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Dedicated to Austrian-Hungarian Burgenland Family History

The Chosen

We are the chosen. In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again. To tell the family story and to feel somehow they know and approve. Doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the storytellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes.

Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do.

In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors: You have a wonderful family; you would be proud of us.

How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who I am and why I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying, I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh.

It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that the fathers fought and died to make and keep us a nation. It goes to deep understanding that they were doing it for us. It is of equal pride and love that our mothers struggled to give us birth; without them we could not exist.

And so we love each one as far back as we can reach. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of existence, because we are they and they are the sum of who we are. So, as a scribe, I tell the story of my family.

It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take my place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do my family genealogy and this is what calls those young and old to step up and restore the memory or greet those who we have never known before.
                                                     - Della Cummings Wright, 1943

“With regard to wine, the Burgenland is a law unto itself, or rather, several laws.” - Phillipp Blom, The Wines of Austria

With over 13,000 hectares of vineyards (Ed note: equal to over 32,000 acres or 50 square miles), the Burgenland is Austria’s second largest wine region. The Burgenland enjoys several attributes of good wine production, among them dry, rocky hills, the moderating influence of the Neusiedlersee, sunny weather, and mists from the foothills of the Alps. It is the mist that promotes the “noble rot” (botrytis) fungus that creates the sweet wines so evocative of the area.

History

Celtic and Roman inhabitants, of what was then known as Pannonia, made wines from indigenous grapes. Charlemagne promoted wine production in these lands during the late 700s. In the late twelfth century, Cistercian monks brought pinot gris vines from their homeland in France and planted them around the Neusiedlersee and at Güssing. Wine production continued through the centuries, distributed predominately by Jewish merchants. The Turkish invasions were a boon to the winemakers of the area, as the famed Tokay region in Hungary was occupied by the Turks, unavailable to the rest of Europe. Many Hungarian vintners fled to establish vineyards and bring their expertise to what would become Burgenland. The village of Rust became famous for its sweet white wine, Ruster Ausbruch. Casks of the Ausbruch were trademarked with an “R” as early as 1524 by decree of the Queen of Hungary and as a designation of protected origin. In 1526, the first Trockenbeerenauslese, made exclusively from “noble” rotten grapes, was created in Donnerskirchen. Known as “Lutherwein” (Donnerskirchen was a Protestant enclave during the Reformation), this wine was considered such a delicacy that the last of the 1526 vintage was not drunk until 1852, 326 years after its creation! Later Turkish invasions laid waste to Rust and the surrounding areas. In 1681, Rust earned the status of Imperial Free City based on its wine production (and the payment of 60,000 gulden and 500 pails of Ruster Ausbruch!). During the siege of Vienna in 1683, Prince Esterházy donated casks of wine from this area to boost the morale of the defenders.

A decree, by the Emperor in 1784, that allowed every citizen to sell their own produce, which included wine, marked the beginning of the “buschenschänken / heurigen” movement in Austria.

The 1800s saw the introduction of two significant threats to wine production. Mildew was a concern, but it was the root louse Phylloxera that forever changed European viticulture. Only the sandy soils of the Seewinkel prevented the louse infestation. All other regions had to plant vines grafted onto resistant (American) rootstocks in order to survive. Pinot Noir made its appearance at this time, Blaufränkisch became the dominant red grape, and red wines began to dominate the market, even in Rust.

The year 1907 saw the first Imperial wine legislation, regulating production and prohibiting “artificial wines” (http://www.austrianwine.com).

The creation of the Burgenland in 1921 did little to production methods of wine, but the loss of Rust and other surrounding wine producing areas was a blow to newly independent Hungary. The planting of new vineyards was prohibited in 1936 as an indication of the strong protective nature of Austrian agriculture at the time. World War II and the Soviet occupation that followed resulted in the loss of vineyards and vintages. Soviet soldiers raided vineyards and cellars, and what they could not drink or cart away, they used for target practice. At the same time, a small area east of the Neusiedlersee began to produce wine in earnest. Illmitz and Apetlon became known as centers for the “finest nobly sweet wines in the world,” which continues to this day (Blom, p.64).

