| 1) AN INTERESTING NEW MEMBER MESSAGE (Tom Steichen)
New member James Geary sent in a New Member Information Form that tweaked the interest
of the BB Editors.
James wrote: Hello, I am researching the origins of my great grandparents,
Frank and Rose Geary. They each came to Pennsylvania in 1911. I don't know if, or how much,
this surname was altered upon Frank's arrival, as I see it spelled "Gery" in one instance. I
have found several census and draft records of the family, but am having some difficulty as I
trace back closer to their immigration. I have found several references of their origin as
Hungaria and Austria-Hungary. A 1920 census report lists Frank's birthplace as Gamischdorf,
and his wife Rose's (maiden name yet unknown) as Kukmer. I would very much like to uncover and
preserve this information, as it has been almost completely lost from my family. My father
vaguely knew of a possible surname alteration and of Hungarian ancestry. I have been on this
website several times during my search and hope I can discover how to continue tracing my
lineage.
Editor Hannes Graf responded first with a short and somewhat cryptic comment: I
tried to find similar names in Burgenland: Kery, Kirisits, Gicsi, Gilli... in all variations.
Note: Left unsaid was Hannes' realization that the name "Geary" was not a Burgenland name, nor
was "Gery," so if James' comment about a potential name change and the Gamischdorf birthplace
were correct, Geary had to have been derived from a name that did exist in Burgenland, thus
the list of "similar" names. Other BB staff members also recognized this and used it as the
thread to pull on to see if we could help James.
I responded next, saying: I looked also... there is no Ellis Island record of any
name like Geary coming out of Gamischdorf (Ganocs), but perhaps they came in through a
different port. The Geary (Gery, etc) name is not listed in Surnames nor in the property
owners for Gamischdorf. It seems that the most reasonable thing is to pull the LDS
church/civil records and see what you find. Catholic and Civil records would be with Sankt
Michael (films 700716, 700476-7 for the time period in question), Lutheran with Kukmirn
(Kukmer), film 700679. For Rose, with no surname, about all you can do is guess... but the
Catholic and Civil records for Kukmirn are 700677 and 700325.
James replied (in part): I've had the same result with my surname, and am beginning
to think it may be a bit more complicated than I first thought. I am planning an August trip
to Allentown, Pa. Frank and Rose raised their children there before moving to Philadelphia,
where the next two generations (including myself) were born. I have info from several census
reports. I'm also hoping some church records can help me, as my great-grandparents seem to
have lived a typical life in Allentown. I'm hopeful that more information is waiting for me,
as next year marks 100 years since their arrival. I appreciate the LDS recommendation as well.
I've been reading through the BB newsletters, and have been planning on searching them for
anything that may turn up. I hope this valuable resource can help me get to the next level of
my family investigation.
Contributing Editor Margaret Kaiser next responded with what I suspect will prove to
be an amazingly insightful bit of research and conjecture: Based on the information
you provided and locating your family in the 1930 census, it would appear that your ancestors
were born around 1897. If they arrived in 1911, they were most likely unmarried at that time.
Have you contacted their PA church for marriage information? Also based on the 1930 census, I
do not believe that Frank came from Gamischdorf. The census entry looks more like Gerersdorf
or perhaps Ginisdorf.
Judging by the way the name Geary is pronounced, I wonder if the name might have been Györi or
Györy (both are pronounced closely or similarly). There is a Ferencz (Frank) Györi, who
arrived at age 16, last residence Ginisdorf, whose grandfather Ferencz Pommer remained in
Ginisdorf at that time. Ferencz' destination was Northampton, arrival was NYC on July 25,
1911. His father was Johann Györiu who was already in Northampton. Ferencz later naturalized.
There is a Steiner family who arrived in 1911 from Kukmirn (mother Maria, daughter Theresia,
grandchildren, Julia, Karolina, Rosina, Gustav and Theresia). Could these be your family
members? They were going to Allentown and Egypt.
I replied to Margaret and James: I do not see Geresdorf or Ginisdorf in the 1930
image... I think Gamischdorf is correct. You can get a blow-up of the image at
http://www.footnote.com/image/#124597019
. It indicates Frank worked at a slaughterhouse in 1930 as an engineer, and I believe 1920
indicated cement worker as his job. Clearly, starting with marriage, death and naturalization
records is the thing to do to get names, origins and birth dates correct.
