BB News No. 145 dtd 30 Nov 2005

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 145 DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (Our 10th Year - Issued monthly as email by G. J. Berghold) November 30, 2005 (c) 2005 G. J. Berghold - all rights reserved) * Current Status Of The BB: Members-1253 *Surname Entries-4457 *Query Board Entries-3383 *Newsletters Archived-145 *Number of Staff Members-17 RECIPIENTS PLEASE READ: You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a BB member or have asked to be added to our distribution list. To unsubscribe, send email with message "remove". ("Cancel" will cancel membership, website listings and newsletter.) This first section of our 2-section newsletter concerns: 1. Gemeindeamt Functions 2. Königsdorf Kraut Strudel von Elfi Perl 3. WW-II Mass Grave Found At Schachendorf 4. Recent Burgenland Immigrant Obits - Bob Strauch 5. Chicago BG Martini-Fest A Success - Tom Glatz 6. Village Location Problem - St. Nicholas (Szt. Miklos) 1. GEMINDEAMT FUNCTIONS (from Albert Schuch, Klaus Gerger, Fritz Königshofer et al) ED. Note: I recently sent the following to some of our editors: Subject: Gemeindeamt Functions I need your help. The two most important places for our BB members to obtain family data are the village parish church and the village civil office. The civil office (Gemeindeamt) also furnishes birth, wedding and death records and on occasion may have a village history. My question is "What else happens at the Gemeindeamt?" Albert Schuch replies: A good summary of the Austrian municipalities' competences (responsibilities) can be found at: http://www.taiex.be/Services/SubNat/EU_impl/Austria.htm I am copying it below. The Role Of Local Authorities In Austria The Austrian municipalities' competences can be summarized as (1) the municipalities' own scope of action (2) the delegated field of action, administrative duties (indirect federal or regional administration) - unlike the status of charter cities in Austria, which carry out the tasks of districts (administrative bodies with federal and regional executive level power) (3) private economic activities (Privatwirtschaftsverwaltung). (1) Own scope of action Since the Communes amendment (Gemeindeverfassungsnovelle 1962), the Federal Constitution in Articles 115 ff. guarantees local self-government, which can be defended before the Constitutional court; the scope of competences is laid down in the Federal Constitution: - general clause: "... in all matters that belong to the exclusive or predominant interest of the local community and can be performed by it within its own boundaries and its own capacity" - explicitly guaranteed: local elections and civil service, local police, local traffic and roads, local markets, emergency and general rescue services, fire protection, building regulations, local land use planning, cemeteries - internal organization - local security and police tasks (public law and order, traffic, supervision of events, markets, health, building and construction, fire safety, etc.) - spatial planning and environmental commissions - administration of traffic areas. To ensure that these duties can be carried out, the municipality has the right to issue laws (municipal decrees). In the framework of its own field of authority the municipality is free to make decisions independently. (3) Private activity Apart from the autonomous and delegated responsibilities (indirect federal and regional administration), the municipality has the constitutional right to act as an independent economic unit, so as to dispose of any kind of property, run economic enterprises, administer its own budgets and levy taxes. Examples include - water and energy supply, local transport, sewerage, garbage collection and disposal, hospitals, sports facilities, public housing, basic social welfare, local subsidies - administration of commercial/industrial holdings - cultural centers - social welfare centers - housing construction - road construction - setting up structures to respond to the environmental needs of citizens. ED. Note: In addition to those civil record functions already mentioned, the Gemeindeamt, under the direction of the Bürgermeister and the village council, with the assistance of Amtmänner and Notäre (office staff as needed) performs most of the other functions performed by our own city hall or town council. Klaus Gerger, in a discussion we had during a recent visit, informs me that electric and telephone service are the responsibility of separate agencies. Fritz Königshofer writes: As I have not lived in Austria since 1974, my knowledge on this question is limited. One major local responsibility (of the Gemeindeamt) is the collection of residency records (Meldezettel). Practically all visitors get recorded this way, as do, of course, all the locals when they move in, or when they move from one address to the next. However, I don't know whether