In 1985, German chemists discovered that diethylene glycol, a component of antifreeze, was being used as a sweetener in Austrian wines. This set off what was known as The Great Wine Scandal, or the “Glorious Revolution of 1985,” depending on one’s viewpoint. The Austrian wine industry, such as it was, collapsed, and a new, innovative way of making quality wines (though stringently regulated) rose from its ashes.



Classification

The Austrian wine industry came under the auspices of the EU, following Austria’s admission in 1995, and was patterned after the German system based on the sugar content of the grapes when harvested. Sugar content in Austrian wines is measured in the uniquely Austrian unit, the KMW (Klosterneuburger Mostwaage), which has proved confusing for those accustomed to German or French units.

[Ed. Note, from Wikipedia: "Must weight" is a measure of the amount of sugar in grape juice (must), and hence indicates the amount of alcohol that could be produced if it is all fermented to alcohol, i.e., if the must was fermented to a completely dry wine rather than left as residual sugar. In Germany it is measured in degrees Öchsle (°Oe), where 1° KMW roughly equals 5° Öchsle. In Italy, France and Canada the measurement is in degrees Brix, and in the United States it is measured as specific gravity. The Baumé scale is occasionally used in France and by U.S. brewers. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, must weight is measured in degrees Normalizovaný moštomer (°NM).]

There are three main classifications of Austrian wine:

Wein - Table wine, the least expensive, “marketed and sold without protection or geographic origin,” may be blended with other EU wines. Cannot carry the red and white “banderole” on the bottle.

Landwein - restricted to the three wine growing areas of Austria, with more geographical protection, cannot carry the red and white “banderole” on the bottle.

Qualitätswein - may only apply to wines produced from a single variety or blend of the 35 classified quality wine varieties, and from a legally defined wine-growing area of a specific region. Carries the red and white “banderole” on the bottle.

Qualitätswein includes Prädikat and DAC wines:

Prädikat: A Prädikatswein refers to the Austrian quality wine of special or particular ripeness and harvest, and the grape juice (must) may not be chaptalised [Ed. Note: have sugar added before or during fermentation so that the alcohol content can be increased] nor the resulting wine sweetened after fermentation is complete. The must weight of the harvest may only be measured by the local wine authorities and there is a confirmation for this inspection. The residual sugars may only be those naturally occurring in the wine, following either the natural or premature end of the alcoholic fermentation, and the minimum permitted alcohol level is 5% by volume.

Prädikat wines are further broken down into:
• Spätlese, has a must weight of at least 19° °KMW, made from fully ripe grapes
• Auslese, has a must weight of at least 21° °KMW, made only from carefully selected and appropriate grapes
• Beerenauslese (BA), has a must weight of at least 25° °KMW, made from over-ripe and/or noble rot grapes
• Ausbruch, is permitted from 27° °KMW, and is made exclusively from noble rot or naturally dried grapes
• Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), has a must weight of at least 30° °KMW, and is made predominantly from noble rot grape bunches and extremely dried, raisin-like grape berries
• Eiswein or Ice Wine, is from 25° °KMW, and the grapes must be picked and pressed in their frozen form
• Strohwein/Schilfwein, is from 25° °KMW, and the harvested grapes must naturally air dry on straw or reeds or on lines for a minimum of three months

DAC wines: have a minimum of 15° KMW. The grapes may only come from the list of classified Austrian varieties and only from one wine-growing area. The concept of “regional typicity” became prevalent during the early years of the 21st century, as an attempt to improve communication, sales, and quality of wine produced in the region. Regional wine committees were created to define the “regional typicity” and then promote and publicize its product. This led to the formation of the DAC.