James also replied to Margaret (in part) : I have found Frank's WW-II
draft card, which does, in fact, say he was from Ginisdorf. Perhaps Gamischdorf on the 1930
census was an error made by the census taker. I spoke to my mother yesterday, and she
remembers my father thinking that the surname was changed from Gori, which is a near match to
Gyori. She also had a memory of the name Steiner - something to do with a 2nd cousin of my
father's. She was not certain, but it sounds likely, doesn't it? If this information does
connect to mine, it would be the breakthrough on which I have been working for months. Many,
many thanks.
Note: The Ellis Island ship manifest documents the most recent non-US place of residence;
the census documents place of birth (and it is highly unlikely that the census taker
would have known Burgenland well enough to have substituted Gamischdorf for Ginisdorf... thus
it is almost certainly Frank or Rosa who provided the place); per the text of the second
message below, the WW-II draft card also documents place of birth. One would assume
Frank provided that place, so we have a conflict. However, as you will see below, Frank was
also inconsistent in giving his year of birth (1896 vs. 1897).
Margaret followed up with an obituary, noting that it confirms the maiden name of Rose
(Steiner) Geary:
FRANK J. GEARY, The Morning Call, (Allentown, PA) - Tuesday, June 21, 1994
Frank J. Geary, 78, of 6321 Wade Springs Road, Murfreesboro, Tenn., formerly of Allentown,
died Saturday in St. Thomas Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. He was the husband of Miriam M. (Wilt)
Geary. They were married 62 years last month. He was an engineer technician at the Naval Air
Development Center, Warminster, Bucks County, for 30 years, retiring in 1974.
Born in Fogelsville, he was a son of the late Frank and Rose (Steiner) Geary.
He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors: Wife; son, Lamont F.Q. of Warminster; daughter, Dolores C., wife of William
Huffman, with whom he resided; brother, John W. of Philadelphia; sisters, Rose J., wife of
Charles Myers of Trevose, Bucks County, and Gertrude, wife of Joseph Stetina of Spring Hill,
Fla.; seven grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
Services: 11 a.m. Friday, Trexler Funeral Home, 1625 Highland St., Allentown. Call 7-8:30
p.m. Thursday.
Margaret followed up with a further message: Since he was naturalized you should
acquire a copy of his naturalization documents. Manifest lists Naturalization reference no.
3-134453 1/22/37 (505) [3 is the district court no., 134453 is the application #, 1/22/37 is
the verification date, 505 is the document issued.] This district represents the Philadelphia
and Eastern PA Courts. NARA should be able to assist you with this.
WW-1 draft registration, Frank Schadt Geary, 1159 Gorden St., ?, Lehigh Co., PA born Oct 9,
1897, clerk Lehigh Valley RR, mother Mrs Daniel Geary, 1159 Gordon St.
WW-2 draft registration, Frank Geary, 1927 E. Clarence St., Phila, PA, age 45 born October 8,
1896 in Ginisdorf, Hungary. Works for Borks Packing Co., 3rd and Girard Avenue, Phila, Phila,
PA; wife Rose at same residence.
OK, so now Frank was born in 1896 or 1897. Do you have his death year and burial place? How
about Rose's?
James replied: Thanks for your recent info. The obit for Frank J Geary was
definitely him, and gave me a lot of info about generations of the family I never knew
existed. It amazes me how easily these things can get lost in life.
The WW-II draft card is spot-on too. The address is on the same block in Philadelphia on which
my grandparents lived my entire life.
I have found a different WW-I card, however, that seems to be my ancestor. It lists
Austria-Hungary as the birthplace of a Frank Geary who is yet to be naturalized, living in
Fogelsville, Pa (birthplace of son Frank, as referenced in the obit you provided), and working
at the Lehigh Portland Cement Co. The birthday is the same, except the birth year is listed as
1893. It also references wife and child, which makes sense by 1917.
As for Rose (Steiner)'s info that you brought to my attention, the arrival document isn't
clear to me with regards to the mother or (mothers) of the children, as well as the contact
relative in the US (both sisters Maria?). I've been trying to look at it for a few minutes
every time I get the chance to see if I can make sense of it, as well as continuing to search
for her family members' details. Learning more will bring me back around to knowing how all of
these names were related.
