Deciphering Ethnic Confusion: Mecenzéf, Metzenseifen, or Medzev and Stories from the Past

The Disruptor Podcast

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Welcome to this special Throwback Thursday edition of The Disruptor podcast.
In this remixed episode, originally aired on The Apex Podcast in November 2021, hosts Jan and John explore their family histories to uncover the ancestral origin of John's great-grandfather.
A couple of ago, Jan and John made an intriguing discovery - their families both hail from towns just 35 km apart in what is today Slovakia. Jan’s roots hail from Košice. John grew up hearing that his great-grandfather, Theodor Kundtz, emigrated from Metzenseifen to the United States in 1873, claiming to be Hungarian but speaking German.
The only problem is that Metzenseifen can't be located on a current map.
To help solve this ethnic mystery, Jan and John interview their guest, David Kundtz, Theodor's grandson.
David grew up near Cleveland before heading out West in the 1960s as a Catholic priest. He spent over 20 years ministering in Idaho and Colombia, South America. After leaving the ministry, David became a family psychotherapist in Berkeley, California, for over 20 years until retiring.
He is also a prolific author. His most recent book, The Art of Stopping: How to Be Still When You Have to Keep Going, will be featured in an upcoming TBT remix episode.
In this episode, Jan, John, and David discuss and compare three generations of culture, traditions, travel experiences, family lore, and their common ethnic confusion.
Does the mystery town turn out to be Metzenseifen, Mecenzéf, or Medzev?
Tune in to find out!
Learn more about David Kundtz and his work at davidkundtz.com. Stay tuned for our next TBT remix episode featuring David's book, The Art of Stopping: How to Be Still When You Have to Keep Going.
Thanks for listening!

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Chapter

1. Exploring Family History in Slovakia (00:00:00)

2. Celebrating Church and Hungarian Heritage (00:10:46)

3. Family Heritage and Ancestry (00:14:27)

4. Cultural Appreciation and Family Religion (00:26:25)