BB News No. 82 dtd 15 Jun 2000

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 82 DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (issued biweekly by Gerald Berghold) June 15, 2000 (all rights reserved) "I don't know where I'm, going, but I know something of where I came from!" Note to recipients. If you don't want to receive Burgenland Bunch newsletters, use the Member Forms to change your status. We can't help with non-Burgenland family history. Comments and articles are appreciated. Please add your name to email, otherwise we must search membership lists. Our staff and web-site addresses are listed at the end of newsletter section "B". Introductions, notes and articles without a by-line are written by the editor. This first section of the 3-section newsletter contains the articles: - Otto Habsburg Visits Rotenturm - Friedrich Fischer's Death in Köszeg - Persistence Pays Off & Jordan Street - Allentown PA - The Angels Smiled - A Trip Report - Illmitz, Apetlon & Pamhagen - Ethnic Cleansing Destinations & Zanegg - Translating Names & Ancestral Stories. OTTO HABSBURG VISITS ROTENTURM (from Albert Schuch) When 88-year-old Otto von Habsburg, son of Austria's last Emperor, Karl, and his wife Regina recently (May 2000) visited the town of Rotenturm in Southern Burgenland, even the town's long-time socialist mayor, Franz Pomper, declared this to be the finest hour of his political career - during which career, amongst other things, he has been a member of parliament and chairman of the "Bundesrat" (one of the two chambers of the Austrian parliament). Mayor Pomper proudly presented Otto von Habsburg with a new version of the document in which the head of the Habsburg family had been awarded honorary citizenship of Rotenturm in 1935. Otto was also able to see the chair in which his father had been crowned King of Hungary in Budapest on 30 Dec 1916, which is kept as a special treasure by the local Catholic church. Emperor and King Karl had passed through Rotenturm when he tried to regain power and reestablish a monarchy in Hungary in 1921. He had crossed the Styrian border with the help, and in the company of, Count Thomas Erdödy (who was the landlord of Rotenturm). FRIEDRICH FISCHER'S DEATH IN KÖSZEG (Fritz Königshofer writes to Viktor Fischer) Viktor, I am having a one-day stopover in Budapest on the way from Kazakhstan to Albania. I visited the National Library and did some checking. Among others, I found they have hardcopies of the Günser Zeitung of the pre-WW-II years, 1931 till 1938. The issue of February 28, 1937, indeed has an article about the death of your grandfather. I'll send you a complete transcription once I find time for it, but the essence is that Friedrich Gratzl [sic], youngest son of the late mill owner Johann Gratzl, died on Wednesday (which I believe would have been February 24, 1937) after a long bout with "Lungensucht" (tuberculosis, galloping consumption, phthisis). His age was 43. He was a "Diurnist" or "Beamter" at the Realschule of Köszeg. He left behind a widow and five underage children. Perhaps Albert Schuch (whom I copy) could enlighten the term "Diurnist." The term has come completely out of use in today's German. I believe it had two meanings, namely either a day-laborer (not applicable in this case) or an office employee or scribe, something equal to or less than a "Kanzlist" (office holder), but similar. [Ed: Austro-Hungarian term for an employee on a daily subsistence allowance who took care of paperwork and made copies of documents.] Perhaps, he had the title as he was no longer able to work as a teacher due to his illness. Realschule was an Austro-Hungarian term for a high school with technical orientation (i.e., less emphasis on liberal arts and languages than a grammar school). PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF (Phyllis Sauerzopf and Angela Latta) & JORDAN STREET, ALLENTOWN, PA (GJB) Good news! Down below is a message from Angela Latta. The John Troutman that the Sacred Heart Church (Allentown, PA) told her about IS him!!!! That is surprising that the name was changed to Troutman! A newly found cousin of Angela's from Oberwart did mention his wife to be Christina, even though the church records list her as Justina. This is wonderful news for the family. Their grandfather's grave has been found!!!! Thanks for your help. Phyllis Sauerzopf ANGELA LATTA writes: Phyllis, ...Also received the death certificate re Frank Troutman, and it's him!!! People often mistake Traupman for Troutman, or maybe he too changed his name to Trautman! Well, wife is listed as Christina (meaning Justina), birth date is Dec. 31, 1875, should be 1874. Birthplace: Austria. Died: Dec. 17, 1945 at age 69 (2 weeks before his 70th birthday). Informant's signature: John Troutman, Bob's father! Looks like he died at 458 N. Jordan St., Allentown, PA. I wonder if that's a hospital or nursing home. EDITOR'S BREAK - JORDAN STREET, ALLENTOWN: (Ed. Note - I grew up at 621 N. Jordan St. No. 458 is a row house on the left side of the street heading north between Gordon & Liberty Streets, across from the Jute Mill (rope and twine) on the site of what was a prison camp for Hessian soldiers following the Battle of Trenton. Nice row homes up rather high with a double set of concrete steps with iron railings going up to nice porches. A tree-lined (horse chestnuts and maples) street, which once had trolley tracks in the middle for the Seventh Street Loop, which came east on Washington St. to Jordan, traveled south on Jordan and then turned west at Gordon Street heading "downtown." Before the Jute Mill was built (red brick with a green cast iron fence and heavy screened windows), the view would have been toward the Jordan Creek Valley, looking across to Horlacher's Brewery. This valley was prone to flooding but contained the main lines of both the Lehigh Valley and Reading Railroads. Between Jordan Creek and the Lehigh River were Allentown's main ethnic neighborhoods, with spillover to Jordan Street and as far west as 5th Street and a few streets on the east side east of the Lehigh River. Bridges over the Jordan were at Tilghman, Gordon, Linden and Hamilton Streets. Over the Lehigh, they were at Tilghman (Union Boulevard) and Hamilton. On the NE corner of Gordon and Jordan Streets was a cast-iron horse trough with a drinking fountain. As kids we'd drift there on hot summer days to splash water and have a cool drink. We'd fish for suckers under the creek bridges. The Mill was a kids' source of rope ends and odd bits of lumber to make skate scooters. We'd return home by walking the Lehigh Valley Railroad double tracks behind the mill, sometimes dodging the "Black Diamond Canadian Limited" on the way to Toronto and the many local freight trains carrying lots of coal. All seven blocks of Jordan Street from Hamilton Street to Tilghman Street contained many Burgenland families. From Tilghman Street north was mostly Italian with only a sprinkling of Burgenland immigrants. This Jordan street area was like an ethnic village (it could have been called "Jordansdorf") with many ethnic taverns (6), clubs (3), butcher shops (6), mom & pop stores (5) and bakeries (2) on neighboring streets in the immediate area. One A&P at 4th & Allen. There were 2 movie theaters (Franklin and Towne and four fast-food (hot dog-soda-ice cream) shops (Ralph's, Marco's, Yocco's and one that was always changing hands) within easy walking distance. Two churches served the area, Catholic Sacred Heart of Jesus, 4th & Gordon, Dubbs Memorial Reformed, 5th & Allen, and many Lutherans attended St. Peters Lutheran on Ridge Avenue some distance east. There was a cigar factory (White Owl) at 4th & Green and 2 Textile Mills, Sondra at Jordan & Allen and Royal at Jordan & Tilghman. One school, the Allen Public School (later a Catholic elementary school) at 4th & Allen. Other schools (including Allentown Central Catholic High School) and churches were within walking distance. Except for not having a Gemeideamt, and the many city amenities and lack of agriculture, it was very close to being a Burgenland community, at least in spirit. The streets and shops resounded with south-Burgenland German. (END OF EDITOR'S BREAK) ANGELA LATTA continues: Burial, Dec 20, 1945, Sacred Heart, Allentown. Occupation: Ashman, owned the business. What's that? Ashman. One who collects ash? (Ed. Note - Yes, most homes were heated by coal so there was lots of ash. The city would collect trash and wrapped garbage but not ash. You put your ashes out in a container and the ashman would pick them up and dump them in his truck and cart them away. We dumped ours in the field behind our