I'm still working on accurate death years for Both Frank and Rose. I know Frank passed away in
the mid-70's, and Rose a few years earlier. I'm really hoping my planned research trip back to
Pennsylvania will shed some light on details that are a bit difficult to uncover from afar.
The surname change was really throwing me off, since I didn't know from what it had been
changed. Your help has been invaluable.
I replied: The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) lists a Frank Geary, born 8
Oct 1896 and dying Aug 1978 in Florida. The SS card was issued in PA. There's another Frank
with card issued in PA, born 1 Apr 1894 and dying May of 1964 in PA. Do either of these makes
sense given what you know? I find nothing on Rose.
James replied: The first one is a strong possibility. The birth date fits and
the year of death is within the time-frame of the little information that I have.
Margaret replied to James' prior message: Yes, this manifest presents an unclear
family relationship, yet work this through and there is better understanding/interpretation.
Manifest: Lapland, arrived NYC, April 16, 1911 out of Antwerp
STEINER
#5 Maria (mother) age 50, widow, contact relative in old country, Maria Kis (sister) Kukmir
84, to Allentown, to son-in-law, Johann Arthofer, 536 Brick Street, Allentown
6 Theresia (daughter), age 35, housewife (to Egypt with children) to husband, Johann Steiner,
Box 113, Egypt
7 Julia (grand), age 19
8 Karolina, age 16 (naturalized 1939)
9 Rosina, age 15
10 Gustav, age 1
11 Theresia, age 6 (to parents, John Arthofer, 536 Brick Street, Allentown PA)
12 Maria ARTHOFER, age 4 to parents Samuel Steiner (NOT ON BOARD) (See second manifest entry
below)
Presumptions based on Lapland manifest:
Maria Steiner (widow)
#1 has a daughter married to John Arthofer of Allentown who is Theresia's (age 6) mother
(John's wife is Mary Steiner - see below)
#2 has a daughter, Theresia (age 35), married to John Steiner of Egypt, who are parents of
Julia, Karolina, Rosina and Gustav
#3 possibly has a son, Samuel Steiner who is Maria's (age 4) father.
#3 relationship is questionable. See entry below.
Found another entry for young Maria Arthofer on another page of the same Manifest. Here she is
listed as leaving her Aunt Maria Kis of Kukmer #84 and going to Allentown. Her father paid her
fare. Her father is listed as John Arthofer, 536 Brick Street, Allentown, traveling with her
grandmother Maria Steiner. It is probably that Maria's parent is not Samuel Steiner, but are
the John Arthofers. What this may mean is that Theresia, age 6 is the child of the Samuel
Steiners. Below is a possibility.
1920 census, Upper Saucon, Lehigh County
STEINER
Samuel, Head, homeowner, age 39, immig 1907, b. Hungary,
Theresia, wife, age 39, immig. 1907 b. Hungary
Theresia, daughter, age 15, b. Hungary
Samuel, son, age 5
In 1930 the Samuel Steiner family lives in Allentown on Second Street. Theresia is not living
with them and is possibly married at this time.
Revised presumptions based on both Lapland manifest entries:
#3 has a son Samuel Steiner who is Theresia's father
There is a John Arthofer living in Bethlehem (1918) whose wife is Mary Stina Arthofer (no
doubt Stina is meant to be Steiner). He is born march 17, 1885. In 1920 living in Upper Saucon
is widow Mary Arthofer, living with her children Mary, Frank, Lena, Elsie and Joseph, as well
as her mother Mary Steiner (68) who is likely the 50 year old Maria listed on the manifest.
Evidentally, the manifest age for Maria is oft somewhat or not clear enough. So John
Arthofer's wife is Maria Steiner. In 1930 there is a Mary Steiner, widowed, age 44 born in
Austria who lives in Allentown with children Frank (22), Elsie (17) and Joseph (15).
Hope this information is of help in clarifying the relationships.
Note: So, this one little thread, a Burgenland name that was not a Burgenland name,
provided the impetus for getting James close to solving the puzzle of his ancestry. He still
has work to do in records depositories to prove that he has found his true Burgenland
ancestral home towns, but I suspect the proof is there.
James, if you would, please write and let us know what you find. Regardless, welcome to the
Burgenland Bunch! |
|
2) VILLAGE ANOMALIES (by Fritz Königshofer)
Note: The following was a result of a discussion between many Staff members.
