THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 39
DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND GENEALOGY
(issued biweekly by Gerald Berghold)
July 15, 1998
(all rights reserved)

We may have come over on different ships, but were all in the same boat now.
Source: Whitney Young Jr. (1991) Quoted in S. Thiederman (Ed.) Bridging
cultural barriers for corporate success. (p. 1) New York: Lexington Books

This edition of the newsletter is in three sections. Print all 27 pages (or
copy to your lap top computer), take it out on the front porch or patio, prop
up your feet and enjoy some summertime ethnic reading!

This first section articles on:
- The villages of Heugraben, Rohr, and Olbendorf
- Church Records
- German Terms
- Available Burgenland Books & Publications


CONTINUATION OF THE FATHER LESER VILLAGE SERIES (from Albert Schuch)

30) Heugraben - Situated in a valley south of Bocksdorf. The 1693-Urbarium
calls the village "Sirovnicza oder [= or] Heygraben", and gives the following
information: Richter: ZLOKLIKOVITS Mikula, Geschworene: VUKOVITS Mate,
STOLICS Peter; other inhabitants: PILICSARICS Ivan, PILICSARICS Martin,
BELLASICS, NOVASEL Mate, CSETICS Gyurika, SZLADOVICS Mate and Miklos,
VUKICSEVICS Mate, Mihaly, Ive, Steipan, Jure, Mikula and Peter,
KLANACSKI Mate, ORSOLICS Mihol, PISOLICS Ivan, CZVITOSICS Mate and
Mihaly, POPOVCSICS Jure, JELENCSICS Peter, SZIDARICS Ivan, POHMANOVICS Mikula
and Pal, ZLOKLIKOVICS Peter and Mihaly, BARBARICS Peter and Jure, SZLARARICS
Mate, JANTALICS Gregor.

From the Urbarium of 1750: Richter: VUKISOVICH Jure, Geschworene: SZOKLOVICH
Ive, VUKISOVICH Miko and Mikula, ORSOLICH Mathe; families: VUKISOVICS (15),
ORSOLICH (4), SLOKLIKOVICH (4), BARBARICS (4), PLASKOVICH (2), BESLANOVICH,
KOMANOVICH. Number of inhabitants: 268 in 1812, 315 in 1832, 370 in 1850, 595
in 1930; 24 casualties in WW I; about 30 emigrants to America (until 1930);
in 1930 about 100 inhabitants work in Vienna and Lower Austria; Heugraben has
always been a part of Bocksdorf parish. A wooden chapel (Trinity) built in
1724, the church was built in 1834.

Teachers: ca. 1850-1870 Georg WUKISEVITS, 1871-87 Johan ILLETITS, 1887-1900
Stefan ZADROVITS, 1900-1909 Josef BENTSITS, 1909-13 Julius SZENTGYRGYI,
1913-15 Josef BRESITS, 1915-17 Stefanie FUX, 1917-30 Hermine SCHMAL. (source:
V+H Nr. 1-2/1958)

31) Rohr - Situated west of Heugraben. The 1750-Urbar for "Rohr anders [=
otherwise] Nadasd" gives the following information: Richter: Michael HIMLER,
Geschworene: Adam LAGLER, Martin SCHABHTTL, Hans STROBEL; families: PEISCHL
(7), STROBL (6), SCHABHTTL (5), LAGLER (4), ANDER (4), HABITZAN (4), KNOR
(KNARR) (3), FLECK (3), HIRSCHBCK (3), KRCHER (3), TOMANDL (2), DRNTALLER
(2), HERMAN (2), LUIBENBCKER, LOIBERSBECK, HIMMLER, ERNST, WORSING, THONIN, ERTLER.
Inhabitants: 389 in 1812, 473 in 1832, 510 in 1850, 602 in 1930 (95 houses).
In 1930 ca. 30 emigrants living in America. 27 casualties in WW I. Part of
Bocksdorf parish. Church built 1811-13. Teachers: BARTL (ca.1820), Anton
KUBIK, Michael BASKOVITS, Paul MARX (1879-1909, from LIMBACH), Michael
STEIGERWALD (1909-30), since 1927 also Ada NOGLER.(source: V+H Nr. 2/1958)

32) Olbendorf - North of Rauchwart. The 1750-Urbar for "Szent Lrincz
otherwise Olbendorf" names the following families: GRAFF (11), PAULL (9),
POMPER (6), WAGNER (5), WEISZ (4), GRASMANN (3), PALISCH (6), TAUSZ (3),
GARTNER (3), CSAR (3), KRANTZ (2), WEBER (2), STROBL (2), HASIBAR (2),
PEISCHL (2), STUBER (2), PILTZ (2), HARPFER (2), IVANTSITS (2), TURI (2),
KRAMMER, SAMBSTAG, JANISCH, HALTZER, OSWALD, POTZMANN, REIGER, PELZMANN,
HOANZL, SCHREINER, LEBERSORGER, LAGLER, LAKINGER, MUIK, SPILLMANN,
BAUMGARTNER, PIMPERL, OFFNER. Two mills owned by the Counts Batthyány, one of
them sold to Michael ERNST in 1862. Inhabitants: 724 Catholics and 16
Lutherans in 1812, 797 C. and 18 L. in1832, 1000 inhabitants in 1865, 1526 in
1930 (254 houses). 66 casualtiesin WW I. Part of Bocksdorf parish until
1788. A new church built in 1794, enlarged in 1873. Three crosses in 1812,
built by Johann GRAF, Lorenz MINK and Michael HANZL. Priests: LUTZ (1789-96),
Novellus Primus (1796-99), both from Lockenhaus Abbey, 1799-Jordan 1822
Donatus PISSL, 1822-46 Michael PLANK, 1846-47 Paul HERMANN, 1847-81 Georg
PEHAM (wrote a village chronicle),1881-1914 Emmerich KOVATS, 1914-27 Otto
WENZEL, since 1927 Franz MAGYAR. Teachers: Martin GROFF (GRAF) ca. 1757-1771,
Georg SAYER ca. 1788-1801, Andreas SCHWARZ ca. 1812-32, Jo. FREITZ 1838,
Josef SZATKOVITS 1840-47, Franz GRAF 1847-89, Josef BAUER 1889-1914, since
1914 Emmerich BAUER (son of Josef B.), also since 1914 Katharina LOEW, since
1928 Franz BAUMGARTNER and Friedrich WINNA (i.e. 4 teachers in 1930, for 251
pupils).(source: V+H Nr. 2-4/1958)


CHURCH RECORDS, AMBO & OTHER TERMS (from Fritz Königshofer)

I would suppose that the Hungarian r.c. church records were fully filmed by
LDS because the church or the Government cooperated with them. The Austrian
dioceses never cooperated (perhaps with the exception of the Linz diocese),
therefore the only recourse LDS had was to film the duplicates covering the
area of the Burgenland which were in Budapest. The duplicates started in
1827/28.

In the diocese Graz-Seckau (my home area), the churches had to produce
duplicates from about 1835. Therefore, the diocesan archives in Graz hold
the records of all their parishes from 1835, but only in duplicate. This
means you normally cannot find the important additional marginal entries in
them about a later marriage or death of a baptized person. Anyway, the
diocese Graz-Seckau did not permit the Mormons to even film the duplicates,
let alone the originals. On the other hand, over time the diocesan archive
has received the original records for safekeeping from more and more
parishes. This is an ongoing process, i.e., it is good to always ask them
whether they have the "Erstschriften."

