holocaust Centre is the first and only Holocaust Centre to be established in Africa. The Centre serves as a place of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust and by addressing the ethical, moral and historical dimensions, aims to combat antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and discrimination. The Centre includes a permanent exhibition. The main focus of the Centre's activities is an education programme for high school pupils and their teachers.
Jewish Pioneers Memorial Museum, The,: (Raleigh Street Synagogue)
Postal address: PO Box 3048 Northend 60056 Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)41 554458
Julius Gordon Africana Museum: Riversdale
Telephone: +27 (0)2933 32418
Facsimile: +27 (0)2933 33146
Municipal museum with a room of local Jewish artifacts mostly
salvaged from the former Riversdale Synagogue
Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies: University of Cape Town,
Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701,
Cape Town.
E-mail: janine.blumberg@uct.ac.za
Web-site: www.kaplancentre.uct.ac.za/

● Jewish Studies Library:
Telephone: +27 (0)21 650 3779
E-mail: glynnis.johnson@uct.ac.za
Web-site: http://www.jewish.lib.uct.ac.za/
Note: This is an academic research institute and does not do genealogy research.

● Archival queries: Clive.Kirkwood@uct.ac.za

● Book/Periodical queries:Glynnis.Johnson@uct.ac.za

● Special Collections Finding Aids:
Web-site: www.specialcollections.uct.ac.za/sc/finding-aids

● Special Collections Manuscripts Guide:
Web-site: http://www.specialcollections.uct.ac.za/~/Guide to Manuscripts in UCT Libraries.pdf
Malmesbury Museum: 1 Prospect Street, 7300, South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)__ 2244 22332
The museum is housed in the synagogue that once served the now defunct
Malmesbury Jewish congregation - artefacts focus on Jewish community 1905-1975.
Sammy Marks Museum: Swartkoppies Hall, Old Bronkhorstspruit Road, Silverton, 0132.
Postal Address: P.O. Box 28088, Sunnyside, 0132, Pretoria.
Telephone: +27 (0)12 803 6158
Facsimile: +27 (0)12 341 6146
Mansion that belonged to Sammy Marks, a South African Jewish
pioneer who was born in Lithuania in 1844.
South African Jewish Board of Deputies: (Contact: The Librarian)
2 Elray Street, Raedene, Johannesburg 2192.
Telephone: +27 11 - 645 2523
Facsimile: +27 11 - 645 2559
E-mail: sajbod@iafrica.com
Web-site: http://www.sajbd.org.za
Holocaust-related claims are being handled in South Africa by
SA Jewish Board of Deputies.
South African Jewish Museum, The: 88 Hatfield Street,
Gardens,
Cape Town, 8001,
South Africa.
--------
Telephone: +27 (0)27-21-465 1546
Facsimile: +27 (0)27-21-465 0284
--------
WWW: http://www.sajewishmuseum.co.za
E-mail: info@sajewishmuseum.co.za
Comment: Located next to the Gardens Synagogue, a new Jewish museum is located within the structure of the Old Synagogue, South Africa's first synagogue.

Jewish resources
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Johannesburg Jewish Helping Hand & Burial Society (Chevra Kadisha): Administration address:
109 George Avenue, (entrance through Golden Acres)
Sandringham 2192,
South Africa.
Postal Address:
Private Bag X7, Sandringham 2131, South Africa.
Revised: May 2003
Telephone: +27 (0)11 - 532 9600
Facsimile: +27 (0)11 - 532 9655
Jewish Community Services: +27 (0)11 640-9116
Staff Wise: +27 (0)11 640-9112.
E-mail: chevrahgroup@jhbchev.co.za
Web-site: http://www.jhbchev.co.za/
or
Registered Welfare organisation: Ref. No. 01-100213 0008
United Chevra Kadisha
P.O. Box 543,
Cape Town, 8000.
Union of Orthodox Synagogues and Office of The Chief Rabbi: P.O. Box 46559, Orange Grove, 2119, South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)11 485-4865
Facsimile: +27 (0)11 640-7528
E-mail: jhb@uos.co.za
Web-site: http://www.uos.co.za
South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ): P.O. Box 17696,
Hillbrow,
Johannesburg, 2038.
Telephone: +27 (0)11 642 1514
Facsimile: +27 (0)11 643 2321
Union of Orthodox Synagogues of SA and Beth Din: 191 Buitenkant Street,
Cape Town.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 461 6310
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 461 8320
Durban Jewish Center: P.O. Box 10797,
Marine Parade,
Durban.
Telephone: +27(0)31 368 2653
Durban United Hebrew Congregation: Great Synagogue,
75 Silverton Road,
Durban.
Telephone: +27(0)31 201 5177.
Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society): Selbourne Road,
Durban.
Telephone: +27(0)31 205 5194
Red Hill Cemetery: Telephone: +27(0)31 564 5771 or 201 5177
United Hebrew Institutions of Bloemfontein: P.O. Box 1152,
Bloemfontein, 9301.
Orange Free State.
Facsimile: +27(0)51 536 6447.
Griqualand West Jewish Burial Society: P.O. Box 68,
Kimberley, 8300.
Facsimile: +27 (0)53 1 811 281
Chevra Kadisha (Jewish Burial Society): P.O. Box 2089,
Port Elizabeth, 6000.
Eastern Cape.

Libraries
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The State Library in Cape Town is the largest legal deposit library in SA, houses collectors collections, archive facsimiles of documents, letters , books under the name of van Riebeck Society).Almost all newspapers ever printed in SA, Maps, Government Gazettes, telephone books, electoral rolls, directories). Some very limited shipping records.