house to build up the bank supporting our yard wall and also added some to the garden.) Well, when I called Sacred Heart Church, they had a Frank Troutman listed, the only one with a name sounding like that. No Traupman. So it must be him!!! The church gave me the location of the grave. I know I have it in one of my books. Apparently there's a person at the cemetery in the late AM, and early PM that will be happy to show us where the grave is. We just need to give the location details, and he/she will know where it is. Well, we found it! Hallelujah!! Bob is going to be really excited! ...Angela THE ANGELS SMILED - A TRIP REPORT - ILLMITZ, APETLON and PAMHAGEN - SOURCE OF NAME TSCHIDA (by Kathleen Kelly) Ed. Note: In Newsletter no. 81B, in an article about first trips to the Burgenland, I mentioned that if you go unprepared, your chances of success will not be good. I also said that I knew of members who got lucky and ran into help. When this happened, I said the angels smiled. Here is such a case. Kathleen Kelly writes: I wanted to let you know that I was briefly in Austria -- 4 days in Vienna and 3 days exploring Illmitz, Apetlon and Pamhagen, the villages my maternal g-grandparents came from. This was an unexpected trip, and I have to thank Bob Unger who posted the Austrian Airlines ("AA") special in the BB Newsletter. I attended a wedding in Washington DC and, just before leaving for the event, I found out that I had a break in my case load that gave me some free time. I secured a flight on AA and one week later I was in Austria. (Because the trip came about so quickly I was not as prepared for research as I would have liked to have been.) The trip highlight was visiting the Burgenland villages. I stayed in Illmitz, which is a charming place and full of tourists who partake of the various boating and outdoor activities near Neusiedl am See, including bird watching. Upon arrival, I walked around town and met a lovely woman, Paula Adrian, who works at the Kunstwerkhaus in the center of town. She immediately enlisted to help me find out about my ancestors, and meet as many people as possible. That same day she introduced me to two other townspeople and, by breakfast the next morning, the family who run the Pension where I stayed, Familie Klein, had learned of my interest in the area and they took me to the Gemeinde, and to visit the parish priest. The latter was able to locate my g-grandmother's baptism records and give me the address of where she lived. Later the Klein's researched what that address corresponded to now and it turned out it was directly across from the church and the house built on the site in 1930 has been enlarged to include a store. The current owner, Peter Klus, took me through the entire property and gave me a history of it. He also knew of Prof. Walter Dujmovits in S. Burgenland. As everyone else who has traveled to Burgenland has found, the people were so kind, helpful and hospitable. I was invited to several homes, people drove me around the area, I was given photographs of Apetlon from 1902, and they all asked me to come back and stay longer. Paula drove me to Pamhagen one day. There is no public transportation from Illmitz to Pamhagen, the most rural of the three villages I visited, and it seemed a little forgotten in time. The Gemeindeamt there is open only Friday 9 am to noon. There is currently no parish priest; he was suspended due to "problems with women." A woman I met in the village offered to do some research for me and asked me to send her as much information as possible. I had lunch in the Wirtshaus zum Turkenturm where I meet more people. The owner, Herr Steiner, is an amateur historian and he gave me photocopies of an old map of the area, of the local history, and he explained that the origin of most of the people in Pamhagen is from the Bayern - Allgav region, etc. (Bavaria). He told me an interesting story of how he had researched the origins of the name Tschida, which is Hungarian. During the second Turkish invasion in the 17th century, the Turks kidnapped children as they traveled toward the gates of Vienna (some children could also be from "the door of Vienna"). They used these children as cow herders, milk maids, etc. When the Turks retreated and had no further need for the children, they abandoned them. The children were nameless and no one knew where they came from. The Hungarians called them "tschidas or csidas" which means "man on a horse" or "rider" referring to these Turkish horsemen. Apparently the Turks also "drafted" non-Muslim young men to educate and train them to serve as officials of the Ottoman Empire. These were often the sons of poor shepherds and herdsmen who were very proud they advanced in the Empire based on merit and achievement, and not due to the chance of birth. If you would like additional information, or comments, please let me know. I am leaving town today and I will be back June 9th. I want to thank you and all the other BB contributors for the outstanding work you do. I have learned a great deal through the newsletters, and other members have been very generous with their help and comments. I am delighted I found the BB! Thank you again. Kindest regards, Kathleen Kelly. ETHNIC CLEANSING DESTINATIONS & ZANEGG (from Larry Zierhut) In the last newsletter Robert Hayes writes about the "ethnic cleansing" that took place in the former towns of St. Peter & St. Johann, Hungary. I too have relatives that were removed from that area after WW-II. I would like to relate some information that might be helpful to other BB members that had relatives from that area. After WW-I, the area of west Hungary where ethic Germans lived was detached from Hungary and became the Austrian province of Burgenland. In the northern part of this area the proposed boundary was to extend father east than the current Austrian - Hungarian border. What happened was the new Czechoslovak government wanted to insure that it had rail access to the south and to the ports on the Adriatic. It did this by demanding that one of the rail lines from Bratislava was to run through Austria and one through Hungary so neither nation would have complete control of rail commerce. The rail line that was to be in Hungary ran through St. Peter - St. Johann. This meant that these towns and others along that line and eastward were to remain in Hungary even though ethnic Germans populated them. In total, this left some dozen villages and some 20,000 Germans in Hungary. The following is a list of those villages with their German and Hungarian names: German Towns Karlburg - Oroszvär, Ragendorf - Rajka, Straß-Sommerein - Hegyeshalom, Kaltenstein - Levél, Wieselburg - Moson, Maria-Gahling - Máriakálnok, Ungarish Kimling - Magyarkimle, Zanegg - Mosonszolnok, St. Peter - Szt. Péter, St.Johann - Szt. Jänos. Croatian Towns Sarndorf - Csuny, Pallersdorf - Bezeneye, Kroatisch Kimling - Horvätkimle Hungarian Towns Wüstsommerein - Pusztasomorja Mixed German - Hungarian Ungarisch Altenburg - Magyaróvär During WW-II, this population was largely left alone at first, except for recruiting drives for volunteers for military service. In 1944, the demand for soldiers required that men be drafted. They had their choice of service either in the Hungarian army or in the German Waffen SS. Most seemed to choose for service in the German Waffen SS, where they largely served on the eastern front. After WW-II, the Germans that were living in that part of Hungary were ethnically cleansed. There were some 10 transports that removed them in April 1946. They were only allowed a suitcase for their possessions. Everything else (homes, property, livestock, etc.) was confiscated without compensation. A list of these transports and their destination is as follows. 1. 12 April 1946 from Zanegg, Hungary to north Baden, Germany (Kreis Mosbach) 2. 14 April 1946 from Zanegg, Hungary to north Württemberg, Germany (Kreis Böblingen) 3. 17 April 1946 from Zanegg, Hungary to north Württemberg, Germany( Kreis Crailsheim) 4. 19 April 1946 from Zanegg, Hungary to north Württemberg, Germany (Kreis Heilbronn) 5. 20 April 1946 from St. Peter, St. Johann to north Württemberg, Germany (Kreis Ludwigsburg) 6. 23 April 1946 from St. Peter, St. Johann to north Württemberg, Germany (Kreis Sinsheim) 7. 24 April 1946 from St. Johann to north Baden, Germany (Kreis Öhringen) & north Württemberg, Germany (Kreis Esslingen) 8. 25 April 1946 from St. Johann, Hungary to north Baden, Germany (Kreis Tauberbischofsheim) 9. 15 May 1946 from Straß-Sommerein, Hungary with people from Ragendorf, Karlburg, Kaltenstein, Straß-Sommerin and Wieselburg to Bavaria, Germany (Kreis Karlstadt) and Hessen, Germany (Kreis Schwalbach/Hünfelden 10. 