Worldwide Genealogy: Researching Eastern European Ancestors

My mother's father was born in what is now Zamosty, Ukraine. In 1888, the time of Gustav Lange's birth, Zamosty was part of the Volhynia region of Tsarist Russia. His family apparently moved to Lutsk when he was a young boy as his father died there about 1905.

Zmosty, Ukraine; courtesy of Google Maps

Mom's mother was born in Alberta, Canada, in 1894, though my Schalin great grandparents had immigrated for religious reasons from the Tutschin area of the Volhynia region the year previously. Both of my mother's parents considered themselves German but we have no idea from where in Germany the Lange and Schalin families originated.

Late in 2015 I was contacted by two different people who were related to "my" Lange family. Well, I believe it's obvious I need to stop putting off learning how to research Eastern European ancestors so that is my genealogy goal for 2016. If you have any tips or pointers, please pass them along. Thank you.

Today is my day to contribute my bi-monthly post to Worldwide Genealogy -- a Genealogical Collaboration. I hope you will click over to my post and read more details about my recent Lange contacts and why this line has been such a brick wall for me.