Many Public libraries have sections on genealogy. Many smaller libraries have Jewish records.

Some University libraries also contain sections of genealogical interest.

Records Available include: Phone Books, History Books, Voters Rolls, Journals, Magazines, Newspapers

The Library at the Board of Deputies in Johannesburg has an extensive collection of at least 60 years of newspaper items referring to individual Jews. These are indexed and include obituaries. The SA Jewish Yearbooks of 1928, 1953/4 and 1961/2 have brief biographies of many well known Jews, including their towns of origin. The Library has microfilmed various publications of the SA Jewish press from the turn of the century. A useful potential source of genealogical information are the several Yiddish newspapers that were published in the early part of the century. In the 1920’s many lists of people in Eastern Europe looking for relatives who had moved to SA were published on a weekly basis. In addition many communal records of now defunct country communities have been filmed. Some Landsmanshaften records are also on microfilm. Unfortunately these do not appear to be indexed. The Central Archives of the Jewish People at the Hebrew University hold copies of the microfilms and at the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Cape Town. The Kaplan Centre in addition has records of small Cape Communities that are not available elsewhere. The records of the Cape Jewish orphanage are also here. There are also Zionist archives that may be of interest. Some individual family trees are in the archives.

A number of books have been published on individual Jewish communities in smaller towns and in addition many general town histories give a story of the local Jewish community. Several recent works have dealt with the economic history of the South African Jews and are useful sources.

Other specialist Jewish Library are the Gitlin Library in Cape Town and the library at

The Kaplan Centre in Cape Town, incorporated in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies. It seeks to stimulate and promote the whole field of Jewish studies and research at the University with a special focus on the South African Jewish community. The Centre is multi-disciplinary in scope and encourages the participation of scholars in a range of fields including history, political science, education, sociology, comparative literature and the broad spectrum of Hebrew and Judaic studies.

The Centre is engaged in both research and teaching and functions as a co-ordinating unit in the University. Its resources are used to invite distinguished scholars to teach Jewish-content courses within established University departments, to initiate and sponsor research projects, and to strengthen the University’s library holding of books, microfilms and archival sources. These research materials are made available to members of the University and to accredited visitors from the wider academic community. The Centre is not equipped to undertake genealogical research.

Military records
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South African National Defence Force Archives: Department of Defence
Documentation Service Directorate,
Private Bag X289,
Pretoria, 0001.
Telephone: +27 (0)21 322 6350 ext. 227
Facsimile: +27 (0)21 323 5613
E-mail: sandfdoc@mweb.co.za

Records are held for 2.2 million people who served in the SANDF, SADF and UDF from 1912 onwards. The records of anyone who left the defence force before 1961 are open to anyone, but there are some restrictions on the more recent records for reasons of privacy. One can get a free copy of one's own military record at the Centre, but one has to pay for all other copies.

Their reading room for personnel records is in the Ina Building, corner of Schoeman and Prinsloo Streets in Pretoria, and is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00.
SA Defence Force Archives: Pretoria, 0001.
SA National Museum of Military History,: contact: The Chief Archivist, (no personal records)
PO Box 52090,
Saxonwold, 2132.
Transvaal.
Telephone: +27 (0)11 646 5513
Facsimile: +27 (0)11 646 5256
South African Military History Society: P.O. Box 59227,
Kengray, 2100,
South Africa.
Telephone: +27 (0)11 648 2087
Facsimile: +27 (0)11 648 2085
Web-site: http://rapidttp.com/milhist/
mirror web-site: http://rapidttp.co.za/milhist/
SA War Graves Board: Pretoria, 0001.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Web-site: http://yard.ccta.gov.uk/cwgc/register.nsf
National Film, Video & Sound Archives: Private Bag X236,
Pretoria, 0001.
or
698 Church Street,
Pretoria, 0002.

Museums
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Specialist museums hold information pertinent to particular cultures, fashions of the day, historical themes or eras.

The Cape Town Jewish museum and the Port Elizabeth Jewish Museum have large collections of genealogical interest.

Newspaper Resources
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Jewish Press

A fortnightly newspaper, the SA Jewish Times, in addition to the Cape Jewish Chronicle, Hashalom in KwaZulu-Natal and the Pretoria Jewish Chronicle. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies also publishes an upmarket quarterly journal called "Jewish Affairs" which features articles of cultural, historical and communal interest. Many early issues list names of people trying to trace families and of new immigrants.

The London Jewish Chronicle has many entries (e.g. obituaries, marriage notices) relating to South African Jewry. http://www.thejc.com/

Der Afrikaner Yiddishe Tzeitung was a Yiddish-language weekly newspaper published in Johannesburg from 1942 to 1971. Microfilm in the New York Public Library Jewish Division (Call No. *ZAN-*P49), at YIVO (Call No. 64-Y-294-309) and in the Library of Congress Hebraic Section. A series of pictures, "A Picture from the Old Home," taken in Lithuanian shtetls before World War II (a few of the last of the series were of Polish shtetls).

From Feb. 20, 1953 on, the pictures were accompanied by an article about the shtetl called "There Once Was a Home." The number of people in each picture ranges from just a handful to over 50; they are identified underneath each picture. This weekly journal, although unindexed and in Yiddish, also contains announcements of marriages and anniversaries, as well as obituaries, in almost every issue. Researchers with family roots in South Africa should check known marriage or death dates of individuals against the appropriate issue to look for family listings.

Miscellaneous items
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Railways and related items