Newsletter
Dedicated to Austrian-Hungarian Burgenland Family History

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 165
DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY
Our 12th Year - Issued monthly as email by G. J. Berghold, BB Editor
July 31, 2007
(c) 2007 G. J. Berghold - all rights reserved


~TIME FLIES LIKE AN ARROW - FRUIT FLIES LIKE AN ORANGE~
(Chris Berghold, 3rd generation immigrant descendant)

Current Status Of The BB: Members: 1459; Surname Entries: 4870; Query Board Entries: 3758; Newsletters Archived: 165; Staff Members: 15

EMAIL RECIPIENTS PLEASE READ: You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a BB member or have asked to be added to our distribution list. To subscribe or unsubscribe, use the forms available from our homepage at http://www.the-burgenland-bunch.org. You cannot send email to this newsletter. If you have problems receiving the newsletter as email, it may be read, downloaded, printed or copied from the BB Homepage. There is also an archive of previous newsletters.

This issue of the BB Newsletter contains only one section due to deterioration in the health of newsletter editor Gerry Berghold. It was put together by Fritz Königshofer and Tom Steichen. We hope that normal production of the Newsletter can soon resume.

Articles in this newsletter:

1. Remembrance Project, South Bend, Indiana, is Underway
2. Burgenlaendische Gemeinschaft Picnic in Moschendorf
3. Rootsweb Review will Feature the Burgenland Bunch
4. Coplay, PA Saengerbund Turns Ninety
5. BB Connecticut Enclave To Be Featured
6. Burgenland News From The Past


1. REMEMBRANCE PROJECT, SOUTH BEND, INDIANA IS UNDERWAY
    - by Margaret Kaiser

The Burgenlanders Honored and Remembered (BH&R) team is adding Burgenland-born immigrants who settled in the South Bend, IN, region to the Honoree list. South Bend area surnames identified to date include: BARKOVICH, BIRSCHITZY, BLEICH, BUCZOLICH, FERENCI, GREGORITS, HARTMANN, HEDL, HINKLE, HOFACKER, HORVATH, KOELNDORFER, KERTAI, KOVALL, KRIZMANICH, KUBITSCHEK, KUC, KUZMICH, LAKOVITS, LACKNER, MAGYAR, MAHALICH, MAYERHOFER, MEDICH, MERSICH, MONDOVICS, PASMANN, PERNEKER, PORAPATICH, PRIKOSOVICH, SCHEIDL, SCHEU, SCHNEIDER, SPIEGL, TAICSICH, TOMPOS, WUKOVICH, ZEISZ, and ZILKY.

The majority of the above originated in the Oberpullendorf area with others emigrating from the regions of Neusiedl am See, Eisenstadt and Jennersdorf. Immigrants appear to have worked for Studebaker and other auto-related businesses. Many are memorialized in Highland and Sacred Heart Cemeteries.

BH&R would like to honor all applicable South Bend area Burgenlanders but, first, they must be identified. Your assistance is requested. Please contact either Frank Paukowits (nyburgenlaenders(at)aol.com) or Margaret Kaiser (Burgenlaenderin(at)aol.com) to contribute South Bend area local history, such as:

Names of Honorees (your parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc.)
Stories about Honorees and the South Bend immigrant experience
Names of churches, clubs, etc. Burgenlanders attended
Photos of Honorees, churches, Burgenland related events, etc.

You can view the BH&R website at http://hometown.aol.com/nyburgenlaenders/home.htm, or you can access the site from the BH&R link on the BB home page. The BH&R site lists Honorees, displays photos, and related information. Honoree nominations from all areas of the US, Canada, Australia and other locations are always welcome. The BH&R team looks forward to continuous expansion of the Burgenland-born Honoree List with your help.


2. BURGENLAENDISCHE GEMEINSCHAFT PICNIC IN MOSCHENDORF
    - by Hannes Graf

"Hello all, after some days at the railway, yesterday [July 8, 2007] was spent at the BG 2007 Picnic in Moschendorf. Right now, I am one day in Vienna (next to a computer) writing this report. Tomorrow I'll go back to Burgenland for a week on the railroad. This year, I have spent much more time in Oberschützen and surroundings than in Vienna!

As for the picnic, please look for yourself at the photo gallery at
http://www.the-burgenland-bunch.org/BG-50/001.htm

The picnic was very nice. There were fewer people than last year, but the weather was good and everybody seemed to enjoy the picnic. The Vice-Twins [BB vice presidents Klaus Gerger and Hannes Graf] came together for some conversation. In his speech, Dr. Walter Dujmovits mentioned related organizations like the Weltbund [of Austrians abroad] and greeted the politicians present. As he continued, he told us about a sister organization named the Burgenland Bunch and its vice president Hannes Graf!! Boy, was I surprised!!! Next time, I will try to say some words in the name of the Bunch, hopefully I'll know it beforehand. After some words by others, someone mentioned the 75th birthday of Walter, and Vice-Governor Franz Steindl played "Happy Birthday to You" on his trumpet. Then the first dance was by Walter with Landesrätin (cabinet member) Verena Dunst. We also met BB-member Rachael White from NY, a very nice lady, and her husband. I don't know how many Americans were present but the major language was "Burgenländisch" and not English as last year.
 
