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THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS - No. 215 November 30, 2011, © 2011 by The Burgenland Bunch All rights reserved. Permission to copy excerpts granted if credit is provided. Editor: Thomas Steichen Our 15th Year. The Burgenland Bunch Newsletter is issued monthly online. It was founded by Gerald Berghold (who retired Summer 2008 and died in August 2008). |
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Current Status Of The BB: * Members: 1991 * Surname Entries: 6744 * Query Board Entries: 4762 * Staff Members: 18 |
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This newsletter concerns: 1) THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER 2) THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND IN BURGENLAND 3) OLD TO NEW HOUSE NUMBERS 4) AN UNCOMMON ZARCA FAMILY CONNECTION 5) ECHOES OF THE HUSS FAMILY 6) POTATOES, CROATS, AND SLOVENES: “GRUMPERN” AND “KRUMPEN” (by Richard Potetz) 7) WOMANGO 8) KIRISITS / ZSIFKOVITZ - FAMILY RESEARCH STALLED 9) HISTORICAL BB NEWSLETTER ARTICLES: GERMAN "KURRENT" SCRIPT 10) ETHNIC EVENTS (courtesy of Bob Strauch, Kay Weber & Margaret Kaiser) 11) BURGENLAND EMIGRANT OBITUARIES (courtesy of Bob Strauch) |
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1) THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER (by Tom Steichen)  Concerning
this newsletter, if we have a featured article, I suppose it is Article 2, titled The
European Social Fund In Burgenland. This article speaks about the European Union's
efforts to increase the standard of living in Burgenland, primarily by supporting employment
and helping people enhance their job-related education and skills." In the US, we'd call this
a "Jobs Bill" (and would be extremely pleased if our Congress invested proportionally as much
as is currently occurring in Burgenland—it would be over $15 billion per year, with a 7-year
commitment!).Other articles touch on conversion of "old" house numbers to "new" street addresses in Burgenland (Article 3), a recently-completed Huss family history (Article 5), more on spuds in Burgenland (Article 6), the advent of an unusual au pair service starting in Austria (Article 7), plus two member-assistance efforts on surnames Zarka (Article 4) and Kirisits (Article 8). As usual, the remaining articles are our standard sections: Historical Newsletter Articles, and the Ethnic Events and Emigrant Obituaries sections. For the record, I'll also note that next month's newsletter will be reduced and consist only of a review of the past year and some Holiday wishes!  Margaret Kaiser has been sending notes concerning the new system for ordering FHC microfilms... the latest word is that the online approach has now been implemented worldwide. See the previous two newsletters for details. In addition, Margaret sent a link to a recent edition of Pannonien Tivi's online "Burgenland Ferien Magazin" (http://pannonien.tv/adventmarkte/2011/), which tells of Burgenland's contribution to the Vienna Christmas market. It is a 29-meter tall spruce from Rudersdorf that is decorated in blue lights and will stand in the Vienna City Hall Square until Christmas Eve. It is intended as a thank you from Burgenland to its many loyal vacationers from Vienna. Tourism Landesrätin Michaela Resetar is quoted, saying: "This is a great opportunity to advertise Burgenland for the holidays." The same article speaks of the Advent Market at the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, which is open the first three weekends of December. The article notes that traditional and international arts and crafts, great gift ideas, Christmas trees, mulled wine, punch and hot chestnuts await visitors at the castle. There will also be an exhibition of nativity scenes and festive concerts, plus, on the last weekend, a visit from Santa, puppet shows and other attractions. For our Canadian members: Margaret Kaiser also sent a note concerning the Canadian Genealogical Survey, a survey which closes November 30th, the publication date for this newsletter. Thus, if this note tweaks your interest, do act quickly! The survey is targeted at Canadians who do genealogical research in Canada or abroad. The web address for the survey is http://www.cusurveycentre.ca/gensurvey and is being run by two professors at Carleton University in Ottawa, Leighann Neilson (leighann_neilson@carleton.ca), Associate Professor of Marketing and Del Muise (delmuise@rogers.com), Emeritus Professor of History. You can contact either one if you have questions. Their recent announcement for the survey reads as follows:
• Eva Abel (but no Adam or Cain!) |
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2) THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND IN BURGENLAND I suspect that almost all of you BB Newsletter readers know that a primary cause of the large Burgenländer emigration in the late 1800s and early 1900s was the poor economy in Burgenland or, more accurately for that time, the poor economy of West Hungary. Burgenland was mostly a rural farming region, though with some small-scale industry and craftwork, on a distant border, far from the seat of Hungarian power and interest. Its potentially most profitable market, Vienna, was on the wrong side of the border. Conversely, shipping product to Budapest was expensive, so Burgenland crops and products were undervalued. With the transfer of Burgenland to Austria in 1921, little changed, at least initially. The Austrian markets were already established and Burgenland farm and industrial products were too poor to compete in those markets. Further, the primary transportation routes from southern Burgenland, with Sopron remaining part of Hungary, were now cut. Worse yet, the small handful of former markets were now out of reach across the new border. Eventually, the Austrian government provided some support... Andrew F Burghardt, in his 1958 dissertation, "The Political Geography of Burgenland," notes that "For approximately a decade (1927-1938), Burgenland received one million schillings per year above its share [of tax collections], and, on its tenth anniversary, a gift of ten million schillings from the federal government." Nonetheless, the depression of the thirties and then WW-II stymied economic growth in Burgenland. It was not until after WW-II, with a change in how Austria divided tax receipts, that Burgenland's economy started improving. The road infrastructure was the first target for improvement... so much so, that Burghardt wrote in 1958 "...that today the provincial boundary with Lower Austria can usually be located precisely by the sudden deterioration of the road as it leaves Burgenland." However, he also reported that Burgenland "...is still the poorest of the provinces... [and] is now being subsidized by Old-Austria. It is being allowed to raise itself with the funds supplied by the other provinces." And it did. BG Editor, Dr. Walter Dujmovits, wrote in 2001 that "the last 40 years have seen much improvement ... our province now has enough bread (sustenance) for its children. It is no longer necessary for them to emigrate." But the question remains, improved or not, has Burgenland caught up with the rest of Austria? ...and the answer appears to be a resounding no.  The
