BB News No. 104 dtd 28 Feb 2002

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 104 DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (Issued monthly by G. J. Berghold) February 28, 2002 ((c) G. J. Berghold-all rights reserved) TO RECIPIENTS: If you don't want to receive these newsletters, email with message "remove". ("Cancel" will cancel membership, homepage listings and mail.) Send address and listing changes to the same place. Sign your email with your full name and include BB in the subject line. Send NO ATTACHMENTS OR GRAPHICS. Please keep changes to a minimum. To join, see our homepage. We can't help with non-Burgenland family history. Comments and articles are appreciated. Our staff and web site addresses are listed at the end of newsletter section "C". Introductions, notes and articles without a by-line are written by the editor and reflect his views. We urge members to exchange data in a courteous and cooperative manner. *WE NOW REACH 850 READERS PLUS MANY WEBSITE VISITORS* SEE NEW BANKERLSITZLER NEWS (RUDERSDORF) FROM PETER SATTLER - http://members.aon.at/bankerlsitzer This first section of our 4-section newsletter includes: * That First Burgenland Visit II * Siege of Vienna II - Book In English * Taste of Burgenland - Apple Strudel THAT FIRST BURGENLAND VISIT II Unless you are an overseas traveler, that first visit to Burgenland can be daunting, particularly so if you want to visit a small village in the hinterland. Travel agents can arrange things in a metropolis like Vienna, but are no help when it comes to some out of the way place in Burgenland, much less Hungary. What to do? I have quite an extensive Burgenland library and when I'm planning a trip, I use my books and files. I then plan a day-by-day itinerary with alternate choices if the first choice doesn't work out. I also use the BB URL list to find places to stay and make airline and auto reservations. I've offered tips for that first trip in previous issues of the newsletter, but I receive so many pleas for trip help, that I'm going to repeat some. Recently Bob Eder wrote that he was planning to visit Pornoapatai, a small Hungarian village not too far from the border crossing at Rechnitz. What I sent him is a good check-list of what you might consider in a similar circumstance. I write: Hello Bob; With regard to an article about Pornoapatai, I'm afraid you must realize that a village of 400 people has little to write about. Like many other villages in this area, one can often say-in year xxxx, absolutely nothing happened. When we find places like that, the best we can do is preserve what is written and available (which I have already done) and perhaps search for more ON THE SPOT! This leads us to your planned trip. I can offer some suggestions having recently visited southern Burgenland again. I must caution you that unless you wish to go to the expense of a chauffer, it will be imperative for you to hire a car and drive. This means an expensive insurance anti-theft rider if you drive in Hungary. I'd suggest Avis, since they are on site at Schwechat Airport and have no age restrictions. (see newsletter no.104A for a trip report using public transportation). Let me suggest you use Austrian Airlines for a direct flight to Vienna. Hungary is still in the throes of recovery from the Communist era and as such, amenities (food and lodging) could be improved. Likewise, language is more of a problem there than in Austria. I would recommend staying somewhere near Rechnitz and making day trips using the border crossing at Schachendorf (6 kms south of Rechnitz using route 56-the border highway). Other choices are the northern crossing at Mannersdorf (which leads to Köszeg) or the the much more distant southern one at Heiligenkreuz (over 50 kms). From Schachendorf, Pornoapatai is 10-12 kms south through the Hungarian villages (nothing there) of Narda, Felsöcsatar, Vaskeresztes and Horvatlövö. I would not recommend staying in Szombathely (85M people) for reasons previously mentioned. To see Hungary and Burgenland, you'd still have to use the international border crossings (note-they are swamped on weekends). The Austria vs Hungary suggestion as a base would of course change if you have a relative in Hungary who can make other arrangements and serve as a guide. Even so, you will be much more comfortable in Austria. You can make reservations via Austrian Airlines website. You can also find a place to stay via websites available from our homepage website links. Rechnitz, a market community of 2400 people has a number of Gasthauses. A little further afield is Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Oberwart, Grosspetersdorf and Lockenhaus, but they'd add about 30 minutes to your driving time to the Hungarian border. What to see close by: Hungary Szombathely - hire a guide (don't miss the Roman ruins (Sarvar) Köszeg-very medieval - a must Jäk-cathedral - a must Austria Castle Lockenhaus Schloss Bernstein and Jade Museum Bad Tazmannsdorf - Spa Rotenturm - red tower Schloss Schlaining Burg Güssing - vist the BG Office and the Auswanderer Museum Wienstrasse (route 56) - Moschendorf wine museum and tasting facility If you have the time, expand your trip outwards to other places like Lake Balaton, Neusiedler See (Rust and Mörbisch), Eisenstadt (Schloss and Haydn Kirche), Vienna, Budapest, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck (buy guide books), etc. Plan on a week in south Burgenland to see it all. You are going to a very rural area and short of churches (much damaged by 50 years of neglect) and a few memorials, you won't find much on the Hungarian side of the immediate border. Nevertheless you can see your ancestors' horizons and find their homes and cemeteries. Immediate border region accepts Austrian currency. See our archives for more travel tips and address of Austrian Tourist Bureau in NYC who will send you a 1:200,000 map of Burgenland (includes your Hungarian region) and many good brochures for $3. SIEGE OF VIENNA II - English Language Book Of all of the events which triggered migration to the Burgenland area, none is as important as the effect of the Ottoman invasions. These extended over 300 years (1395-1717), and the second siege of Vienna in 1683, and its aftermath, eventually brought thousands of colonists to the depopulated regions. While subsequent events caused colonization further east and in the Balkans, the post Viennese siege period saw the greatest migration to what became the Burgenland. This period saw the arrival of many of the forbears of today's population, to whom the families of the American Auswanderung can be traced. I've been searching for an English language account of the second siege. Hundreds of publications, detailing the siege events have been written in German and Hungarian, but very few in English. I recently found and ordered "The Siege of Vienna", John Stoye, Birlinn Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1988, ISBN 1 84158 067 8. It is available from The Scholar's Bookshelf, 110 Melrich Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 for $19.95 plus shipping. The book covers the origins of the attack, details the approach of the Ottomans, the siege and its relief and the immediate aftermath. Maps and early prints are included. There is an extensive bibliography. (The book Double Eagle & Crescent, Thomas M. Barker, Albany NY, 1967 is listed as the most comprehensive English account of the siege. I have also located and purchased a copy of this out of print title through Barnes & Noble and will review it