this is handled by the Gemeindeamt or by the police. Austria recognizes three different lowest political organization levels. These are Gemeinden (communes), Märkte (market towns) and Städte (towns). These three types have progressively more responsibilities, i.e., a town can decide more matters than a market town, and a market town more than a commune. Communes, market towns and towns belong to court districts (Gerichtsbezirke), and court districts are usually part of political districts (politische Bezirke). A political district may be its own court district, or it may contain a few (about three) court districts. The organization of police and education (schools) follows the district concept, though somewhat in parallel and not locally hierarchical, as many authorities in Austria. It's a bit like a matrix structure. A "district school council" (Bezirksschulrat) would report to the Landesschulrat (state school council), but would also cooperate with the political leadership of the political district. The question you posed, and which you try to explain to BB members, is actually a very complex one, as responsibilities and hierarchies have also changed a lot over history. (ED Note: Considering all of the above, it's obvious that requests for family information must take a very low priority. We are fortunate that we do get help and cooperation. Spur of the moment visits, without appointment or notice may not always be as successful as we wish.) 2. KÖNIGSDORF KRAUT STRUDEL VON ELFI PERL (from Alfred Peischl) (ED Note: BB member Alfred Peischl from Gumpoldskirchen replies to our previous article asking for Kraut Strudel recipes.) Gerry, here is a recipe for Kraut strudel made by my Cousin Elfi Perl of Königsdorf: Wünsche gutes Gelingen ! I also translate it into English. Ing. Alfred Peischl Krautstrudel Aus Küchen von Elfie Perl Fülle: Frischkraut klein hacken, einsalzen und ca. 2-3 Stunden stehen lassen (je nach Geschmack kann man das Kraut auch dünsten und mit gebratenen Speckwürfeln verfeinern). Filling: Slice fresh cabbage, salt it and let it rest for 2-3 hours. [alternatively, you can also stew it (until limp) and add some roasted lard-cubes (bacon bits or grammel)] Teig: 25 dag glattes Mehl, Salz, ca. 1/8 l warmes Wasser (etwas mehr), 1 Löffel Öl Dough: 25 dag (0.55 pounds) fine flour, salt, 0.125 liter (0.26 pints) warm water (or a little bit more), 1 Tbsp of oil. Aus den Zutaten einen weichen Teig herstellen und gut durchkneten. Diesen lässt man 1/2 - 3/4 Stunde rasten. Danach den Teig auswalken, dünn ausziehen (!) und mit Öl bepinseln. Das Kraut ausdrücken und auf dem Teig verteilen, pfeffern und mit dem Löffel ein wenig Öl darübergeben. Nun von beiden Seiten zur Mitte hin einrollen und die Strudel oben mit Öl bepinseln.Im Rohr auf mittlerer Schiene bei ca. 180° backen. Make a soft dough with the above ingredients and knead it well. Then let it rest for about 30 to 45 minutes. Take the dough and roll it with a rolling-pin and then pull it to get a very thin dough and put some oil on it with a brush. Then press the cabbage to get rid of the water and scatter it evenly on the dough. Sprinkle black pepper to taste and a little bit more oil with a spoon. Roll the whole dough from both sides to the middle and brush it with oil. Then put it in the oven and bake it at 180° C (350 F until it is golden brown). Best served warm. Wünsche gutes Gelingen ! Wishing you a lot of success! Hope the translation is understandable. Please check the conversions of the measures! I'm not good in translating recipes! I hope you understand rolling (and pulling) the dough. The dough should be so thin that a newspaper can be read under it! 3. WW-II MASS GRAVE FOUND AT SCHACHENDORF In two previous articles we addressed WW-II concentration camp activity at Schachendorf (near Rechnitz). BB members John Rajkovacz and Carol Wagner both advised that ORF (Austrian Radio) recently reported that a mass grave containing about 250 bodies was discovered near Rechnitz, the remains of concentration camp inmates who had been transferred to the Hungarian border region to construct military defense positions in 1945. They were then shot following the completion of their work and buried in a mass grave. It is unknown if the site will be memorialized. 4. RECENT BURGENLAND IMMIGRANT OBITS (from Bob Strauch) Julius Kalch, 79, of Bethlehem, PA died November 7, 2005 in Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown. He was born April 14, 1926 in Neustift bei Güssing, the son of the late Julius and Anna (Kropf) Kalch. His wife Gisela died in 1997. Hans Schulter, 70, formerly of Allentown, passed away Saturday November 19, 2005 in Bethlehem. He was born in Dobersdorf, Burgenland, the son of the late Albert and Anna (Venus) Schulter. A member of the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft for many years, he also sang in the chorus of the Lehigh Sängerbund . 