basis for my "no" answer, as stated above, is a report about what the European Social
Fund is doing in Burgenland... and why it is doing it. This report
(esf_regional_profile_burgenland_en.pdf) can be found in the "Related Documents" section on
the right side of the ESF's
Austrian Page or directly by clicking the thumbnail to the right.The European Social Fund So what is the European Social Fund? Per the mentioned report, the European Social Fund is "the European Union’s main financial instrument for investing in people. It supports employment and helps people enhance their education and skills." The Fund was created in 1957 and will, over the period 2007-2013, "spend over 10 billion euros per year across all Member States. This represents more than 10% of the European Union’s total budget." The ESF is one of four EU "Structural" Funds administered under the umbrella of the Ziel-1 program. All four Structural Funds are intended to grant financial assistance for the removal of structural economic and social problems. The others Funds are: • the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) [Europäischer Fonds für regionale Entwicklung (EFRE)], which promotes economic and social cohesion in the European Union. This fund is used to eliminate the imbalances between regions or social groups. • the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) [Europäischer Ausrichtungs- und Garantiefonds für die Landwirtschaft (EAGFL)], which supports structural reforms in agriculture and rural development. • the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) [Finanzinstrument für die Ausrichtung der Fischerei (FIAF)], which promotes structural reform in fisheries. As mentioned above, the European Social Fund (ESF) [Europäischer Sozialfonds (ESF)] is the principal financial instrument of the European Union to turn employment policy aims into concrete actions. There are the five priorities for ESF funding at the EU level: • Helping adapt to changing economic circumstances • Enhancing access to employment • Improving training and skills • Promoting partnerships between employers, unions and non-government organizations • Reinforcing social inclusion of disadvantaged people Perhaps the most interesting part of the above report is its assessment of the current socio-economic and employment situation in Burgenland. I will quote that section below in its entirety:
Probably the key points in this assessment are: 1) Burgenland has the weakest economy of
all Austrian provinces; 2) average income is only 85-90% of the Austrian average; 3) a large
percentage of working women have only part-time or seasonal employment; 4) the percent of
working-age Burgenländers in vocational training is only about 80% of the overall Austrian
percentage; and 5) there is a high level of commuting for employment outside the province.
These are the issues that explain "why" the ESF program in Burgenland is needed. Next
we look at "what" the ESF program entails. |
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3) OLD TO NEW HOUSE NUMBERS A few months ago, the BB received a query from non-member William Best concerning a number of things about Hannersdorf. Bill wrote: I have just become aware of your website and the wonderful efforts to keep our Burgenland roots alive. I have a question that I suppose is much like so many others that you have received. My grandfather, Josef Horvath, emigrated to the US in 1913, but was born in Hannersdorf (then Hammersdorf) in 1887. I know that Horvath is a common name in Austria, like Smith or Jones here in the US. Searching the newsletters on your site, I have found mention of a Josef Horvath, in the western suburbs of Chicago, where we lived. I am fairly certain this is the same person. As it turns out, our daughter is now working in Vienna, and we will be “forced” to visit her this Christmas for a couple of weeks. We intend to go to Hannersdorf for a day, and see what we can dig up on the genealogy of the family names of Horvath and Muhr. Given that Hannersdorf is such a small town (420 population), and the family is Catholic, we are hoping to visit the church and review the records. Could you provide us with the name of the church and contact information so that we can arrange for a meeting during our visit? We also think that the house number was 155. Is there information on translating the old house number to the new street address? Thank you for any help you can provide. I wrote back (in part): Hi Bill, The parish office for Hannersdorf is: <details redacted>. Like most churches in Burgenland, you may find it difficult to get an appointment, as genealogy ranks low on their priority list. Nonetheless, LDS microfilm #700728 is a duplicate of what the church would have (less any subsequent marginal notes). You likely would learn as much via this film as in viewing the original in the parish. As to house numbers, I don’t know of a translation list but I would not be surprised that the locals still know those numbers. Bill thanked me in a reply and that ended our exchange. However, a recent New Member, Betty Venturini, had an email exchange with Klaus Gerger that again raised the question of a translation list between old and new house numbers. Interestingly, Klaus' reply led me to discover a feature of the BB website that I was unaware of! Betty wrote, as part of her exchange with Klaus: Hello Klaus, thank for your kind mail. I'm building my family tree. My grandfather, Antal Mirth or Merth?, was born in Gyanafalva on 2/7/1892 (I've got his birth certificate). His mother was Anna Mirth/Merth born on 5/6/1856, Gyanafalva too. She was a single mother (no mention about a father on the birth certificate). Just the number 145, I suppose the house number, as you explain on your site). Her parents were Michael Mirth 1928 and Maria Dax 1928 both from Gyanafalva too. That's all what I know. My problem is that I can't find anything about Michael and Maria and, of course, I can't go on because of my single great-grandmother. So I searched for ancient drawings of Gyanafalva on the web, just to know where this house 145 is or was, with no result. I found, in the phone book for Jennersdorf, that one Mirth is still living in Grieselbach. But I don't speak or write German, so it's very difficult for me to introduce myself to these people. I'm wondering if my family came from Austria a long, long time ago, Germany or Austria-Hungary, and what I could do to make my tree continue to grow! I thank you again for your quick answer and your kindness. Klaus replied (in part): Hello Betty, the translation from old house number to new address is easy. For many villages, it is already online (see HouseNumberTranslation.htm). In the