later.) Of immediate interest in Stoye's book is the data which provides an insight into the involvement of the Esterhazy and Batthyány families and the effect their actions had on subsequent depopulation of the region. Imre Thököly (so-called "King of Hungary" under Ottoman protection and in rebellion against Habsburg authority) led a large Magyar faction of Ottoman supporters in assisting in the invasion and because the Batthyány submitted to Thököly, the villages in the Batthyány Herrschaft (southern Burgenland) were raided by Austrian forces. There were reprisals, devastation and terror in all this part of the world. The Batthyány were later pardoned. Unfortunately, most written material of this event does not detail day-by-day happenings or everyday village life, nonetheless I recommend this book to those interested in the origins of Burgenland migration. TASTE OF BURGENLAND - APPLE STRUDEL (Plus Cabbage Strudel Excerpts From Newsletter 47A) Sue La Follette writes: << I read the 12/31/01 edition of the newsletter. Your article about the fruit that is grown reminded me of the apple strudel my grandmother made (she was from Deutsch Minihof/Nemetlak). She had no recipe; she didn't even measure anything. I remember the dough being very thin, but not crusty as in baklava. I was wondering if anyone has a recipe for apple strudel from the Burgenland area? >> Reply: Sue, Some of he following is from newsletter no. 47A. I might suggest that you scan our archives when you have Burgenland questions. With over 100 newsletters, we've covered a lot of territory, but I'm always happy to help. Austro/Hungarian strudel stems from the Turkish (and Greek) baklava. It's one of the good things left behind by the Turks (coffee was another). I believe your memory is at fault, strudel will be crisp outside but stay soft inside in its many layers. Too often Baklava is not rolled from one sheet, but the phyllo sheets are piled one on top of another and then filled and rolled-as a result one gets a crisp and chewy dough outside of the filling. Baklava bakers argue over which method is best. The pile approach is easiest, so is often used commercially. Both Strudel and Baklava are very labor intensive-but they were developed to use up bits of food. Using a basic strudel dough, you can fill it with all sorts of things - vegetables and fruits, even cottage cheese and meats. The trick is to pull the dough thin (you should see your hand through it) without tearing, fill it with a tasty mixture and roll it up. Fruit calls for sugar and lemon; vegetables need salt, pepper and perhaps herbs and cream. Both require fat to soften the dough and bread crumbs as a filler. Try apples and cherries (the very best strudel) for your first fruit attempts, cabbage for the first vegetable. Unless you were raised on it, potato can be a bit bland. * Apple Strudel For apple strudel, make the dough as in cabbage strudel below. Then cover the stretched dough with peeled and thinly sliced apples, sprinkle with grated rind of lemon and sugar, then melted butter and raisins and bread crumbs browned in butter. Some add a little cinnamon. You can also sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired. Then roll up as in any other strudel and bake (350 degrees F-40 minutes). Dust with powdered sugar before serving or serve with whipped cream for an elegant desert. For 1/2 dough recipe (from cabbage strudel below) or 1 store bought phyllo dough package (sometimes they are very dry), you'd need: 3 lbs. apples more or less 1/2 cup or more sugar (can reduce if apples are very sweet) 1/2 lb butter or less (includes some to melt and brush rolled strudel before baking, and to brown crumbs) 1/2 cup raisins (plump in Rum and drain before using for a taste treat) 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (don't burn and don't brown too long - should be moist from butter) zest from 1 lemon (grate over filling for easy distribution) 1/2 tsp cinnamon * Another dough recipe (no eggs) for the above is: 1 1/2 cup flour 2 tbsp melted butter 1/3 cup lukewarm water 1/4 tsp salt CABBAGE STRUDEL (suggested by Mary Marek - see newsletter 47A for complete article) * Strudel Dough (or Use Store Bought Phyllo Dough - not as good) 4 cups high gluten flour (Ceresota or one of the bread flours available in most stores) 1/2 tsp salt 2 small eggs 1/2 cup melted butter or shortening (not hot) 1 cup warm water (some add a teaspoon of vinegar to help activate dough) Sift flour into large bowl, make a well in center, put in eggs beaten in the water, salt and shortening. "Make a dough" (that great immigrant cooking expression that always drove my mother up a wall), working with the hands until it comes away from sides of bowl. If too wet, add a little flour. Dough should be soft, pliable and silky. Shape into two round loaves, brush with a little extra melted shortening and let rest covered on a floured towel in warm place for 1 hour. While waiting, make filling: * Filling 1 head cabbage (abt. 2 lbs. finely chopped, squeezed and drained of liquid) 1/2 cup fat (bacon or ham fat gives a stronger flavor but shortening is ok too) 1 Tblsp. or more sugar 2 Tblsp. black pepper (some don't add this until filling the dough) 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs 2 tsps. salt 1 tsp. crushed caraway seeds 1/3 cup butter beef broth (beef bouillon cube dissolved in water ok) Cook sugar in fat until browned; add cabbage, salt, pepper and caraway. Stirring constantly, cook cabbage until lightly browned, adding beef broth in small amounts if necessary to keep cabbage from burning. Let cool. This is most difficult part: Place a loaf of dough on a clean floured cloth covered surface, (it will eventually cover the work surface -a card table area is about right). Roll dough flat with floured rolling pin as thin as possible, then start from center with hands under dough and gently pull and stretch outwards with a rolling motion circling the table. Don't stretch too far before moving outward a few more inches at a time to avoid holes. When table is covered with dough you can see through, remove lumps of dough from edges by cutting or winding off... Sprinkle half melted butter (from 1/3 cup) over stretched dough. Sprinkle half cabbage mixture next making sure coverage is even. Sprinkle with half bread crumbs. Starting at one edge, rollup (use the cloth to do this, picking up one end and letting the dough fall away from the cloth) firmly toward center for two long rolls (easiest) or all the way for one fat one. Put rolled strudel on greased baking sheet or pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat with second loaf. Bake in medium oven until lightly browned. Cut into four inch pieces and serve warm. Some variations. Sprinkle filling with cream (sweet or sour) before rolling. Add bacon bits (rendered grammels) or onion or paprika. Original recipes all called for lard for "fat". Potato strudel can be made in the same way (it's drier). Cook 3 or more large baking potatoes with skins on. Remove skins and put through ricer. Sprinkle on dough, add butter and breadcrumbs, maybe more salt and do all the other things. My grandmother served both cabbage and potato on special pre holiday Fridays (meatless days). She doubled and tripled the above recipe. She had a soup and salad first, then the above and apple or cherry strudel for dessert. The strudel was kept warm in big black baking pans in a warming compartment of her immense gas and coal iron stove that filled a whole kitchen alcove. Newsletter continues as no. 104A.