The definition of DAC is as follows:

An amendment in the wine law allows a wine displaying regional typicity, as defined by the regional committee, to apply the term DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) to the name of the wine producing region. Only these wines, examined and approved by the State commission control number and a further requirement for regional typicity, are allowed to print, e.g., Weinviertel DAC, onto the label. Non-defined varieties or other styles are marketed under the larger wine producing region, e.g., Niederösterreich. First official vintage under DAC status was released in 2003 (From: http://www.austrianwine.com).

There are other subgroup classifications for wines from other areas of Austria as well as definitions of blends and wines with good cellaring potential. See http://www.austrianwine.com for details.

Wine Regions of Burgenland (courtesy of Austrian Wine Board)

Four winegrowing areas are recognized in Burgenland, three of which have earned DAC status:

Neusiedlersee: Encompasses the eastern shore only, characterized by hot summers and cold winters moderated by the Neusiedlersee, known for white wines ranging from well balanced to the “nobly sweet” dessert wines of the Seewinkel. Ungrafted vines that predate the Phylloxera era are still grown here. A new generation of wine makers is also concentrating on creating full-bodied red wines.

Leithaberg DAC (Neusiedlersee-Hügelland): Includes the western shore of the Neusiedlersee to the Leitha mountain range. A great diversity of wine production is found here, home to the famous Ruster Ausbruch. Dry wines are also produced, using Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Neuberger (white) and Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt (red) grapes. Has become a “real wine mecca for tourists” visiting Eisenstadt, Rust and Mörbisch.

Mittelburgenland DAC: “Blaufränkisch with Character!” The center of red wine culture in Austria. Vines grow between the BuckligenWelt to the west and the Sopron and Köszeg ranges to the east, in a dry and protected microclimate. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also grown here in limited quantities. In addition to fine wines, the Mittelburgenland also draws tourists to thermal health spas.

Eisenburg DAC (Südburgenland): “Probably the most unspoilt wine landscape of Burgenland.” Blaufränkisch dominates the red wine production. Many vintners in South Burgenland are “hobby winemakers” who supplement their day jobs with wine sales through local wine taverns.

Eisenburg/Deutsch-Schützen is the traditional center of winemaking, producing red wines with distinct mineral aromas. “Crisp and fruity” white wine production includes the Uhudler (see below) with its “pungent aroma of wild strawberries.”

The Grapes Most Commonly Used in Burgenland

Red Wine Grapes

Blaufränkisch - As the name indicates, of possible Frankish origin, from the time of Charlemagne. Best wines made in middle to southern Burgenland, known as “Blaufränkischland.”

Cabernet Sauvignon - The famed French grape matures late in Burgenland, but has produced some “interesting” wines, sometimes blended with Blaufränkisch grapes.

St. Laurent - Likely a descendant of Pinot Noir, this fussy grape ripens around Aug 10, St. Lawrence’s Day. Best found on the light, chalky northern shores of the Neusiedlersee. Its close and equally temperamental cousin, Pinot Noir, also does best in this area.

Zweigelt or Blauer Zweigelt - A cross between St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch and named after its creator, Franz Zweigelt, this is a purely Austrian grape. It has good resistance to disease and temperature extremes and grows practically anywhere with good yields.

White Wine Grapes

Bouvier - Grown in Burgenland for the popular and refreshing Sturm (more later) and sweet dessert wines.

Chardonnay - Austria had no Chardonnay officially until 1986, when suddenly it was determined that what was thought to be Pinot Blanc growing in Burgenland was actually Chardonnay, and has been designated as such ever since. The Neusieldersee-Hugelland DAC produces “Chardonnay of truly international character” (Blom, p.42).

Furmint - A predominately Hungarian grape, Furmint has become more popular in Burgenland over the years in the production of the sweet Ausbruch wines that made Rust famous.

Goldburger - Another introduction by Franz Zweigelt, this grape is grown around the Neusiedlersee.

Grüner Veltliner - The most common Austrian grape, “extremely versatile as well as reliable,” its “unstoppable conquest of more than a third of all Austrian vineyards” began only after WW-II (Blom, p. 43). Heuriger culture would not exist without this grape, but wines made from this grape also have great aging potential.