About the meaning of "ambo" as for the status of a person, I never knew what
it really meant. My assumption is it means itinerant (in the church entries
it was applied to many gypsies), perhaps the absence of a village or town to
which you formally belonged ("Zuständigkeit"). The Latin word "ambulare"
stands, I believe, for walking around. I don't recall if I have discussed
this with you, but "Zuständigkeit" (see BB News no. 37) was an important
concept in the monarchy and extended into the time between the two world
wars; important, as it gave a person the right to return to the place of
your Zuständigkeit as a pauper and then get a bed and food until the end of
your days. Villages would pass these "Gemeindearmen" (parish paupers) from
house to house, and they were called (in German) "Einlieger" (the one who has
a temporary bed and subsistence at a family/house). (ED. Albert Schuch
adds: "Old people in my native village still remember these miserable people.
When they speak about them in dialect they say that he or she 'is va Haus za
Haus gaunga' (went from house to house)."

As you know from Emil Langasch's marriage record, he probably belonged to
Vienna, and if so, this had been established by the "Zuständigkeit" of his
father. My great-grandfather Alois Koller had been born in Rechnitz, but as
a teacher did not live in Rechnitz ever from the time he attended high
school. His wife (Maria Frsatz) originated from Unterbildein, but since her
father had been a teacher as well, I don't know her "Zuständigkeit,"
certainly not Rechnitz. Anyway, after their marriage, the couple and all
children (of which not one was born in Rechnitz) were zuständig in Rechnitz!

I am copying Albert on this e-mail, because he might be able to enlighten the
meaning of the term "ambo." I am more than uncertain about my interpretation
offered above (i.e., the lack of "Zuständigkeit" for a person).

By the way, the term "molitor sodalis" means flour miller craftsman (Geselle)
to me. The next higher step in the profession would be "molitor magister," a
master miller. In the middle European system of the trades, one starts as an
apprentice ("Lehrling"), followed by Geselle (craftsman), then Meister
(master craftsman). I don't think the Anglo-Saxons had this kind of rigid
system, (ED - yes, they used apprentice, journeyman, master) therefore the
translation "craftsman" may not truly be able to nail the meaning of the term.


TRANLATIONS OF TERMS (Frank Teklits & Albert Schuch)

ED.: This is a continuation of terms which Teklits has encountered in his
translation of Croatian history:

Erstochenen - stabbed,
Amtsperson - an official,
"1563. Repositorium 12, Number 555" (do not translate; refers to location in archives),
Nutzgenuss - same as "Nutzniessung" = usufruct, benefit,
Nutzniessungsrecht - the right/title to have the usufruct/benefit of ...
Patronatsherrin - patroness,
"Acta University Thubengensis...." (do not translate; title of a book),
Fakturen - invoices,
"..., yedes ain Exemplar" - ..., one copy of each (one); leave whole sentence
          "Meinem Bruder ... Exemplar" untranslated, because Dobrovich is quoting
          it only to prove that this sentence has been wrongly interpreted/translated
          in the above mentioned book (Acta Univ. Thübengensi...);
Gregoriancz - surname of the bishop of Raab (Györ, in Hungary),
Rittsteuer - surname of priest in Eisenstadt (still living, in his eighties, has written
          books and articles on Burgenland church history),
Wiedemann - see page 152: Wiedemann is the author of a book;
Hofrichterin - judge,
Kollektur - leave untranslated and add explanation: "money owed to the parish"
          (in Burgenland, the inhabitants of a parish had to pay this kind of "tax"
           until 1938; I am not exactly sure if this money was used for the priest's
           salary or for the cost of the schools, which were until then run by the
           church in most cases),
"ohne fueg" - without a title, without a right; "Fug" is an old word for "right",
           it has been conserved in the phrase "mit Fug und Recht".


BURGENLAND BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS (from Albert Schuch)

New member John J. Kornfeind recently asked me to name works of history which
go into detail about the Central to South Burgenland, and subsequently for
information on where to order them. Based on my answers I have written the
following article. You may wish to publish it in a future edition of the
newsletter.

(ED.: Readers may also wish to see previous newsletters, particularly no. 25A,
which displays much of the contents of my Burgenland library. Most, if not
all of Albert's list are still available in Austria.)

Reference to publications on Burgenland history:

All of the publications listed below are written in GERMAN, unless stated
otherwise. Prices are given to the best of my knowledge (schilling has
a value of about 10 cents US) and do not include postage and possible extra
costs for packaging and bank fees. If you write for information only (not
ordering) it is recommended to include an International Reply Coupon. Since
they have been published recently, it is assumed that most of the material is
still available.

1) Burgenland History In General
A good choice is: "Geschichte des Burgenlandes. Lehrbuch für die Oberstufe"
by Michael FLOIGER, Oswald GRUBER and Hugo HUBER; published in Eisenstadt
1996 (celebrating 75 years Burgenland); 256 pages; includes many pictures;
cost 200 ATS (= Austrian Schillings) and cannot be bought in book shops, has
to be ordered from: Landesschulrat für das Burgenland, Kernausteig 3, A-7000
Eisenstadt, Austria. (ED. I've ordered this text and find it to be as
stated - one of the best general texts, good maps, pictures, etc.).

The "Landesschulrat" also maintains a website at lsr-bgld.gv.at.

2) Regional (Bezirk; district) Histories
Books called "Der Bezirk ... im Wandel der Zeiten" have been published for
the districts Jennersdorf, Güssing, Oberwart and Oberpullendorf. Short
information on all communities of the respective district, a little on
history, many nice pictures (some old, most new). Each volume costs 396 ATS.
Also see review in BB News # 28. Can be ordered from: Kirsner & Peternell,
Kapellenweg 14, A-8502 Lannach, Austria. (ED. I have the first three and use
them all the time to answer queries and BB correspondence. Tom Glatz, Anna
Kresh and other BB members have also ordered them).

For the northern districts (Neusiedl am See, Eisenstadt, Mattersburg) the
"Burgenländisches Landesarchiv" (Provincial archives of Burgenland) has
published a series called "Allgemeine Landestopographie des Burgenlandes",
where you get historical (& cultural, geographic and geological) information
on a scientific level. Neusiedl is out of print. Eisenstadt (2 volumes;
including the free towns Eisenstadt and Rust) can be ordered for 380 ATS,
Mattersburg (3 volumes) costs 1000 ATS (hard cover 1200 ATS). These books
include overviews of the whole area as well as articles on all villages
situated in these districts. Can be ordered from:
Amt der Burgenländischen Landesregierung, Landesarchiv, A-7001 Eisenstadt,
Austria. Fax: + 43 (02682) 600 2058

3) Books Including Many Old (16th century) Lists of Surnames
Two books written by Dr. Robert Hajszan focus on the immigration of the
Croats and contain Urbaria from the 16th century (land registers listing the
names of the house owners) for many Southern Burgenland villages. Both books
include brief abstracts in Hungarian, Croatian and English (about 1 page
each). The first book has the title "Die Kroaten der Herrschaft Güssing".
Details: published in 1991, Literas-Verlag Wien, ISBN 3-85429-115-9; I bought
this book for 175 ATS a few years ago; 149 pages; topics: the emigration of
the Croats in the 16th century; related letters written by Count Franz
Batthyány 1533-1547; possible areas of origin (based on linguistic studies);
Croatian surnames from 16th century Urbars; 16th century historical data for
the following villages: St. Nikolaus, Punitz, Rehgraben, Steingraben, Sankt
Michael, Neuberg, Güttenbach, Stinatz, Heugraben, Eisenhüttl, Großmürbisch,
Kleinmürbisch, Gamischdorf, Rauchwart, Bocksdorf, Hasendorf, Krottendorf,
Sulz, Kroatisch Tschantschendorf, Tudersdorf, Reinersdorf, Schallendorf,
Steinfurt, Stegersbach.