20 May 1946 from Wieselburg with people from Leiden, Ungarisch Altenburg and any remaining people to Hessen, Germany (Kreis Eschwege) Along with these transports, many people had already fled the area to Austria and Germany when the Russians approached near the end of WW-II and many moved into Burgenland to be with relatives before the forced deportation. In all, some 20,000 people were cleansed from this part of Hungary. Many of these DPs still reside in the areas they were transported to. A search of the German phone directories in these areas will probably disclose where these people currently are. There is a positive side to all of this. Since these people lost everything when they were removed, there has been an effort to record their past history and that of their 'lost' villages. As a result there are many publications on the history and genealogy of these towns. These are of great help to anyone researching this area. One of these publications is where I got my information. As I mention in my e-mail, many publications were generated by these refugees from Hungary in order to preserve their history. Some of these books are listed in the Donauschwaben Heimatbucher site on the web. Some of the books I used for information are: "Der Heideboden" by Johann Neuberger a 32-page booklet about the region in Wieselburg (Moson) county, Hungary that includes all of the 'lost' villages. Another booklet (50 pages) I have was published on the dedication of a monument in Germany on the 50th Annniversary of deportation of all these ethnic Germans from this region in Hungary. This is the source that lists the trains and to what county in Germany these people were sent. A booklet by Johann Neuberger on the origin and meaning of the family names in the town of Zanegg. The second most useful book I have is "Das Was Zanegg" by Johann Neuberger. This is a very comprehensive work on Zanegg (Mosonszolnok). It covers the history of the town, with many pictures of the people and buildings. Some of the features that I have found most useful are: 1) complete listings of the tax roll censuses of 1546, 1552, 1566, 1670, 1700, 1770 & 1849. 2) An explanation of the terms used in the church records and how the Latin, German and Hungarian terms match up. 3) A complete listing of the houses in 1946, who was living in them then and to what town in Germany these people were deported to. The most useful book I have is "Familienbuch" Zanegg" by Matthias Brasch and Mathias Kohlmann. It has the genealogies of all the families that were living in Zanegg in 1946, back to about 1800. What is nice here, is I now have data that extends beyond the 1895 cutoff of LDS records from Hungary. Larry Zierhut TRANSLATING NAMES TO EVOLVE POSSIBLE ROMANTIC ANCESTRAL STORIES In the absence of the facts, based purely on a translation of our names, we often have a tendency to evolve all sorts of romantic stories about our ancestry. We also have family traditions, stories and myths, which may have a kernel of truth but which have been embellished by succeeding generations. We then add these to a pseudo-onamastic (science of names) definition of our name. We often hear the tales about the daughter who loved the young aristocrat and had to flee wrathful parents, the scion of an old but poor ennobled family who went off to seek his fortune, the former aid to a King or Emperor, the son of a noble who had to flee, the one who had to flee for political reasons, the maid or servant to a countess seduced by the count, the ones who followed their lovers and so forth. However, it is often in onomastic translation alone that we can make up the wildest stories and pass them to succeeding generations, where they soon become gospel. "My grandfather told me that" has such a ring of truth! We generally base our conjecture on definitions of names found in well-meaning but often misleading "books of names." We forget that 500 or more years may have passed since someone first assumed our present name (surnames for the lower classes were mostly taken in the 1500's). In 25 or more generations, what could not have changed from the situation, place or occupation which established that first name? Maybe that first Müller was a miller (or worked for one), but did his descendants work as millers? To say "my ancestors had flour mills" based on translation alone is absurd! Were all the Smiths metalsmiths? Certainly not. In my early youth, fed on a reader's diet of the stories of Robert Louis Stevenson and other romantic authors, and knowing my people had an Alpine connection, I evolved a story where the Bergholds were robber barons exacting tolls from travelers in the mountain passes. "Berg" for mountain and "Hold" for fortified place. What else could the name mean? Later, when I learned a little more German, I came up with "heroes on the hill" (Berg-Helden); doesn't that have a nice Rudyard Kipling connotation! Nice stories but just that, stories. The reality is much simpler and much less romantic. I found that the Bergholds were lowland vineyard workers or mountain pastoralists. They tended grapes or herded sheep, goats and cattle and probably lived in a small hut in the mountains. The fortunate ones did own small vineyards. More "Heidi" story than "Kidnapped" or "Puck of Pooks Hill." No claims to a romantic background unless you consider the slopes of the Alps romantic - "Sound of Music" places. We must remember, whether we like it or not, that the majority of our ancestors were peasants, small holders or, at best, artisans, and left the old country for mainly economic reasons. As such they were on the bottom rung of the social scale (albeit on the top rung of the courage scale). Very, very few had any social standing or involvement in matters of great moment. If they had much social standing or property, they didn't emigrate! This means that we should dig for the facts rather than get involved in pseudo-researched conjecture. In doing so, we may find that the facts are even stranger than fiction. The Bergholds, for instance turned out to be Lutheran religious refugees from Styria or Lower Austria and, at first, were mostly day laborers or small holders. One did attack government agents during the "commisierung" and, fearful of being hung, committed suicide as a result. Something of a hero in his small community for defying a government edict that was placing a burden on the lower classes. Another was caught smuggling (customs fees between Hungary and Austria were intolerable) and paid a huge fine, but still made enough money to give up his blacksmith job and build a Gasthaus, which still exists. Another was a schoolteacher who belabored officials to improve teaching conditions and was successful. Another was a retired school teacher who died under mysterious circumstances still remembered by villagers many years later. The Bergholds greatest claims to fame were that some served in the capacity of "Richter" of the tiny village of Poppendorf and held minor positions of authority within the local church or community organizations. All well-documented cases of the normal everyday life of inhabitants of a community, very similar to what most of us do today. This is not to say that there are no romantic backgrounds. Over the many centuries involved in our research and given the many people and situations that arose, there certainly must be some. However, we should dig for the facts, document them and pass them on to our descendants before they are lost to our families forever. Join a group like the Burgenland Bunch and research the true story of your ancestors. Much better than evolving a story without facts which your great-grandchildren will quote as gospel. (newsletter continues as no. 82A) THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 82A DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (issued biweekly by Gerald Berghold) June 15, 2000 This second section of the 3 section newsletter contains: - Helpful Hints About Travel In Burgenland, Austria, by Bob Unger.