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 104A DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (Issued monthly by G. J. Berghold) February 28, 2002 (c) G. J. Berghold - all rights reserved This second section of our 4-section newsletter contains: * Trip Report (Sankt Johann) - Ed Labahn * Güssing Civic Leaders 1750-1850 * Croatian Cookbooks * Museum Of Hungarian-Speaking Jewry TRIP REPORT - SEPT. 2001 VISIT TO BURGENLAND BY ED LABAHN (ED. Note: Of special interest in this trip report is the fact that Ed used local transportation as opposed to renting a car. It also emphasizes the benefits of prior planning and connections with local residents for language assistance and guidance. An extremely well written and informative report.) Introduction. I am a retired civil engineer living in southern California. My ancestors originated in three regions of central Europe, viz. Hungary, Pomerania (NE Germany) and Slovenia. As part of my late-in-life efforts at initiating Slovenian genealogy research, I arranged to attend a 4-day genealogy workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia scheduled for September 2001. To improve the cost effectiveness of my research, it seemed appropriate to extend my September travels to also cover site visits to rural Slovenia, Hungary, and Pomerania. Despite the tragic September 11 event, in retrospect, I think the decision to expand my travel itinerary was a good one for it gave me the opportunity to compare the three European regions, each of which experienced significant changes in government in the early 1990s. This report is limited to my visit to Hungary, which occurred during September 18-21, 2001. Background. My principal Hungarian ancestor was my step-grandfather Peter Jozef Gruidl, who was born in 1871 in what was then known as the village of Sankt Johann, Austria-Hungary. Due to later changes in the spoken language and the relocation of national boundaries, several changes in place names have occurred. (These other names include Mosonszentjanos and Janossomorja.) My grandfather subsequently emigrated in 1903 with his wife and 4 young children to settle in the small town of Woodstock, McHenry County, northern Illinois. Two additional children were born shortly thereafter. He was employed, initially by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and, until the depression in the 1930s, by the former Oliver Typewriter Company. Neither my grandfather nor members of his immediate family ever returned to Europe. He died in 1968 and is buried with his wife and two of his children in the cemetery maintained by St. Mary Catholic Church of Woodstock. Little knowledge of early family history exists among current family members. Through my research, I hope to increase that knowledge. Several times after his death I attempted to locate Sankt Johann on a map, but never was successful. Only later did I discover that I was looking in the wrong place and, in any case, the place name had changed to Janossomorja. Objectives of Visit. Until recently, I was relatively unfamiliar with Hungary and totally unaware of Hungarian ancestors other than my grandfather and his immediate family. My previous visits to the region were limited to short stopovers in Budapest and/or Vienna while on business in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The principal objectives for my recent visit were rather basic. They included becoming familiar with the local setting through visual inspection of the town of my grandfather's birth, visits to the churches and applicable cemeteries where my ancestors were buried, and expanding, if possible, the list of known ancestors. The objectives also included establishing contact with the parish priest and an English-speaking resident, familiar with the area, who could assist me in translating German and Hungarian documents and, lastly, become familiar with infrastructure and units of local government. In retrospect, those objectives were rather ambitious since, as recently as May 2001, I had little information about my grandfather; had the mistaken idea that Sankt Johann was in the vicinity of Lake Balaton; was unaware of the current name of the town, and had never even heard of a region known as Burgenland. Preliminary Genealogy Search. In May 2001 my search for information got a jump start! Although Ancestry.com's General Hungary Query Forum, the Ellis Island website, and the records of the Church of the LDS got me going, probably the single most important event was discovering and using the Burgenland Bunch (BB) website. By downloading selected portions of the website, I was able to find out much about Burgenland, its villages, people, and history. It was extremely useful in that I also was able to contact BB members who had special knowledge of common Burgenland surnames and/or specified villages. My surnames of initial interest were Gruidl and Bierbaum--the family names of my grandfather and grandmother. Relative to villages, I limited my interest only to Janossomorja. Logistics of Visit. Now the fun part began--how would I travel to Burgenland?, and where would I stay while there? Although my plan to visit other countries in central Europe helped, there were some difficulties that were peculiar to Burgenland. Access was one of these. Wien certainly was the closest access hub. Should I rent a car? (with or w/o a driver), or take a bus or a train? After studying various maps and noting the close proximity of Janossomorja to the Austrian border and principal transportation routes, checking car rental rates, and rail schedules, the solution was obvious - go by rail. Since I had already committed myself to travel by rail elsewhere in Europe, it was easy to extend it to also cover the side trip to Burgenland. In retrospect, for someone who was traveling alone, it was a good decision. (There were problems, but they resulted from judgment lapses on my part, including carrying too much luggage and misinterpreting information on train tickets. I also allowed insufficient time in Wien for transfers between incoming and outgoing train stations, for exchanging currency, and for purchasing train tickets for travel in Hungary. With the recent adoption of the Euro, that problem should be reduced in the future.) Due to the need to transfer to a local train at Hegyeshalom (near the Austrian border), it took over 2-hrs for me to travel the 50 km from Wien to Mosonmagyarovar, the closest town to Janossomorja. Obtaining information on overnight lodging in or near Janossomorja also proved difficult. Travel books such as "Europe on a Shoestring" (Lonely Planet) and "Europe 2001" (Hostelling International) provided little information specific to Burgenland. The prior experience of some other BB members was not useful since their trips into Hungary generally were only for the day. At the 11th hour I finally was able to contact the Hungarian national tourist agency (Tourinform) and their regional office in Sopron via the internet. Through that agency I found there was one overnight inn (Lovas Park) in Janossomorja, over two dozen spa-type inns in Mosonmagyarovar, and an additional three dozen similar inns in nearby villages. Due to my lack of wheels, I confined my attention to Mosonmagyarovar, where the train station was located. The latter also served as a terminal point for the bus connecting Janossomorja with Mosonmagyarovar (about 10 km). For those BB members who are considering an overnight stay in the vicinity, my choice would be the Thermal Hotel - a deluxe hotel with