Muskat-Ottonel - Used mostly in the production of aperitifs and the nobly sweet wines around the Neusiedlersee.

Neuburger - Supposedly vines of this variety were fished out of the Danube in the 1860s. Grown all over Austria, it produces a wine with “a nutty, fleshy character and a very pleasant acidity” as well as good aging potential (Blom, p. 46).

Pinot Blanc - The true Pinot Blanc is grown in the Burgenland to produce “beautifully full-bodied wines which are characteristically fat, round and almond-scented, high in alcohol and often very powerful, with plenty of aging potential” (Blom, p. 47).

Scheurebe - Found mostly around Illmitz for the production of nobly sweet wines.

Traminer - Considered to be the parent of Gewürztraminer, with its floral, fruity notes, the Traminer grape makes a golden, scented wine of high alcohol content. “There are fine exponents of this variety in Burgenland” (Blom, p.51).

Welschriesling - Despite its name, it is not related to the Riesling grape. High in acidity, it is commonly used to make light simple wines for summer drinking, a classic Heuriger wine.

Wines Unique to Austria

Uhudler - Being a special wine which must only be served in Southern Burgenland and the bordering Styrian area, you will not find it anywhere else. It is drunk cold, and though its appearance has some resemblance with rosé, it tastes entirely different. It has the smack of berries, after the uncultivated grapes from which it is made. This wine is supposed to be drunk together with friends, on a warm autumn evening, in the open air, having a nice talk and laugh at a candle-lit table. Most Buschenschanks will provide you with those prerequisites; you still need to bring the friends, though.

From Uhu, “owl”: Apparently because the growers who had downed this formerly illicit wine (various strains of which were thought to cause “imbecility“) came home “drunk as an owl.” Production was only legalized in 1992 (Blom, p. 18).

Most - This is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented fruit juice. It can be clear or clouded and can taste a little astringent. You can get drunk from it easily. Common fruits used for making Most are grape, apple and pear. It is similar to cider and perry. In wine making, Most precedes Sturm. One differentiates between Pressmost, the product of pressure applied to the fruit, and Seihmost, the liquid that naturally flows out of the fruit stacked in the press.

Sturm - A fermenting grape juice of high alcohol content, Sturm (“storm,” alluding to its cloudy nature) is the stage following Most. This beverage is only on sale in Austria between 1 August and 31 December of the current vintage, as it cannot be preserved. If sold in bottles, it is not corked as the fermentation process of the sugar is still ongoing. It is opaque, and off-white to greenish in color. Depending on the stage of fermentation the taste can be very sweet. It is deceptively refreshing, and has a surprising punch. The term “Sturm” is protected for use in Austria (http://www.easydestination.net/wine_tourism/burgenland.shtml).

The Wine Taverns of Austria

Heuriger is the name given to those eastern Austrian wine-taverns, where wine-growers serve the most recent year's wine and where patrons can experience Gemütlichkeit. They need a special license. A modest buffet is often provided, along with local music. Heurig means this year's (as an adjective) in Austrian German; thus, a Heuriger. Open Heurigen indicate that guests are welcome with a couple of conifer or fir twigs or Buschen, hung above the entrance door, hence the alternative name Buschenschanken, especially in Styria. The fun lasts until Martinmas, November 11, after which the current year’s wine is termed “old wine” and cannot be sold in the Heurigen.

Wine Production in Austria Today (2011)

With the increased awareness of chemical residues in soil, water and food, the organic and biodynamic movements have become very important in Austrian viticulture. This includes the use of manure and other natural soil enhancers, beneficial insects, rotation of crops and even planting according to lunar and astrological signs. Integrated production is a term that encompasses all forms of plant protection, from organic methods, limited chemical use, mechanical means and quarantine measures that ensure good plant yield without damaging the ecosystem or economic value of a vineyard.