HELPFUL HINTS ABOUT TRAVEL IN BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA (by Robert F. Unger, 22 January 2000) [Editor: We have been receiving so many requests for such information that we bring you this general guide. We can't compete with commercial travel guides and suggest you also purchase a few to plan your trip. This guide is directed toward what those guides won't tell you. We also suggest that you refer to the many trip reports, which you'll find in our archives. We can't bring you personal advice for all villages and regions, space is limited, so check our archives, URL lists and trip reports for more information. This article is in two parts, the second part will be found in newsletter no. 82B.] PART I The ultimate goal for many Burgenland Bunch members is to visit the land of our ancestors. The purpose of this article is to offer helpful hints, based on lessons learned, to assist others to plan and experience first-hand what Burgenland has to offer. Our ancestors came to America for many different reasons. Often their goal was to save money and then return (about 25 % did). Many did not return, choosing instead to remain in the USA. Now, several generations later, many of their descendants find themselves experiencing the urge to visit the homeland of their forefathers. One popular Austrian, Arnold Schwartzanegger, frequently states "I'll be back." Many of those descendants, once they do visit Burgenland, find they have the urge to go back again and again. Burgenland however, has begun to experience many changes, primarily due to Austria's participation in the new European Community, and we suggest that you plan to visit soon, before all trace of the old lifestyle disappears. Many previously remote villages are experiencing burgeoning traffic as commercialism and tourism grows. Property values are climbing as more and more urban dwellers discover the natural beauty and quiet of the country side. Old peasant homes are being modernized for weekend retreats. So take the opportunity to visit Burgenland as soon as possible to "walk" in the foot steps of your ancestors and envision the life-style of the past. It is difficult to put into words the feelings of love my wife and I have for our new found family and the people of Austria. They are so friendly, so helpful, so wonderful, so Austrian. My wife calls Austria "The Fairytale Land." What better can one say? Following are 15 topics associated with a trip to Burgenland, listed and then discussed later in detail. These hints evolved over many years and I share them with you in the hope that you will also find them helpful. Feel free to comment and offer suggestions; we'll update them for the benefit of members. 1. Air Travel 2. Attractions (Recommended places to see) 3. Austrian culture 4. Clothing + misc. 5. Currency 6. Genealogical research 7. Gifts 8. Language 9. Lodging 10. Luggage 11. Reference material 12. Meals 13. Photography 14. Planning 15. Transportation 1. Air Travel: Austria has two international airports, the larger of which is Vienna, plus Graz, and 54 smaller airports. Recent news tells us that United Airlines may become Austrian Airlines new partner in the year 2000, replacing Delta Airlines. An alternative plan, with a possible 50% savings, is to fly into Munich, rent a car, and then drive to Burgenland. Munich is 280 miles west of Vienna. Also, Salzburg is located only 82 miles (136 km) southeast of Munich, and a fine place to visit on your way to or from Burgenland. Check with the major airlines for the best deals. Austrian Airlines now (June 2000) offers direct flights Washington, DC (Dulles) to Vienna. What better way to visit Austria than using Austrian Airlines! On our second trip to Austria we flew into and out of Munich. On the night prior to departure for home from Munich, we found a very nice, inexpensive gasthaus north of the Munich airport in the outskirts of the town of Landshut. This arrangement is highly recommended, since it makes for a short, easy trip to the airport and a chance to relax before the flight. 2. Attractions: There are many very interesting places to visit in Burgenland, but there is limited advertising. One can easily drive through an area and miss many wonderful attractions because there are no large signs. Listed here are some that I have personally found very interesting. Northern region, (supplied by editor), Rust, Mörbish am See, Frauenkirchen, Eisenstadt, Sankt Margarethen and Forchtenstein. See archives for articles. Middle region, Bernstein, Bernstein Castle, in the town of Bernstein, on route #50, Bob Unger: I consider the Bernstein Castle one of the jewels of Burgenland. My wife and I discovered this fascinating place in '97 and stayed during our '97 visit and again in '98. This medieval castle, built in the 12th century, became a hotel in 1953. Its hilltop location gives it a birds-eye view of the peaceful Tauchen Valley, just west of the village of Bernstein. The rooms, which tend to be huge, are furnished with antiques and heated by traditional ceramic stoves. Meals are served with regional wines in a Baroque style baronial hall. A tour of the grounds is an added thrill. So, if you want to spend a night in a real castle, I highly recommend Bernstein Castle. The castle has many rooms, but only a few are offered for rent, so call ahead for reservations. The food is excellent. There is no menu - they serve a special for the day. Consult the Burgenland Tourist bureau web site for the latest information and pricing. While at the Bernstein Castle, visit the jade(edelserpentine) museum, located at the foot of the road leading to the Bernstein Castle. Southern region, Geresdorf, Geresdorf outdoor museum, 8 km west of Güssing: This Freilichtmuseum (outdoor museum) is a treasure. Old buildings from the surrounding area have been moved to this location to serve as examples to demonstrate the Burgenland life style of years long past. Each building contains items used during a specific time period. You can easily envision how our Burgenland ancestors once lived. On the day of our visit we were the only visitors, admission, 40AS each, or about $3.33. Southern region, Mogersdorf, Mogersdorf Museum, 8 km south of Eltendorf, Bob Unger: Following is a translation from a brochure we received during our visit. "Mogersdorf is a small market-community in the southern Burgenland, located about 8 km south of Eltendorf. It is a historically significant place because on 1 August 1664 a united Christian army defeated a far superior number of Turks. Memorials remind of this important battle. This battle ground is located on the Burgenland, Austrian-Hungarian border, and the site is often used for national and international meetings and activities..." My impression of Mogersdorf was of a very beautiful community park with much historical significance. It offers a fantastic view of Hungary. Housed in the museum is a large display representing the great battle that took place in 1664. Using lights of different colors they portray the sequence of events that took place during this battle. It is also an excellent site for a picnic lunch. (Call ahead to find the hours when the museum building is open. Telephone # 03325/8200) Southern region, Moschendorf, Wine Museum, located about 12 km east of Güssing, Bob Unger: The wine museum at Moschendorf, Burgenland is about 1/2 km from the Hungarian border. No wine is made at this facility, but they have a large wine tasting room, a large area for drinking wine, and a large wine cellar where different wines of the area are displayed and sold. Located in the tasting room is an old wine press, illustrating how wine was made many years ago. On the subject of wine, newsletter #70 provided comments by Burgenland Bunch member Fritz Konigshofer: "Another special treat is the very fresh, still opaque wine, barely fermented, called "Sturm." Also try to drink an uhudler, a Burgenland wine specialty, i.e., a wine from direct rootstock (ungrafted) vines. Southern region, St. Michael - Schulstraße 12, Landtechnische Museum,located about 10 km NW of Güssing, Bob Unger: The museum had a brochure, written in German. Following is a literal translation: "In the southern Burgenland...we find an abundance of samples of agricultural technology in the Landtechnische Museum Burgenland in St. Michael. District Güssing. Over two centuries of technical development...The country museum introduces us to the everyday life, the hard rural working world of the past." I consider this museum one of the best in Europe. They have examples of items our ancestors used during their every day lives. 3. Austrian Culture: When I first learned that my ancestors came from Austria, my interest focused on Austrian culture, history, people, etc. I found a U.S. Government Printing Office book entitled "Austria, a Country Study." It provided much information. To order this book go to <orders.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/sale/prf/prffield.html> and in the <search terms box> type "Austria a Country Study"; US price: US $22.00. In 1997 I found that an Elderhostel program offered a course on Austrian history, taught in Austria, per student cost $2,748,including travel expenses, food and lodging. In May 1997 my wife and I enrolled in this course which involved one week in Vienna and one week in Salzburg. The Elderhostel program allowed us to extend our stay in Austria so that we could visit Burgenland on our own.