a clientele consisting mainly of middle-aged Germans. The facilities and food were excellent and the price was right. I appeared to be the only non-German registered. Few guests or staff were fluent in English. For the daily commute to Janossomorja I considered renting a bicycle. However, due to the narrow roads, the convenient bus service--and the extremely low price, I decided on the bus. Since bicycles are so popular in the area, next time I may reconsider that choice. One advantage of staying in Mosonmagyarovar is the existence of a public library equipped with computers accessed to the internet and available for use by the local public and visitors at a reasonable price. I made use of the internet facilities frequently during my stay to keep my family back in California apprised of my trip. Local Contacts. During my preparation for the visit, I became aware of potential language difficulties (I have no Hungarian communication skills and only marginal skills in German.) It was obvious that I would need a local contact person who was proficient in those two languages and in English. Through the use of Hungarian telephone listings available on the internet, I established contact with two Burgenland residents, viz., the families of Gruidl Jozsephne in Janossomorja and Lajos Bierbaum in Sopron. Although both families were very helpful, most of my on-site contact was limited to the Gruidls since they resided in my grandfather's village. Gruidl Jozsefne spoke neither English nor German but her daughter (Jakabne Teresa) and granddaughter (Jakab Viktoria) collectively possessed those skills. Lorinczne Karacsmy, an acquaintance of Teresa who teaches English in the local area, also was available for language assistance. Teresa escorted me on a tour of the Sanktjanos cemetery. Unfortunately, the tour was unproductive in that there was no evidence of my grandfather's ancestors--only recent graves were observed. During an afternoon tea kindly hosted by Gruidl Jozsefne at the Jakab residence, Viktoria presented me with copies of baptismal records of my grandfather and grandmother and their four children. She also gave me copies of family tree information on the Gruidl branch of her family dating back over four generations and accompanied me on a walking tour of Janossomorja. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the town and the quality of recent public works-particularly parks. My solo attempt to obtain information from what I presumed was the Janossomorja municipal office unfortunately was unsuccessful--available staff did not speak English. Father Peter Wolf, who serves as pastor of three RC churches located in the former villages of Mosonszentjanos, Mosonszentpeter, and Pusztasomorja, also was contacted. (These villages earlier were merged to form Janossomorja, reportedly the largest village in Hungary with a population of 6,000 people.) I met briefly with Father Peter during my stay but due to his many church commitments and language difficulties (Father Peter apparently is not fluent in English.), our meeting was not productive. Accomplishments. I departed Burgenland on September 21 with a sense of accomplishment knowing that most of my objectives had been met. There were no significant breakthroughs--I did not discover any previously unknown living relatives nor did I significantly increase the number of identified ancestors on the Bierbaum and Gruidl branches of my family tree. I would like to know more about the community. I also would have liked to visit Mosonszolnok, another small village close by Mosonmagyarovar, where some of my Bierbaum ancestors reportedly originated. These efforts will have to await a later visit. In the meantime, there are lots of gaps in the Gruidl and Bierbaum branches of my family tree that need to be filled using information obtained from LDS records and, hopefully, supplemented with data provided by other BB members. Copies of genealogy information concerning the Bierbaums back to 1748, provided by Larry Zierhut, already were waiting for me when I returned home on September 27, 2001. Acknowledgement. The assistance of the following individuals, most of whom are BB members, was extremely helpful to me in pre-trip planning and/or research: Ron Baxter, Gerry Berghold, Lajos and Tibor Bierbaum, Mary Donermeyer, Giles E. Gerken, Viktoria Jakab, Anna Kresh, Beth Long, Lazlo R (surname unknown), and Larry Zierhut. I am greatly indebted to each of these individuals. GÜSSING CIVIC LEADERS (1750-1850, continued from newsletter 103C) (check for your family names) Güssing, one of the seven Burgenland district cities, has been recognized as a "stadt" or 'civtas" or "varos" or "oppidum" since the 14th century (1355). As part of Hungarian Vas Megye-Komitat Eisenburg prior to 1921 , it was a district city (Jaras Nemetjuvar administering 51 villages) of that political division. Throughout the periods mentioned, many men have served as civic leaders. Some of their names follow. Stadtrichter, Ortsrichter und Bürgermeister von Güssing*. 1750 Johann Spanring 1752 Paul Svanner 1754 Johann Wendel 1756 Michel Zutschka 1758 Georg Hoffer 1759 Josef Leimel 1760 Georg Kracher 1762 Franz Schinitz 1764 Matthias Zeitler 1766 Franz Schinitz 1767 Johann Billowitsch 1768 Georg Hoffer 1769 Matthias Zeitler 1771 Matthias Wentler 1773 Johann Billowitsch 1775 Franz Schermann 1777 Paul Karlowits 1783 Matthias Zeitler 1784 Paul Karlowits 1789 Georg Klement 1791 Matthias Zeitler 1797 Josef Mejer 1801 Georg Klement 1802 Michael Lorentz 1803 Ignatz Premle 1814 Michael Chriesser 1815 Christoph Müller 1825 Johann Lebitsch 1830 Johann Hacker 1836 Johann Lebitsch 1839 Johann Buchberger 1842 Michael Seybold 1849 Paul Semler (to be continued) CROATIAN COOKBOOKS (from Yvonne Lockwood) I just returned from a wonderful, but all-too-short, visit to central Burgenland (Gradisce) and have information on a series of Croatian village-based cookbooks available. The recipes were collected from cooks in the respective villages and appear in German and Croatian. Information includes house name and address of each cook and whether the dish is everyday or for a special occasion. Cemba (Schandorf) Hrvatski kulinarijum; Vincjet (Kurnbach) Hrvatski kulinarijum; Filez (Nikitsch) Hrvatski kulinarijum; Bandol (Weiden bei Rechnitz) Hrvatski kulinarijum; Veliki Boristof (Grosswarasdorf) Hrvatski kulinarijujm. Available through Hrvatski kulturni i dokumentarni centar, J Permayerstrasse 9/3, 7000 Eisenstadt. I don't remember the exact cost--somewhere around 14 euro. I think the website is http://www.hrvatskicentar.at/ Also of Burgenland Croatian interest, the historian HaraldPrickler (with Leonhard Prickler) has published Hoheitszeichen: der kroatischen Gemeinden des Burgenlandes. Petschaften, Siegel, Wappen, Gemeindefarben. I also want to convey my support for all you and the team of editors are doing. I look forward to the newsletters and read them with great interest. Yvonne R. Lockwood Curator of Folklife Michigan Traditional Arts Program Michigan State University Museum East Lansing, MI 48824 MUSEUM OF HUNGARIAN-SPEAKING JEWRY I wish to bring to your attention that our Memorial Museum of Hungarian Speaking Jewry in Safed, Israel covers quite extensively the heritage and history of the Jewish community in Burgenland. Should you or any of the members affiliated with your organization be of any need for information please do not hesitate to contact us. Josef Lustig Managing Director museum@hjm.org.il Newsletter continues as no. 104B

