Historical Perspective

The “Auswanderung” (emigration) of Burgenländers from Austria started in the 1880’s. In the early years, up until 1900, the number of people who migrated was rather small. This migration, which has been referred to as the “Siedlungswanderung” (settlement migration), mostly consisted of families from northern Burgenland who went to Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas, where land was cheap. While most of these new immigrants continued working as farmers, some worked on the transcontinental railroad, which was under construction at that time.

The second migration, which is sometimes referred to as the “Industriewanderung” (industrial migration), was the larger emigation from Burgenland. It consisted of two major exoduses. The first major wave of emigration began around the turn of the century and lasted until the start of World War I. Most of these emigrants went to the Midwest to places like Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, etc., or ended up living in Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley and Pittsburgh areas.

The bulk of the Burgenländers who came to the United States after World War I in the 1920’s and 1930’s, which constituted the second major emigration wave from Austria, mainly settled in the New York and New Jersey areas. A large cluster of these emigrants became apartment dwellers in Passaic and Clifton in New Jersey and the German-speaking Yorkville section of Manhattan in New York City.

The immigrant Burgenländers were an industrious people. The men worked in cement mills or textile factories or became bakers, carpenters, brewery workers, small business owners, etc. and the women often did housework to supplement the family’s income. While most of them came to love their newly-adopted country, they never forgot their roots and the “Heimatland” (homeland). Throughout their lives, they often socialized with one another and maintained the traditions of their birth land.

Many are now gone. They have passed on to their eternal life. Often, they are buried in small groups alongside other Burgenländers with whom they shared their lives. These courageous people, who left the security of their homes and families to make a better life for themselves, should not be forgotten.

Remembrance Lists of deceased Burgenländers from Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North and South Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Canada are included on this website for this purpose, along with some detail on burial locations where such information was available. People are encouraged to provide similar information for their Burgenland ancestors, if they are not already included, as a way to recognize and honor their heritage.

Frank Paukowits, Website Organizer

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