Wörterberg, Neudauberg and Burgauberg were anomalies in that they were clearly located in
Hungary (meanwhile Burgenland), but their parishes were across the river Lafnitz, the
long-time Hungarian border, in Styria. According to the Bezirksbuch Güssing, these areas of
scattered houses originally developed from the nearby Styrian towns, by people of these towns
starting to till land in the hills across the river and, subsequently, tending vineyards
there. Over the centuries, the situation sometimes escalated to arguments and feuds between
the Hungarian and Styrian domains about who owned the people and had the right to tax them.
For the Hungarian areas, tax sometimes had to be paid to both domains.
Births, marriages and deaths for the Hungarian areas (i.e., the "-bergs") were recorded in the
nearby Styrian parishes. Therefore, it does not look wrong at all to see both Burgau and
Burgauberg mentioned for the same recording, as any official certificate for a vital event in
Burgauberg would likely also mention the parish, which would be Burgau.
As for Wörterberg, its parish was sometimes in Hungary, but since 1819 it remained Wört in
Styria.
Starting with the year 1828, parishes belonging to the diocese of Szombathely had to submit,
on an annual basis, duplicates of their vital recordings. For South Burgenland, these were the
records LDS was able to microfilm. Margaret's find that LDS has a film with the recordings of
Burgauberg indicates that the Styrian parishes cooperated by submitting duplicates (to
Szombathely) of the records for the Hungarian areas. A check confirmed that LDS also has films
of the records of Neudauberg and Wörterberg. In Styria, the writing of duplicates for the
diocese Graz-Seckau started later, in the 1830s.
The original parish records of Burgau are either still at the parish, or they are at the
Diocesan Archive in Graz. These records likely include recordings for Burgauberg. The
originals also cover times before 1828, till well into the mid 1600s. For the genealogist it
is usually profitable to look at the originals, even if one has ferreted every bit of
information from the duplicates, because parish priests often wrote marginal comments into the
original records, such as on a subsequent marriage or death, name change, emigration, etc.
Starting October 1895, Hungary switched the official recording of vital events from the
Churches to civil recording. For the people of Burgauberg, civil recording was in Stegersbach
(Szentelek). LDS has filmed the duplicate civil records of Burgenland including Stegersbach
for the period of October 1895 till all of 1920. By the way, for Neudauberg and Wörterberg,
civil recording was in Stinatz.
In Austria, Churches continued to record vital events on behalf of the state until 1938. When
Burgenland came into existence in late 1921 as a new state of what remained of Austria,
official recording of vital events was one of many issues that needed to be addressed. As far
as I know, Burgenland kept the civil recording system.
As a conclusion, I believe that there is no error in the entries for the three -berg villages
in Albert's list. However, some information could be added there. I also believe that there is
a minor error in the LDS labeling of the pertinent microfilms. The three -berg villages never
were parishes. The source of their records were the Styrian parishes.
A bit later, also from Fritz:
Hackerberg should be added to the list of areas in Hungary, which had their RC parish in
Styria. The Bezirksbuch on Güssing (as well as Albert's list) state that the parish for
Hackerberg was Burgau, but mapwise Neudau seems closer. Maybe Burgau and Neudau were a double
parish. LDS does not list a film for Hackerberg. Perhaps, the duplicates were recorded with
Neudauberg or Burgauberg. Civil recording for Hackerberg was in Stinatz. |
| 
How tumultuous was the applause which greeted him! Bouquets were thrown at his feet! It was
a grand sight to see how calmly he, in his triumph, let the bouquets of flowers rain upon him
and then finally, gracefully smiling, placed a red camellia, which he had plucked from one of
the bouquets, in his buttonhole. Thus I thought, thus I explained Lisztomania to myself.
Heinrich Heine, Essays II
3) LISZTOMANIA 2011
 Child
prodigy, piano virtuoso, heartthrob and enchanter of Europe’s concert halls: Franz Liszt was
one of the most dazzling musical personalities of the Romantic era and the composer of a
gigantic oeuvre. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Liszt’s birth in Raiding, the
commemorative year Lisztomania 2011 is being staged in the province of Burgenland, with a
superlative programme of concerts at the Liszt Festival Raiding, six multi-facetted
exhibitions and a wide variety of special projects.