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 104B DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (Issued monthly by G. J. Berghold) February 28, 2002 (c) G. J. Berghold - all rights reserved This third section of our 4-section newsletter contains: The Hungarian Calvinist Congregation of Oberwart - Part 3 (including a brief history of the Oberwart border region) The Hungarian Calvinist Congregation of Oberwart (by Fritz Königshofer - December 8, 2001) (ED. Note: This article is being published in three installments of which this is the third. It concerns part of the small protestant minority of Land Burgenland and an even smaller group of descendants of Magyar border guards. If your interest is the Oberwart region, you would do well to study it. Numbers in brackets[ 1] refer to the bibliography found at the end of the article. This is a most worthy edition to our series of Burgenland historical articles in the English language.) (Continued from BB Newsletter no. 103B) In 1782, the Reformed congregation counted 1,189 souls (growing to 1,283 in 1814), while Catholics numbered 546. According to the commemorative brochure [1], most of the members of the Reformed congregation were nobles. Each noble family had its own coat of arms, and nearly each coat of arms included an arm with a sword, symbolizing the original status of the families as border guards. The separate cemetery for the Reformed congregation of Oberwart exists since 1778. The congregation ran a school in which in 1827, 94 boys and 65 girls were taught. The Lutheran congregation of Oberwart, entirely ethnic German, built its church between 1812-15. For the 100 year celebration of the stone church in 1883, pastor Alexander Gueth wrote his "Geschichte der Kirchengemeinde" (History of the Congregation). The publication was financed by Georg Verdi, a financial officer working in the county administration, who had hailed from Oberwart. An organ with 14 registers and costing 2,000 Florins was installed. Half of the costs had been donated by Ms. Susanna Fülöp nee Zámbó. At the time of this first major jubilee, the congregation comprised 1,522 members (784 women and 738 men). The school taught 87 boys and 98 girls. In 1888, Ms. Judith Imre nee Benkö left her considerable estate to the Reformed congregation. The names of the elected curators of the congregation were Michael Zsisko (1883), G. Gal (1887), Alexander Böcskör (1893), Johann Fülöp (1895), Samuel Zarka (1898), Samuel Böcskör (1900), Alexander Horváth (1904), Michael Benkö (1907), Johann Imre (1910), Alexander Siskó (1913, who also served as mayor of the town), Josef Páll (1916), and Gabriel Miklós (1918). The chronicle of the parish mentions major fires in Oberwart in 1879 and 1882 (destroying more than 100 houses), and a major flood in 1878. Due to the genealogical orientation of this article, the general part of this article closes here. However, the 200-years jubilee brochure [1], and also article [2], cover the further history of the parish up to most recent times. Pastors From 1576-1612, Stephanus Beythe served as a traveling Calvinist pastor stationed at the Batthyány court in Güssing. His writings were printed by the traveling early printer Manlius (who also stayed for a while at the Erdödy castle in Eberau). Johann Gál may have been the first known pastor (or preacher) of Oberwart, working there before 1600. Franz Eõri is documented as a pastor at Oberwart in 1618, leaning toward Lutheranism. 1620/25: Franz Pathy. Jakob Gyüdi Ventei gets mentioned as pastor in 1629 as taking part in the synod of Körmend. 1630-1665. Tenure of Johann Szeremlei. Under him, the Calvinist congregation got formally established, but it was also the time when the Counter-reformation started to cast a shadow. Nevertheless, under Szeremlei, the congregation must still have felt secure enough to undertake, in 1656, the extension of the church and construction of the tower by builder Blasius Fülöp, with the tower's roof being made by Christoph Prucker of Schlaining. I wonder whether the Szeremlei brothers who in the 1750s worked energetically to donate and collect funds for the new stone church, see above, were descendents of this pastor. 1665(?)-1667 or rather 1673. Martin Fülöp succeeded Johann Szeremlei as pastor. Apparently, under him the Counter-reformation reached the town, and resulted in the confiscation and conversion of the old stone church into a Roman Catholic one, as described earlier in this article. Fülöp also had to bear personal brunt, as he was taken to prison in Pressburg (Bratislava), but is said to have escaped, and later even returned as pastor to Oberwart. Around 1683. Michael Szikszay served as pastor. Under him, the temporary wooden church was erected in 1681. He was followed by pastors Stefan Báthori and Johann Szenczy. Around 1700, the pastor was Johann Kolozsvári. 1708-1724. Tenure of Nikolaus Balikó who also served for two years as schoolteacher. He was followed from 1725-1732 by Stefan Szikszay. 1732-1755. The pastor was Martin Tölly, also spelled Thölly. He was a local man, born in Oberwart, had studied in Gyõr, Pápa and Marosvásárhely, taught one year in Gyulafehérvár (the latter two places both in Transylvania), then served for half a year as pastor of Adásztevel in Veszprém county, before being called to Oberwart in 1732. Tölly retired from his job due to bad health in 1755, and died in Oberwart on March 7, 1761. Following his appointment, he introduced the church matrikels in 1732. The first parish rectory was built under his tenure in about 1740, and he started the parish book of accounts including the parish chronicle in 1748. The donations registered by persons from outside the congregation suggest that at that time, before the Tolerance Patent issued by emperor Joseph II, the congregation of Oberwart served as a refuge for Protestants in a wide neighborhood. August 9, 1755 till March 18, 1764: Franz Török, followed by Johann Szép who served till March 1, 1771. As one of the first deeds of the latter, the first petition for building a new stone church was submitted to Empress Maria Theresia (see above). Johann Szép was followed in 1771 by two caretakers (auxiliary pastors, or vicars) in quick and short succession, namely, Franz Berényi and Stefan Tönkö Szilágyi. October 27, 1771 till December 31, 1776. Tenure of Franz Ujhelyi Kovács. Under him, the new stone church was erected which is still standing today (see above). From 1777 till September 8, 1785, Johann Papp served as pastor. Under him, a new parish rectory was built in 1784 replacing the one from 1740. This building still stands today and is renowned for its arcaded courtyard, one of the oldest such courtyards in Burgenland for which the year of construction is known. Johann Papp's tenure also marks the beginning, in 1778, of the Reformed congregation having its own cemetery. October 13, 1785 till November 2, 1792: Andreas Héregi. He moved on to Õriszentpéter (near Szentgotthárd). He was succeeded by Samuel Nagy who served the congregation until his death in Oberwart on May 3, 1805. Stefan Nagy then served as caretaker (vicar) until May 12, 1806. 