^{The News}
Dedicated to Austrian-Hungarian Burgenland Family History

Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival

I just saw this news story in the Austrian Times. St. Polten is the first diocese in Austria to place all parish registers online. Perhaps we can look forward to something similar in the Burgenland in the future (see Parish registers now online).

I replied to Dean (in part): Hi Dean, I was aware that St. Polten was approaching completion of their scanning. Some parishes were searchable online over a year ago (I'm sure I mentioned it somewhere in the BB Newsletter) but I didn't know when they would complete everything. Apparently they have done so now so I'll insert a note into the next newsletter. Thanks for the heads up!

Burgenland is busy scanning their records too, though nothing has been put online yet. When they started the project some 2-3 years ago, they said it would be at least a five-year project and nothing would be accessible until everything was scanned. This, also, I've mentioned in the Newsletter. Since then, I've seen write-ups about beta versions of Burgenland's search engine but it is only accessible within the church archives organization and, of course, does not include all the records yet.

For us Catholic Wallerners (Ed: Dean also has roots in Wallern), Konrad Unger had personally scanned all those records (plus Pamhagen's, since that was the prior parish for Wallern) and has assembled them in a database... if you have questions, he is willing to assist. Other Catholic Burgenländers will have to wait. I'm not aware of any digitization project for Lutheran or Jewish parishes, so those folks will still need to do it the hard way... travel to Burgenland or hire a local researcher.



To complete this piece, I'll note that the digital archives for the St. Polten Diocese can be found at http://www.dasp.at/. They have many historical documents, other than parish registers, that can be read online... of course, you will need to brush up on your Church Latin to read most of these.

In addition, the digital parish registers for the diocese of St. Polten, as well as many of them from the Vienna and Upper Austria dioceses can be found at http://matricula-online.eu/.

(Note: I must comment that the matricula-online site has been rather balky the last few times I've used it, often totally failing and requiring you to wait a few hours before it will work again. Hopefully the underlying problems will get resolved soon and the site will become properly functional again, as it was about 6 months ago when I had no problem using it.)



Old Photo of Illmitz: New Member Cheryl Richardson shared a picture postcard of Illmitz that she found in her mother's memorabilia... we share it with you with her compliments!


Text: Gruß aus Also Illmitz (Greetings from Lower Illmitz)

The (limited) text on the postcard is interesting in that it uses the Hungarian "Also" and the German "Illmitz" to name the village (the remaining text is German)... in full Hungarian, the village name would be Also Illmic; in German, Unter Illmitz.  Although we do not have a date for the image, Also Illmic (Unter Illmitz) and Felso Illmic (Ober Illmitz) officially merged in 1905 to form Illmic (Illmitz). This fact, and the lack of any hint of motorized vehicles, strongly suggests the photo was taken before 1905.



Hungarian Constitution: In the March 31, 2013 edition of the BB Newsletter (#230), I wrote about the new Hungarian Constitution and ended my article with a March 2012 quote from a Hungarian citizen, and image, and my own tagline (in bold):

Orban was gifted his two-thirds majority in 2010 by the spectacular collapse of the outgoing corrupt and incompetent (but pro-EU and international banking-friendly) Socialist government. The fact that he has taken advantage of this to concentrate power in the hands of the ruling party, and to game the system to increase the likelihood of that ruling party being Fidesz, is a sign of his weakness and insecurity, and not his strength. For my part, I don’t understand why Orban feels to the need to do this.

To be honest, I’m fairly supportive of his [Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán] socially conservative, economic nationalist agenda, and so are plenty of others, but I’d feel a whole lot better if he had the confidence to defend these policies in front of the electorate, rather than resorting to rigging the constitution in his favour.

My suspicion is that such support is diminishing day by day.