attachment you can see the matching page for Jennersdorf [Ed. note: Klaus provided a .jpg image for Jennersdorf (not shown here); however, that page has not yet been transcribed and placed on the web]. The new address is: Bergsiedlung 21, 8380 Jennersdorf, Österreich. This web page, HouseNumberTranslation.htm, was a surprise to me! When I went to it to see what was there, I discovered that the page had been there since at least March of 2010. But that page is Version 1.05 so I suspected the page had existed longer. In fact, when I wrote to Klaus, I found out that he first posted it online in 2006! On closer examination, I also saw that this project is still "just getting under way." Translations from old house numbers to new addresses had been transcribed and uploaded for only 20 villages so far. Klaus indicates on the page that he had obtained translation lists for 12 additional villages and had discovered 60 villages that had not changed their numbering. Further, he knew of 13 more villages that he believes have new numbers but, for which, he had not yet obtained their translation lists. He had not yet attempted to obtain information on the remaining 200+ Burgenland villages. As I mentioned above, I wrote to Klaus about this project. He tells me that he would be pleased if there were some volunteers who would be willing to transcribe this data for him. For the villages he currently has, the data is in the form of .jpg images of typed lists. Transcription would be quite easy (no German "Kurrent" script to translate—see Article 9 below—or even any handwritten text) and the four columns of data could be placed in an Excel file or into a simple, comma-separated flat file. Klaus would email the images for a village to you along with a template file where you can place the transcribed data. So, if you were looking to help the BB—and transcribing Houselists was too daunting, here is a project for you! A special note for William Best: Klaus tells me that Hannersdorf has not changed their numbering system... so, Haus 155 is still Haus 155! |
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4) AN UNCOMMON ZARCA FAMILY CONNECTION New Member Nancy Coughlin of Sterling, VA, recently joined the BB and listed surnames GOCZAN from Ubersdorf and Oberwart and ZARKA from St. Michael in her membership entry; they settled in Port Chester and New York, NY. Nancy writes: My mother was Gisela Zarka. Her parents were Ludwig (Alois) Zarka and Rosina Goczan Zarka. Their other children were Stephanie, Aladar, Bela, Margaret and Irene. I have two remaining Zarka cousins: Helmut Zarka of Ireland and Ulrike Zarka Riedl of St. Michael, Burgenland. Any genealogy info would be greatly appreciated. As is common, Barbara Raabe, our Member Research Contributing Editor, replied, saying: Nancy, welcome to the Burgenland Bunch. I am printing your information from a computer that is not mine so I will check out your information later on Ancestry to see if I can come up with anything. If you have any questions about navigating the BB site, don't hesitate to ask. Fritz Königshofer, Austro/Hungarian Research Contributing Editor, also replied, although his response was anything but common! He said: Dear Nancy, your uncle Béla Zarka might have visited us several times when I was a small child. We called him Béla bacsi (uncle Béla). He was an acquaintance or friend of my father Nikolaus Königshofer. My father was born 1915 in Rauchwart (Rabort), which belonged to the parish of St. Michael im Burgenland. If this is the St. Michael of your Zarka ancestors, then the Zarkas and Königshofers were nearly neighbors and could easily have established a friendship. My grandparents were teachers at the elementary school in Rauchwart. I was born in 1944 and spent my early childhood in Retznei, south of Graz. Around 1948/49 we moved to Graz. I'm almost certain that Béla bacsi visited us there too, and that we had funny conversations. My father also must have mentioned Béla's brother Aladar. My memory is very vague. However, I believe that Béla Zarka subsequently moved to the United States or Germany. The time would have been around 1950. My father later told me why he knew Béla so well, but I unfortunately forgot. Warmest regards, Fritz Königshofer, Bethesda, Maryland. I'm sure Nancy found this interesting and likely touching, as it is truly rare that old country family remain known and living in the memory of unrelated new country emigrants. My thanks to Fritz for sharing his memories, as I find this exchange a special treat! Lastly, I'll note that Margaret Kaiser, Contributing Editor for Szt. Gotthard & Jennersdorf; LDS; and BH&R), provided some research that appears to confirm Fritz' memory. Margaret writes: Nancy, you might want to look into these possible persons. The documentation will give birthplace. NYC Naturalization Records: ZARKA Bela, age 41, petition no. 677433, date of petition 9/5/1956, approx. birth 9/25/1915 (Bela lived at 509 E. 81st Street, NYC, date of birth Sept 25, 1915, alien registration no. 8 049 207). Also US District Court at NYC. Stephanie, age 36, petition no. 564826, date of petition 3/22/1948, approx. year of birth 1912 (Stephanie lived at 302 E. 92nd Street, NY, date of birth Sept 14, 1912, in March of 1948; also see US District Court; alien registration no. 2270013). Alien Registration records are available through NARA. Above in Southern District Court of NY / US District Court at NYC. |
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5) ECHOES OF THE HUSS FAMILY BB Member Arlene Huss, from Lancaster, PA, sent me a copy of a recently completed Burgenland family history booklet. The booklet, dated 1 Oct 2011, is a nicely-bound, 29 page, 8.5x11" format, black-and-white report about her Huss family, complete with pictures and maps and family tales! When Arlene first contacted me about her family history, she wrote (in part):
My reply was that:
Arlene quickly replied:
Which I did, quipping that "Changing technology… that’s why you have grandchildren and
great-grandchildren… to deal with the new technology!" When Arlene's package arrived a few
days later, her cover letter humorously set me straight, saying: "Had I grandchildren or
great grandchildren, as you suggested in our email exchanges, I wouldn't have to use snail
mail. But I have neither, having never been married. Morale of the story is don't wait to buy
a computer until you're 80 years old!!!" |
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6) POTATOES, CROATS, AND SLOVENES: “GRUMPERN” AND “KRUMPEN” (by Richard Potetz)  [Ed
Note: In Newsletter 212, I reprinted a Historical Article (one from 10 years ago) that
asked, "where did the word Grumpern, meaning potato, come from?" I noted that Gerry Berghold
partially answered his own question, saying: "I've since found that Grumpern is pure
Hianzisch, the local dialect of southern Burgenland." In Newsletter 213, BB member Wilhelm
Schmidt sent a note to complete the explanation... or so I thought at the time!