1806-1811. Tenure of Samuel Szép. Under him, the church tower was erected in 1808/1809 by the master builder Matthias Preising from Pinkafeld. A new bell of nearly two tons was cast and installed at the same time (This bell was recast in 1841). A clock was added to the new tower in 1811. Samuel Szép died in Oberwart in about 1811. From 1811 to 1812, the congregation was temporarily administered by vicar Peter Parrag. From March 8, 1812 onwards, Josef Arany served as pastor. He had studied in Jena and Göttingen, and before being called to Oberwart, had served for 12 years as the pastor in Szecsõd (probably meaning Molnaszecsõd near Körmend). Under Arany, the congregation acquired the Szita estate which, after it had been fully paid, provided economic security to the parish for many years to come. It is stated that he proved his name (arany is the Hungarian word for gold). Arany died in Oberwart on March 18, 1839. A monument commemorating him was erected in 1872. Since 1834, Arany had been assisted by a vicar, Josef Dezse. After Arany's death, the congregation wanted to elect Dezse as its pastor, but according to the laws of the church this was not possible. This situation led to a time of disquiet, and a hiatus without a formal pastor, until in 1840 Dezse departed to a pastor position in Nagyrákos (near Körmend). In 1840, Samuel Mozgay arrived in Oberwart as the new pastor, from his earlier pastoral position in Egyházrádócz (also near Körmend). Due to the lingering controversy about Dezse, he appears to have had a hard time being accepted by the congregation. To resolve the situation, he therefore switched jobs in 1843 with the pastor of Kisnémetfalu, Georg Szij (This probably means Kerkanémetfalu near Csesztreg in Zala county, near the Vas border). Georg Szij served in Oberwart from 1843 till 1850. He had studied in Pápa, and before his job in Kisnémetfalu, had also served as pastor in Kercza (district of Szentgotthárd). Szij served as military pastor on the side of the Hungarians in the liberation war of 1848/49. In 1850, he left Oberwart and moved as pastor to Kisigmánd (county of Komárom) where he served until 1855. In 1855/56, he was a teacher at the grammar school (gymnasium) at Kunszentmiklós (south of Pest), and then was pastor in Csallóközaranyos (also Komárom county) till his death. 1850-1857. Josef Mészáros served as pastor. Before his appointment in Oberwart, he had been the pastor of Kisigmánd, i.e., this was once again an exchange of pastors, as between Mozgay and Szij. Intriguingly, Mészáros left Oberwart to become pastor in Kisnémetfalu, thus seemingly closing the three-way circle started in 1843. The period of March 28, 1857 till October 31, 1896 (when he died at age 65) marks the nearly 40-year long tenure of pastor Alexander Gueth, one of the most remarkable pastors of the congregation. Coincidentally, he was called to serve in Oberwart from a stint in Kisnémetfalu (the place of the first switch of pastors in 1843). Under Gueth, the congregation in 1873 celebrated the 100-years jubilee of its new stone church. For this event, Gueth produced a "History of the Congregation" which still serves today as a source for many historical treatises, including the 200-years jubilee article written by pastor (also serving as superintendent for Burgenland for the Protestant Church) Imre Gyenge. As has been mentioned above, a new organ was acquired and installed for the jubilee, manufactured in Graz by Friedrich Werner. The organ was first played by Ladislaus Pospisil, a Czech student in his final year at the (Lutheran) teacher academy of Oberschützen. Despite Gueth's outstanding tenure, he eventually faced some controversies with the presbyterium of the congregation which at times probably felt overtaxed by the cost of the improvements proposed by an untiring Gueth. From July 1, 1896, the frailing Gueth was assisted by Andreas Csuká. After Gueth's death, Julius Bajcsy became the new pastor, after having served as vicar in Nagymaros (old Hont county) and as pastor (1892-97) in Nagytany (Komárom county). Bajcsy had been born in Dunamocs (county Esztergom), and had studied in Pressburg and Pápa. He was known as a great preacher. During his tenure, the congregation's school was enlarged several times. In 1913, electrical lighting was installed in rectory and school. Bajcsy served as pastor in Oberwart for 41 years until his retirement on January 1, 1939. His tenure saw WW I, the creation of the Burgenland in 1921 placing the congregation into its status of a triple minority, the Anschluss of 1938, the quickly following temporary eradication of Burgenland (i.e., the integration of the southern part of it into Styria), and other cataclysmic events of the 20th century. Bajcsy died 1958 in Oberwart, at age 92. Teachers A school for the reformed congregation of Oberwart definitely already existed around 1650 under pastor Johann Szeremlei. The following teachers are known: Around 1655: Michael Fülöp. Around 1685: Stefan Õri. Around 1710: N. Keserü. Around 1720: Nikolaus Balikó (who was also the pastor). Around 1728: G. Füredi. 1744-1749: Lorenz Balikó. 1749-1751: Andreas Bényei. 1751: Adam Csejtej (for three months only). 1751-1757: Johann Hajnal. 1757(?)-1766: Franz Csuporos, followed by Michael Teleki. 1774-1776: Josef Kopolcsi (later pastor in Kustánszeg, county Zala). From 1776 (otherwise undated sequence of teachers): Samuel Pápai; Andreas Szalay; Franz Kovács; Johann Barbás Almássy; Johann Batha; Stefan Patkó; Daniel Baksa; Franz Hörömpöli; Samuel Jezerniczki; Stefan Patkó (returned to the same job); Stefan Mészáros; Johann Batha (the same as before); Alexander Kovács (as deputy); Michael Körmendi; Georg Papp (from 1862, later headmaster, till his death on November 20, 1893). The long period covered by these teachers saw the construction of a new schoolhouse with one classroom and teacher accommodations in 1801/1802, and the addition of a second classroom in 1863. From that time, an assistant teacher was hired, and the teacher became the headmaster of the school. A new larger school was erected in 1884, including three classrooms and accommodations for a total of two teachers and one assistant teacher. In 1899, two more classrooms were added, and an additional teacher accommodation was built in 1910. As already mentioned, electric lights were installed in 1913. Headmaster from March 11, 1894 till 1920: Julius Németh, followed in this function by Karl Vörösmarty. Assistant teachers since about 1863: Johann Szakáll; Julius Aszalos; Peter Takács (the latter becoming teacher, and serving till 1905). Teachers (plus some details of their tenure in Oberwart): Josef Székely (1905-1908); Johann Doczy (1906-1921); Adalbert Mányoki (1909-1912); Ida Süteö, married name Farsy (from 1916); Nikolaus Kovács (from 1921); Wilma Böhm (from 1922); Alexander Schranz (from 1924); Erich Knöbl (from 1931); Ernst Tölly (from 1935). Bibliography [1] "200 Jahre Reformierte Kirche in Oberwart/200 Éves Felsõõri Reformatus Templom, 1773-1973," by pastor Imre Gyenge, extending on the history of the congregation written by pastor Alexander Gueth in 1873; published in Oberwart, 1973. [2] "Es wird kundgemacht," Summary of the history of the reformed congregation of Oberwart, issued and distributed by the parish; published after 1992 (no date). [3] "Die Obere Wart," Ladislaus Triber (editor), Oberwart 1977, published in memory of the re-establishment in 1327 of the Obere Wart. [4] "Burgenlandbuch - Kulturhistorische Wanderungen" by Karl Lukan, 280 pp., Vienna, 1998. [5] "Östereichisch-Ungarische Monarchie in Word und Bild" (Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in Word and Pictures), Volume 4, Vienna, 1896. [6] "Magyarország Családai" (Hungarian Families), by Iván Nagy, Budapest 1857-68. [7] "Az Õrség Története" by László Pataky, 1992, and "Õrség" by Dr. Csiszár, 1983; excerpts translated by Emmerich Faith, Frauental, 1994. End of article. Newsletter continues as no. 104C.

