More New Discoveries

In January of 2019, I decided to have a DNA test done. I received the kit from USA and returned the package complete with two swabs taken from the inside of each cheek. In May 2019, just after my return from Spain having completed the Camino Ingles, the results were e-mailed to me with a list of people who were estimated to related to me through the results from the swabs. There were a few surprises. I knew that the bulk of my make up would be central European, covering an area from Poland and eastern Germany and overlapping with Czechia and Slovakia. It didn’t surprise me that it was as broad as that because borders in that part of Europe have been for the most part arbitrary, depending who was winning wars and when.

The other main part was Irish/Scots. It’s not possible to separate both and you really need to trace family history to get a more accurate profile – but even then 100% exact is rarely possible. West Asian which, presumably, is the Armenia side of my ingredients was to be expected and then something which I suspected was confirmed – Ashkenazi Jewish. This maybe answers my interest in the citizens of Poland and Germany who were of the Jewish faith and why I felt a direct emotion at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. The surprises were English and Italian/Greek. As the swab did not identify paternal and maternal DNA separately, it’s possible that the last two might be from my mother’s side.

It confirms for me that pure-blooded nationality is a myth. Nationalism a dangerous ideology which has repeatedly led to conflict and yet we continue to let it go unchallanged. It is less than one hundred years since the end of the most destructive World War in history and yet here we are again. Patriotism is one thing – love of one’s country and most patriots I have met share that and appreciate other’s cultures too and are happy to learn. It is hugely different from nationalism, whose followers will tell you they are the true patriots but they hate thiose they term outsiders or foreigners.

Within a week of receiving the results I received a communication from someone who had contacted me in the past, four years ago in fact; Bitte Sundin. Like me, Bitte’s decendents are from the Moszoro family from Galicia in Poland/Ukraine. According to the DNA results, it places us as third cousins and Bitte’s name appeared on the list. If confirmed she will be the first relative on my father’s side I will have met, albeit on-line. We agreed to research further.

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