But, like a potato grows "eyes" to reseed itself, it appears that some eyes on the prior
article also led to new growth... Richard Potetz provides more below.]Potatoes, Croats, and Slovenes — “Grumpern” and “Krumpen” The ongoing discussion in the Burgenland Bunch Newsletter of the Hianzisch word for potato points to ethnic influences. If you travel a short distance from Güssing, the Hianzisch word for potato, “Grumpern,” is not understood. My 93-year-old mother, born and raised just 16 miles southwest of Güssing, did not use the Hianzisch word “Grumpern.” Her family mainly used “Krumpen” for “potato” (and occasionally “Erdapfel” too). By checking with Burgenland Bunch Newsletter readers with ties to that area, I found others who remembered hearing the word “Krumpen.” Evelyn, who had ancestors who had lived in Jennersdorf, wrote, “My mom used to make a soup she called ‘Kraut and Krumpen’ … cabbage and potato soup.” Lois, who had Welten ancestors, reported, “I had a vague memory of my grandmother using the word ‘Krumpen.’ I called my older sister to see if she remembered anything and she did. She remembered Grandma making a recipe with potatoes called Krumplangos or something like that. She said it was a snack where she made mashed potatoes then added yeast, sugar and she can't remember all of it, but it would rise and then get cut into circles and fried in a pan.” “Krumpen” seems to draw from Slavic roots with a touch of Hianzisch. The Slovenian and Serbian word for potato is “krompir”; the Croatian word for potato is “krumpir.” If you mix “Grumpern” with those words, “Krumpen” appears as a blend. Our Burgenland ancestors preserved local dialects. The language-standardizing influence of education had no effect in Burgenland because, until 1922, people were educated in Hungarian and spoke German (or Croatian) at home. For most people, the standardizing influence of the radio did not appear until the late 1920s. Dialects faded once primary education was conducted in German and radio became ubiquitous. The book Before the Dawn, Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors, explains how language is studied along with archeology and DNA to establish the movement of people in prehistory. Chapter 10 of that superb, captivating book, by Nicholas Wade, covers language and describes the findings of scientists who specialize in the field of linguistic paleontology. The German language spoken in Burgenland is thought to derive from an extinct Indo-European language that developed in the Fertile Crescent and spread as agriculture was introduced into European hunter/gatherer cultures. Across the border, Hungarian is thought to derive from an extinct Uralic language, brought to Hungary by the migration of the Magyars. Because the potato entered Europe only after Columbus linked the Americas to Europe, we can’t use the travels of that word to learn about people in prehistory. But the word “Krumpen” does show traces of the Croatian and Slovenian people who lived in southern Burgenland. Burgenland Bunch members with Croatian ancestors have explained their history. Frank Paukowits, writing in Burgenland Bunch Newsletter #206, showed in his article Linguistics and Your Croatian Roots, how Croatian dialects were studied to learn more about the migration of Croatians to Burgenland. The Slovenian impact on Burgenland is harder to learn about. The website http://www.vendvidek.com/indexe.htm explains the history of the Slovenian people who lived in Raab river valley. There are seven Slovenian speaking villages named on that website, all in Hungary just across the border from southern Burgenland. Those villages are listed below in the three languages spoken in the area:
That website laments the population decline in Hungary of those identifying themselves as
ethnic Slovenians. The border town of Monošter / Szentgotthárd / Sankt Gotthard, with
its inhabitants of Slovene and Hungarian descent, is identified as the economic and cultural
center of the Slovenes from that region. When the Cistercian abbey was built there in the 12th
century, both Slovenian and German speaking villages already existed in that part of the Raab
river valley. |
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 7)
WOMANGOI recently received a German-language email that provided such a new twist on an old service that I just had to write about it, even though my first reaction to it was that it was a commercial for-pay service, something the BB tends to avoid endorsing or even talking about. As you can see from the title of this article and from the logo at the right, the service is called WOMANGO, with the title and logo created from the text "Woman, Go!" What WOMANGO offers is a mediation/agent service connecting Austrian women with host families who wish to establish an au pair type relationship. The twist is that the women involved are mature "Grannies," generally over fifty years of age, who provide the au pair service in trade for room, board and perhaps a little pocket money, for stays ranging typically from 3 to 12 months in a foreign culture and country. They also connect participants to so-called "social projects," similar to what I think of as "Peace Corps" type projects. Founder Ursula Maria Lanz of Graz, Austria, herself 50-plus, says she was unable to travel when young, but never lost her desire to do so. Later, she sent her daughter off on various stays abroad and was confronted with topics such as travel, adventure and foreign countries. She finally asked herself the question, why should these options be available only to young people. Thus, WOMANGO was born. While the website is unclear, it appears she runs WOMANGO with her daughter and son-in-law. There is a €35 (35 euros) fee (~$48) to register, either as an au pair or as a host; the fee is apparently deducted from the "commission" that must be paid when an arrangement is made (however, both the English and German web pages seem quite unclear about this "commission"). The process for a participant is fairly straightforward: • participant fills out the detailed WOMANGO questionnaire • based on the questionnaire, WOMANGO finds suitable host families or projects • participant chooses from the selection of host families and receives detailed information • detailed information is sent to the families to decide which women they will consider • on mutual agreement, WOMANGO establishes contact between the participant and host • all details of the stay are arranged between participant and host family The process for a host family is similar, essentially reversing the roles in the process listed above. WOMANGO is quick to warn the host that it "...takes no liability for any damage or noncompliance with various agreements between you and your 'Granny.'" Likewise, they warn the participant that "...travel costs, airfares, as well as any visa fees are part of your private expenses and are entirely paid by you." And they add further that, "...your stay in the host country is not an employment exchange and therefore you get no money from the family. Any agreements regarding pocket money or other expenses are exclusive agreements between you and the host family and are not part of the mediation by WOMANGO. Please discuss details concerning your stay with your host family or the organization providing the social project." The underlying concept is that this arrangement should be a voluntary and mutual cross-cultural exchange that creates an understanding of another culture and lifestyle within a familiar, family environment. The women involved are expected to be energetic, interested in new things, open minded and ready for adventure. Because of their differing life experiences, they are also expected to be a valuable asset to the host