(We of course had to pay all expenses involved during this extended stay.) I subsequently wrote an extensive trip report for the Burgenland Bunch newsletter which may be found in nos.16, 17A, 20A, 34A, 35A and 36A. In preparation for your trip to Burgenland, use the BB archives for copies of the above six trip reports as well as others. They will provide information about Austrian culture and history, plus details of travels in Austria - essentially a detailed overview of the Elderhostel program. For more information about Elderhostel programs, use <www.elderhostel.org> Additional reading material is the book entitled Borderland, A historical and geographical study of Burgenland, Austria, by Prof. Andrew F. Burghardt. It was published by University of Wisconsin Press in 1962 - Library of Congress catalog Card Number 62-15992. Out of print, try to get a copy of this book via interlibrary loan. The copy I read came from the University of California Library, located at La Jolla, CA. 4. Clothing and other items to pack: The purpose of the following memory jogger, is to list items to consider packing for your trip. Always pack light, you will be required to: (1) carry your luggage, even up flights of stairs, and (2) to store your luggage in the trunk of a car. 1. Alarm, travel alarm clock 2. Addresses - to send post cards (Print on self-adhesive paper?) 3. ATM card/s. See additional comments under the topic of currency. 4. Adhere to the backpacking technique, i.e. pack light and only take essentials. Include a small backpack or fanny pack for day trips. Take a reusable fork, knife, and spoon for lunch snacks. 5. Bags, plastic freezer bags - many uses 6. Batteries - take extra batteries for camera, etc. 7. Binoculars: My wife is a bird-watcher, small light-weight binoculars. 8. Car rental info, copy of credit card, collision, and theft coverage 9. Clothes: all clothes should be easy to wash and dry. 10. Coat and hat during the cold weather period or for high altitudes. (light folding raincoat?) 11. Colors: take neutral or dark colored clothing that can be mixed and matched and layered for temperature changes. 12. Comfort is the key, that includes clothing and foot wear 12A. Compass will be useful when driving. 13. Contacts - people you want to see or visit, including addresses and telephone # 14. Cup and/or plastic bottle for water or drinks - for short day trips and for lunch 15. Detergent in a small plastic bag, for washing cloths 16. To-Do-list: things you want to accomplish or see during your trip 17. Dictionary: a small German/English pocket dictionary 18. Dress: Europeans usually dress informally - unless for business occasions or a special event, a sport coat or blazer that matches different trousers is desirable. Most women wear dresses or skirts but you won't feel uncomfortable in pants. 19. Drivers license, including an international driver's license 20. Drugs: prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs in their original containers, and vitamins. Anything you need to help you stay healthy. 21. Electric converter plug: Important note, the plug converter only changes the configuration from the rectangular prongs used in the USA to the round prongs used in Europe. In Austria and Europe they use 220 DC so make sure your electrical apparatus is capable of accepting 220 or carry a DC-AC converter as well. 22. Emergency contact info, i.e. contacts in Europe and the USA 23. Flashlight, small & light weight-Gasthauses use timed hall lights 24. Genealogical material, including a list of what you are seeking and where it is located (notebook computer with appropriate charger with genealogy?). 25. Glasses: take extra prescription glasses, also a pair of sun glasses 26. Gifts - books, pictures of your family, home town, etc. 27. Gortex jacket, to serve as a wind breaker and/or rain jacket 28. Inventory list of travel items -handy if luggage is lost or stolen 29. Itinerary, including options in case you need to change plans 30. Knife, Swiss army knife, with cork screw - to uncork your wine bottles 31. Letters or notes written in German if you have no German. 32. Magnifying glass, to help in reading genealogical records 33. Maps: Buying maps in Austria can be expensive but excellent 34. Moleskin, band aids - a small amount in case you have a problem 35. Note pad + pens and pencils for listing each day's events, make a daily log. Hi-lighter pens of different colors. 36. Nylon or silk briefs or underwear - easy to wash and dry fast 37. Passport: Also, photo copy passports and keep a copy of others in your group. If one gets lost you have a good reference source for a replacement. 38. Photo equipment and lots of film (new digital camera?) 39. A blow-up pillow, especially for the long plane ride 40. Post cards of pictures of where you are from, your family, etc. 41. Shoes, take 2 pairs of comfortable shoes. If you must, only take leather soled shoes for dancing - most of the time you will be walking 42. Sink stopper - so you can wash clothes 43. Socks; 3 pairs, those that are easy to wash and dry. It is important to note that in most homes in Burgenland, outdoor shoes are not worn in the house. They either use their stockings or house slippers. You may want to consider buying a pair of "boiled wool" house slippers for yourself while in Burgenland, an excellent house slipper. 44. Sun screen, hat, etc. 45. Sweater (not cotton, it takes too long to dry) 46. Telephone calling card - for call back to the USA 47. Toilet accessories: razor, tooth brush, hair brush, etc. 48. Tourist info 49. Wash cloth: hotels & gasthofs do not supply wash cloths 50. Xerox important papers, have two copies, carried by different persons. 5. Currency: Much of Europe is undergoing a change to the new Euro dollar. The first phase introduces the Euro via the credit card system. If you use a credit card, the Euro system started in 1999. For all cash transactions, the shilling will still be used until about 2002/3. All small villages in Burgenland will be on the shilling cash system until then, so it is imperative you have shillings while traveling. I have found that ATM associated with your debit card is the easiest and most economical method to use - i.e. you get the best exchange rate and the lowest processing fee. In contrast if you use travelers checks, the exchange rate is not as good. Notify your bank if you are planning to use ATMs to withdraw funds from your account while in Europe. Banks usually track your withdrawal pattern, so if your pattern changes, they could suspect that your card has been stolen. Also, the usual max limit/card for withdrawals is $300/day. If you think you need more than $300/day, you may need two or more ATM debit cards. Most villages have ATMs. Getting schillings from ATMs is very convenient and economical. Austrian ATMs do not provide a receipt with each transaction. I use a note book to list all my ATM debit withdrawals. There was no problem with my subsequent bank statements. Travelers checks and American currency (small denominations) are still easily exchanged at all banks but not accepted for purchases everywhere. The shilling/dollar exchange rate in December 1999 is the best it has been for years, i.e. 13.7 shilling/dollar. There is a 15% value added tax. Tourist offices offer information on how to redeem this tax before you leave. At the Munich airport we offered all the required forms required for the tax refund, but were told that we needed to physically show the actual merchandise that we purchased. If you want to redeem value-added-tax, have items with you, not in checked luggage. How much does it cost to visit Burgenland? In newsletter #57 BB member Fritz Königshofer offered his Burgenland travel tips, which included in part: "With the price of the room and breakfast in Obendorf, you would easily be able to live with under $50 per day, including some gas costs for the car." During my two trips to Burgenland in 1997 and 1998 I also found that one can indeed get by for under $50.00/day/person. 