The second book is called "Die Bevölkerung der Herrschaft Rechnitz-Schlaining
im 16. Jahrhundert". Details: published in 1992, Literas-Verlag Wien, ISBN
3/85429-123-X; don't remember the price, it should be about 200 ATS; 200
pages; contents: Urbarium for 1540 (surnames before the Croatian
immigration); Urbaria and tax files from the 2nd half of the 16th century
(including the Croatian immigrants); meanings of Croatian and some Hungarian
names; studies in dialect relationships to find the area of origin of the
Croatian immigrants; 16th century historical data (Urbaria) for the following
villages: Rechnitz, Perenye (Hungary), Velem (Hungary), Ck (Hungary),
Schandorf, Schachendorf, Hodis, Dürnbach, Nagynarda (Hungary), Felscsatár
(Hungary), Zuberbach, Allersdorf, Neumarkt, Altschlaining, Stadt Schlaining,
Drumling, Grafenschachen, Loipersdorf, Kitzladen, Buchschachen, Markt Allhau,
Wolfau, Kemeten, Großpetersdorf, Miedlingsdorf, Welgersdorf, Hannersdorf,
Burg, Eisenberg (old name: Schauka), Badersdorf, Bachselten, Neustift an der
Lafnitz, Mönchmeierhof, Kleinpetersdorf, Allersgraben, Podler, Rauhriegel.

To find out if these two books are still available I'd recommend to write to:
Pannonisches Institut, Mag. Dr. Robert HAJSZAN, A-7535 Güttenbach 27,
Austria; Fax: + 43 (03327) 2266 14

A new book written by historians Harald and Leonhard Prickler covers Croatian
villages of all districts (except Jennersdorf). The title is "Hoheitszeichen
der kroatischen Gemeinden des Burgenlandes. Petschaften, Siegel, Wappen,
Gemeindefarben"; published in 1997 by the "Kroatisches Kultur- und
Dokumentationszentrum" (address: J. Permayerstrae 3/3, A-7000 Eisenstadt,
Austria); ISBN 3-85374-280-7; 292 pages; includes a 9 page Croatian article;
short historical abstracts for each village on a scientific level (usually
2-3 pages), plus coats of arms (full page size & in color); the abstracts
include the oldest available lists of surnames (mostly 16th century, in some
cases 17th or 18th); villages included: Gattendorf, Kittsee, Neudorf, Pama,
Parndorf, Potzneusiedl (all in Bezirk Neusiedl); Hornstein, Klingenbach,
Oslip, Siegendorf, Steinbrunn (old name: Stinkenbrunn), Trausdorf,
Wulkaprodersdorf, Zagersdorf, Zillingtal (all in Bezirk Eisenstadt); Antau,
Baumgarten, Draburg, Sigle (all in Bezirk Mattersburg); Frankenau,
Großmutschen, Großwarasdorf, Kaisersdorf, Kleinmutschen, Kleinwarasdorf,
Kroatisch Geresdorf, Kroatisch Minihof, Nebersdorf, Nikitsch,
Unterpullendorf, Weingraben (all in Bezirk Oberpullendorf); Allersdorf,
Althodis, Dürnbach, Harmisch, Miedlingsdorf, Mönchmeierhof, Podgoria, Podler,
Rauhriegel, Rumpersdorf, St. Kathrein, Schachendorf, Schandorf, Spitzzicken,
Weiden bei Rechnitz, Zuberbach (all in Bezirk Oberwart); Eisenhüttl,
Großmürbisch, Güttenbach, Hackerberg, Hasendorf, Heugraben, Kroatisch
Ehrensdorf, Kroatisch Tschantschendorf, Neuberg, Rehgraben, Reinersdorf,
Stegersbach, Stinatz, Sulz. I don't know the price, as I was lucky to receive
a free copy.

4) Local (village) History
The best buy is always - if one exists - an "Ortschronik" (village history).
To find out if a book of this kind does exist and is available, write to the
local "Gemeindeamt" or school. (ED. I can provide address if you can't find
it on your own)

5) History of Emigration to America
The book "Die Amerikawanderung der Burgenländer" was written by Dr. Walter
Dujmovits. It is based on his dissertation, has been published (2nd edition)
in 1992; 220 pages text plus more than 120 pictures; Can be ordered from the
office of the "Burgenländische Gemeinschaft" for 285ATS. The address is:
Burgenländische Gemeinschaft, Hauptplatz 7, A-7540 Güssing, Austria.

The author is also president of the "Burgenländische Gemeinschaft", a
worldwide Burgenländer organization founded in the 1950s. Membership is 150
ATS or 15 Dollars, they publish a printed newsletter (mostly German, with
some English sections; contents: Burgenland (village) news, news from
emigrants in Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago, etc., old photos, immigrant's
stories, local recipes, etc.; the newsletter is mailed bimonthly to all
members (cost is included in membership fee). You can also order via e-mail
(the office is run by Frau Renate Dolmanits; as Dr. Dujmovits
has written in his recent editorial, they are receiving many e-mails and are
not always able to answer immediately) (ED. for the "umpteenth time" - buy
this book if you buy no other!)

Another book on this topic is the "... nach Amerika" catalogue. See under 7)

6) Periodicals on Burgenland History & Culture
Two quarterlies write about the history of Burgenland, both available for 100
ATS per year: The "Burgenländische Heimatblätter" is a scientific journal
dedicated to Burgenland research, published by the Landesarchiv in Eisenstadt
since the 1930s. Each issue ca. 50 pages, which makes ca. 200 pages or the
whole year. 2 or 3 long articles in each issue, plus a few short ones and an
occasional book review. Can be ordered from: Amt der Burgenländischen
Landesregierung, Landesarchiv, A-7001 Eisenstadt, Austria. Fax: + 43 (02682)
600 2058

The quarterly "Volk und Heimat" (with less and shorter historical articles)
is published by the "Volksbildungswerk für das Burgenland" in Eisenstadt. To
find out more about this organization, have a look at their website at
http://www.bukeb.at:81/vbw/vbw.htm. There you will also find a table of
contents for the most recent edition, with a few articles included in full
length. The Leser-series (source of the translated abstracts in the
BB newsletters) has been printed in "Volk und Heimat" in the 1950s and
1960s, when it had still been a biweekly. You can try to order via e-mail
or write to: Volksbildungswerk für das Burgenland, Joseph-Haydn-Gasse 11,
A-7000 Eisenstadt, Austria.

6) Books on Various Topics Published by the Landesarchiv
From the Landesarchiv you can also order scientific books that have been
published in the series "Burgenländische Forschungen" (BF). A few examples:
BF # 44 - Otto GUGLIA: Das Werden des Burgenlandes (1961) - 40 ATS
BF # 47 - Johann DOBROVICH: Volk an der Grenze. Schicksal und Auftrag. Zur
Geschichte der Burgenländischen Kroaten (1963) - 66 ATS
BF # 52,53,54,55 - Josef BUZS: Kanonische Visitationen der Diözese Raab aus
dem 17. Jahrhundert (1966-69) (Latin) - 140, 180, 156 and 275 ATS
BF # 56 - Tibor KOVÁCS: Das südliche Burgenland in den Konskriptionen aus der
1. Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts (1967) (statistical data) - 42 ATS
BF # 63 - Tibor KOVÁCS: Das südliche Burgenland in den Volkszhälungen der
Jahre 1857 und 1869 (1792) (statistical data) - 214 ATS
BF # 65 - Fritz P. HODIK: Beitrge zur Geschichte der Mattersdorfer
Judengemeinde im 18. und in der ersten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts (1975) -
420 ATS
BF # 69 - József BUZS: Kanonische Visitationen der Diözese Raab aus dem
Jahre 1713 (1980) (Latin) - 480 ATS
BF # 71 - József BUZS: Kanonische Visitation 1757 Südburgenland (1982)
(Latin) - 575 ATS
BF # 74 - Hans PAUL: Die Volksschule im Burgenländisch-westungarischen Raum
1849-1860 (1992) - 490 ATS

BF Sonderband IX: "... nach Amerika", Katalog der Landesausstellung (1992)
(on the history of the emigration of Burgenländers to America) - 198 ATS
(ED. an excellent publication covering the full spectrum of Burgenland
emigration. Features Güssing Castle Museum program of 1992). You can order
from: Amt der Burgenländischen Landesregierung, Landesarchiv, A-7001
Eisenstadt, Austria Fax: + 43 (02682) 600 2058
--- end of article; prepared by Albert Schuch 19th May 1998 ---

(end of first section-newsletter 39 is continued as no. 39A)


THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 39A
DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND GENEALOGY
(issued biweekly by Gerald Berghold)
July 15, 1998

This second section of newsletter 39 is a village of Poppendorf issue
containing:
- The Berghold Emigrant Story
- Excerpts From An Unfinished Manuscript History of Poppendorf
- Thumbnail Sketch of the Village of Poppendorf
- Father Leser Poppendorf extract
  (It is offered as a model for the type of historical data you might
   consider adding to any Burgenland family genealogy. Everything but
   your own story available through the efforts of the Burgenland Bunch.)