Recently, I discovered some testimony given at the Helsinki Commission Hearing on Hungary, dated March 19, 2013. Within that testimony was the following chart, which shows the changes in approval of the various Hungarian political parties. Fidesz is the party that gained super-majority control in the April 2010 election and used that power to write a new Constitution during 2011 and enacted it into law in 2012:


Political Party Popularity in Hungary, 2008-2013
Parties: MSZP (Socialists), FIDESZ (center-right, conservative Christian), JOBBIK (far-right), LMP (Politics Can be Different, liberal/green/youth), E14 (Egyutt 2014 [Together 2014], a liberal electoral coalition).
Note: More than 50% of Hungarian voters say that there is no political party that they now support.

It appears my suspicion was correct. The full testimony can be found here.



"Ulmer Schachteln" Passenger Lists?: Mike Stangl wrote to ask:

I was wondering if you were aware of any “passenger lists” of sorts… or perhaps emigrations records for those who traveled down the Danube into Hungary? I understand Regensburg was a major launch point for migrants… are there any records from Regensburg of those who traveled in this way? Any thoughts or help you could give would be appreciated.

I replied to Mike: Hi Mike, I have never heard of any such records being available. My first thought, given what you say, is that you are referring to the early-1700s Donauschwaben and Siebenbürgen Sachsen emigrations to repopulate land after the Turks were expelled from Hungary, etc. The primary embarkation points for that were Ulm and Regensburg.

Interestingly, Rosina T. Schmidt on webpage http://www.danube-swabians.org/History.htm claims that "These Ulmer Schachteln (Ed: river rafts, translates as ‘boxes from Ulm’), transported the travelers down the river to Vienna where the settlers had to register in order to receive the information and destination documents."

The implication is that, if registration documentation exists, it may be in Vienna! However, I have never heard any mention of such registration records in the various Vienna archives. Given that such records would prove extremely useful to many researchers, I’m sure they no longer exist… or we would know about them.

Being forced to stop in Vienna may explain why some of these people ended up in Burgenland… clearly it was a convenient place for our local landowners (nobility and churches) to entice colonists to settle on their land instead. [Ed. addition: Webpage Wer sind die Donauschwaben? includes among destinations for settlers, "das Gebiet um Pressburg" (the area around Bratislava), so a trickle into Burgenland makes much sense].

What does exist are various Auswanderung records and Heimatbuches (mainly for Banat). These are mostly in book form (see for example http://www.dvhh.org/research/emigrant_ref_books.htm). The first type lists people who emigrated from a particular town or region and only gives general information as to where they went (for example, America or Hungary). The second type, takes villages in the Banat (and some other places) and lists the home land/city of a resident.



To you, our readers: Are any of you aware of extant records for travelers via the Ulmer Schachteln? I would love to be proved wrong about my assertion that "I’m sure they no longer exist… or we would know about them!"



Burgenland Recipes: We continue with recipes reprinted by permission of the Austrian Donau Club in Connecticut. Our thanks to Dennis Kern, President of the club, and (again) to Linda Poglitsch & Mary Hoisl, who provided this recipe!



MEAT LOAF  (from Linda Poglitsch & Mary Hoisl)
(Faschierter Braten)

1 lb. beef, chopped            1 Tbsp. onion, chopped
1 lb. pork, chopped            1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
3 hard rolls                   1 Tbsp. fat
1 egg                          1/3 c. water or soup
4 strips diced bacon (unfried) 1 Tbsp. bread crumbs
Dash of salt                   3 Tbsp. fat melted
Dash of pepper                 1 c. sour cream
Marjoram

Mix chopped meat with rolls (soaked in water and squeezed dry). Add egg, bacon, salt, pepper, marjoram, onion, and parsley fried in fat and water. Knead well. Spread bread crumbs on wooden board, so ingredients do not stick. Form a loaf and place in pan. Pour hot fat over. Roast in 375° oven for 1 1/2 hours. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons water from time to time and baste. Half an hour before serving, skim off fat and add sour cream. Serves 5.