6. Genealogical research: We stress that your primary genealogical research should be done before you travel to Burgenland, using the LDS family history film libraries. Your genealogical research in Burgenland should be limited to those items that are not available from the LDS film libraries. If you plan to do genealogical research in Burgenland, it is essential that you make arrangements well ahead of your arrival, to assure access to the records. Also, remember records were mostly in Latin prior to 1844, in Hungarian from about 1844-1918, and then in German (including script) from 1918 onward. To help with Hungarian records, the publication "Handy Guide to Hungarian Genealogical Records, by Jared H. Suess" is recommended. Available via <www.everton.com>, click European books, then "handy Guide..." Cost $6.50 ppd. 7. Gifts: If you plan to meet relatives for the first time, consider taking books (in German) and/or pictures of you and your family, house or the area where you live as gifts. Music tapes and CD's (American folk music is good) and local Chamber of Commerce brochures are also of interest to relatives. Something from the air terminal gift shops might also be appreciated. 8. Language: Within Burgenland, German dialects is spoken, but all school children must start learning English at age 8. Therefore almost all teenagers and persons in the 20-30 year age group know some English, but they may be reluctant to use it. There are very few English speaking visitors, so opportunities to practice English are few. It has been our experience that most people over 40 do not speak English. Knowing even a little German can be very handy. In Austria we purchased a very good German/English pocket dictionary, entitled "Langenscheidts Universal Wörterbuch English." It is only about 3 x 4 inches in size and it fits nicely in a pocket. Digital clock-calculators with language translating software are also good. 9. Lodging: A very good source of information about lodging in Burgenland is found at the WEB address http://www.burgenland-tourism.co.at/info-sued/ Click on the icon on the far right - designating a bed or lodging, click on the region of interest. For example I clicked on Jennersdorf, then I clicked on <Wählen Sie eine Ortschaft>, (English translation = choose a place in English), I next clicked on Eltendorf, the village where I had previously found lodging. Below is one example, the Gasthof where my wife and I stayed at two different visits, and we highly recommend it. It is located across the street from the Lutheran Church in Eltendorf. In English: 7562 ELTENDORF Info: Tel.03325-2204 faxes 03325-2204-4 Fishing, bicycling, riding, shooting, tennis, hiking, worthy sites to visit. Host, Rudolf Mirth No. 5Â· phone 03325/2216 Fax 2216 Rooms with Shower/WC and cable TV, television-area, garden. Double rooms: NF: 220. - 250: (Using the 12/7/99 rate of exchange 13.67 shilling = $1.00, this equates to 250/13.67 = $18.29/person when sharing a double room, including breakfast) HP: 300. - 330: Using the 12/7/99 rate of exchange 13.67 shilling = $1.00, this equates to 330/13.67 = $24.14/person when sharing a double room with breakfast and dinner, i.e. half board). Nearby is the Gasthof Edith Gibiser, located in Heiligenkreuz, approximately 5 miles east of Eltendorf, mentioned in various BB newsletters. 7561 HEILIGENKREUZ I. L. Info: Tel.03325-4202 Fax 03325-6390 Angeln (fishing), Reiten (riding), Schwimmen (swimming), Tennis, Wandern (hiking), Kegeln (bowling) Gasthof Edith Gibiser *** Nr. 81Â· Tel. 03325/4216-0 Â· Fax 4246-44 Bettenanzahl (number of beds): 30 Doppelzimmer: NF: 400.- bis 450.- HP: 500.- bis 550.- For those who want something special, i.e. to sleep in an old castle, try the Hotel Burg Bernstein, located in the Oberwart region. Hotel Burg Bernstein, Andrea Berger SchloÃŸweg 1 Â· Tel. 03354/6382 Â· Fax 6520 Öffnungszeiten: V-X Â· Bettenanzahl: 21 Doppelzimmer: NF: 740.- bis 1200: A max of $87.78/person, including breakfast HP: 1090.- bis 1550: A max of $113.39/person with half board. Gasthauses are not expensive. I have always found them to be very clean and comfortable. The innkeeper will expect you to ask to see the room before you agree to stay, that is the custom. Gasthauses always serve a standard breakfast consisting of coffee, sometimes juice, rolls, cold cuts and cheeses, butter and jam. Gasthauses rarely take credit cards or travelers checks, so be prepared to pay in Austrian shillings. (continued in newsletter no. 82B) THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 82B DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (issued biweekly by Gerald Berghold) June 15, 2000 This third section of the 3 section newsletter concerns: - the second part of Bob Unger's Helpful Travel Hints, - Pamhagen & Weinzettle Name, - More Weinzetl (from Jim Weinzatl), - More On Sterz, - Still More On Sterz With Variations, - Preliminary Trip - (Mischendorf / Pinkamiske) Bob Loerzel, and - URL and Member Changes. HELPFUL HINTS ABOUT TRAVEL IN BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA (by Robert F. Unger, 22 January 2000) PART II 10. Luggage: Pack light. Consider luggage with wheels - few if any elevators are available in Burgenland, and many rooms are located upstairs. Your luggage should not exceed the size of your auto trunk. Always use one carry-on luggage, containing essentials - just in case checked luggage doesn't arrive. Travel with a roll of nylon reinforced packing tape. Thus if you purchase more items than luggage can handle, go to a grocery store and get a box. In over ten years of using apple boxes for extra luggage, we have never experienced any damage. Also good for luggage repairs. Since so much luggage looks the same today, mark yours in some special way. 11. Reference material: While touring Burgenland you will visit many fascinating places. Purchase guides, brochures, or books at these places since most places do not offer English speaking tours. These then serve as reference material later on. Some places do not permit photography, so these brochures provide an excellent means of getting good photos. 12 Meals: As stated above, breakfast usually is included with the cost of your lodging. We found that lunch is always picnic time in Burgenland. Simply go to a grocery store and buy what ever you like for lunch, then have a picnic while soaking up the beautiful scenery. Dinners at the gasthaus are an excellent choice. Ask for, and try their special for the day - extremely good, and very inexpensive. (Note: Many stores in Burgenland close for several hours in mid day, so make sure you buy your lunch goodies before they close.) 13. Photography: There is much in Burgenland to be captured on film, i.e. photos and video. During our visit we took at least two rolls of film per day and about 2 hours of video. Make sure that you keep a log describing your photography, otherwise when you get back home you will be debating as to "what is that a picture of", or "where was that taken." Also consider purchasing souvenir books with pictures and text - often they provide better pictures than most of us can take. 14. Planning: Good advance planning is essential to maximize the results of any trip. Consider the suggestions offered in this article for preparing your itinerary. Also plan alternatives, in case your primary plans go awry. For telephone numbers and addresses in Burgenland, use the on-line Austrian telephone directory http://www.etb.at. Take advantage of the excellent Austrian Tourist Bureau web pages http://www.austria-tourism.at/ and http://www.netwing.at/austria/bgld/ or http://www.burgenland.farmholidays.com/ for farm stays in Burgenland. 15. Transportation: The major mode of transportation in Burgenland is the auto, therefore we recommend car rental. There are a number of car rental agencies at airports. For all travel in Austria my wife and I rented cars from "Auto Europe", see their web site http://www.autoeurope.com. In newsletter #70 member Alex Tscharr reported: "I had a fabulous rental car deal in Graz this summer, arranged via Europe-by-Car. Unbeatable in price. I rented a VW Golf class car, and indeed received a VW Golf, entirely adequate and very economic (gas is expensive in Europe). If you plan to drive to Hungary or Slovenia, you need to mention it when you order, or when you pick up the car, and it costs extra. The website of the company is http://www.europebycar.com. Check several car rental agencies. Rental car consideration should include: (1) most cars in Europe are stick shift, so if you want an automatic, reserve well ahead of time. (2)the age of the driver could impose limitations, both for young drivers and those 70 and older. Check on age limitations when you make your reservation. (3) reserve your rental car from an agent in the USA, it is usually less expensive. (4) get a written statement from your credit card agent about collision and theft coverage, some credit cards do not offer this protection. (5) consider requesting a diesel rental car - diesel is less expensive and widely available