THE BERGHOLDS OF POPPENDORF (by Gerry Berghold)

(ED. This emigrant story, with two accompanying pictures first appeared in
the March/April 1998 edition of the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft (BG)
Newsletter. It is the second concerning my family. The first, the story of
the Sorgers of Rosenberg (Güssing), appeared in BB newsletter no.-23. Member
Tom Glatz has also had an emigrant story (no. 27A) appear in both
publications. I reccomend that all BB members consider doing likewise. I have
had an excellent genealogical response from distant relatives as a result. At
the end of the article is a note in German which you may use when sending
your story (and a few old family pictures) to the BG. After publication
there, send it to us.)

AUSWANDERERSCHICKSAL
The Bergholds of Poppendorf (im Lafnitztal)

This is the history of a Burgenland family who for over two hundred years
lived and worked in the hamlet of Poppendorf, Bezirk Jennersdorf, in the
valley of the Lafnitz. There were many children, some of whom emigrated to
America as part of the great "Auswanderung" of the early 1900's. One, Janos
Berghold (1879-1945), became my grandfather.

Poppendorf ( Hungarian-Patafalva) had 645 Roman Catholic and 108 Lutheran
inhabitants in 1873 (Hungarian Gazeteer-Vas Megye). The History of Vas County
(Magyarorszag Varmegyei es Varosai Vasvarmegye, Sziklay es Borovszky)
published in 1898 shows a population of 913. Today, as part of Marktgemeinde
Heiligenkreuz, it has about 430, due to the many inhabitants who emigrated
during the "Auswanderung". It lies on both sides of the Kormend to
Frstenfeld road (the E66) and is almost midway between Heiligenkreuz and
Eltendorf. It was part of the domain (Herrschaft) of the Batthyány family.
Although there is a small chapel (1842), the inhabitants attend church in
Heiligenkreuz and Eltendorf. In 1787 one Johann Berghold is mentioned as
"Richter" and "Konvent" in Poppendorf, while Michael Berghold was "Konvent"
in Heiligenkreuz. A Johann Berghold was also "Kantorlehrer" in Jennersdorf
in 1743-46. Georg Berghold (Heiligenkreuz) and Hans Berghold ("bei Friedhof")
were listed in the 1757 Visitation of Heiligenkreuz as inhabitants who had to
pay rent (Zünss) to the church since they lived in rented houses (Zünss
Hausser). The Visitation of 1697 mentions Michael Pergholt in Heiligenkreuz
and Jrg Pergholt as having a vineyard in Grieselstein (on the road from
Jennersdorf to Frstenfeld). A Perchtold is mentioned in Radkersburg in 1572
and a Berggold in Trautmannsdorf in 1628.

From the above it is concluded that some time before 1693, one or more
Berghold families emigrated to Heiligenkreuz and then to Poppendorf, probably
from Styria, since the name is also found in early records at St. Margarethe
and in and around Graz, Styria (Bürgerbuchs and Meldebuecher) and also Church
registers of Peterhegy (Hidekut, Slovenia) as well as in Mühlgraben.
Bergholds are mentioned in the Urbar of 1693, Heiligenkreuz and Poppendorf,
the Roman Catholic Kanonische Visitations of 1697 (Heiligenkreuz) and 1757
(Jennersdorf) and the Kirchenvisitations Protokoll of 1787 (Heiligenkreuz ,
Poppendorf, Eltendorf). I have linked my grandparents to some of these
Bergholds by using the Martin Luther Kirche Records (Matriken) in Eltendorf
which date from 1770 and the Königsdorf church records. Some also appear in
the Hungarian Census of 1828 (Ungarisches Landeskonskription 1828, Comitatus
Castriferrei).

Johann Berghold, my great-great grandfather was born in 1830 to Georg
Berghold (Poppendorf 1790-1848) and Barbara Gamler (Poppendorf 1799-1866). He
lived at number 44 Poppendorf and was a blacksmith (Schmied) who died in 1863
after an argument with Hungarian soldiers. He and his wife Terezia (born
Krabath, 1825-1886) had 7 children, one of whom, Johann (1849-1929) continued
his father's business. He married Theresia Neubauer, born 1854, Eltendorf.
They had 11 children, not all of whom survived childhood. Johann eventually
built a Gasthaus in front of number 44 Poppendorf on the Kormend to
Frstenfeld post road. The Gasthaus, modernized, still exists as "Gasthaus
Gibiser", as does number 44, which is behind it next to the cemetery. There
are no longer any Bergholds of that name in Poppendorf although two families
live in Heiligenkreuz.

Three of Johann's sons, Janos, b1879, Joseph, b1882 and Frantz, b1884
emigrated to America in 1901 and 1902. Frantz sailed in 1901 on the SS
Karlsruhe from Bremen to New York. He had $12 from his father and left from
Poppendorf. He had studied to be a miller (Mller), but poor harvests meant
no work. He went by train to Allentown, PA where he worked in a brewery
(Uhl's in Bethlehem), later buying a farm in Limeport, PA and opening a
produce business in Allentown which still exits. He married Julia Halleman,
b1885, from Poppendorf and has many descendants. Julia's parents (who also
emigrated) had an "Auswanderer" boarding house at Front & Chew streets in
Allentown. Frantz died in Allentown in 1963 and is buried in Coopersburg, PA.

Janos and Joseph emigrated in 1902 also with money provided by their father.
Joseph was an apprenticed watch maker (Uhrmacher) but the factory burned and
he was out of work. Janos the eldest son was not interested in working in his
father's business. They too went to Allentown where they worked in breweries.
Janos at Uhl's in Bethlehem and Joseph at Neuweiler's in Allentown. Joseph
later married Julia Muhr, b1883, from Königsdorf, and opened a Neuweiler
tavern (Gasthaus) in Whitehall, PA which he sold in 1924. He then formed the
Berghold & Eder Coal Company which was active until the 1960's. He lived at
220 N. 2nd Street, Allentown across from the Allentown Turner Liederkranz. He
died 1940, in Allentown, with many descendants.

Janos, my grandfather married Francis Langasch, b 1871, from Inzenhoff. They
were married in 1903 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Allentown, the church
of many Lutheran Burgenlanders. Her father Emil Langasch (born Wien 1835) was
a school teacher (Lehrer) and Kirche Docent in Heiligenkreuz. They returned
to Poppendorf in 1907, but again emigrated to Allentown in 1912. They lived
at 538 Ridge Avenue, Allentown and Janos continued to work as a brewery
foreman.

Janos died in 1945. Four children survived childhood, including my father
Julius John Berghold, b1906 in Allentown. He married Frida Sorger, daughter
of Alois Sorger, another Burgenland immigrant from Rosenberg (Güssing). They
had two children, Robert L. Berghold and Gerald J. Berghold (myself). We have
4 children and 8 grandchlidren. Julius and Frida divorced in 1938 and both
remarried, Julius fathering another 13 children, all of whom survived
childhood and have many descendants. Frida died in Allentown in 1974 and
Julius died in Florida in 1973.