The announcement of the “French paradox”—the French are renowned for everything but not generally for their frugal lifestyles, with foie gras, rich sauces and lots of cheese; a diet not considered particularly healthy... yet the French love their red wine, and that is probably the reason, according to the experts of the time, that they tend to live more healthily than others—has led to the theory that wine can be good for you, as people have suspected for thousands of years. While still just a theory, “There are now several scientific studies that support the fact that a moderate, yet regular consumption of wine can have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, and some research even suggest that red wine has an effect in the prevention of cancer”- Austrian Wine Board.

Recent Burgenland wines that have garnered praise have been the 2006 and 2009 vintages, particularly with reds. There is promise for the 2011 vintage as well, with high sugars and low acidity, despite frost and hail damage that occurred earlier this year. Of course, it all depends on favorable weather during the completion of the harvest.

Personal Recollections of the Burgenland During Grape Harvest

I was fortunate enough to visit the Burgenland in October of 2002, for the purpose of family history research, but also to enjoy the local culture. We stayed in a pension in the small village of Oberloisdorf, within easy reach of the home villages of my ancestors as well as the wine areas of both Neusiedlersee and Mittelburgenland. The local roads were hemmed on each side with vineyards stretching into the distance. Autumn flowers were still blooming profusely in the ditches fronting the vines. Little cart-like trucks dashed in and out of the vineyards, piled to overflowing with freshly picked grapes. The towns of Rust and Mörbisch were bustling with the harvest and sale of wines, the air filled with the heady aroma of crushed grapes. We visited Weingut Marienhof in Rust and bought two bottles of “Just Rust” 2000 Ruster Blaufränkisch.

As it was October, the Gasthöfe and restaurants offered local seasonal fare, such as creamy pumpkin soup with seven grain bread, fresh pressed apple cider, and smoked meats of all kinds. Roadside stands offered “Kürbis zum Selben Nehmen 1, Stück 1€” (Pick your own Pumpkins, 1 euro each).

We visited a heuriger soon after arriving, walking into a courtyard under a large pine branch and enjoying a simple cold lunch of bread, pickles, cheese and spreads while quaffing sweet local wine. The courtyard became a warm, convivial haven that drove out the chill from even the foggiest October day.

Everywhere we drove in the wood-smoke-scented countryside, we would see little signs tacked up on the menu boards next to the piles of Kürbis and scarecrows that decorated the Gasthöfe: “Sturm heute,” or simply “Most.” Curious, I ordered some of each. I found Sturm to be particularly refreshing. Its tart, fizzy and fruity qualities paired very well with a rustic supper such as Blunz’n Pfandl and Kurbissuppe. Nowhere else did we find this remarkable beverage, and no one back in the US had any idea of what I was talking about. Another experience one can only have in Austria!

Bibliography

http://www.austrianwine.com: Austrian Wine Board.

http://www.easydestination.net/wine_tourism/burgenland.shtml: Easy Destination World Travel Guide.

The Wines of Austria, Phillipp Blom, Faber and Faber Ltd, London and New York, August 2000.

Last December 14th, CBS ran a new episode (#1210) of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation entitled "Genetic Disorder" that used genealogy to solve a crime mystery. According to the episode writer, Elizabeth Devine, "the idea to dig into the world of genealogy came from Executive Producer Carol Mendelsohn." Apparently both the writer, Elizabeth, and producer, Carol, are unabashed genealogy addicts, much like many of us.

Elizabeth says her long-time fascination with genealogy started years ago when "I helped my mother interview my Great Aunt Eleanor McCarthy... Her stories were colorful and interesting even though she was speaking about people I had never heard of, people who were long dead. I saw the proffered yellowed photographs and faded portraits with names and dates scrawled on the back. I strained to see a family resemblance, all the while realizing these people were my ancestors. So I helped my mother start the McCarthy family tree... Some entries were easy to add, but as the generations became more and more removed, I needed to dig deeper for family notes and archives. I found that every family member had a story. I became addicted."