5. CHICAGO BG MARTINI-FEST A SUCCESS (from Tom Glatz) The Burgenländische Gemeinschaft held a very festive event in the beautiful Emerald Room on November 4th at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest. With a capacity crowd, it was the scene of the second annual Martini-Fest and an exciting Miss Burgenland pageant. The St. Martin's Day tradition originated in France and spread to Austria, Germany, and Eastern Europe. It signals the end of farming and the start of the harvest season. It also means the end of the period of All Souls. An old legend says that St. Martin in his attempt to resist being appointed a bishop was betrayed by geese as he hid in a stall. Therefore geese are eaten on this day. The Fasching or Karneval season begins on November 11th. In the alpine regions, Martinitag coincides with "Vieabtrieb", bringing the livestock back into the villages from the higher elevations. In some Catholic areas of Austria and Germany, children carry paper lanterns. A man wearing the outfit of St. Martin leads the children in procession. They sing about St. Martin. In Croatia, St. Martin's day can mean the tasting of the first year's wine. One of the patron saints of the Catholic Church in Schachendorf, Burgenland, is St. Martin. Hence a Martini-Fest is held in this village. BG President Karl Billisits greeted the many clubs and organizations in attendance at the Martini-Fest: Austrian General Consul of the Midwest, Dr. Robert Zischg and Mrs. Zischg; Jolly Burgenländer Social Club President Anita Walthier; DANK South President Doug Schmidt; Steirer Club of Chicago President Josef Wilfinger; Czecho Slovak American Musicians Club Hans Schaden. Also present were members from the Austrian Mixed Chorus, Kärntner Klub Koschat, Siebenbürger Sachsen Zweig Neun, Peace Memorial Church, Lieblinger Vergnügungs Verein, The Dartmen Social Club, and the Pilgrim Social Club. The Emerald Room was filled to capacity. Burgenländische Gemeinschaft members and guests were entertained by music of the Phoenix band. Austrian Consul Dr. Zischg counted the votes for the Miss Burgenland election. He also spoke of John Radostits, deceased previous BG president, and paid tribute to the BG for perpetuating Burgenland traditions and culture in Chicago. The attractive Miss Burgenland candidates were Kate Radostits and Mary Hermes. All guests were given the opportunity to vote for their choice and results of the voting were very close. The last Miss Burgenland, Sara Karlovics, told of her experiences as the former Miss Burgenland and how this enriched her appreciation of her Burgenland ancestry. She bestowed the sash and tiara on the new Miss Burgenland, Kate Radostits. Kate will represent Chicago Burgenländer next year in Austria to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft worldwide. President Karl Billisits then gave special recognition to BG member Hermine Volkovits and her long deceased husband Frank. They were instrumental in founding the Chicago branch of the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft almost fifty years ago. We are grateful to all previous Miss Burgenlands: Anita Walthier, Sara Karlovics, Carol Scholler, Kathy Funovits, and Vikki Varga as well as runner up Mary Hermes and the new Miss Burgenland, Kate Radostits. They sold the raffle tickets and distributed the door prizes! As usual the BG women brought genuine Burgenland tasty items for sale! Thanks, to all of the board members who worked so hard to provide an entertaining and memorable Martini-Fest. 6. VILLAGE LOCATION PROBLEM - ST. NICHOLAS (SZT. MIKLOS) Many of our queries still concern village locations, even though our homepage websites are full of helpful web pages. The following initiated a lengthy thread on the Burgenland Query Board. In a message dated 10/26/05, a correspondent writes: Dear Mr. Berghold, I have been looking for a map that would show me where a place called V. Szt. Meiklos is. My husband's grandparents came from there. The village is shown on the Ellis Island site spelled like this. I suppose the V is the county of Vas or perhaps Varasd but I have been unable to find any other information. Could you please steer me in the right direction? Reply - I'm fairly certain this is Sankt Nicolaus, a village in southern Burgenland in the district of Güssing. It is now an appendage of Güssing and not too far from the Hungarian border. Its Hungarian name (pre-1921) was Varszentmiklós and it also had a Croatian name of Sveti Mikula. It can be spelled St. Miklós. What you have from the Ellis Island records is obviously a phonetic spelling. There are other villages named St. Nikolaus but I believe your V (Var) proves it is this one. There is a church which was used until about 1890 when the parish (Croatian) was amalgamated with the parish of Güssing. You will find both parishes in the LDS microfilm records (1828-1896) after which the civil records were recorded in Güssing. Go to the Burgenland Bunch website and click on the web pages dealing with Burgenland maps and house numbers. You will find a map showing this village and the householders in 1858. The village was founded by Croat refugees brought to the Güssing Herrschaft (domain) in 1524 by Franz Batthyány. German-speaking people also settled there. Newsletter continues as no. 145A.

THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 145A DEDICATED TO AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN BURGENLAND FAMILY HISTORY (Our 10th Year - 10 Pages/2 Email Sections Issued monthly by G. J. Berghold) November 30, 2005 (c) 2005 G. J. Berghold - all rights reserved) WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON UND EINE HEILIGE WEIHNACHT!! This second section of our 2-section newsletter concerns: 1. Membership Problems - Returned Newsletters 2. Variations In The Spelling Of Burgenland Names 3. Questions Concerning Military Records 4. Hungarian Immigrants & Descendants In Allentown, PA, May Lose Church 5. Counter-Reformation In Southern Burgenland - Neuhaus 1. MEMBERSHIP PROBLEMS - RETURNED NEWSLETTERS I'm concerned about the number of newsletters being returned as undeliverable. Members are not keeping us informed of address changes. This means they are removed from the newsletter distribution list and no one is able to contact them. In effect they become deadwood in our files. I hesitate to remove them from our web pages as the data they've provided still has research value. Some 50 addresses failed distribution of newsletters nos. 144 & 144A. With a total of over 1200 readers, this is not a large percentage, but still more than we'd like to see. It is possible that some may be old addresses that have not yet been removed from the distribution list. 2. VARIATIONS IN THE SPELLING OF BURGENLAND NAMES (courtesy of Klaus Gerger) Anyone who has researched Burgenland family for a few generations has undoubtedly found variations in the spelling of some family names. The further back we go, the greater the probability of change. We are well aware of phonetic spellings acquired at port of entry, spellings which changed due to language differences as German, Hungarian and Croatian priests, pastors and government officials replaced each other and spellings which changed as the umlaut and other diacritical marks were dropped in favor of English substitutes, like the "e" in the American name Muehl (Mühl). I often receive queries asking me if such spelling variations apply to a given family name and quite often they do. Recently I was scanning some files given me by Klaus Gerger. I found a list of general changes to the spelling of local Burgenland names encountered in church and civil records as a result of the move from Hungary to Austria. I don't know who recorded them but I feel it was the work of some researcher compiling records for a research paper. They have been copied below and you may wish to apply them to your own family names. Our thanks both to Klaus and the unknown author. A=O like Adlovits-Odlovits Ai-Ei like Aichler-Eichler B=V like Bodisch-Vodisch; Billovits-Villovits B=P like Berger-Perger; Brenner-Prenner B=W like Botka-Wotka C=G=K like Cavalar-Gavalar-Kavalar; Casper-Gasper-Kasper C=K like Clement-Klement Ch=K like Christ-Krist; Chober-Kober Cs=Tsch like Csandler-Tschandler Cz=Z like Czotter-Zotter D=T like Dugovits-Tukovits; Deutsch-Teits F=V like Felinger-Velinger; Fennes-Vennes (Venus) F=Ph like Filippi-Philippi G=K like Groboth-Kroboth; Gallovits-Karlovits H=a/o like Mahr-Maar-Mar; Mohr-Moar-Moor J=Sch like Jusits-Schuschits P=B like Pauer-Bauer; Pleier-Bleier S=Sch like Seper-Scheper; Sveinzer-Schweinzer Sz=S like Szorger-Sorger T=D like Tax-Dax (Dex); Traxler-Draxler Tsch=Cs like Tschandl-Csandl U=O like Urban-Orban V=B like Verkovits-Berczkovits V=W like Volf-Wolf; Vexler-Wexler W=V like Veber-Weber Y=J=I like Mayer-Majer-Mejer-Meier If you scan the existing Burgenland phone book, you will find many of these variations. Exactly when a particular family changed the spelling can be a very important clue as to whether a family with a similar spelling is part of your family. 3. QUESTIONS CONCERNING MILITARY RECORDS (Michael Huber, Albert Schuch) In a message dated 11/17/05 to Albert Schuch, copy to the Editor, Michael Huber writes: My father is from Unterschützen, near Oberwart. His grandfather, Johann Huber, was a platoon leader (Zugführer) in the Kaiser's Army. Johann was born in 1864 and served in the Austrian Army in the late 1890s. Can I access military records online? If not, can you please tell me where to write to inquire about obtaining information on the records? Finally, my grandfather was in an Austrian Mountain Division in World War Two. Are there military rosters available with that information? ED. Reply - Have you tried any of the military links listed in the Internet Links section of our homepage - you