The Danenberg Family

Biruta Zeltīte Sirlaka 1919–2002

Peter's great-aunt.

Also recorded as Biruta Balka; Rūta (memoir); Biruta Sirlaks (married name Balks).

Biruta Zeltīte Sirlaka was born on 3 Jun 1919 in Cēsis, Cēsis district, Vidzeme, Latvia2,3, the daughter of Mārtiņš Vilhelms Sirlaks and Emma Smukule13,14,15. She married Vitolds Balks between Mar 1945 and May 1945 in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany16,17. She left Bremen-Grohn (IRO emigration camp), Germany on 22 Jan 19509. She arrived at United States in 1950 (according to an online family tree)10. She died on 30 Jun 2002 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada11,12.

Family

Parents
Mārtiņš Vilhelms Sirlaks 1883–1942 and Emma Smukule 1886–1970 documented
Husband
Vitolds Balks 1921–1984 · married between Mar 1945 and May 1945 in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany
Children

Life events

EventDatePlace and details
Born3 Jun 1919Cēsis, Cēsis district, Vidzeme, Latvia2,3
Lived1945Landkreis Kelheim, Bavaria, Germany5
Arrived1950United States
According to an online family tree10
Left22 Jan 1950Bremen-Grohn (IRO emigration camp), Germany9
Died30 Jun 2002Toronto, Ontario, Canada11,12
OriginLatvia
According to the family's 2015 tree4
LivedUnited States
According to an online family tree6
Workparents: Mārtiņš Sirlaks and Emma (the memoir lists her as Mārtiņš’s daughter, against the father "Pēteris" on her DP card; lead biruta-father-peteris). Veterinarian. Probably the "Cēsu Rūta" of p. 32.7
Work'Veterinarian', 'To the district veterinarian in Tukums' (DP-2). The memoir has her as a hospital lab technician in Hochfeld, Augsburg, during the camp years.2
WorkVetārste
According to an online family tree8

Open questions

Sources

  1. MyHeritage family tree 'Dzimta' of Peter's third cousin (his family site), member GEDCOM export of 26 Oct 2026, I143 (person-6000143), GEDCOM lines 4177–4251.
    NAME Biruta /Sirlaks/ · _MARNM Balks
  2. AEF DP Registration Record, Balks Biruta, Reg. No. 902673063, DE ITS 3.1.1.1, folder DP0173 (03010101 02 065), DocID 66492229.
    Balks Biruta | F | Married | 3.VI.1919 Cēsis Vidzeme Latvia | luth. | Pēteris Sirlaks | Emma Smukulis | Rīga – Latvia | Veterinarian | To the district veterinarian in Tukums | 23.VII.4[5] | [reverse] CM1 No. 855706 Res. to USA on 17.1.50

    DP-2: '3.VI.1919 Cēsis'. Kelheim list (DocID 69964918): '6.9.19 Wenden'. Index entries give both 06/03/1919 and 09/06/1919.

  3. MyHeritage family tree 'Dzimta' of Peter's third cousin (his family site), member GEDCOM export of 26 Oct 2026, I143 (person-6000143), GEDCOM lines 4177–4251.
    BIRT · 3 JUN 1919 · Cēsis, Latviju

    [DNA evidence (private)] Jūn 1919 | Miršana: 30. Jūn 2002 | Pēdēja dzīves vieta: 48010, USA | SSN izsniegusī pavalsts: Ohio'. [DNA evidence (private)] Records of the Immigration and Naturalizati | on Service, Record Group 85.'.

  4. Peter's tree, danenberg.sql, 2007–2015, personae 20, provenance.
  5. Kategorie III list, Landkreis Kelheim, 17 June 1947, DE ITS 2.1.1.1 BY 069 LET ZM, DocID 69964918.
    Balks Wietold 16.6.21 Veekiebalga m unbekannt 1945 / Sirlaks Biruta 6.9.19 Wenden w unbekannt 1945

    Listed with Vitolds ('Balks Wietold') among foreigners present in 1945, no longer resident. The memoir puts their marriage in Regensburg, spring 1945.

  6. MyHeritage family tree 'Dzimta' of Peter's third cousin (his family site), member GEDCOM export of 26 Oct 2026, I143 (person-6000143), GEDCOM lines 4177–4251.
    RESI · 48010, USA

    [DNA evidence (private)] Jūn 1919 | Miršana: 30. Jūn 2002 | Pēdēja dzīves vieta: 48010, USA | SSN izsniegusī pavalsts: Ohio'.