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 104C DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (Issued monthly by G. J. Berghold) February 28, 2002 (c) G. J. Berghold - all rights reserved MARK YOUR CALENDAR - BURGENLAND LANDESHAUPTMANN NIESSL (GOVERNOR) & PARTY WILL VISIT UNITED STATES IN MID-MAY OF 2002! ITINERARY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN FUTURE ISSUES. This fourth section of our 4-section newsletter contains: * Immigrant Story (Mandl & Weber, Grieselstein) * Trip To Austria - Pictures * War Monument Names - Grieselstein and Maria Bild * Taste Of The Burgenland - Pumpkin Seed Oil * News From Riedlingsdorf * Burgenland Bunch Staff IMMIGRANT STORY (MANDL & WEBER-GRIESELSTEIN) (from Evelyn Seegraves and Sharon Janucik) (ED. Note: What makes this story especially interesting is that it includes a link to a trip report and pictures as well as some research material.) Evelyn writes: I would appreciate it if you would publish the following "Immigrant story" in the BB newsletter. At the bottom is a link to a site containing pictures we took on our September trip to Austria. Also included are descriptions and comments. Evelyn Seegraves Our maternal great great grandparents, Josephus Mandl and Josepha Weber were married in approximately 1853. He was 24 and lived at #125 Kristyan, (district of Szt. Gotthard, now Grieselstein, district of Jennersdorf)and she was 23, living at #103 Kristyan. Josephus' mother's first name was Magdalena, but his father's name is unknown. Josepha's father's name was Jozsef Weber and we believe her mother's name was Terez Bruckler or Pruckler. Both Josephus and Josepha Mandl Weber were farmers and died of consumption/pulmonary tuberculosis. To the marriage of Josephus Mandl and Josepha Weber were born eight children: (1) Maria, born October 20, 1855, (2) Theresia, born February 5, 1857 (our great grandmother, (3) Barbara, born November 25, 1858. Barbara married Henrik Geiger, #97 Gyanafalva, (Jennersdorf) (4) Maria, born December 15, 1860. Maria married Josef Feitl, #85 Gyanafalva, her second marriage was to Joseph Windisch, #106 Kristyan, (5) Josephus, born August 4, 1862, (6) Anna, born September 18, 1865, (7) Johanna, born April 2, 1867. Johanna married Ferencz Pfingstl, #65 Gyanafalva, and (8) Josephus, born September 28, 1869. Four of the children died before they were two years old. Our great grandmother Theresia was married to Aloyos Forjan, #40 Gyanafalva, sometime between the years 1886 and 1908. She had three children: (1) Aloisius, born November 8, 1876, (2) Augustin (our grandfather), born October 28, 1880, and (3) Anna, born May 9, 1886. All three of the children were listed as illegitimate according to birth records. On February 8, 1908 (civil records Gyanafalva), Theresia married Jonos Posch, and was listed as the widow of Aloyos Forjan. Sometime prior to 1905, Augustin Mandl married a woman by the name of Rose Deutsch, but she had died during the first year of the marriage. In 1905, Augustin (August) Mandl sailed on the Chemnitz, leaving from Bremen, and arriving in New York on April 10th. Four other people from the same area were traveling with him: Aloisa Reich, age 41, from Gyanafalva, Josefa Deutsch, age 20, from Gyanafalva, Josef Geiger, age 18, from Gyanafalva, and Franz W(?)ind, age 16, from Henndorf (?). Our grandfather gave his last address as Gyanafalva and was going to the home of Adolph Windisch (we believe it says "cousin" on the manifest) on Linden Street in New Britain, Conn., and the other four were going to a home at 110 Kensington Street (now known as Rockwell Avenue) in New Britain. In 1907, at St. Peter's Church in New Britain, August was married to Anna Brunner. At the time of their marriage, both August and Anna gave their address as 110 Kensington Street. She had sailed on the ship Kaiser Wilhelm II, leaving from Bremen and arriving in New York on August 14, 1906. On the ship's manifest Anna's last address was listed as Neudorf, and she was sailing with her cousins, Anton (or Luton) and Maria Gombotz. Maria's last adress was given as Neuhaus and Anton's was listed as Neustift. All three were going to the Gombotz' brother's home at 35 Kensington Street. The marriage of August Mandl and Anna Brunner produced four daughters and a son: August, Margaret, Helen, Teresa (our Mom), and Ida. All of the children were born in New Britain, Conn. between the years 1908 and 1916. Ida died as a young child and August was in his teens when he died. Helen and Teresa both married and settled in New Britain, Margaret married and settled in Collinsville, Conn. Anna Brunner Mandl died during the flu epidemic of 1918. August spent many years as a bricklayer before his death in 1952. In addition to August Mandl, members of the Weber, Geiger, and Windisch families also settled in New Britain, as have many of those who came to the United States in the early 1900's from the southern part of Burgenland. TRIP TO AUSTRIA - PICTURES (Evelyn Seegraves) My sister and I took a trip to Austria in September, specifically to visit Burgenland. We concentrated on the Jennersdorf and Grieselstein area. We would like to invite everyone to see the pictures we took, and to read about our experiences. Included are pictures of the war monuments in Grieselstein and Maria Bild. We would appreciate hearing from you and welcome your comments. http://eviesee.tripod.com/vacationalbum/ WAR MONUMENT NAMES - GRIESELSTEIN AND MARIA BILD (from Evelyn Seegraves and Sharon Janucik) War Monument in Grieselstein On front: Zur Erinnerung An Den Weltkrieg 1914-1918 Gewidmet Den Treuen Helden Von Grieselstein Die Blut Und Leben Geopfert Haben Auf Dem Feld De Ehre Left side of front: Korp. Szladek Ernst Brückler Josef Buchas Ferdinand Gerger Karl Gumhold Alexander Gumhold Karl Gumhold Johann Janosch Michael Lipp Johann Mandl Franz Right side of front: Vorm. Temmel Johann Mund Johann Schmidt Josef Schraith Josef Taucher Josef Thomas Josef Thomas Josef Wagner Johann Wischenbarth Alois Passer Franz On left side of monument: Gie Gefallenen Des Zweiten Weltkrieges 1939-1945 Buchas Johann Geb. 1913 Deutsch Johann 1921 Deutsch Ludwig 1905 Dornfeld Michael 1926 Feiertag Josef 1914 Forjan Josef 1921 Forjan Josef 1922 Gerger Franz 1907 Gumhold Erwin 1919 Gumhold Franz 1907 Gumhold Johann 1914 Hirczy Alois 1924 Hirczy Franz 1903 Hodl Josef 1915 Kerschner Daniel 1918 Krenn Georg 1868 Leiner Franz 1902 Lipp Franz 1923 Lipp Marie 1927 Maier Alois 1918 Maier Josef 1906 On right side of monument: Die Geffenen Des Zweitch Weltkrieges 1939-1945 Putz Johann Geb. 1920 Putz Josef 1912 Schmidt Franz 1898 Szabad Andreas 1916 Thomas Emma 1890 Thomas Franz 1922 Thomas Franz 1902 Tonweber D. Johann 1913 Weber Franz 1923 Weber Josef 1915 Weber Andreas 1893 Weber Johann 1897 Weber Karl 1918 Die Vermissten: Buchas Anton Geb. 1920 Hendler Franz 1920 Hirczy Franz 1909 Leiner Emil 1918 Leiner