The other children of Johann Berghold and Theresia Neubauer remained in the
Burgenland. Julianna, (Poppendorf 1875-1959), married Joseph Mirth
(1873-1968) from Poppendorf. Three of their children also emigrated to
America in the 1920's. Teresa (1899-1986) and Joseph (1901-1988) going to
Allentown and New York and Rezso (Rudy)(1904-1992) going to St. Louis, MO.
There are many Mirth descendants. Rezso had eight children. Other Berghold
children and descendants left Poppendorf and today we find them in
Rudersdorf, Graz, Munich, Vienna and even Thessalonika, Greece. A third
cousin, Helena Gibiser Gilly of 29 Poppendorf and I share great-great
grandfather Johann Berghold. I enjoyed a wonderful visit with the Gillys in
1993. I also had a nice vist with another Berghold cousin, Wilma Berghold
Gibiser in Eltendorf.

A Berghold Genealogy was prepared which shows that in 1996 there were at
least 579 descendants of Johann Berghold and Theresia Neubauer. Many, many
people with roots in the Burgenland from just one family from this small
village! I'd be happy to correspond with any other Berghold descendants. I
can be reached by mail at Gerald J. Berghold, 327 Walker Street, Winchester,
VA, 22601, USA

Sehr geehrte Frau Dolmanits,
Beigefgt ist ein Artikel von meiner Familie fr das "Auswandererschicksal"
Kolumne des Burgenländische Gemeinschaft Rundschreiben. Ich hoffe, das Sie es
in einer zuknftigen Ausgabe benutzen knnen. Die Photographien sind Kopien.
Ich brauche sie kehrte nicht zurck. Mit vielen Danken. (in English) Dear
Mrs. Dolmanits, inclosed is a family article for the "emigrant story" column
of the BG news. I hope that you'll be able to use it in a future issue. The
photographs are copies and I do not need to have them returned. With many
thanks. etc.
Gerald J. Berghold, 3 November 1997.


EXCERPTS FROM UNFINISHED DRAFT OF POPPENDORF HISTORY

Burgenland Bunch member Fritz Königshofer's great grandfather (Adolf
Königshofer) followed mine (Emil Langasch) as the school teacher in
Poppendorf. In addition Adolf was also a correspondent for area newspapers
and some of his articles have been found and translated by Fritz. They have
appeared in various issues of this newsletter. Recently Fritz also translated
the draft of an uncompleted history of Poppendorf which was found among
Adolf's personal effects. An exciting and important find. Article from Fritz
Königshofer follows:

"Herewith, the translation of the excerpts which I recently transcribed from
the draft Poppendorf History left among the few written notes that were saved
from Adolf's belongings."

(May 24, 1998)
My greatgrandfather Adolf Königshofer, teacher at the Catholic elementary
school of Poppendorf from 1898 till his retirement in 1914, who also died in
Poppendorf in 1921, left the (incomplete) draft of a "History of Poppendorf."
He wrote the draft on the back pages of a calligraphy notebook which he had
saved from his time as teacher in Olbendorf. As a curiosity, this notebook
contains an exercise in writing of one page each ("Probeschriften," dated
1884/85), written by his pupils in Olbendorf. If any current or future
Burgenland Bunch member has ancestors from Olbendorf (
Óber), born around
1870 to 1876, I would be glad to look up whether the booklet contains this
ancestor's exercise, and copy it or cut the original out (in the cases where
the backpage is not used for the manuscript).

Adolf intended the following structure for his treatise. The first section
was to deal with the geography and nature of Poppendorf. He started this
section afresh at least three times. Then came the history part, divided into
prehistory and the proper ("eigentliche") history. The latter was to be
broken down into the time before 1848 (1848 marked the abolition of the
"Grundherrschaft," i.e., the end of the period when only the overlord of the
area could own the land), followed by the period 1848 until 1872 (1872 being
the date of the "Komassierung," i.e., the forced exchange of small parcels of
land between owners so that each owner would end up with larger contiguous
plots which were easier to farm), then the period from 1872 to 1903 (when
Count Dnes Draskovits of Güssing let the Poppendorfers purchase his
remaining manorial grounds in the village proper), and lastly the period
since 1903. The latter would mean that Adolf probably wrote his draft in
1910 or later, as a separate section otherwise would have made little sense.
As it happened, the draft ends with the clearly unfinished section on 1848 to
1872. There is no indication that the last two sections were ever started,
let alone completed.

The papers are in Krumpendorf, Austria with my father. Over time, I hope to
transcribe all sections and translate them into English. However, for these
first excerpts, I concentrated on the section describing the period 1848 to
1872, see below. As for the previous sections, the introduction describes the
location, plants and wildlife of Poppendorf. The early history sections
mention that the name of the village most likely stemmed from the name of the
founding family ("Popp"), but that a second, much less credible explanation
was from an early Greek Orthodox settlement of priests ("Popen"). The section
about the time before 1848 concentrates on describing the hard life of the people
in the time of "Untertanenschaft" [Albert notes that Leibeigenschaft (serfdom)
did not exist in Austria and Hungary, and there was only Grundherrschaft
(ownership of all land by noble overlords)]. Adolf's draft does not comment
or speculate on the origin of the first settlers of Popendorf, nor on the question
why there were Lutherans and Catholics and on their respective origins.

In the section on the period 1848 to 1872, Adolf first mentions that not much
change from the abolition of the Grundherrschaft (the earlier complete land
ownership by the aristocracy) was immediately evident, because the land
remained formally owned by the former overlords who now either demanded
reimbursement (a price for selling the land) or the tithe ("Zehnt") for
farming it. Adolf writes: "The tithe for grain was collected at the tenant
and overseer of the manorial farm, house no. 21. The last manorial
representative had the name Knoblauch. Today [1910?], this house is owned by
the family Schlener."

Since due to the tithe and generally low prices for grain and livestock it
continued to be very difficult to make a living, some Poppendorfers tried to
gather additional income from haulage. A textile factory had been
established in Neudau and Burgau, and a tobacco (cigarette and cigars)
factory in Frstenfeld, both in Austria just behind the border between
Hungary and Austria. Cotton and raw tobacco from Hungarian heartlands (e.g.,
Zala county) needed to be hauled there. However, because of the border,
there were customs and excise fees to pay, a fact that apparently created an
incentive for evasion. Adolf writes: "A lot of smuggling took place.
Michael Spitzer, of house no. 17, and Andreas Schlener vulgo [original house
name] Ruster Schlener [?] engaged the inn-keeper Johann Berghold for carrying
tobacco. However, they were caught near Kanizsa [could this be the Nagy
Kanizsa in south Zala county?] and Berghold lost horse, tobacco and cart
[presumably these were confiscated]. Grain and limber were also hauled, as
far as Vienna and Graz. The remuneration for carrying goods from Fidisch
[Rabafzes] to Frstenfeld was 2 Florins and 50 Kreuzer per day, and from
Poppendorf to Szent Gotthrd it was 1 Florin and 50 Kreuzer."

Nevertheless, despite the income from haulage, it remained hard to make ends
meet. Again in Adolf's writing: "Later on, there was simply not enough work
for everybody, because the arable plots were too small. The one with most
land was Spitzer of no. 16; he had 40 X of wheat in 1860 [I wonder what the
X stands for, either hold/acre or Metzen?]. The lack of work led to idleness
among the young people, and an increased propensity for sickness. This
contributed to the reasons for emigration."