family. As WOMANGO says, you "...immerse in a new and different culture, and, at the same time, do something good." My personal take is that the arrangement is a mix of the classic au pair situation and a cross-cultural exchange typical with younger adults. The women are expected to be treated much as a full-fledged family member, pulled into its daily life; conversely, they should expect to involve themselves in the family life, doing their fair share of whatever needs to be done and living by its rules. The participant should have the where-with-all to afford the expense and time and the host family should offer a reasonably comfortable living arrangement, providing some personal time and privacy while giving the participant duties and also making the participant feel part of the family. I've been involved a number of times in somewhat similar arrangements. My family hosted an Irish child for a summer during the "Irish troubles" some 20 years ago. A number of years later, we hosted, for a summer, twin girls from Finland (third cousins, on my wife's side of the family, to my twin sons). And many times, we had my mother-in-law stay with us for two- to four-week stretches, sharing holidays or summer vacations. In the first instance, a social program paid for the travel of the Irish child; in the second, we paid the travel costs to bring the cousins here; in the third instance, Granny mostly covered her own costs. Regardless, we covered the living and entertainment costs while they were living under our roof and each guest took on family responsibilities appropriate to their capabilities. I still think of each of these as having been valuable experiences for all involved. In this instance, I see WOMANGO's program as having the potential to introduce Austrian (and perhaps Burgenland) culture into a family's life. For those like us with Burgenland background, it could allow our children to have first-hand experience with the culture and language our families left behind. One would need to specify carefully your wishes and fully negotiate the precise details to get the ethnic experience desired. While I am not endorsing this particular program, I see its possibilities. If it intrigues you also, please proceed with all due caution and examine the full arrangement carefully. (Personally, I am not satisfied with the ill-documented "commission" issue; be sure to gain clear understanding of this before committing to be involved!) If you do choose to examine it further, please report back to us on what you find. More information about WOMANGO can be found at website http://www.womango.at. [Ed. Note: Klaus Gerger contacted the founder, Ursula Maria Lanz, and pursued the question of the commission. The word is that, upon a successful placement, the host family must pay a €350 fee (~$482), minus the prepaid €35 registration fee, and the Granny a €300 fee (~$413), also minus €35, as commission. In addition, Klaus learned that WOMANGO is so new that they are only now getting the first host families and Grannies. The first placement, of a Granny with a social project in Africa, will occur in January.] |
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8) KIRISITS / ZSIFKOVITZ - FAMILY RESEARCH STALLED [Ed. Note: underlining and [bracketed text] below is mine and is intended to help track the most important names and relationships.] BB Member, Louise Biela, of New York, NY, recently wrote to Alan Varga, our BB Links Editor, saying: Hi Alan, I’ve hit a dead end in my family research and hope you might be able to help. My grandfather was Gasper Kirisits of house #28 in Stinatz, born Jan 1, 1881, who immigrated to the US in 1910. His father was Lukas, who I found at #177 on a BB house list. My grandparents married about 1904 and Lukas is listed as deceased then. His [Lukas'] wife was Magalena Zsifkovits. My grandmother was Regina, born abt. 1880, who immigrated in 1922. She was the daughter of Jakab Zsifkovics and Rosalia nee Zsifkovics of house 68. Witnesses to the marriage were Istvan Kirisits and Istvan Zsifkovitz. My Aunt Mary (Marie) was born in July 1902 in Stinatz, 2 years before my grandparents married. I’m assuming Gasper is her [biological] father but don’t know that for sure. The godparents for all the children born there were Gergli (sp?) Grandits and Monika Zsifkovitz. The children born in Stinatz were Marie b. 1902; Anna b. 1905, d.1907; Frances b. 1906, d. 1941 in Stinatz; Rose b.?; Frank b. 1907; Anna b. 1909; and Joseph b. 1910. Mary (Marie) Kirisits married Gabriel Horvatits of Stinatz. I would like to know birth and death dates of Lukas and Magalena, [the] siblings of Regina and Gasper, as well as any other info you might have about their ancestors such as occupation etc. Also I find it odd that my maternal great grandmother’s maiden name is the same as her married name: Zsifkovitz. I have been unable to document the existence [i.e., find the birth record] of an aunt, Rose Kirisits. I’m also curious about Frances, who died at only 35. It is my understanding that the Burgenland area did not become part of Austria until 1921. My grandmother, Regina, emigrated in 1922 but staunchly declared herself Austrian and would actually become enraged if anyone said she was Hungarian. This puzzles me since it appears the bulk of her life that Stinatz was considered a village in Hungary. I’ve also noticed on the family’s immigration documents there is no consistency in their nationality. Some are listed as Croatian, some Hungarian and some Austria. How was that determined? Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give me. Alan Varga replied: Hello Louise, Thanks for your email. I'm copying the rest of the staff to see what ideas they may have for further unexplored channels of research. I'm just guessing here, but it sounds like you've exhausted the US immigration records, you may have looked through US Census records, and are basing the rest on oral history. As a next step I would suggest the LDS microfilms, which can be rented for a nominal fee at any LDS Family History Center. Here are some helpful links from our collection: LDS: http://www.lds.org/ - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church), Salt Lake City, Utah; information on the Family History Centers and genealogy resources available for our use; web site is available in multiple languages. --- LDS Family Search: http://www.familysearch.org/ - Online LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints) Family Search database; provides links to the LDS Ancestral File, IGI (International Genealogical Index), --- LDS Family History Library Catalog: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp - (links to microfilms, etc.), your local Family History Centers, and more; search for LDS catalog entries by place (locality), surname, author, call number, film number. --- LDS Research Helps A-Z: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/rg/frameset_rhelps.asp - very helpful links, sorted by state or country; forms, research outlines, letter-writing guides, word lists; all sortable by place, title, subject, document type. --- Click this shortcut to the LDS Family History Center Locator: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp --- And this one to the LDS Burgenland microfilm collection: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp ?display=localityrelated&columns=*%2C0%2C0&subject=58710 &subject_disp=Austria%2C+Burgenland. I'll include these in the next update to our links page. In reference to your question about the inconsistency of whether your ancestors' nationality was Austrian, Hungarian or Croatian, I have run into the same issue. There are historians in our group who can better explain why someone would have a preference about