Josef 1927 Mandl Franz 1908 Mandl Johann 1914 Neuherz Josef 1912 Sucher Anton 1909 Wagner Franz 1919 War monument in Maria Bild Front At the top is a helmut, hand grenade, canteen, and sabre Beneath that it say Pro Patria Beneath that is a lion Beneath the lion it says Die Im Weitkriege 1914-1918 Gefallenen Helden Aus Weichselbaum Jud Franz Ibitz Josef Schrei Josef Binder Karl Baar Johann Haffner Emil Lederer Alois Neubauer Johann -------------------------------------- Bottom of monument: Unsere Gefallenen u. vermeissten Maria Bild 1939-1945 Ableidinger Otmar 1943 Baar Johann 1945 Baar Karl 1945 Back Augusta 1945 Deutsch Anna 1945 Feuchtl Johann 1943 Gerger Robert 1942 Janitschek Richard 1942 Trinkl Rudolf Verm. 1945 Kloiber Josef Gest. 1941 Gigerl Ernst Gest. 1945 Jud Frank 1943 Lang Ernst 1942 Schrei Franz 1941 Stangl Josef 1944 Supper Josef 1945 Weber Ferd. 1942 Weber Josef 1945 Wiedner Paul 1945 Left side of monument: Supper Johann Schrei Johann Oreowetz Josef Right side of monument: Strini Johann Jud Raimund Schimanek Ulrich TASTE OF THE BURGENLAND - KÜBISKERNÖL (from Margaret Kaiser & Fritz Königshofer) (ED. Note: A salad using oil and vinegar, to which one adds processed fish or meats, or cold cooked potatoes or beans and peppers, seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs or a little paprika is an old Burgenland custom. Edible oil of various sorts has been used since time immemorial but I first encountered pumpkin seed oil in the Burgenland, when I noticed village people removing the seeds while having a good gossip. Preparing the oil, like olive oil is very labor intensive, but the oil can be an acquired taste, not as pungent as walnut oil. Home made pumpkin seed oil from my cousin Helene Gerger's kitchen in Poppendorf, with a fresh green salad was a lunch to savor when we visited last July.) Margaret Kaiser writes: "Although this appears not to be strictly Burgenlaendisch, I came across this ad on the web - there is a detailed description of Austrian (Styrian) Salad dressings - in particular pumpkin seed oil (Kürbiskeröl) and apple balsamic cider vinegar. Definitely pricey. I don't remember family members ever mentioning this salad dressing, or perhaps I have forgotten. http://store.yahoo.com/chefshop/aussalset.html Fritz replies: Margaret, As long as I lived in Styria (my home), I accepted nothing else but Kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil) on my salad or for eating Sulz (pork jelly) or Saures Rindfleisch (sliced cold beef with vinegar, onions and oil). Even in our 20 years here in the US, we have always managed to have pumpkin seed oil available. I replenish our stocks by occasionally carrying a bottle or two from my stopovers in Austria. Good pumpkin seed oil is very aromatic, nutty and mild. However, the aroma is not for everybody. For instance, my wife, also from Graz, does not care for Kürbiskernöl. One also needs to be very careful, as spills create spots in shirts or table clothes that cannot fully be cleaned by even the best detergents. Due to its deep green color, many detractors sometimes facetiously call it Diesel oil. On the other hand, the oil has slowly gained a following in other parts of Austria and elsewhere. Be that as it may, many of our guests had their first taste of pumpkin seed oil at our house and liked it. The oil comes in different qualities. Pure, 100% pumpkin seed oil is labeled "Echtes Kürbiskernöl" (real pumpkin seed oil). When I still lived in Austria, one had to look for "Garantiert echtes Kürbiskernöl" or "Kaltgepresstes ...." (cold-pressed ....) to get the best. While pumpkin seed oil is a uniquely Styrian product, I believe that the area of production always included the southern Burgenland. I had some of my best pumpkin seed oil when we visited relatives in the area of Güssing. In former times, the oil could be bought only in Styria and southern Burgenland, but today it is available in supermarkets everywhere in Austria. The oil is expensive by Austrian standards. Even in Styria itself, pumpkin seed oil is the most expensive of all salad oils. Nevertheless, the mark-up for getting it sold in the US is gigantic. To give you an example, I currently have Echtes Kürbiskernöl from the firm Peltzmann which we bought in Graz for AS109 (about $7 to 7.50) for a 500 ml (half liter) can. This compares to the $22.50 posted on the web site you gave us, for half the volume (250 ml). Perhaps you should try it! If you and your family don't like it, it would be better to have only a 250 ml bottle. NEWS FROM RIEDLINGSDORF (from Heinz Bundschuh) (ED. Note: Heinz continues to expand his village site. Our thanks to Heinz.) He writes: Dear friends of Riedlingsdorf, in the last week we received some historical pictures of Riedlingsdorf by Karl Hazivar, Erika Spiegel and Andrea Bruckner. You can find these pictures on our website site behind the new button 'Hist. Bilder/Pictures'. They are very interesting. http://members.aon.at/mgvriedlingsdorf/ On 30th June there will be a great event in Riedlingsdorf, the 'Dorffest'. The whole village will celebrate the inauguration of the new municipal center. Two days before that, there will be a second event, the dedication of the reconstructed war memorial. I collected a lot of new information from WWII in the last few months. I put this information into the 'Register of the dead soldiers of WWII'. I will improve this site with the portraits. If this information is of interest to you, visit the following site (it is also part of the Riedlingsdorf-Homepage. It is hidden behind the button 'Geschichte/History' and then behind 'Overview World War II'): http://members.aon.at/dbundsch/lww2verz.htm END OF NEWSLETTER BURGENLAND BUNCH STAFF (USA unless designated otherwise) Coordinator & Editor Newsletter: (Gerald J. Berghold) Burgenland Editor: (Albert Schuch; Austria) Home Page Editor: (Hap Anderson) Internet/URL Editor: (Anna Tanczos Kresh) Contributing Editors: Austro/Hungarian Research: (Fritz Königshofer) Burgenland Co-Editor: (Klaus Gerger, Austria) Burgenland Lake Corner Research: (Dale Knebel) Chicago Burgenland Enclave: (Tom Glatz) Croatian Burgenland: (Frank Teklits) Home Page village lists: (Bill Rudy) Home Page surname lists: (Tom Steichen) Home Page membership list: (Hannes Graf, Austria) Judaic Burgenland: (Maureen Tighe-Brown) Western US BB Members - Research: (Bob Unger) WorldGenWeb-Austria, RootsWeb Liason-Burgenland: (Charles Wardell, Austria) BB ARCHIVES (can be reached via Home Page hyperlinks) The BB is in contact with the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft, Hauptplatz 7, A-7540 Güssing, Burgenland, Austria. Burgenl.gem@bnet.at Burgenland Bunch Newsletter distributed courtesy of (c) 1999 RootsWeb.com, Inc. P.O. Box 6798, Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 Newsletter and List Rights Reserved. Permission to Copy Granted; Provide Credit and Mention Source.