in Europe. (6) make sure the car is large enough for your passengers and your luggage - all your luggage should fit into the trunk. (7) an international driver's license is recommended (but not absolutely necessary.) Check with the Austria tourist bureau for the latest information on driving in Austria http://www.austria-tourism.at/. If you rent a car in Germany, make sure that it has a current sticker on the windshield authorizing you to drive in Austria. Maps: Good maps are essential for driving anywhere. The following is stated on the subject of maps on page 9 in BB newsletter #71, "To get what I consider one of the best economical maps of Burgenland, readily available in the US, write to: Austrian National Tourist Office, P. O. Box 1142, NY, NY 10108-1142. Ask for a copy of "Strassenkarte Burgenland" from Landesverband Burgenland Tourismus and available Burgenland brochures. Enclose $3.00 to cover postage and handling. The scale of the map is 1: 200 000, 1cm = 2 km. It is copyright by Schubert & Franzke, St. Pöltn, Austria 1997. A good map of Austria is offered by Michelin, Austria #426, 1/400 000 - 1cm:4 km. It is available in most USA travel stores for about $8.00. Driving from country to country in Western Europe is very easy, often it is not necessary to stop at the border. But traveling in Eastern Europe requires special attention, mainly specific endorsement from the car rental agencies, plus the necessary paper work to take a rental car across the border to Eastern Europe. Newsletter 63B included a trip report by member John Lavendoski, which included his experience and delay in crossing the border between Burgenland and Hungary. CONCLUSION: Have a good trip and remember to submit your suggestions, comments and travel reports to the Burgenland Bunch so that we can periodically enhance this travel guide. PAMHAGEN & WEINZETTL NAME (John Weinzettle and Albert Schuch) Ed. Note: Like all of us, John Weinzettle wonders how his name came about. He writes to Albert Schuch: << Albert... I am John Joseph Weinzettle (Weinzetl) brother of James, son of John Paul, son of Josef b 18 Mar 1860 d 23 Feb 1952, one of 11 children of Laurence Weinzetl and Agnes Holzbauer of Pamhagen, Burgenland, son of Stefan b 1801 d 5Mar 1855, son of Stefan born about 1779. What is known of these persons and any earlier Weinzetls, of their occupations and their activities? Were they descendants of the Magyars or descendants of a mixture of Magyars and conquered locals? I have been told the name Weinzetl means "Guardian of the Vineyards." Were the Weinzetls some sort of armed militia as well as grape growers and farmers? >> Albert answers: Please send this question to those BB members who are doing Pamhagen research - you will find their names on our homepage. You might start by contacting Jill Johnson, who has a lot of knowledge about Pamhagen. You ask << Were they descendants of the Magyars or descendants of a mixture of Magyars and conquered locals? I have been told the name Weinzetl means "Guardian of the Vineyards." Were the Weinzetls some sort of armed militia as well as grape growers and farmers? >> Answer: It is generally thought that the German population of the "Seewinkel" (Pamhagen and neighboring villages) descends from immigrants from southern Germany (Bodensee area), who arrived some time after the second Turkish siege of Vienna (1683), during which most of the "Seewinkel" villages had been destroyed. (ED. Note - inhabitants being killed or carried off into slavery. Following this period there were so many Christian slaves in the slave markets of Istanbul that they had no value.) I would not translate "Weinzetl" as "Guardian of the Vineyards", but as "Worker (day laborer) in the Vineyard". So: no, they were no armed militia. It would also be wrong to assume that everyone named Weinzetl used to work in the vineyards. Of course the one person who first received this name as a family name will have done so. MORE WEINZETL (from Jim Weinzatl) The portion of your 06 May 2000 e-mail msg about: "Call to Ban German Language...." certainly hit home to me. my dad married after he returned from WW-I and, although he and his family and my mother and her family spoke German, my dad forbade my brother or me to speak or learn the language. Hence, my German is from Univ. of Md. German classes, I took at military bases all around the world. My grandparents and uncles and aunts continued to speak German, however, and during the 1930-34 Depression Years when there was also a Depression in Europe, I can remember all the relatives gathering at my paternal grandparents home to hear a letter from Pamhagen, Burgenland being read aloud, after which everyone who could would help pack a food package to ship to the Pamhagen Weinzetls. In 1952, when my wife and I and children were stationed in Neu Ulm, Germany, we traveled to Vienna, where we had the opportunity to visit Robert and Anna, cousins and their daughter, Elly. We were unable to visit Pamhagen at that time because it was in the Russian Zone. In 1966, I drove from Stuttgart, where we were then stationed, to Pamhagen and visited relatives. At the time, I thought the entire town was populated with Weinzetls, I met so many of them! In July 1998, my wife and I took a river trip down the Donau from Englehortzel, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. Although we were not able to visit Burgenland, we found that the name, Weinzetl, was common in almost every town along the Danube as far as Budapest. The name is either Weinzetl or Weinzodl in Hungary. If anyone has any information they would care to share, I'd appreciate receiving same. Thanks John Joseph Weinzettle (Weinzetl) MORE ON STERZ (Kurt Heinrich) I enjoyed your write up about sterz. My grandmother and mother (from Grosspetersdorf) used to make the Bohnensterz (Baundlsterz). I used to eat first the Bohnensuppe, then the Sterz, and then a dish of Sterz in the Bohnensuppe. After some research, I found the following imitation satisfactory: Rinse red beans from 1 can, with water. Heat 'the right amount' as my mother would say,' of flour (all purpose wheat flour, alone or mixed with some buckwheat flour, or, for a heavy sterz, buckwheat flour alone,) in an iron skillet, turning it over with a wooden spoon(Kochlöffel) till it starts getting yellow. Add the beans, and milk or buttermilk, turning always, until it clots, into pieces, but without getting moist (patzig), and add salt. Reheat with a bit of fat (pork, goose, or, for the cholesterol-minded like us, some oil.) Eat with green salad. What I would love to get the recipe for is the bean soup (baundlsuppen), probably with cream?, Another thing: my grandmother made for Easter what she called a Kletzenbrot. It was a very dark and dense fruit bread; not only Kletzen (dried pears) but all kind of dried fruits (dates, apples, prunes, etc). I am sure it was made with buckwheat, which is used a lot in southern Burgenland and also in Slovenia. It would last, if not all eaten, from Xmas to Easter. Would anyone have a recipe ? AND STILL MORE STERZ WITH VARIATIONS (Susan Chimento) It was with great interest that I read about Eiersterz in newsletter # 81B. My mother made it, said she learned to from her father, Leonard Graf who came over from Litzeldorf in the early 1900's. Only my mother pronouncd it aye-a-stach(ch as in church). Made it almost the same as the recipe in the newsletter with eggs, flour, salt, and shortening. Called it a good peasant or depression dish. We loved it sprinkled with sugar and fruit cocktail on the side. When I asked her how she made it, I heard the usual-a little of this, a handful of that. So, I kept checking recipe books and found a recipe sent in from the midwest for stir-em-ups which sounded almost the same. Tried it and it came out good. My kids like eierstach. My mother also used the same batter to make stacked pancakes. Pour a thin layer into a greased hot frypan, cook, then flip, add batter, keep cooking and flipping till you have 10 to 12 layers. Remove from pan, cut into pie-shaped wedges and serve with jam.! This recipe was also used to make "puffed up stuff". A German pancake baked in the oven, almost like a Yorkshire pudding. Mom also made farinastach, browned dry cream of wheat or farina with possibly water and oil added. Kasha comes close in taste. One of our big favorites was knuckle (knöckerln?) -- small boiled potato dumplings mixed with cooked cabbage. My father is of Irish descent and my mother's brother lived with us. So in the summer, Mom would make two potato salads-the typical American one with mayonnaise and the German with waxy boiled potatoes sliced