"The breeding of livestock was not profitable either, because of lack of
fodder and low prices. For example, in the year 1860 Johann Berghold sold
two horses in Graz for 64 Gulden [Florins], and [with the proceeds] purchased
two cows, one for 17 Gulden, the other for 24. The price for a suckling calf
("Tuttelkalb") was 5-6 Gulden; a [kilogram? pound?] of beef [meat] cost 15
to 20 Kreuzer, while a "Tuttelfadl" (suckling pig) cost 50 to 60 Kreuzer in
1860. Despite these low prices, very few could afford to buy enough for
eating, as money was lacking everywhere. Those who - on top of this - still
frequented the inns as well, lost house and farm [Haus und Hof]. This
happened to Gröller Andreas, house no. 51, who had a large farm but
eventually died in the poorhouse of Güssing (Gotzy and Zach also lost their
properties this way)."

"During the winter months in the years 1860 to 70, military were quartered in
Poppendorf, namely dragoons and uhlans. Their riding school was at the
brickyard near the arboretum [?], where the willow trees ("Hutweiden") stand
today [Ed. note: Hutweiden should be translated as "common pastures", not "willow
trees"]. There were two kinds of inns (Gasthuser) in the village, firstly the
manorial inn which was leased by the overlord (Herrschaft), and secondly the
village inns which the commune had leased out, and which had the right to
pour (serve) wine from October to April."

"The postal service first operated from Heiligenkreuz, but came to Eltendorf
in the year 18xx [Adolf apparently did not know the exact year when he wrote
the draft]. The first postmaster was J. Nikitscher. Several times a week, a
mail carrier went from Poppendorf to Eltendorf. The first mail carrier was
the Herzlieb Nädl ("the old Herzlieb"), a 70-years old granny."

"The first notary was a Radó from Minihof. He was succeeded by Rudolf
Ebenspanger in 1871. Previously, the writing duties were carried out by the
teacher, and/or by the overseer ("Mahr") of the manorial farm who was capable
of reading and writing. In the year 1872 the land of the village was
"comasiert" [see meaning above]." This ends the contiguous text of Adolf's
draft for the section covering 1848 to 1872. However, his papers contain
additional loose-leaf notes which clearly also refer to the same period. Let
me cite:

"With the abolition of the Leibeigenschaft [serfdom, in 1848, see comments
above], the tithe supposedly had also been abolished. However, the overlords
[in this case, the counts Draskovits] nevertheless demanded the tithe. This
enraged the farmers and they did not want to hand over the tithe. In
Poppendorf, it was Schlener, house no. 47, who dissuaded the people from
paying the tithe. He also managed to get the people of Zahling (village
north of Eltendorf) on his side. The district judge ["Stuhlrichter," the
highest civil servant of the district] arrived from Güssing with the
intention to settle the conflict. In this case, however, the story goes that
the people of Zahling locked the district judge into a pigsty and roughed him
up with pumpkins. Now military was called in, and all the leaders and
instigators received 25 [with the cane] on their posteriors. The old
Angerhacker [family Hacker who lived at the village border -- the "Anger"?]
of house no. 39 also got his 25 laid on. As for Schlener, he had been hiding
in the bed of Schabhüttl, house no. 60, but was betrayed. The Pandurs [a
military formation of southeastern Hungary, originally set up for guerilla
warfare, but later onwards evidently used to quell civil disturbances]
surrounded the house, some of them entered it, and found Schlener in the bed
under the straw. He was carried to the castle of Olmütz [now Czech
Republic] and nothing was ever heard from him again."

In another small loose leaf, Adolf might have noted family names of
Poppendorf as they first appeared in historical records. The earliest year
mentioned on this little sheet is 1717, for which Adolf notes the names
Drauch, Koller, Gröller, Weinhofer, Gibiser, Medl Michael, Jany, Hans Homer,
Josef Gerger, Berghold, /// Klananzky, Weidinger Mathias, Scholl. All these
names except the last three [the ones after the three slashed put in by me]
are underlined, which could mean that these names (except the last three)
were still present in the village in the early 20th
century. (ED.-from reading church records, they were and many still are).
Adolf noted further family names for the years 1718, 1720, 1723, 1725, and
1726. This ends the notes I have made or excerpted from these papers. Best
regards, Fritz.


POPPENDORF THUMBNAIL SKETCH (Gerry Berghold)

POPPENDORF im Burgenland; (Patafalva) 0 33 25; 7561-Combined with
Heiligenkreuz, District of Jennersdorf. Aristocratic family, Batthyány (later
intermarried with Drasskovits). Have list of family names resident here
1850-1890 period. Pop. under 500, but percentage wise, beginning 1890, sent
more immigrants to the US than any other Burgenland place. For Lutheran
church records, see Eltendorf. Catholics, see Heiligenkreuz & Königsdorf.
Civil, see Eltendorf. Monument to emigrants erected by B. Gemeinschaft reads
"Only a Burgenlander can be as constant as this hard stone. He is driven into
the wide world and there earns his money the hard way. Thanks to all our
loved ones, we have remained faithful to our homeland." Early emigrant,
Andreas Mirth, to PA 1893. Many went to Canada and NY and emigration
continued through the 1950's (60 from 1953-55). A satellite village in the
northern hills is known as Poppendorf-Bergen. Gasthaus Paul Gibiser on the
main road may be 200 years old and was originally owned by Johann Berghold.
In a Stiftsbrief of the Güssing Grundherrn Wolfers, the village name Podabach
is mentioned as early as 1157. Earlier existence of a village could be
assumed. Name is mentioned in 1427 in Archives in Eisenstadt and again in
1428 in Archives in Kormend (Hungary). Known then as Podabach (during the
1600's changed to Patafalvva). Six houses mentioned here in 1599. While only
8 kms from the battle of St. Gotthard-Mogerdorf which resulted in a massive
Turkish defeat in 1664, no document mentioning Poppendorf during that period
can be found. From the Kirchenvisitationsprotokoll of 27 Feb. 1787, we find
the names "aus Poppendorf Joh. Berghold, Richter- und Konvent., Georg
Greller, Joh. Gamler. General history from that time is bound up with that of
Heiligenkreuz and Eltendorf.

FROM THE FATHER LESER SERIES (extract and translation bt Albert Schuch)
55) Poppendorf- Families mentioned in the 1748-Urbarium: 4 MEDL, JUSICS; 3
JANY, STERN, DRAUCH, HEMMER; 2 GIBISER, FASCHING, GRÖLLER, STOLZER, HÜBER,
STEINER, GALLITZ; 1 GAMLER, ZACH, KLANATZKY, PÖTZ, KOLLER, SCHERMANN,
WEIDINGER, NIKLES, MAYER, SCHLEHNER, ZWICKL, LEITGEB, MARX, HADENWOLFF,
GÖLLES, SPITZER, GERGER, ZIEGER, WIRTH, POPOFCSICS, KREN, UNGER, PREINER,
SCHAUKOWITSCH, MÜLLNER. Söllner-families living on church-owned land: 3
NIKLES; 2 UNGER, MEDL; 1 DEUTSCH, SCHRAML, PETZ, BAUMANN, DRAUCH, PREINER;
Söllner-families living in the village: 3 MEDL; 1 JANY, UNGER, DRAUCH, ZODL,
KREN; Söllner-families living on the Heidenberg: 2 GRÖLLER; 1 MATTES, ZACH,
KOLLER, HARNISCH, LEITGEB; Söllner-families living on the Goldberg: 3 JISICS,
STELZER; 2 STEINER, GRÖLLER, GIBISER; 1 ZWICKL, WEIDINGER, HEIDENWOLF,
BRANSTEIN, SCHERMANN, SCHLEHNER, HEMMER. Number of inhabitants: 1812: 228
Catholics, 67 Lutherans; 1876: 631 C, 119 L; 1924: 554 C, 120 L;
Catholics: always belonged to Heiligenkreuz parish. Catholic teachers:
Michael MAYER (1849-51); Johann WEBER (1861), Karl KAISER (1863), Emil
LANGASCH (1876-95), Adolf KÖNIGSHOFER (1895-1914), Florian KNAUS (1914-20),
Franz THALER (1920-38).
Lutherans: belong to Eltendorf parish. Teacher in 1930: Gustav EBENSPANGER.
(source: V+H Nr. 8/1959) (ED. note: Berghold families not mentioned as they
were Lutherans and part of the Eltendorf congregation).