Quote of the Month: Sometimes one runs across a quote in a book that is so picturesque that it is well-worth sharing wider. Given we family history researchers often collect old family pictures, I thought I'd share a quote from "The Stranger House" by Reginald Hill (Seal Books, 2006) about such old pictures:

"She liked it best when they got to the old sepia photos
 where the men had beards or heavy mustaches
 and the women wore long dresses
 and everyone looked like they’d been shot and taken to a taxidermist."

His father was a school teacher who early on determined that his son should enter the church. At the age of 10, he was enrolled in the gymnasium at Sopron, Hungary under the tutelage of the Benedictine professors, receiving a splendid classical training. Yielding to his father’s wishes the young Dikovics began his theological studies in preparation for his life’s work. Upon completion of his formal education at the age of 22 he was promoted to major orders by the Archbishop of Esztergom. Following this he exercised his sacerdotal functions in several cities. In Budapest he preached in German and Hungarian. During these early years the young priest found his intellectual and spiritual horizon widening. By the time he was 28 years of age he could say to himself: “I was bold enough and dared to disrupt the ties of tradition.” So to find greater freedom of thought and expression for himself, John Dikovics came to America in September 1903 and through the influence of the Hamborsky family was directed to Princeton University Seminary for further study.

[Further clarification based on family discussions disclosed that my grandfather met Clementina Eles and, dismayed that he could not marry, left the priesthood. John Dikovics married on August 26, 1903, in Vienna. On September 14, 1903, my grandparents left from Le Havre, France, bound for New York.^iv]

It’s at this point that the information becomes a bit unclear. However, it seems that my grandfather continued with his religious calling and became a Presbyterian minister, founding the Magyar Reformed Church in Newark.

A short sketch of the history of the First Hungarian Church of Newark, NJ states:

Religious work among the Hungarians dates back to 1904, started by Rev. John Dikovics. Services were first held in the Third Presbyterian Church on Broad Street. Two years later the Presbytery bought a church for the Hungarians on Kenney (sic) Street (West Kinney Street)^v. Under the wise leadership of Rev. Dikovics, the church became the most influential organization among the Hungarian people of Newark. During his ministry the Ladies Aid Society and the Sunday School were organized. After ten years of service Rev. Dikovics resigned in order to give his whole time to the Bloomfield Theological Seminary (later to become Bloomfield College).^vi

Note that the Bloomfield Theological Seminary was originally called the German Theological School of Newark, NJ, located at Bloomfield, NJ, c. 1905. Additionally, the 1907 Newark Directory shows my grandfather's residence as 119 Peshine Avenue, and then at 106 Avon Avenue, Newark in 1909. My father Lazlo (Leslie), the youngest of four sons, was born May 1909 at home.

John Dikovics was admitted to Bloomfield as a special student with advanced standing in June 1904 and, after an examination, was granted the German School certificate. The following year, he was appointed instructor in Hungarian literature and biblical history and, a year later, was permitted to give lectures in theology. In June 1906, the Directors granted him the regular diploma since, as a student and teacher, he had shown proficiency in arts, science, languages and theology. In June 1914, having passed the necessary examination and presenting an approved thesis, he was granted the Master of Arts degree and, in 1930, after 25 years of service, Bloomfield honored him with the degree of Doctor of Divinity.^vii

Doctor Dikovics relaxed by studying the works of ancient Roman orators.

In May 2011, the American Hungarian Foundation presented Bloomfield College with the Abraham Lincoln Award. Following is part of the text found on the citation:

Beginning in 1905, the Seminary began offering instruction in Hungarian language, literature, history and biblical studies for students, who would serve as ordained ministers of Hungarian Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in America. The person engaged to begin teaching in 1905 was Dr. John Dikovics, who remained with the Seminary and College through the 1950s. He became one of the most beloved and respected teachers and is numbered among Bloomfield’s “immortals.”