what they were called, some of it related to European immigration patterns over the last 500 years, and I can only recommend trying each one in turn when you hit a roadblock. That may be enough to get you unstuck. I hope the links help, and I'm sure our staff will have some other suggestions for you to try. Don't hesitate to write any of us if you need help finding resources. And then I replied, as Alan had copied his reply to me and other staff members: Hi Louise, Alan has provided you with the, likely, most productive resources for furthering your investigation. That being the LDS microfilms for Stinatz. The filmed Catholic records cover 1828-1895 and the civil records from 1895-1920. These should answer most of the questions you pose about sibling and dates. As to the staunch “Austrian” claim, it was the Austro-Hungarian empire prior to 1921… one “country” with multiple “states” could be a reasonable comparison. However, I’d bet your people were German or Croatian speakers (the surnames certainly appear Croatian in origin). If so, the tie to the Austrian side might be felt to be stronger than to the Hungarian side. In addition, Stinatz is quite close to the pre-1921 Austria-Hungary border… within a mile. If Stinatz was socially and commercially more connected to the Austrian border villages than to the Hungarian villages, this also could explain the claim. In addition, the family could have lived in an Austrian village before coming to Stinatz… which might also explain a tie. Lastly, the different ethnic groups and their countries of origin held deep-set resentments about prior wars and alliances. If your grandmother’s people were harmed by the Hungarians, that, by default, could explain the strong feelings if forced to choose Austrian or Hungarian. It may well be that all these issue jointly explain her feelings. As to the differing claims to nationality/ethnicity, the stated one likely had to do as much with how the person viewed themselves and how they understood the question being asked as it did to the biases of the officials filling out the papers. Some (emigrant and/or official) based it on the surname, others the prior place of residence, and yet others by the language spoken. Your research may prove more definitive! In addition, Fritz Königshofer had words of wisdom: Hi Louise, Your family research is destined to take off if it is possible for you to follow the advice of Alan and Tom to order and study the LDS microfilms of Stinatz. I am curious, however, why you are writing that Gaspar and Regina married in "about" 1904 when you know a detail such as Gaspar's father (Lukas) had already passed away by then. Have you, by any chance, already looked at the marriage record yourself? The civil records may also contain information about the birth of Marie in about 1902, and how she officially became the daughter of Gaspar with last name Kirisits. If you don't find this information in the civil records filmed by LDS, my advice would be to check the original civil records in Stinatz and/or the post-1895 records of the Catholic parish, also in Stinatz. However, as you will see below, there is a question whether Stinatz was the place of birth of Marie. Another place to check for your family are the arrival records of Ellis Island (www.ellisislandrecords.org). Try to also check spelling variations such as Kirisics, Kirisitz, etc., and possible transcription errors such as Graudits for Grandits. My little search found the following Ellis Island records of interest. There is the 1910 arrival record of Gaspar Kirisits, age 30, married. His wife Regina is listed as the closest relative in the old home country. Like apparently most travelers/emigrants from Stinatz, Gaspar went to Buffalo, NY. As his contact there, the record lists John Fabsits. This person might well be the Johann Fabsits mentioned in Walter Dujmovits's article about the emigrants from Burgenland (in the catalog of the exhibition "...auf nach America") as the earliest emigrant from Stinatz (year 1898). Under the spelling Kirisics, there is an arrival record of 1912 of Regina, age 31, and her son Franz, age 3. She was on her way to husband Gaspar Kirisics who lived in Buffalo, Schmidtstreet 987 (can't read). The closest relative she left behind in the old country was her father Jakov Zsifkovits. [Ed. Note: On the same manifest is a Karolina Kirisics (age 38) from Pásztorháza / Stinacz / Stinatz, with children Agnes (7) and Katarina (3), as well as a Mathilda Kirisics (22) from the same village, all going to Buffalo; I suspect these are relatives. In total, I see 36 people with last name Kirisics (or some reasonable variation) that emigrated from Pásztorháza / Stinatz thru Ellis Island during 1906-1924; these all are likely worth exploring.] [Ed. Note: I also note that there is a Gasper/Casper & Regeana/Regena Kirisits in Buffalo in the 1920/1930 Censuses. Son Franz/Frank is there, along with children Joseph (1930 only), Tinna/Justina, Threasa/Theresa, Andrew/Andrew and Louis/Luke. Again, this seems to call the question of when Regina emigrated... 1912, as Fritz reports, or 1922, as Louise wrote. It also makes me wonder what happened to the other European-born children.] There is also an arrival record of December 1922 of Marie Kirisitz (the records itself says Kirisits), age 20, single. She was on her way to her father Gaspar Kirisits at 265 Sherman Street in Buffalo. As her closest relative left behind in the home country she listed her grandmother R. Zsifkovits living at house no. 28 in Stinatz. This would then have been Rosalia Zsifkovits. Most interestingly, the place of birth of Marie is stated to be Engelhartstetten in Austria, a town in Lower Austria near Vienna, on the way to Pressburg (Bratislava). Maybe Regina had worked there as a maid, or Marie was one of the Vienna orphans growing up in foster care at the Kirisits family. Of the two godparents, Monika nee Zsifkovits may have been a sister of Regina. This is just an idea though. Gergli (might be Gergely which translates to Gregory) Grandits might well have been Monika's husband. In these old towns, there was a lot of intermarriage. It happened quite often that a bride's maiden name was also her married name. For your research, you need to know Hungarian, Austrian/German and Croat first name equivalents. Stinatz received a Hungarian town name in the late 1890s which was Pásztorháza. Before, the Hungarian spelling was Stinacz or Stinac. The first name István corresponds to Stephen. The question of which nationality and ethnicity we ascribe to our forebears is very interesting. I will try to scribble together some comments later. [Ed. note: I reminded Fritz that he planned to "scribble" on choice of nationality and ethnicity and he responded as follows.] Fritz writes: Hi Tom, For most of the inhabitants of Stinatz, ethnicity was Croatian while the nationality was Hungarian until 1921 and Austrian since then. I think the question, of why an ancestor from Stinatz could so adamantly have felt loyalty to Austria instead of Hungary, has mostly been answered by your reasoning (of nearness to the old border, etc.). I venture to add the reason of the enforced name change from Stinac, the traditional Croat name of the town for hundreds of years, to the likely artificially-created Hungarian name, Pásztorháza. The fact that not all ethnic Croats in old Hungary were more loyal to Austria than Hungary can be shown with the example of Szentpéterfa. When the new border was drawn and the Burgenland created after WW-1, Szentpéterfa was given the chance to be either in Hungary or Austria. The mostly Croatian inhabitants decided for Hungary with an overwhelming majority. This decision was such a significant event that the town received the