reach them by clicking on the subject heading? There are a number of military web sites. Albert Schuch replies: It is not possible to access military records online. They are kept in the war archive (Kriegsarchiv), records after the year 1918 (including World War Two) in the archive of the republic (Archiv der Republik). You will find a lot of information (in English language) about both archives and their holdings via the website of the Austrian State Archives (Staatsarchiv) at http://www.oesta.gv.at/ewelcom.htm The direct links are http://www.oesta.gv.at/ebestand/ekv/efr1_kv.htm (Kriegsarchiv) and http://www.oesta.gv.at/ebestand/eadr/efr1_adr.htm (Archiv der Republik) Written inquiries about available documents on your ancestors (including birth dates and, if known, details on military career) should be sent to the Archiv der Republik and the Kriegsarchiv. 4. HUNGARIAN IMMIGRANTS & DESCENDANTS IN ALLENTOWN, PA, MAY LOSE CHURCH (courtesy Bob Strauch) (ED. Note - Those of us tracing family of turn of the century immigrants may lose sight of the fact that another wave of emigration took place following WW-II and again in the late 1950's as a result of the Hungarian revolution during Russian Communist domination. This group is now aging but fills the ranks of US ethnic clubs and churches. One group from Hungary built a Catholic church in Allentown, PA, which is still quite active. Bob Strauch sends us the following information extracted from an article by Tim Blangger of The Allentown Morning Call.) At a recent meeting, members of Allentown's St. Stephen's Hungarian Roman Catholic Church discussed the possible sale of their church with representatives of the Allentown Diocese. The Syriac Catholic Diocese in New Jersey recently approached Allentown Diocese officials, expressing interest in buying the Hungarian church at Fifth and Union streets. Leslie Szukics, 68, of Allentown, a spokesman for the congregation says the message they want to give [to Allentown Diocese Bishop Edward P. Cullen] is that they do not want to sell the church, under any circumstance. Szukics has attended the church since 1956 when he came to Allentown from Hungary. Like many of the older parishioners, Szukics fled to the United States during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956-57. A shortage of priests seems to be the main reason for selling the church, which has a congregation of about 150 families. Syriac and Hungarian Catholic liturgies are very different and many of the immigrants feel their church is their last bit of Hungary. They built the church in the late 1950's using their own labor and funds. 5. COUNTER REFORMATION IN SOUTHERN BURGENLAND - NEUHAUS (from Tom Grennes & Fritz Königshofer) Tom Grennes writes to Fritz Königshofer: Thank you for your informative article on the Lutheran Origins in Burgenland. My grandmother's church was in Neuhaus am Klausenbach. You may know that Gerry Berghold translated and summarized part of a church history from Neuhaus in the January 31, 2005, BB Newsletter (No. 136A). You noted that a Lutheran church in Neuhaus was a kind of refuge for Lutherans as late as 1640 because of its connection with the mother of Adam Batthyány's mother. Do you think the current church in Neuhaus is the same church that existed in 1640? I am not familiar with the details of the Counter-Reformation. How were people returned to Catholicism? Threats? Killings? Destruction of Property? Conversion of leaders? Fritz replies: As to the Lutheran church of Neuhaus, I consulted my "Dehio Burgenland" (art monuments of Austria). Accordingly, the current Lutheran parish church was built in the year 1801, i.e., after the tolerance edict issued by emperor Joseph II. The Catholic parish church is much older. It was "re-erected" in 1690, but the parish had existed much longer. My interpretation of these data is that the old Roman Catholic church had been taken over by the Lutherans, but was in the Counter-Reformation taken away from them, perhaps damaged or destroyed, and then rebuilt as a Catholic church. I don't know how people were "persuaded" to become Catholics again. However, clearly threats were involved. I would assume that the first penalties would have been damage to farm and land, then perhaps confiscation, followed by massive threats to life and limb. This was combined with more severe persecution of Lutheran pastors, their ejection and acts of humiliation. In an earlier BB Newsletter, I wrote about Oberwart, an old stronghold of the Reformed branch of Protestants. When the Counter-Reformation came to this town with force in about 1670, the leaders of the Reformed community had their houses destroyed and were personally humiliated (paraded through town naked with beards tied together). You have to assume that these were vicious times. To which Tom replies: I re-read your information and Gerry's translation of the history of the Neuhaus