Liebe Grüsse, Hannes"


3. ROOTSWEB REVIEW WILL FEATURE THE BURGENLAND BUNCH

Jana Lloyd, editor of the RootsWeb Review, an Internet newsletter, writes:
"I was going through my old emails this morning and found this. Somehow it slipped through the cracks earlier. I know this comes a long time after your original email, but I would still like to print it in the Review. It will probably go out in the 1 August issue. Sorry for the oversight and best of luck with your Burgenland research. Looks like you've put together a top-notch site!"

Here is a reprint of the cited article (originally submitted to RootsWeb Review by Gerry Berghold in February 2007):

The Internet Family History Group known as the Burgenland Bunch (BB), which specializes in the Austrian Province of Burgenland, is now entering its 12th year of operation. The Burgenland was formed in 1921 from the Hungarian Counties (Megye) of Vas, Sopron and Moson. Ethnicity comprises people of German, Croatian and Hungarian origin, who settled in this region over periods spanning hundreds of years, with much subsequent emigration to the Americas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The BB Website, containing over 500 pages of subject surnames (4680 names), village and ethnic data, links and archives, has just had a complete overhaul. New features have been added, including links to a new site which features immigrant cemetery data from Burgenland ethnic enclaves in the US.

The BB will be releasing its 160th email newsletter on Feb. 28. In two email sections of 4 to 5 pages each, it is distributed monthly to listed members through the courtesy of Roots-L. There are archives of all of the previous newsletters.

The BB web site also has a link to a Query Site (WorldGenWeb-Burgenland) courtesy of RootsWeb, now showing over 3500 Burgenland family history queries and answers.

Burgenland Bunch members' names (almost 1400 world wide) are listed with family surnames, villages of origin and places settled. They can be contacted via email in order to exchange information. Membership is ongoing and the site is maintained by 15 specialty editors in the United States and in Austria.

If you are a descendant of immigrants from the above mentioned area (there were over 40,000 immigrants for the period 1880-1924 alone plus more following WWII) or feel you may have a link to such, you would do well to visit this site.

http://www.the-burgenland-bunch.org/

4. COPLAY SAENGERBUND TURNS NINETY

Source: "Whitehall - Coplay Press", June 28, 2007
Coplay club members celebrate with dinner, dance, songfest
 by Al Recker, press writer.

[From the acting BB editors: Readers will note the mentions of Robert Strauch whom we are happy to recognize as our BB staff member Bob Strauch.]

The Coplay, Pennsylvania Saengerbund celebrated the 90th Anniversary of its founding Sunday with a dinner, dance, and songfest, reminiscent of when the club founding fathers met on borough corners singing songs of their homeland, Burgenland, Austria. The festivities, known as the 'Stiftungsfest" [celebration of the founding], were held before a packed crowd in the club's auditorium. The Saengerbund's mixed chorus, maintaining the traditional customs and folk songs of the German-Austrian heritage, performed, as did the Hianz'nchor and the Reading Liederkranz Chorus. Following the choral concert, the Joe Weber Band provided music for dancing in the club's outside pavilion.

The club's founding dates back to when men and women immigrated to these shores and sang songs from the "Old Country." On December 17, 1917, at the Coplay House, Second and Hokendauqua Streets, there were 36 founding fathers present and the Saengerbund was born. (Gerry Berghold's grand-uncle Samuel Wallitsch was one of the founders.) Today's membership exceeds 5,000. Originally there was a barroom and two bowling alleys. Today, the club has a dance hall in the lower ballroom, a complete kitchen and bar, music hall and bar on the second level and a grove/pavilion adjacent to the club.

The Saengerbund chorus began the afternoon, under the direction of Joseph Weber and accompanied by Kathy Alonzo, with the "Star Spangled Banner," followed by "Willkommen", "Der Spielmann", "Ich grüß' dich, Land der Lieder", "The Complete History of Western Music (Abridged)", "Bayrisch Herz", "Waldlied", and "Stars and Stripes."

Chorus members (check all those great Burgenland names!) are Cathy Boyer, Vickie Boyer, Dolores DiSante, Clara Glover, Hilda Koetting, Frieda Peischler, Marcia Theiss, Ida Bartholomew, Stella Eberhardt, Elsie Kroboth, Cathy Marx, Helen Vetrok, Lauren Zwetolitz, the Rev. Tim Boyer, Pat DeMilio, Alfred Lederer, John Mikitsch, Steve Rosko, Jeremy, Joe Geosits, John Toth, and John Wechsler.