official government designation as the most faithful Hungarian town. The border consequences of WW-1 tore at the hearts of many families. My own Königshofer line is a good example. Great-grandfather Adolf Königshofer's ancestors were nearly 100% ethnic Germans from Styria. He was educated as a teacher and had his first job in Olbendorf, which required him to apply for Hungarian citizenship. He married an ethnic and nationality-wise Hungarian lady. Five children grew to adulthood. When WW-1 was over and the Burgenland created, Adolf found himself back in Austria, two of the children had emigrated to the USA (Milwaukee and Allentown, respectively), two remained in Hungary, and one (my grandfather) became Austrian. Many years ago as a teenager, one of my Hungarian cousins of about the same age proudly declaimed to me that he was a Magyar. His remark surprised me because he had barely more Hungarian blood in his line (i.e., the great-grandmother mentioned above) than I. Therefore I agree that it is often the own view of oneself that determines one's ethnicity, although I would add "given good knowledge of ancestral lines." Tom, I hope that you find these "scribblings" reasonable and useable. Regards, Fritz |
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9) HISTORICAL BB NEWSLETTER ARTICLES Editor: This is part of our occasional series designed to recycle interesting articles from the BB Newsletters of 10 years ago. In this edition, I've taken the part of an article written in reply to a member query about Agfalva, Hungary (Agendorf in German) that deals with German script writing... THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS No. 101 November 30, 2001 (Part of) AGENDORF (AGFALVA, HUNGARY) LUTHERAN PASTORS & SCRIPT ...Fritz Königshofer then writes concerning script:  As
to your questions on the handwriting, the Germans used a particular longhand called German (or
"Kurrent") script when writing in German. [ED note: a page showing German "Kurrent" letters
can be found by clicking the thumbnail to the right.] I was born in 1944 but still learned
this script at school, though only as an alternative and only during one grade. In former
times, Kurrent script was the main way of writing German. Today, only the oldest living
generation is still fluent in reading this script. However, "Kurrent" was only used for
writing German. Latin words, for example, were always written in the so-called Latin script,
which is the one everyone uses today.To my knowledge, the Hungarians never used the German script. They always wrote in the one we call Latin (and which you called "American"). It is the most internationally used script today, effectively the only one (with small variations) for writing the letters of the so-called Latin alphabet. Germans in Western Hungary may have used the German script. However, Hungarian church records were, in my experience, rarely written in German using the German script, except older records (pre-1850 and much earlier) and then only in German-speaking parishes. Until the so-called "Ausgleich" (compromise) of 1867, Hungary was ruled by Austria and the Hungarian language could only be used in rather brief periods for writing records. In other periods, Latin had to be used. After the compromise, Hungarian soon became the only language for records. Emperor Joseph II not only established religious tolerance (which allowed the re-emergence of Lutheran parishes and schools), but he also made the parish priests legally responsible for recording births, marriages, and deaths. Before this, the recording had been purely a church matter. However, Joseph II mandated that the parishes be the record keepers on behalf of the state. Later, civil recording was introduced in Hungary from October 1895, after a bitter fight with the Catholic Church. In Austria, civil recording did not take over until the 1930s. Either the Hungarian government between the two world wars, or the communist government after WW-II, declared all church records national public property and had them collected at the National Archives in Budapest. This is where the Mormons were able to film them. Priests did not record for archival purposes. Rather, they made them at the order of the church until Joseph II, and at the order of the State from then onward. In about 1826/27/28, the recording of duplicates was mandated in Hungary. These duplicates had to be sent, at the end of each year, to the next higher administrative church entity, i.e., to the Diocesan Ordinariate in the case of the Roman Catholic Church. In Austria, mandatory duplicates were introduced a bit later, in the mid 1830s. |
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10) ETHNIC EVENTS LEHIGH VALLEY, PA (courtesy of Bob Strauch) Nov. 18 - Dec. 18: Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem. Info: www.artsquest.org/christkindlmarkt Nov. 25 - Dec. 24: Weihnachtsmarkt in Bethlehem. Info: www.christmascityvillage.com Saturday, Dec. 3: Coplay Sängerbund Christmas Concert & Dance. Music by the Coplay Sängerbund Chorus and the Joe Weber Orchestra. Members and their guests welcome (guests must be accompanied by a member). Saturday, Dec. 3: Lehigh Sängerbund Christmas Concert at Egner Memorial Chapel/Muhlenberg College, Allentown. Followed by dinner/dance at the Knights of Columbus, Allentown (music by Emil Schanta). Info: www.lehighsaengerbund.org Saturday, Dec. 3: Christkindlnacht at the Evergreen Heimatbund in Fleetwood. Info: www.evergreenclub.org Sunday, Dec. 4: Christkindlmarkt at the Reading Liederkranz. Info: www.readingliederkranz.com Sunday, Dec. 18: German Christmas Show at the Evergreen Heimatbund in Fleetwood. Info: www.evergreenclub.org Saturday, Dec. 31: New Year's Eve Dance at the Coplay Sängerbund. Music by the Johnny Dee Orchestra. Members and their guests welcome (guests must be accompanied by a member). Saturday, Dec. 31: Silvesterball at the Reading Liederkranz. Music by the Walt Groller Orchestra. Info: www.readingliederkranz.com Saturday, Dec. 31: New Year's Eve Dance at the Evergreen Heimatbund. Music by the Josef Kroboth Orchestra. Info: www.evergreenclub.org LANCASTER, PA Saturday, Dec 3, 5 - 6 pm: Fall & Christmas Concert. The Liederkranz Chorus, Dorothea Parrish, Director; Bill Rhoads, Accompanist. Held at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 85 E Brandt Blvd, Landisville. Saturday, Dec 3: Christmas Dinner & Dance. Lancaster Liederkranz, 722 S. Chiques Rd, Manheim, PA. lancasterliederkranz@verizon.net, 717-898-8451. Christmas Buffet immediately follows concert (after 6 pm). $12 Adult ~ $6 Child. Christmas Dance, 7:30 - 11:30 pm. $8 members ~ $10 guests. Music by Hank Haller. Tuesday, Dec 6, 5:30-7:30 pm: All you can eat Buffet. Entertainment by Carl Heidlauf on Piano. ~ Open to the Public ~ $10 ($12 guests). Lancaster Liederkranz. Saturday, Dec 31, 6 pm to 1 am: New Years Eve Dinner Dance. Lancaster Liederkranz. Dinner (Fruit Cup & International Salad; Chicken Breast Francese & Maryland Crab Cake; Seasonal Starch & Vegetable Cherries Jubilee) served 6:30 pm. $55 per person ~ reservations only, no door sales. Reservations required by Friday, December 16. Music by the Joe Weber Orchestra. Domestic Beer, Wine, & Soda ~ N/C; Imports & Mixed Drinks ~ 1/2 price; Midnight Champagne Toast. NEW BRITAIN, CT (courtesy of Margaret Kaiser) Friday, Dec 2, 7 pm: Heimat Abend. $3. Austrian Donau Club, 545 Arch Street, New Britain, CT, (860) 223-9401. Music by Joe Rogers and his band. Hot food is available from the kitchen; special is Wursts. Saturday, Dec 3, 10:30 am - 4 pm: Holiday Fair. Austrian Donau Club. Sunday, Dec 11, 8 am - Noon: Sonntag Frühstuck. Austrian Donau Club. Come enjoy breakfast. Friday, Dec 16, 7:30 pm: Heurigan Abend. $3. Austrian Donau Club. Music by Schachtelgebirger Musikanten. Hot food is available from the kitchen; special is Smoked Pork Chops. Saturday, Dec 24: Christmas Eve. Austrian Donau Club. ***limited hours*** Sunday, Dec 25: Christmas. Austrian Donau Club. ***closed*** Saturday,