church, and a family history done by my brother (based mostly on oral sources - my grandmother, her siblings, and cousins). I think I understand the chronicle of events, but a certain paradox remains. At about the time the Counter-Reformation succeeded (around 1634), my Lutheran ancestors arrived in Burgenland. Why weren't they expelled? In Neuhaus, Lutherans were protected by sympathetic nobles, such as Batthyány, Nadasdy, and von Zetschy until 1634, when they were forced to convert or migrate. Lutheran churches were not "legitimate" again until after 1781, and the current Neuhaus church dates from about that time. (They recently celebrated their 200th anniversary). My family history (Ruck family) claims that the Lutheran Rucks lived in Bavaria, near Regensberg and were uprooted by the Thirty Years War that ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. They had to leave because the Bavarian ruler was not Lutheran. They appeared in Burgenland around 1650 as some kind of military colonists summoned by Hapsburg rulers to defend against Turks on the eastern frontier. A Ruck ancestor fought at the Battle of St. Gotthard, and other Rucks fought at the second siege of Vienna. It is said that for their service they were allowed to use land near Güssing and St. Gotthard and were given certain privileges, such as freedom of worship. Eventually they ended up in Neuhaus, Minihof Liebau, Tauka, and villages south of the Raab. Is it plausible that they were exempt from the rules of the Counter-Reformation that was being imposed on others? Could they have ended up in Neuhaus because some people remained sympathetic to Lutheranism in spite of its official illegality? To which Fritz replies: Why your Ruck ancestors would move into the realm of the Habsburgs (which was converting back to Roman Catholicism by the early 1600s), I don't know. I can only surmise that Hungary still was known for more tolerance than the other parts of the Habsburg empire. Neuhaus am Klausenbach served as a special refuge until 1640, i.e., until the death of Eva Batthyány nee Poppel von Lobkowitz. Countess Eva was the mother-in-law of the local ruler, Adam Batthyány. She resided at the castle of Neuhaus and did not implement the re-Catholization decree of her son. He had expelled all Protestant preachers in 1634. However, there was probably not much direct action against the Protestant flock at the time, and Neuhaus seems to have served as a refuge even for preachers, and public religious services were still held there. In the 1660s, the Turks became a serious threat to the empire, culminating in the Battle of Szentgotthárd (the Austrians call it the Battle of Mogersdorf) in 1664. I could imagine that it was more important to have good soldiers at the time, than insist on the "right" religion. It is known that some of the soldiers of the Imperial Army afterwards stayed and settled in the area, for instance in Wallendorf. Count Batthyány certainly provided a contingent of this army from among his subjects. After this battle, the Habsburg and Turks signed the so-called 20-year Peace of Vasvár. It did not last the full 20 years, as the siege of Vienna happened in 1683. My theory is that this peace provided the opportunity for the local rulers, the emperor, and the Catholic church to take their most drastic counter-reformation measures in Western Hungary, meaning, probably in the late 1660 and throughout the 1670s. This is when individuals were coerced back into Catholicism and prayer houses and churches were razed. Then the Turkish danger loomed again. I think it was connected with this danger and the related wish to gather all possible support behind the Empire, that the Hungarian nobles, at the Landtag (parliament) session of 1681 at Ödenburg (Sopron), made the emperor accept the compromise of allowing two Protestant churches per Hungarian county (the so-called articular churches, as their existence was derived from an "edict" enacted in Ödenburg). In Vas county, these congregations became the Reformed one in Oberwart, and, I believe, a Lutheran one in Eastern Vas. I don't know the latter's location right now, but it was not anywhere near Neuhaus. In view of the distances, it was from then on difficult but at least possible again to live one's life as a practicing Lutheran. Keep in mind that I cannot claim exact knowledge of this subject. END OF NEWSLETTER BURGENLAND BUNCH Coordinator & Editor Newsletter (Gerald Berghold) A Staff Photo may be found at BB-Staff.html BB ARCHIVES & STAFF can be reached via Home Page hyperlinks The BB is in contact with the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft, Hauptplatz 7, A-7540 Güssing, Burgenland, Austria. Burgenland Bunch Newsletter distributed by RootsWeb.com, Inc. P.O. Box 6798, Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 Newsletter and List Rights Reserved. Permission to Copy Granted; Provide Credit and Mention Source.