Family Tree Trauma Poem by David Semenske

You are correct but when I was researching my Great Uncle Edward I found that in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century a lot of name changes were the result of ethnic stereotypes. Germans for example could not get hired because employers viewed them as being too radical in their thinking and leading the labor movement. During World War I, before us involvement, A lot of Germans changed their names because of the sentiment towards Germany. Here in Milwaukee a Bartender is quoted as saying An Irishmen is more welcome than a German providing he can pay his own way. If you have time some time look up a video called the Immigrant experience, . It is about the rift developed between them during World War I and is very interesting. In my families case, apparently, it was spelled Szymanske in Germany or when they came over the officials spelled it for them. The Waukesha, Wi county plats spell it that way but the church records spelled it Siemienske. My Grandfathers draft notice spelled it Szymanske but Edwards was spelled Semenske like it is today. My Great Grandparents gravestones read Semenske (died around 1928) but My Grandfather had the name changed officially in 1939. On the Storm Memorial in Wisconsin Rapids Wi, my Great Uncles name is again spelled differently.So I guess until then it had no definitive spelling