In 1950 a substantial anonymous gift was given to the College to purchase 19 Austin Place with the stipulation that the building be named the “Dikovics House” to honor Dr. John Dikovics, who for nearly 50 years had been associated with Bloomfield both as a student and teacher. The building was to provide a “home for Hungarian culture” equipped with a library of Hungarian literature, and to be used as a gathering place for Hungarian students and visitors. ...the donor was Dr. Charles Eisler.^viii

My grandfather passed away in April 1963 at the age of 88. It can be said that his journey from his homeland of Kaisersdorf to “disrupt the ties of tradition” was a success.



Notes:

1. Provided by Robert Jerin, via e-mail; October 8, 2011.
2. Photo provided by Burgermeister of Kaisersdorf, Austria; December 1997.
3. Hungarian Educator Is Honored, The Independent Press, Bloomfield, NJ; March 31, 1950.
4. United States of America Declaration Of Intention, at Newark, NJ; October 30, 1941.
5. The History of Newark New Jersey, Vol. II, pg. 871, Lewis Historical Publishing; 1913.
6. Souvenir Book: The First Hungarian Presbyterian Church of Newark, NJ, Church Dedication; October 31, 1926.
7. Bloomfield College, The First Century: 1868 – 1968; Harry T. Taylor 1970; pgs. 91, 139.
8. Bloomfield College Alumni Magazine, pg. 18; Fall 2011.
   

Reference works:

Twenty-Five Years of Presbyterian Work Among Hungarians in the United States, 1902-1927. John Dikovics Historical address, New York, Board of National Missions Presbyterian Church; 22 pgs., 1927.

Our Magyar Presbyterians, John Dikovics, Board of National Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the USA, New York, 78 pgs., 1945.
 

1. The DNA of Burgenland Croats parallels the DNA of Croats coming from Northern and Central Croatia, suggesting that they came from that area, which is consistent with what the recorded history shows.

2. The DNA of many Burgenland Croats and those from Northern and Central Croatia matches the DNA of Poles, Ukrainians, Slovakians and Belarusians. Again, recorded history indicates that the Slavic people came to Croatia from these areas to escape the Avars, who ravaged this area in the Middle Ages.

3. A reasonable assumption is that these “new” Slavs took on Croatian names after they came to present-day Croatia. Otherwise, how would they end up having Croatian names, if they had come to Burgenland directly from northeastern Europe during the Middle Ages? [Ed. Note: The use of a surname was quite rare at the time of the Avars (567-800 AD). Thus, I conjecture, it is of no surprise that, when taking of surnames became widespread in later centuries, these "Slavic" Croatians selected local Croat-based surnames.] 

This analysis indicates how DNA can be used to corroborate—and sometimes refute—recorded history and our conventional genealogy research. It is a powerful tool but, unquestionably, not a substitute for our research and analysis of written records and documents.

• Quebec City and Montreal (Quebec), 1865-1935
• Halifax (Nova Scotia), 1881-1935
• Saint John (New Brunswick), 1900-1935
• North Sydney (Nova Scotia),1906-1935 (these include mostly ferry arrivals from Newfoundland and St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, with a few passengers in transit from other countries)
• Vancouver (British Columbia), 1905-1935
• Victoria (British Columbia), 1905-1935
• via New York, 1906-1931, and other eastern United States ports, 1905-1928 (these lists include only the names of passengers who stated that they intended to proceed directly to Canada)

I would encourage anyone interested to check it out. My grandmother left Illmitz in 1929, to visit her brother in Manitoba, Canada (he had left Illmitz in 1924). She met my grandfather on the ship and the rest is history. After one year in Canada, they met in Toronto and were married, later returning to Austria and then to the U.S. in the mid 1950s.

The Canadian records give the name of the passenger, age, ship name, and port of entry (Quebec, Halifax, etc.), as well as all of the microfilm documentation needed to order copies. The search engine on the webpage has five fields (surname, given name, year of arrival, port of arrival, and ship). One or two fields is usually enough information to find a match. I had always thought grandparents entered Canada through Halifax, but I discovered they came to Quebec instead.

Bottom line: the search engine is very user-friendly and FREE.