You might be pleased to learn that Peter Herling's father was Christopher Herling, b.about 1805. He and his wife, (name unknown to me), lived in Dlugie, Poland. Christopher had at least eight brothers and sisters who had eventually moved to either the United States, Australia, South America, or Russia during, what then, must have been difficult times.
This Herling line isn't of my direct lineage but may, in time be connected to my ancestor, Karl Joseph Wilhelm Ludwig Herling, b.May 19,1819, (place unknown), but known to have lived and died in Lithuannia with his family. Perhaps Michael and Karl were brothers?
My source of info is probably as good as any source could possibly be,... and it wasn't "store-bought"!
I don't know of any other sources of reliable information anywhere pertaining to the Iron Curtain countries. They weren't very well known record keepers.
You must know that way back the Herling name was of German origin. Having researched my own German Benner lineage back to almost 1500, I can tell you that many times through the years, and even up to W.W.II, people, families, had to literally drop everything and RUN for their lives. Most likely in ANY direction they could.
I've more on this family, some of the lines brought to nearly present.
A lot of Michael's family, (in the U.S.), are located in Ohio.
Most of my Herlings arrived in New York in 1900 or 1901 and came here to Maine to live.
All for now. Let me know if I can be of further assistance?
Mark A. Benner,....
benner@clinic.net