(end of second section-newsletter 39 is continued as no. 39B)



THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 39B
DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND GENEALOGY
(issued biweekly by Gerald Berghold)
July 15, 1998
(all rights reserved)

This third section of newsletter 39, featuring food, has articles concerning:
- Gourmet Magazine
- Metric Conversions
- an Austrian Cookbook From Chicago
- Burgenländische Gemeinschaft Recipes
- The Taste of Hungary
  (see BB News No. 14A for more Burgenland food and cook books).
- Wolf Family History
- A Short Jabbing Trip Report
- Tobaj


GOURMET MAGAZINE - JULY 1987

One of our members reminded me that Burgenland had been featured in an old
issue of "Gourmet Magazine". Having subscribed to this publication for many
years I was certain that I would have retained a copy. Sure enough I found
it. It contains pictures of a stork nest at Rust, the Quarry of St.
Margarethen, the interior of the church at Frauenkirchen, Hotel Schloss
Drassburg, pottery at Stoob, wine cellars in Purbach, and Güssing castle
among others. It features a number of recipes including leek soup, gulyas,
and palatschinken. It mentions Güssinger Mineralwasser (from Sulz) which is
achieving some renown now that it is being served on Austrian Airlines. Good
friend Conrad Christianson brought me two small bottles the other day that he
brought back from a recent trip to Europe. Hotel Burg Bernstein is also
mentioned. If you remember, Bob Unger stayed there on his recent trip and
described it in a previous newsletter.

Lillian Langseth-Christensen (recently deceased), who wrote the Gourmet
article was one of my favorite travel-food writers. Her works are worth
seeking and cover much of what is still considered old Europe. Perhaps your
local library has a copy of this old Gourmet Magazine. She also wrote
"Gourmet's Old Vienna Cookbook-A Viennese Memoir", first printed in 1959 by
Gourmet Books. If you can find one, buy it at any price. The recipes,
drawings, pictures and prose are priceless even though some of the recipes
start "early in the morning", or "the day before", etc.-not recipes for the
quick or faint hearted but it has all the food of old Vienna. My wife can
occasionally be prevailed upon to do some of the less labor intensive ones.
The Linzer Tort is a great holiday favorite.


METRIC CONVERSIONS (from Anna Kresh)

Anna writes; "Some time ago I received a wonderful recipe for lentil soup
from Erich and Margit Kumbusch (see previous newsletter) and some of the
ingredients were in metric. Since then I have found the Twin Peaks Gourmet
Trading Post online recipe conversion calculator which converts measurements
either way. It converts: liters, milliliters, quarts, pints, cups,
tablespoons, teaspoons, grams, pounds, ounces.
http://tpeaks.com/converter/metric.html
Grams were converted to both total pounds and total ounces; liters were
converted to all of these -- teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, pints, quarts, and
milliliters. It does a great job."

(Ed. Now all we need is a converter for some of our grandmothers' recipes
which start "make a dough" or "take a piece of butter.")


AUSTRIAN COOKBOOK FROM CHICAGO

Member Tom Glatz recently sent me a copy of "Austrian Kitchens Around
Chicago-Compiled by Jolly Burgenlander Social Club". Unfortunately out of
print, what is interesting are the regional variations in what we consider
"Burgenland" food. How often have you tried to duplicate a favorite recipe
from your ancestor and it just doesn't taste the same but you settle for
second best and your children love it and in turn pass it on as an original.
Variations on a theme as ingredient availability or taste changes. There's a
recipe for "Quick Apple Strudel" from the cook book that I must try. My wife
says "there is no such thing!" She also says "none of these things are good
for you". I respond by mentioning that my grandmother Sorger reached age 93
eating this food!


BURGENLÄNDISCHE GEMEINSCHAFT (BG) RECIPES

The May/June 1998 edition of the BG news contains an article celebrating the
75th birthday of Alois Schmidl, born near Mattersburg. He is a chef of some
renown having worked in various posh places including the Hotel Bristol in
Vienna and the Prince Esterhazy Palace Tavern in Eisenstadt. In 1992, he
wrote "The Cooking of Burgenland" which was translated by Bobby Strauch from
Allentown (whose material frequently comes to us through his friend and our
member Tom Glatz). Strauch's translations have been featured in the
"Kochrezepte" column of the BG news ever since. My favorite has long been the
recipe for "Goulash Suppe" (try reducing the caraway seed and increasing the
paprika). The book may still be available from the BG.


CHICAGO REPORTER TOM GLATZ SAMPLES SOME LOCAL FARE

Tom writes: "As I have often said, there are some advantages to living
amongst the immigrants! I went to the BG meeting here again last night. The
food was something. You would have been in Burgenland cuisine heaven! They
had 3 different kinds of Kuchen. Then a German woman (married to the
Burgenland treasurer Billisits from Dürnbach) made a wonderful type of Apfel
Kuchen. I never had anything like it before. I brought Mohn (poppy seed)
Strudel from a bakery that was originally owned by Donauschwaben. It isn't
nearly as good as home made or what our famous baker Urbauer from Markt
Allhau made. But it isn't bad. Maria Funovits (wife of famous haircutter
Franz Funovits whose picture is in Dr. Walter Dujmovit's book) made Kraut
Salat & Grundbirne Salat. I am sure you know what these are. She probably
used Kernöl (pumpkin seed oil) for these. It is always hard for us to
duplicate that special taste here unless we use it. (Ed.-pumpkin seed oil is
available from "The Austrian Store", 8581 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 138, West
Hollywood, CA 90069-4120) @ $10 per 250ml bottle. See website
www.austrianstore.com). I use the recipe in the book I sent you for basic
salad dressing. Page 16. I will use it tomorrow for potato salad. (I am
cooking out - 3 different kinds of Wurst from Usinger's sausage shop in
Milwaukee). It isn't at all Burgenland. It uses cider vinegar. I also use
olive oil. It is healthier than other oils. Bob Strauch always manages to get
some Kernöl from someone returning from Austria. I am lucky in Chicago that
we still have some of these nice traditions. I talked about food with Hermine
Volkovits (Jabing). She makes wonderful Nussbitter. Have you ever had it? I
have a recipe that I will attach. I don't know how exact it is. It was one of
her recipes (you know how it is) that she never put into writing or into our
system of measure. My mother was always a wonderful baker & wanted her
recipe, but never ventured to make it. We had it when we were both in Austria
once at a relative's house. Then Minnie made it for us once. Notice the funny
measurements! We did the best we could to convert to our system. It is not an
easy recipe to make. My mother thinks it is easier with two people beating
the eggs for the 2 sections. It is my most favorite Burgenland Milchspeise!
The next best thing is the Nuss Schnitten on page 74 if you are into baking.
It is a lot easier. I have also had this several times at our meetings." (Tom
then goes on to tell me that he he can't eat as much of these good things as
he'd like because of health concerns-I hope this is only temporary!)

Basic Salad Dressing (from Jolly Burgenlander Social Club-A. Halper)
1c. oil (try to use pumpkin seed), 2c. sugar, 3c. vinegar, 3 tsp. salt, 2
tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. garlic powder or fresh to taste. Beat
oil, sugar and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Add other ingredients and pour
into quart jar. Cover and refrigerate. Shake well before using. Use for
cucumber, beans, cole slaw or potato salad.

