THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 6
ISSUED AS REQUIRED BY Gerald J. Berghold
Feb. 22, 1997
(all rights reserved)

This edition of the newsletter primarily concerns the organization
called the "Burgenländische Gemeinschaft" (Burgenland
Community), and downloading of three Heritage Quest Burgenland
magazine articles.


BURGENLÄNDISCHE GEMEINSCHAFT

There is much evidence to support the contention that most of our
Burgenland immigrants retained ties with the homeland ("Heimat").
Many families treasure letters and cards from overseas relatives.
These can be a wonderful source of genealogical data. In addition,
the immigrants frequently banded together in their new homes in
local organizations. Here they were among their "own", could speak
their ethnic language, get news from "home" and refresh their ethnic
ties. Many local "Liederkranz's", "Turner-Vereins", "Männer choirs",
Sängerbunds, Brüderschafts and other social clubs still exist
today. I am not aware of the formation of any international
Burgenland group; however, until the Burgenländische
Gemeinschaft (BG) was formed in 1956. The founder was one Toni
Lantos, a high school teacher in Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria.
The occupation of Austria had ended, a "new" neutral Austria had
been formed, another wave of emigration was in progress (to
Canada) and it was felt that closer ties with Burgenland emigrants
were desirable. Avowed purpose of the BG (still carried as part of
the newsletter mast head) was "to provide a voice to foster ties to
the homeland of Burgenlanders throughout the world". The first of
344 newsletters (the most recent was Nov.-Dec., 1996) was issued
that year. In 1961 the first annual international picnic was
organized and held at Güssing Castle. It is now an annual event,
held at various locales in the Burgenland and attracts many
overseas visitors. Dr. Lantos was elected first president of the BG
and Dr. Walter Dujmovits vice-president. Julius Gmoser succeeded
Lantos in 1961 and Dr. Dujmovits became president in 1985 and
continues to head the organization. He lives in Stegersbach, is an
educator (professor and head of the school system) in Güssing, an
authority and author of books and publications concerning
Burgenland migration and a senior civil servant (Hofrat). He edits
and writes many articles for the newsletter.

In 1975, the organization founded a travel bureau "BG-Reisen" in
Güssing in order to serve those who wished to travel to and from
the homeland. BG-Reisen is still active today.

It should be noted that there are Burgenlanders and descendants in
the United States, Hawaii, Canada, Switzerland, Styria (Austria),
South America and other places throughout the world. The office of
BG-Reisen also serves as headquarters of the BG. Frau Renate
Dolmanits is secretary. A visit here should be a must for anyone
visiting south Burgenland. Güssing was proclaimed "the City of
Burgenlanders Abroad" by governmental decree at Eisenstadt, 2
May 1966. This is probably one of the results of BG activities and
formation of the "Immigrants Museum" in Güssing by the BG in
1994.

Although for the most part written in German, the BG newsletter
(issued 6 times a year) has a number of permanent features which
can be of value to Burgenland genealogists and which are not
difficult to translate. There are local pictures, short descriptions of
cities inhabited by immigrants, news of BG activities (picnics,
meetings, dedication of memorials to immigrants), special features,
news and pictures of group activities throughout the world, short
news items from all Burgenland villages in alpha order ("Chronik
Der Heimat"), a list of Burgenländisch words ("the old Heinzen" or
German dialect somewhat like Pennsylvania-Dutch), featured
emigration stories, publication of Burgenland books available
through the BG, sporting events, "the cooking of Burgenland"-in
English, and local remembrance ("Erinnerungen") pictures. Generally
16 pages of glossy print with the Burgenland coat of arms as part
of the masthead, the newsletter is mailed via surface mail.

To join the BG and receive the newsletter, send $15 (check drawn
on a US bank will be accepted) to: Burgenländische Gemeinschaft,
BG Reisen, Hauptplatz 7, 7540 Güssing, Austria. Supply your
address and remember to renew every year. You won't be reminded
of renewal by the BG except through a short blurb in German in the
newsletter once a year.


HELP FROM RELATIVES - from Sue Straw:

"My great-aunt Frances sent me a yellowing document this week "in
case it might help". It was prepared for a family reunion in 1963 in
Cleveland. It listed my great-grandfather's four surviving siblings
and all their descendants, all of them now in America! It was like
hitting the mother lode! The names I'd been researching suddenly
became real -- real people who lived to adulthood and came to
America and had families of their own. I now have the names of
hundreds of relatives here in the States, people I never knew
existed."

This prompts me to write: Many of us are so enthralled with trying
to get back to Adam & Eve that we ignore checking out siblings and
descendants. I reached a 1690 dead end in Burgenland some time
ago in my backwards search and decided to send letters to all of
the Bergholds in the Allentown, PA phone book. Many "no
answers", but 3 interested parties did contact me and the deluge
started (I bribed them with the promise of a genealogy, which I
eventually delivered). I now have 586 descendants of my
Poppendorf, Burgenland great grandparents Berghold- Neubauer as
well as descendants of their siblings and my genealogy has grown
fat around the middle. Took about 3 years and increased my family
knowledge considerably. If you haven't gone this route, you might
consider it.


HERITAGE QUEST ARTICLES BY YOURS TRULY (GJB)

During 1993-94, I wrote three articles concerning Burgenland
genealogy. These were published in Heritage Quest magazine under
my by-line and copyright. Since they deal exclusively with the
Burgenland (the last article concerns Burgenland immigrants to
PA), I've already sent some copies to a few of the bunch. Hap
Anderson suggested I make them available for down loading
through my America On Line, File Transfer Protocol place (My
Place). He also put a link in the Burgenland Homepage. If you have
not seen all of articles, they can be downloaded by accessing our
Homepage.


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