Even before Franz Liszt’s birth, there were intimations that his life would be exceptional: A
gypsy predicted to his mother Maria Anna Liszt – just at the time when the Great Comet of 1811
appeared in the sky – that the son she was to bear would achieve greatness. Franz, the son of
an overseer of the Esterházy sheep farm in Raiding, which at that time was part of Hungary,
displayed exceptional musical talent at an early age. Soon he was regarded as a child prodigy.
His father arranged for him to have his first piano instruction at the age of eleven with Carl
Czerny and Antonio Salieri in Vienna.
Franz Liszt developed into a European who was at home in Budapest, Paris, London, Weimar,
Bayreuth and Rome. He maintained active contacts with artists such as Richard Wagner, Frédéric
Chopin, Hector Berlioz and with the intellectuals of his day – a time which saw the rise of
the middle-class intelligentsia. But he was also deeply influenced by his religion. He
composed 800 works, which are still received with enthusiasm by audiences today.
“Lisztomania” is by no means a modern word creation. Heinrich Heine coined the term in
connection with the famous concert series presented by Franz Liszt in 1841/1842 in Berlin. The
piano virtuoso’s stage performances were legendary. “Le Concert c’est moi” – “The concert, it
is I,” wrote Franz Liszt on 4 June 1839 in a letter to Princess Christina Belgiojoso in Paris.
His appearances on stage were highly expressive, almost eccentric, rousing his audiences to
transports of enthusiasm, especially the ladies, whose adoration soared at times to hysterical
heights. He tossed his long mane of hair and struck the piano keys aggressively, sometimes
even breaking the hammers and strings. His audiences were so wildly enthralled that Franz
Liszt stopped having seats placed in the concert halls where he performed. He even had fan
articles distributed. These phenomena made him the first superstar in music history.
The Liszt Festival Raiding 2011 – Four Concert Blocks
Johannes und Eduard Kutrowatz, the artistic directors of the Liszt Festival Raiding, have set
a variety of focuses for 2011 at the Liszt Zentrum concert centre: a cycle of piano works, a
cycle of orchestral works, a cycle of lieder and vocal works, projects and world premieres, as
well as commemorative concerts. These will be presented in four blocks in January, March, June
and October. The opening concert on 27 January 2011 will also be the start of Lisztomania
2011.
Liszt Festival Raiding
Lisztstraße 46
A-7321 Raiding, Burgenland
www.lisztfestival.at
Exhibitions in 2011 – Six Venues
In the jubilee year, exhibitions at six separate venues in Eisenstadt and in Raiding in
central Burgenland – some of them unique original locations – will be devoted to the life and
work of the great composer from Burgenland. Each of the six exhibition modules celebrating the
20Oth anniversary of Liszt’s birth will have a very particular focus. Taken as a whole, the
exhibitions will not only present a picture of the composer’s life from his birth in 1811 to
his final years, but will also provide insights into a dazzling, complex personality: prodigy
and piano virtuoso, star performer and heartthrob, composer and renewer of music, European,
free thinker and clergyman.
Kultur-Service Burgenland GmbH
Glorietteallee 1
A-7000 Eisenstadt, Burgenland
www.kulturservice-burgenland.at
Special Projects all over Burgenland for Lisztomania 2011
The Cultural Department of the Province of Burgenland is acting as the coordinating centre for
special projects and initiatives that will be integrated into Lisztomania 2011.
Office of the Provincial Government of Burgenland – Dept. 7
(Amt der burgenländischen Landesregierung - Abt. 7)
Europaplatz 1
A-7000 Eisenstadt, Burgenland
www.burgenland.at
|
| 5) HISTORY OF THE JEWS IN BURGENLAND
Development
Jews were first mentioned in records on the territory of today’s Burgenland in the 13th
century. Especially in 1496, after the banishment of Jews from Styria and Carinthia in the
time of Emperor Maximilian I., and in 1526, when Jews were displaced from Sopron and other
Hungarian towns after the battle of Mohács, many displaced persons settled in then-Western
Hungary, today’s Burgenland.