The Hianzn'chor, directed and accompanied by Robert Strauch on button box accordion, sang "Steig' ich den Berg hinauf", "Auf der Heide blüht ein kleines Blümelein", "In einer kleinen Taverne", "A Büscherl von Edelweiss", "Hoch soll er leben", and "Ich schenk' dir nur rote Rosen." Singers were Pauline Albert, Ida Bartholomew, Stella Eberhardt, Gisela Herrmann, Joseph Geosits, Josef Giedl, Marie Giedl, Eleanor Kovalchick, Alfred Lederer, Catherine Marx, John Mikitsch, Frieda Peischler, Reinhold Radke, Margaret Roma, Stephen Rosko, William Rosner, Anna Marie Schanta, Judith Snyder, Dorothy Trinkle, Helen Vetrok, and Reginald Wrona.

The Reading Liederkranz Chorus portion of the program, directed by Elizabeth Hinkle, included "Hi Neighbor", "Wir singen unsere Lieder", "Am Mühlenbach", "Fußreise", "Im Zigeunerlager", and "This is My Country." An added highlight was an official letter of congratulations that was received from the Lieutenant Governor of Burgenland, Franz Steindl, and read in German and English by Hianz'nchor director Robert Strauch. Steindl had been part of a government delegation from Burgenland that visited the Lehigh Valley last April and presented the Saengerbund with an award from the Burgenland state government.


5. BB CONNECTICUT ENCLAVE TO BE FEATURED

A correspondent recently asked if we had any data concerning Burgenland immigrants to Connecticut. We are aware that this was one of the minor Burgenland enclaves but have little information other than that there is an Austrian social club in New Britain. If any of our members have any information, please forward to G. J. Berghold. We would be interested in any of the following:

1. First Burgenland immigrant to Connecticut - individual or family?
2. Other family names?
3. Where did they work and reside?
4. Local clubs and churches?
5. Immigrant descendants?
6. What were the major Burgenland villages of origin and causes of migration?
7. Have any returned to Austria?


6. HISTORICAL BURGENLAND NEWS REPORTS
   - from Margaret Kaiser

The following is from the August 30, 1921 issue of the Ogden Standard-Examiner, Ogden City, Utah. The articles were from Associated Press service reports and were printed in similar format in other newspapers.

HEJJAS LEADS WEST HUNGARY IN REVOLT
REBELS RESIST OCCUPATION BY AUSTRIA FORCE
APPEALS TO ALLIES

Vienna, Aug. 30. - Burgenland, a narrow strip of territory situated along the Hungarian border, which was awarded Austria by the treaty of St. Germaine, is apparently in possession of Hungarian insurgents with Lieutenant Hejjas enacting the role of Adalbert Korfanty in Upper Silesia or Captain Gabriel d'Annunzio in Fiume. The government is not receiving any news from the district where on Sunday night irregular Hungarian forces attacked Austrian gendarmes sent to occupy the district. Austria's Commissioner Davy, however, reports from the town of Mattersdorf that he narrowly escaped being killed in Odenburg.

Fighting Reported. There are unconfirmed reports that one officer has been killed or wounded in the fighting in Burgenland.

Lieutenant Hejjas is reported to have posted placards throughout the district calling to the colors all men under 45 years of age. It is also reported that 3,000 Hungarian regular troops have arrived and are encamped near Odenburg. A detachment of 200 Austrian gendarmes is reported surrounded at Gerersdorf.

RELY ON ALLIES

An official statement issued here says that Austria is relying upon the allies to prevent any conflicts in Burgenland and to see that the treaty of St. Germaine is carried out. A statement says that military posts in numerous small towns of the district have been overpowered by Hungarian regulars and irregulars.

Two non-Hungarian speaking persons have been executed in the forest of St. Margareten, a dispatch received late last night said. Forty-eight strangers in Odenburg are reported to have been arrested by the residents of the town and thrown into the barracks.

MEET RESISTANCE

Vienna, Aug. 30. - (By the Associated Press) - the Austrians have met resistance from Hungarians in the occupation of Burgenland. Sunday night Lieutenant Hejjas, a recalcitrant leader in West Hungary, heading a large detachment of his irregulars, seized the railway station at Odenburg. One detachment of 170 men advanced to Pinkafeld, where they were met with hand grenades and machine guns by incoming Austrians.


END OF NEWSLETTER

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(this address also provides access to Burgenländische Gemeinschaft web site).

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Burgenland Bunch Newsletter (c) 1997-2007
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