Producer Carol, although personally hooked on genealogy, apparently also had a "professional" interest, compiling research on the topic in notebooks in apparent anticipation of someday using it in a TV storyline. Elizabeth says "for a couple of weeks I scanned the stories she (Carol) had acquired about long lost relatives and mysterious family trees. I read articles written by genealogists and about genealogists. What struck me immediately was the dedication and enthusiasm these people felt about discovering one’s ancestry. I began to realize that in essence, genealogists are history detectives."

Elizabeth knew she wanted to write a character for the show that would "showcase the enthusiasm of genealogists—both professional and amateur." Her challenge was to bring this character to life, and she didn’t have far to look to find the model for the character. Carol’s assistant, Tom Hoppe, had his family tree hanging in his office. It was created by his father and "is the most detailed document you have ever seen." Every six months or so Tom gets a revised version more intricate than the last. So she created her genealogist character, Donna Hoppe, as a take-off on Tom’s father.

In the episode, criminalist Greg Sanders is having some difficulty locating a man who is not in any police database. To get past this roadblock, he decides to enlist the help of Donna. She takes him on a ride searching card files and county documents in the pursuit of a missing murder suspect. During the process, we get introduced to a dedicated and able genealogist who quickly gets to the bottom of the mystery by doing what trained genealogists do best; establishing a line of descent that, in this case, leads to a killer. As a by-product, she also ends up getting Greg hooked on his own genealogy. We also discover that some family members aren’t quite so excited about finding long lost relatives, and that some family secrets should never be revealed.

The show does a reasonable job of showing the research process and also adds in a bit about DNA-based research. So, if you'd like to see how Hollywood approaches genealogy, you can view a video rerun of the episode at http://www.cbs.com/shows/csi/video/2176346124/csi-genetic-disorder. Enjoy!
 

Are you in the know? As a business person, it is common to ask: who can give me effective advice? Who can help me? Who will advise me?

In the Burgenland there is a clear answer: WiBAG: the company providing services to business in the Burgenland - WiBAG - was founded to provide optimal support for business people.

And what is the overriding aim of WiBAG? To this too there is a clear answer: To increase the overall economic strength of the Burgenland.

The website notes that WiBAG provides specific assistance in four areas:
  • Grants
  • Location Search and Relocating a Business
  • Financing
  • Restructuring and Development

It also provides information about its management and structure, noting that WiBAG was established in 1994 and is 100% owned by Burgenländische Landesholding, which is the Burgenland government's holding corporation for promotion of business, industry and tourism. WiBAG has a two-member board of directors and a larger, supervisory board headed, not surprisingly, by Provincial Governor Hans Niessl and Provincial Representative Franz Steindl. Legally, the company is a "public limited company" with share capitalization of €100,000 and 31 employees.

The 31 employees are split among a number of activities: Management, Marketing & Public Relations, Financial Aid, Establishing of Businesses & Location Marketing, the "Wirtschaftspark" Burgenland North business park, the Heiligenkreuz-Szentgotthárd business park, the Burgenland Employment Pact coordination unit, Equity Participation & Accountancy, and Business Services.

In the area of Grants, WiBAG styles itself as "your partner for grants," noting that grants come in two forms: EU grants and grants from the Burgenland central government. WiBAG is set up to be the center for all business grants within the Burgenland. It provides information about other potential grants from the central government and the EU, saying "if we are unable to provide you with the information you need, we know where you can find the right answer" and offers assistance with writing grant applications.

The EU Grants are the ones noted in the ESF article from last November. These are identified on the website as "Phasing Out 2007-1013" (remember, the Burgenland was moved to "phasing out" status in the current round of ESF funding). They proudly say, "Half a billion euros! Now, that's something we should talk about. After eleven successful years, 2006 saw the end of Objective-1 financial aid in the Burgenland. And what now? The period for the phasing out of financial aid started in 2007. Over the period up to 2013 grants totaling € 446 million have been earmarked for the Burgenland. Now that’s worth talking about! Come to us, and we will provide you with an unparalleled grant service. After all, we are not simply financial advisers, we are also an agency for grants."