 However,
the large increase in Jewish settlements and the start of a continuous populating of the
territory of today’s Burgenland did not take place until the expulsion of Jews from Vienna,
Lower and Upper Austria (1670/71) by Emperor Leopold I. in the second third of the 17th
century. In that way, some of Vienna’s displaced Jews were among the founders of the Jewish
community of Eisenstadt. Also at that time, the Jewish communities of Kittsee, Frauenkirchen
and Deutschkreutz were formed. Other Jewish villages – as Mattersdorf, Lackenbach and
Kobersdorf – were reerected in 1671. In today’s northern and middle Burgenland were developed,
under the protection of the Esterházy family, the so-called “Seven communities” (Hebrew:
“Sheva Kehillot”): Kittsee, Frauenkirchen, Eisenstadt, Mattersdorf (Mattersburg since 1924),
Kobersdorf, Lackenbach, and Deutschkreutz. Around the mid-18th century, alongside these
baronial Esterházy communities and the comital Esterházy community of Gattendorf, five other
Jewish communities, under protection of the barons and counts Batthyány, existed. In today’s
southern Burgenland, these were the communities of Rechnitz, Güssing and Stadtschlaining
(since 1929, due to emigration of Jews, only the subsidiary community of the newly established
community of Oberwart remained) and today, lying on Hungarian soil, are the communities of
Körmend and Nagykanisza.
The settlement of Jews in the respective areas was for economic reasons. So-called „charters
of protection“, which were consistently renewed, regulated under contract, explicitly, the
rights and duties of the subjects. The Jews had to pay protection fees regularly and gained in
return the protection from the lordship in times of crises.
With Joseph II’s Edict of Toleration in the second half of the 18th century, which
acknowledged more rights for Jews (professional licenses, lease permit of agricultural goods,
etc.), began the time of gradual equality. The revolution of 1848 ended the dependent
relationship of Jews with the landlords and thus the “Schutzjudenschaft” (“Protective Jewry”).
However, Jews still were not equal citizens. The process of social and legal approximation the
of Jews to the non-Jewish population was not completed on a legal level until 1867, with the
political and civil equality of Jews through the so-called “Compromise” (on March 15th, 1867,
a new constitution adjusted the relationship between Austria and Hungary in the Dual
Monarchy). From 1871, the Jews in Western Hungary could found politically autonomous
communities, but only the Jews of Eisenstadt were able to keep this political autonomy until
1938. The restrictive regulations for Jews regarding residence, settlement and land
acquisition were abolished simultaneously with the legal changes. This led in the mid-19th
century to migration and emigration from the western Hungarian region to small towns, and also
to Vienna, Graz and Budapest.
In the middle of the 19th century, more than 8,000 Jews lived on the territory of today’s
Burgenland. In some municipalities (e.g. Lackenbach) the percentage of Jewish population was
over 50%. In 1934, more than 4,000 Jews lived in this region.
1938
The Jews of Burgenland were struck much faster and stronger by the consequences of the
so-called “Anschluss”, the annexation of Austria into Greater Germany in March 1938, than the
Jews of other provinces. Through the Nazi laws’ coming into effect, the Jews of Austria were
without rights, homeless, and unpropertied. In Burgenland, they were banished and deported
literally overnight. Initiator of these changes particularly was the National Socialist
governor and later vice-Gauleiter of Styria, Dr. Tobias Portschy, who wanted to solve the
Gypsy question as well as the Jewish question with National Socialist consistency. But
countless party supporters and followers also contributed to the banishment of the Jews and
Aryanization of Austria.
The Jewish property was confiscated by the Nazi authorities and in many cases sold to non-Jews
well below its value. In the first days after March 12th, 1938, it was also neighbors and
local Nazi groups who seized the furniture and stores of Jewish houses and shops. A few weeks
later, the systematic expropriation of Jewish property was put under control of the Gestapo
and the Property Registration Office in Vienna and Graz.
The Jewish population had to leave Burgenland within a short time. Some fled to Vienna.
Efforts were made to try to take others abroad. It came to tragedies at border stations
because entry was often denied. Many were destitute and without a passport. These incidents at
the border led to international criticism, but the deportations continued, however, not abroad
any more but to Vienna.
According to statistics of the Jewish Community, 799 Burgenland Jews were in Vienna on June
17th, 1938. They had mainly come from the communities of Deutschkreutz, Lackenbach, and
Rechnitz. In July and August, 1938 began the great migration from Frauenkirchen and Kobersdorf
to Vienna. The Jews of Mattersburg followed in September, 1938 and the last Jews left
Eisenstadt in October, 1938. On November 30th, 1938, 1700 Burgenland Jews were counted in
Vienna. In early November, 1938, the Jewish Community’s weekly report announced that there
were no Jewish communities left in Burgenland. Those Jews from Burgenland who could not flee
from Vienna were deported to Poland in October 1939, in the spring and autumn of 1941 in the
concentration camps of Lodz, Riga, Minsk, and Ljublik, where they were murdered.