with onions, oil and vinegar. Delicious. My mother still makes the best bread in the world with no measuring. I think the old-fashioned cooks know how to use flour. Sincerely, BB member, PRELIMINARY TRIP REPORT - MISCHENDORF (From Robert Loerzel) This is just to let you know that things are going great on my trip to Austria. I went to the Diocese Archives in Eisenstadt Monday with Theresia Andruchowitz (who has been a great help with everything), Bob Goeschel and Dieter Göschel (sp?), and then I went back by myself today. I spent almost the two entire days using my new digital video camera (which shoots still pictures as well) to photograph the books for Mischendorf from the 1700s, which predate the LDS microfilm. I just hope the pictures are readable. I think they will be, judging from how they look on the little monitor on the camera. Of course, it'll be tons of data to wade through, enough work to keep me occupied for the next few years. (By the way, Theresia has nearly finished compiling a database of every name and event from the LDS film from Mischendorf for 1828-1895, which is about 7,000 names, so she is way ahead of me!) We both noticed how the often-changing spellings of Burgenland names were found in even different and stranger mutations when we looked back at the records from the 1700s. And I will have some additional info for Albert (whom I had the pleasure to meet on Sunday) about village names. When you go back into the 1700s, some of the village names change, too. At the time, Mischendorf/Pinkamiske was known simply as Miske, Misske or Mischke (and there was apparently another town in Burgenland by the same name, so I am guessing the "Pinka" was added to end any confusion). Kotezichen was "Kotezügen" (spelled in some instances with an unlauted "y" instead of a "u," though that may be a function of the handwriting rather than the spelling) and Bachselten was "Poselten." I'll send more complete info on this when I get back to the states and have time to go through it. I'm going to stop back at the archives tomorrow for, I hope, only a couple of hours. They have lots of interesting books on the shelves in the reading rooms there, which I glanced through and would like to have more time to go through. There was some stuff in Latin from the 1500s and 1600s about the Sulyok family, etc. After that, I am heading down to the Mischendorf area, where I plan to drive around taking pictures and visit the cemetery. Then I'm off to Graz on Thursday to visit my cousins. BURGENLAND BUNCH INTERNET LINKS - ADDITIONS, REVISIONS 6/15/00(from Internet/URL Editor Anna Tanczos Kresh) AUSTRIAN, AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN INTERNET LINKS o Felix Game Austro-Hungarian Web Site <ttp://www.austro-hungarian-genealogy-translations.com> - progessional genealogist's links to past articles and other genealogy sites (Gerry Berghold) o Museum Online http://www.museumonline.at/nomus.htm - click on the various Schulprojekte links; see especially ~ The Bridge at Andau (1956 Hungarian Uprising) http://www.museumonline.at/1998/schools/burgenla/BL_Andau/index.htm ~ Auswanderer Museum Güssing http://www.museumonline.at/1998/schools/burgenla/BL_GUSSI/index.htm ~ Juden von Kittsee und Umgebung http://www.museumonline.at/1998/schools/burgenla/BL_kitts/index.htm - Jews from Kitsee and environs, including the Jewish Museum at Eisenstadt ~ Heimatmuseum Pamhagen http://www.museumonline.at/1998/schools/burgenla/BL_PAM/seite01.html ~ Interactive Walks through Vienna http://www.museumonline.at/1996/schulen/pinka/index.htm (Gerhard Lang) o Landesverband Burgenland Tourismus http://www.burgenland-tourism.at/ - Burgenland Tourism; excellent information on Burgenland provinces; click Regionen for calendar of events in the villages; links to activities,hotels, spas, farm vacations; NOTE: trying to open a link in a new window can generate script errors (link restored) BURGENLAND INTERNET LINKS o Riedlingsdorf Männer-Gesangsverein http://members.aon.at/mgvriedlingsdorf - Reidlingsdorf Men's Choral Society; village history and pictures (Barry Keippel) o Rohrsbach bei Mattersburg http://www.rohrbach-bm.at/index.html - history and pictures; see also the Croatian Rohrbach article and map at Orbuh - das kroatische Rohrbach http://www.rohrbach-bm.at/Historie/gesch_n8.html (Frank Teklits & Janet Cobb) MAP SITES ON THE INTERNET o Windisch Region http://members.1012surfnet.at/gerger/Map/JE-SI/SI-AT.htm - map of Windisch Region south of Jennersdorf (Klaus Gerger) URL CHANGES (revised links/descriptions) o Bogardi's Hungarian Genealogy Links http://www.bogardi.com/gen/index.shtml - Janos Bogardi's links to Hungarian history, maps, dictionaries, emigration, translation services, sample letters, and more; for list of villages by county (megye) based on Hungarian national census of 1880 see 1882 Gazetteer of Hungary http://www.bogardi.com/gen/g104.shtml (added gazetteer link) (Mary Light) BB MEMBER SITE CHANGES o Keippel, Barry http://www.excel.net/~bkeippel - Wisconsin; chronicles ancestors' emigration from Riedlingsdorf (site updated) o Portsche, Gary http://members.xoom.com/garyport - Olathe, KS; contains much information pertaining to Burgenlanders (address change) MEMBER CHANGES Note: All members (about 18) using "Hotmail" as a server had their May 31 newsletters returned as "permanent fatal errors". Apparently "Hotmail" has reduced the size of email they will accept or mailbox capacity. The BB newsletter sections are held under 25kb, which is acceptable to all other email and list servers and I plan no changes. This means you can expect to receive 75kb of newsletter email on the 15th and end of the month. If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, please send me the message "remove". "Hotmail" members have been notified and some switched to new servers. They've been changed. The others will be automaticaly deleted from the distribution list after 3 returned newsletters. I'm sorry I have to do this but I have no other choice. I will not send the newsletter as an attached file as they are too prone to problems and virus infection. Distribution and address requirements are already taking up entirely too much of my time. In the event other servers reduce their email maximum, I will have to reconsider the continuance of email newsletters in favor of a read-only web site. Gerry Berghold, Editor NEW John Albertini; Dexter, ME. WEHOFER, LOORANICH from Odenburg (Sopron), Hungary whose descendants emigrated to NY. Kitty Bruce, New York, NY, SCHEY Friedrich, Sopron, Hungary. SCHAY Friedrich, Sopron . NYC , Sidney, Melbourne, London . Joyce Guenthner; Cincinnati, OH. Researching Eleanora FISCHER, Tobaj, came to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1902 and married Frank LEITNER, Deutsch Tschantschendorf, came to Cincinnati in 1903. Joseph Oswald; Germantown, WI. HERMANN, Kohfidisch, Settled in New York, NY Cris Roemer; Milwaukee, Wisconsin--BINDER, Rax--TASCHNER, Rax--SIMEG, Weichselbaum (Hungarian Badafalva)--STRINI, Badafalva, both now in the district of Jennersdorf. Binder settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1905 Bob Sbertoli; Carol Stream,Il. Researching FUSZ, from Welgersdorf and FRITZ from Neumarkt. Settled in Chicago in the early 1900's. John Stinauer; Marco Island, FL. STINAUER, Franz, to Chicago abt 1920.born, Breitenbrunn (district of Eisenstadt), 1899. Margret Sullo; New Britian, CT . RUCK, KNAUS PREM, and JUDD. Muhlgraben, and Miniof-Liebau in the district of Jennersdorf. CHANGE Mark Lukitsch - changed e-mail address Jessica Egyhazi - changed e-mail address) Sandra Hoard - changed e-mail address (end of newsletter) BURGENLAND BUNCH STAFF Coordinator & Editor Newsletter (Gerald J. Berghold; Winchester, VA) Burgenland Editor (Albert Schuch; Vienna & Kleinpetersdorf, Austria) Home Page Editor (Hap Anderson) Internet/URL Editor (Anna Tanczos Kresh; Butler, PA) Contributing Editors: Austro/Hungarian Research (Fritz Königshofer) 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) Judaic Burgenland (Maureen Tighe-Brown) Western Hungary-Bakony Region (Ernest Chrisbacher) Western US BB Members-Research (Bob Unger) WorldGenWeb-Austria, RootsWeb Liason-Burgenland (Charles Wardell, Austria) BB ARCHIVES (can be reached from Home Page hyperlinks) BURGENLAND HOME PAGE (gateway to all lists and archives) http://www.the-burgenland-bunch.org Burgenland Bunch Newsletter distributed courtesy of (c) 1999 RootsWeb.com, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/ P.O. Box 6798, Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 Newsletter and List Rights Reserved. Permission to Copy Granted; Provide Credit.