Dec 31, Noon to 1:00 am: New Year's Eve. Austrian Donau Club. |
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11) BURGENLAND EMIGRANT OBITUARIES (courtesy of Bob Strauch) Josephine Charamut  Josephine
(Niedermayer) Charamut, 90, widow of Joseph Charamut since 1986, died Saturday, November 5,
2011 at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain.Josephine was born in Wallendorf, Burgenland, Austria on August 28, 1921, to the late Joseph and Mary (Lang) Niedermayer. After moving to America with her family at the age of seven, she became a life-long resident of New Britain. At the time of her death, Josephine resided at St. Lucian's Residence on Burritt Street. She was a graduate of New Britain High School and retired from the former North & Judd Mfg. Co. of New Britain, after many years of service. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law: Frank and Grace (Nesta) Niedermayer of Plantsville, formerly of East Berlin. Josephine also leaves two nieces and their spouses; Frances and Arthur Boyle of Newington, Nancy and Louis Urso of Southington, a nephew, Joseph Niedermayer and his companion, Rhonda Cassin of Bristol, and a cousin Englebert Niedermayer of San Bruno CA. She is also survived by several great-nieces and great-nephews. Josephine was predeceased by a third niece, Maryann (Niedermayer) Schafer and her spouse, Lincoln, and her step-father, Michael Ertl. Visitation services will be Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011 from 10:00 to 11:30am at the New Britain Memorial Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave., New Britain, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00pm in St. Francis of Assisi Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery. For directions, extend a condolence or message to the family, please visit www.newbritainsagarino.com. Katharine Conner Katharine
Ilona "Lonnie" Conner, née Satovich, 90, of Belleville, Illinois, born Nov. 19, 1920, in
Langental, Burgenland, Austria, died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, at Rosewood Care Center, Swansea.Mrs. Conner was a member of First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, the Shriners Past Potentates Wives Club, and the YMCA. She was affectionately known as "Baba" to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Francis Dale Conner, whom she married on April 26, 1947, and who died April 4, 1999; her parents, Thomas and Maria, née Bauer, Satovich; three brothers; and two sisters. Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Joy Conner of San Antonio, Texas; two granddaughters, Michelle (Michael) Merwarth and Nicole (Marc) Leifeste; and five great-grandchildren, Maren, Aidan, Devon, Conner, and Raelynn. The most valuable gift that Lonnie imparted to others was unconditional love. She was always compassionate and nurturing, and she saw the good in everyone. Lonnie was there for everyone who needed her. She was there to care for them, offer a listening ear, or share sound advice from her amazing heart. Her greatest joys were watching her son, grandchildren, and above all, her great-grandchildren, grow into the individuals they were meant to be. We were fortunate to have been there to comfort and care for her in her last days, as she so often did for us during our lives. Memorials may be made to First United Presbyterian Church or to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com. Funeral: A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, at First United Presbyterian Church with Rev. Conley A. Zomermaand officiating. Katharine gifted her body to Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. GEORGE RENNER & SONS FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, IL. Published in Belleville News-Democrat from November 10 to November 11, 2011 Helen J. Toth Helen
J. Toth, age 87, of Vineland, New Jersey, passed away on Friday afternoon at home where she
had been under the care of family and hospice.She was the daughter of the late Stephen and Agnes (Stolsitz) Garger. Helen was born in Northampton, PA, and, after being raised in Szentpéterfa (aka Petrovo Selo/Prostrum), Hungary, she returned to the Bronx, NY, until moving to Vineland in 1960. She was predeceased by her husband of 41 years, John B. Toth, who died in 1991. In addition to her husband she was also predeceased by her brothers, Joseph and Stephen Garger, Brother in-law Anthony Darmiento and Sister in-law Margaret (Toth) and John Vargo. In her early years Helen worked first at J.J. Newberry cafeteria before going to work at Arian Fashions. She was a former member of the Women of the Moose College of Regents and a member of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. She was a member of the St. Isidore's Roman Catholic Church, Vineland. Helen enjoyed going to the Olive Garden, visiting Atlantic City and spending time with her family. She is survived by her devoted and loving daughter; Patricia Toth and her fiancee Willis Boone. Her grandcat Bentson, Sister Maryanna Darmiento, Milton, NY, Nieces; Phyllis (Herb) Lorenz, Milton, NY, MaryAnn (Fred) Roberts, Ossining, NY, Nephews; John Darmiento, Marlboro, NY, George (Kay) Vargo, Webster, NY, Several grand nieces and nephews and special cousins in Vineland, Haddonfield and Brooklyn, NY. Relatives and friends will be received on Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and again on Wednesday from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Pancoast Funeral Home, 676 S. Main Rd., Vineland, NJ. Her funeral liturgy will be celebrated at 12:30 pm on Wednesday in St. Isidore's R.C. Church, 1655 Magnolia Rd., Vineland, NJ with burial to follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineland, NJ. To e-mail condolences and or tributes, please visit www.pancoastfuneralhome.com. Published in The Press of Atlantic City on November 28, 2011 |
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END OF NEWSLETTER |
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NOTICE (Terms and Conditions): The Burgenland Bunch (BB) was formed and exists to assist Burgenland descendants in their research into their heritage and, toward that end, reserves the right to use any communication you have with us (email, letter, phone conversation, etc.) as part of our information exchange and educational research efforts. • If you do not want your communication to be used for this purpose, indicate that it is "confidential" and we will abide by that request. • Correspondents who communicate with the BB without requesting confidentiality retain their copyright but give a non-exclusive license to the BB allowing us to forward to BB members, publish in our monthly newsletter or on our website, and/or subsequently and permanently archive all or parts of such communications. The Burgenland Bunch homepage (website) can be found at: http://www.the-burgenland-bunch.org/ Burgenland Bunch Newsletter, copyright © 2011 by The Burgenland Bunch All rights reserved. Permission to copy excerpts granted if credit is provided. |
News
among
others, commented to me (when sending the current article) that "I have no power from last
Saturday's [snow]storm but I now have a generator, and DSL is back up, so life can continue."
The large hurricane that struck earlier this year also caused him problems when trying to
research and share the Neumarkt article. I could see Richard (or myself, I admit) as
the seated character in this cartoon. I hope you enjoy it (and do not find too much of
yourself in it!).