1945
After 1945 only a few Jewish families returned to their former home. The legislation allowed
the former owners to retrieve their property by the “compensation laws”. The procedure,
however, was slow and it took years and decades. Austria’s Jewish organizations consistently
lodged complaints with the government because the processing of these laws was only
half-hearted.
Today barely a dozen Jews live in Burgenland, scattered over the whole area.
The former Jewish culture only remains in construction debris, cemeteries, and some memorial
plaques. |
|
THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS No. 79
April 30, 2000
6.2) MORE ON SLOVENIA - COMMENT CONCERNING NEWSLETTER 77 (from Fritz
Königshofer)
As to the creation of Slovenia after WW-II as part of new Yugoslavia, I believe several
aspects could be added, though first of all, I am happy about the result of the
correspondence. There was this "windische" part of Vas county, south of Neuhaus am Klausenbach
and Felsöszölnök. Some ethnic Germans also lived there.
My great-grandfather Alois Koller, a teacher born in Rechnitz, had his first assignment as
teacher in Eberau, the next in Schauka (later called Eisenberg an der Pinka), then
Moschendorf, followed by a longer stay in Felsörönök, from where he went to Kismáriahavas,
which was Füchselsdorf in German, and is now called Fiksinci in Slovenia. As you can see, his
career spanned locations that later became Austria, or stayed in Hungary, or became
Slovenia/Yugoslavia, i.e., the whole gamut of Vas as it was divided up after WW-II.
After the breakup of the Monarchy, he and my great-grandmother stayed for a while with my
grandparents in Rauchwart, but then moved to Szombathely, probably because of their pension,
where they both died.
Not only is this Slovenian corner of old Vas county legit territory for the BB, I even believe
we should include the small area following in the southeast of it (Cakovec), in the triangle
between the Mur and Drau rivers, which belonged to old Zala county and is now part of Croatia.
The later Slovenian part of Vas did not border Carniola/Krain! It bordered the then much
larger Styria. Styria had a "windisch" part in its south called Unter-steiermark, or Lower
Styria, around the main towns of Marburg, Pettau and Cilli, with the Drau river in its middle
and extending down south to the Save river. Today, the Mur river forms part of the border
between Styria and Slovenia. When Slovenia emerged after WW-II, it also included a small part
of southeastern Carinthia (at the Drau river), and possibly parts of what was called the
Coastland (around Trieste). Therefore, Krain or Carniola formed only the core part of new
Slovenia, including its capital of Ljubljana, but several other pieces came from other
counties and provinces, including the southwestern corner of Vas county.
"Wenden" is a German term used to describe Slavs. The adjective form is "wendisch" or
"windisch." The Hungarian used the name "Tóth" to describe Slavs like Slovenians and Slovaks.
As far as I know, Slovenians don't appreciate the designation as Windische, and of their
language as "windisch" by the Austrians. However, there is no question that this is a term
with a history and a historical significance, based on an old German term to describe Slavs.
Editor: Fritz' second and third paragraphs epitomize why we include villages in
"immediately adjacent" areas: it is because these villages were part of the social and
economic areas of exchange for villages now within current-day Burgenland. To exclude these
villages is to exclude an important part of the societal fabric of the within-Burgenland
border villages. |
10
years later the revised and redesigned exhibition was presented again. The renewed “search for
evidence” shows that a lot has changed. Jewish cemeteries are maintained, new memorial plaques
and places commemorate the Jewish population in Burgenland. More and more scientists and
concerned persons attend to the topic. Nevertheless, there are still some things that have not
yet been processed and there is still some information missing to complete the image of the
Jewry in Burgenland.
All
along I've considered Slovenia (the former Empire Province of Carniola, later part of
Yugoslavia and now an independent country) to lay on the other side of Styria (south of
Radkersburg) and Carinthia (which it does) and, as such, not immediately bordering the
Burgenland. This disqualified it, in my mind, from being part of our research area, following
my philosophy of micro-genealogy which requires limiting our research area to Burgenland
proper and immediate border villages. I am now very embarrassed!
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