There are, of course, limitations on which projects qualify for an EU grant... but the business areas are wide:
  • Research and Development
  • Innovations
  • Start-ups, Relocation and Takeovers
  • Non-polluting Economic Development
  • Tourist Investment and Initiatives
  • Professional Training and Advanced Training for Executives and Specialized Staff

In comparison, the available state-based aid appears somewhat complementary:
  • Investment
  • Internationalization & Marketing Measures
  • Research, Technology, Development and Innovation
  • Clusters & Networks
  • Advice
  • Environmental Grants
  • Advanced Training
  • Financing

The second area where WiBAG provides specific assistance is Location Marketing and Business Relocation. Its catch-phrase for this service is "Locate your business in the Burgenland - where else?" ...and then they give arguments for Burgenland:

Where else in Austria are there such high grants for companies?

Where is there such a top-class access service to official channels and permits, as well as a well trained and cost-effective labour force?

And where else is there such a beautiful landscape and attractive environment?

No matter what criteria you use for your choice of location, there are always very strong arguments in favour of the Burgenland. Because our province simply has every advantage to offer for your company’s location.

These also include first-class transport links and high-tech infrastructure. And also, of course, the three international airports (Vienna, Bratislava and Graz) within a radius of just 60 kilometres.

As elsewhere, WiBAG then provides more substantive arguments for locating in Burgenland, saying it is a province in the (new) heart of Europe with unique cultural pleasures and various options for leisure activities, breathtakingly beautiful natural features and a sociable people with a well-developed feel for the compatibility of work and life. It speaks of Burgenland being a hub between east and west through a close proximity to Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia and talk up the fully-developed business park sites and the six technology centers, all of which are directly connected to the Burgenland data highway via an optical fiber network. And it offer service in finding the right location, obtaining permits and applying for grants.

WiBAG also works with local landowners, asking "do you have land areas or properties in the Burgenland that would be suitable as company locations?" and noting that they would "be happy to put your properties on our database and help you in your search for an appropriate buyer."

In the area of Finance, Risk Capital and Cooperative Ventures, the third area of emphasis for WiBAG, it offers the ATHENA Burgenland Beteiligungen AG investment fund, a sub-entity of WiBAG. ATHENA's aim is to make equity capital available to small and medium-sized businesses, dividing their efforts into two projects:

Project 1: for fast-growing and technologically-orientated companies, with equity participation and investments ranging from € 0.5 million to € 1.5 million and, in exceptional circumstances, up to € 2.5 million.

Project 2: for small and micro enterprises, with standard equity participation contracts from € 0.2 million to € 0.5 million, allowing for rapid processing.

In its fourth area, Restructuring and Development, WiBAG says, we make things happen, noting that WiBAG does not simply support Austrian and foreign companies in business resettlement, but is also active on its own account. WiBAG has been committed to upgrading of tourist infrastructure, giving examples such as the recent development of the Golf- und Thermenresort Stegersbach golf and spa resort, the GesundheitsZentrum Bad Sauerbrunn health resort, and the Sonnentherme Lutzmannsburg-Frankenau sun spa. The first two spas have already been privatized, since WiBAG's commitment and ownership is purposely restricted. In its current program-planning period, WiBAG is funding the expansion of existing tourist destinations. Its only new spa project was the construction of the St. Martins Seewinkeltherme in the Frauenkirchen area, which started operation in the winter of 2009.

As you can see, the ESF monies are being used in constructive ways in Burgenland, with WiBAG being one of the tools used to monitor, administrate and spend the funds. Burgenland has marketed itself as a resort area and is committed to developing infrastructure that draws both tourists and businesses to its ever-improving environment. I applaud Burgenland for its continuing efforts to increase the social and financial well-being of its citizens!
 

Sunday, Feb 5, 1-5 pm: Upper Midwest BB meeting. At the German American Institute, 301 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN. Topics for discussion will be 1) the 1715 census of West Hungary and 2) the recent addition of Hungarian Catholic Baptism records on FamilySearch.com.