  7. Ainas Sirlakas atmiņas ("Vīstuči"), Aina Jurciņa née Sirlaka, Priekuļi, 1998, p. 9, section "PAR PĒTERA UN MARIJAS CETURTO BĒRNU MĀRTIŅU".
    Rūta- vetārste. … Rūta gandrīz neskaista ar garu ģīmi, bet ļoti interesanta un gudra.
    Translation: Rūta, a veterinarian. … Rūta almost plain, with a long face, but very interesting and clever.

    parents: Mārtiņš Sirlaks and Emma (the memoir lists her as Mārtiņš’s daughter, against the father "Pēteris" on her DP card; lead biruta-father-peteris). Veterinarian. Probably the "Cēsu Rūta" of p. 32.

  8. MyHeritage family tree 'Dzimta' of Peter's third cousin (his family site), member GEDCOM export of 26 Oct 2026, I143 (person-6000143), GEDCOM lines 4177–4251.
    OCCU · Vetārste
  9. IRO nominal roll, USS General Howze, Bremen-Grohn, page 65, DE ITS 3.1.3.2, ref. 8302800, DocID 81666500.
    1095 119875 855706 Balks Vitolds C LAT Prot. Md Ma 28 LAT farm-worker J. Smalley (NLC) R. 3, Rockford, Ohio / 1096 … Biruta … housewife / 1097 … Ilze … S F 4 GER child

    USS General Howze (IRO unit 8302800); roll nos. 1095–1097 with Vitolds and Ilze; case 119875, CM/1 855706; sponsor J. Smalley (NLC), R. 3, Rockford, Ohio (the same town as the Danenbergs' destination). Left Haunstetten for the resettlement centre on 9 Jan 1950.

  10. MyHeritage family tree 'Dzimta' of Peter's third cousin (his family site), member GEDCOM export of 26 Oct 2026, I143 (person-6000143), GEDCOM lines 4177–4251.
    IMMI · 1950 · New York, New York, United States · AGE 30-31

    [DNA evidence (private)] Records of the Immigration and Naturalizati | on Service, Record Group 85.'.

  11. S-fs-6K3K-6CZC.
    Biruta Zeltite Sirlaks … Birth 3 Jun 1919 Cesis Vidzem* … Death 30 Jun 2002 … AKA Biruta Balks

    Born 3 Jun 1919, Cēsis. Middle name Zeltīte. Social Security application Feb 1951. Husband Witolds (Vitolds) Balks, born about 1921 Latvia (1950 census; Residence Database entry 'Vitolds Balks, b. Jun 1921', 6YH9-L4XP). Daughter Ilze (living) was born in Germany about 1945-46.

  12. MyHeritage family tree 'Dzimta' of Peter's third cousin (his family site), member GEDCOM export of 26 Oct 2026, I143 (person-6000143), GEDCOM lines 4177–4251.
    DEAT · 30 JUN 2002 · Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan Municipality, Ontario, Canada · AGE 83

    [DNA evidence (private)] Jūn 1919 | Miršana: 30. Jūn 2002 | Pēdēja dzīves vieta: 48010, USA | SSN izsniegusī pavalsts: Ohio'. [DNA evidence (private)]

  13. Peter's tree, danenberg.sql, 2007–2015, parentages 35.
  14. S-fs-6K3K-6CZC.
    Biruta Zeltite Sirlaks; AKA Biruta Balks; Birth 3 Jun 1919 Cesis Vidzem*; Death 30 Jun 2002; father Martins V Sirlaks; mother Emma Smukulis

    Biruta Zeltīte Sirlaka's Social Security application (Feb 1951) names her parents as "Martins V Sirlaks" and "Emma Smukulis". This is the first record evidence for Mārtiņš and for Emma's maiden name (here in the masculine/US form Smukulis, rather than Latvian feminine Smukule). Mārtiņš also has a middle initial, V. Emma was widowed by 1950.

  15. My Life and Times (1912–1949), ¶10.
    my sisters Biruta and Mirdza
  16. AEF DP Registration Record, Balks Vitolds, Reg. No. 902673011, DE ITS 3.1.1.1, folder DP0173, DocID 66492247.
    Balks Vitolds | M | Married | 16.6.21 Vec-Piebalga Vidzeme Latvia | Luth. | Žanis Balks | Elza Brauns [?] | Riga Latvia | Office clerk | Food supplies department | 23.7.45

    Registered as married to Biruta at Haunstetten on 23.7.45, i.e. married by then. This is consistent with the memoir's spring 1945 wedding in Regensburg; Arolsen gives no wedding date or place.

  17. My Life and Times (1912–1949), ¶41.
    In the spring, we managed to borrow a horse and wagon from the farmer to go to Regensburg so that Vitolds and Rūta could get married.

See in the family tree