Nuss Schnitten (from Jolly Burgenlander Social Club - M. Fandl)

1 stick butter, 3/4 c. sugar, 4 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 2 c. flour,
4 egg whites, 1 c. powdered sugar, 1/2 lb. chopped walnuts, jam to cover
(raspberry or apricot are nice).

Mix butter, sugar and egg yolks. Add baking powder and flour. Spread in greased
and floured 9x12 inch pan. Beat egg whites, gradually adding powdered sugar and nuts.
Spread jam over dough and then the nut mixture. Bake at 325 degrees until done.

Nussbitter (from Tom Glatz)

1st Layer
6 3/8 oz Butter      7 1/2 oz Sugar     9 Egg Yolks
1/2 Lemon and Rind     1/4 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Powder  6 3/8 oz Flour

Grease bottom of 15 x 10 glass pan, beat butter with sugar, add egg yolks
one at a time, mix in lemon and grated lemon rind, add vanilla, fold in
baking powder and flour

2nd Layer
One can of Solo Brand apricot filling spread over top of first layer.

(ED. - this is made from apricots, sugar and corn syrup - it's very good but
could probably be duplicated by boiling dried apricots in water with sugar
to taste or even using apricot preserves; I often use Solo Brand Poppy Seed
and Nut fillings and like them very much, a little too sweet but can be cut
with bread or cake crumbs).

3rd Layer
9 egg whites           1/2 tsp. cream of tartar      6 3/8 oz sugar
14 oz ground walnuts   dash of rum (none for cook!)  1 1/2 tsp. Cocoa

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar, add sugar slowly, add nuts, rum and
cocoa. Spread over top. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Test with knife,
should come out clean when done.


THE TASTE OF HUNGARY

In reading a history of Hungarian cuisine recently (The Cuisine of Hungary,
George Lang, Bonanza Books, 1971), I found the comment "somewhere along the
line the Hungarians hit on the holy trinity of lard, onion (include garlic)
and paprika. This simple combination became the base of virtually unlimited
taste combinations." Now we know that lard is no longer considered healthy
(also hard to find) and to those not brought up on it, sometimes too powerful
in flavor, so we must substitute from the many other fats available (and not
too much of them) if we wish to stay healthy. Onion and garlic on the other
hand are well known as health foods and paprika is full of vitamins (3 or 4
grams satisfy the daily adult requirement of vitamin A and paprika has 5 or 6
times as much vitamin C as citrus fruit plus traces of vitamins P and B). I
wonder if onion and paprika offset the dangers of lard in the diets of our
ancestors? These three items plus flour, wine and sour cream are the taste of
Hungary, which has also been incorporated in the German and Croatian kitchens
of the Burgenland. It goes without saying you must use imported Hungarian
paprika (from Szeged or Kolocsa).


SHARE THOSE NEWSLETTERS! (Ed. & John Unger)

Ed. I often agonize over the fact that many of the older Burgenland
generation don't have access to computers and can't share in our email
correspondence. I do know that some members (Tom Glatz, our Chicago reporter
is one) print them, and make copies for distribution at club meetings.
Others print them and make copies for relatives and friends. I have a cousin
who brings them to her card parties! Member John Unger just sent me the
following:

Gerry, you write: << Enjoy the newsletters. If I remember you pass these on to
parents or relatives. Tell them to write a little blurb sometime (any comment
or Burgenland subject) - I'll polish it for them if they don't want to agonize
over words. This is the sort of thing our members abroad enjoy, particularly
if they're from the older generations. >>

"I do pass them on to my parents who are in their eighties. My father still
doesn't believe that all this information on Burgenland is available free
from your site. He is convinced I am subscribing to some Burgenland family
search organization and "hiding" the fee I am paying from him! It's a tribute
to your extremely professional work on the newsletters and the research you
put into them. My parents pass these newsletters on to their friends who
still live in the Bronx, N.Y. area. Your newsletters are informing quite a
lot of older generation Burgenlanders who have lost "touch" due to age and
friends moving away to the suburbs with their children.

I realize that BB news is really a family tree search site, but those stories
about how life was back in Burgenland and here for the immigrants in the
early part of this century are the ones that spark the most interest from the
"old-timers". I have asked my father and mother to contribute some of their
own stories and I will send them along to you as soon as they get them down
on paper. Thank you for providing a connection back to the past for my
parents. At this stage of their lives, so much of what they experienced has
disappeared from their daily lives. Your newsletters give them what no doctor
or medicine can: a piece of their youth, if only for a short time."
Sincerely, John J. Unger


NEW MEMBER SENDS SHORT FAMILY HISTORY & TRIP REPORT (from Edward Wolf)

Editor: I've been trying to get members to send us their family immigrant
stories as "Auswandererschicksal". So far, not much luck. New member Edward
Wolf introduces himself this way. As you can see, the story need not be
lengthy. Of added interest is the way in which the family name was changed.
How many Wolf's are there who may have had the Hungarian name for "wolf" as
"farkas"? Also included is a brief recent trip report. A great application
for membership!

"Hi Gerry, Thanks so much for your prompt reply. I do want to be included
on your mailing list and I will do my best to inform you of things occurring
in the Burgenlander Community in Northern Illinois. My wife, Sharon and I
are currently members of the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft and the Burgenlander
Social Club. Following is a paragraph of information as you requested:

Edward Wolf: Frankfort, Illinois. FARKAS, WOLF, GOGER.
Father, Adolf Wolf, migrated from Jabing to Chicago soon after WW-I. Area was
then part of Austro-Hungarian Empire and family name was Farkas. Upon
arriving, immigration officials informed the family that in America their name
was WOLF. Also coming to America at that time was father's parents, Josef
and Theresa, and their other children, Justine, Frank, Josef and Fritz. No
known family remains in Jabing and family home is no longer standing. JOHN
GOGER migrated from Wolfau in the 1923; he went to school in Markt Alhau. He
was unable to obtain an entry permit at that time and he lived in Kitchner,
Ontario and Bashaw, Alberta, Canada. In 1928 he came to America and settled
in Chicago, where he continued his trade as a butcher. He passed away in
l977. A nephew, BERNHARD GOGER, and his family remain in Kemeten. He has
worked for The Südburg Bus Company for 25 years."

"Talked to you on e-mail a couple months ago. Do you have a regular hot-line
that goes out to your list of people? If so I sure would like to be
included. I enjoy hearing about my Dad's homeland. You might recall I told
you he was born in Jabing. Anyway, family just got back from trip to Germany
and Austria. First time for my son. He really enjoyed it. My wife still
has one cousin out there. We stayed with them for a few days. His name is
Bernhard Goger and he and his family live in Kemeten (Burgenland). He drives
a bus for The Südburg Bus Company. They drove us around and we visited many
towns we hadn't seen in the last 20 years. They had a nice festival in Markt
Alhau on a Sunday with "dorf music" which I really enjoyed. Visited a
Gasthof named "Stumpfels" in Alhau. We stayed there in 1978 when we were
there last. All remodeled now; very nice. They were all so friendly to us.
Many of the old timers still remember my wife's dad, John Goger. Much
building and remodeling going on. Burgenland is really coming of age. They
said out there that Burgenland is the last to bring things up to date. We
took a ride one day and visited the small vineyards down near the Hungarian
border and tasted some really great wine; down near Gaas. Hope things are
going well for you and your Burgenland Bunch. Sincerely, Ed Wolf."


MORE ON TOBAJ

(I knew Anna's story about Tobaj meaning "mercy" was too good to be true!)

Dear Anna and Gerry: If I may add a little more information on the name of
Tobaj, Arnold Magyar, O.F.M. in his 340 Jahre Franziskaner in Güssing [340
Years of the Franciscans in Güssing] (p. 197) states that the village name
was originally Thobayd (1428) and had evolved to Thobaj by 1538. Bob Schatz

END OF NEWSLETTER-EDITED & DISTRIBUTED BY GERALD J. BERGHOLD