Rax & Rax-Bergen (Alsó-Raks & Felsö-Raks / Unter- & Ober-Rax)
Communities containing 689 residents in the Jennersdorf district (Ortsteiles/sub-districts of Jennersdorf).
Family History Library microfilms:
Rax Catholic: Római Katólikus Egyház, Badafalva [FHL INTL Films 700649 - 50]
Rax-Bergen Catholic: Római Katólikus Egyház, Gyanafalva [FHL INTL Films 700669 - 70]
Civil: Gyanafalva (Vas). Anyakönyvi Hivatal [FHL INTL Films 700294 - 99]
Rax records for the 1828 Hungarian census would be found at no. 454 in FamilySearch microfilm no. 0623013.
Text below from THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS No. 121C, September 30, 2003 (Gerry Berghold)
as edited (corrected and supplemented) in BB News No. 235, September 30, 2013 (Tom Steichen)
RAX & RAX BERGEN
There are over 400 known villages in Austria's Burgenland. In addition, there are many hamlets, which have been absorbed or whose identity is no longer listed. Something like our own suburbs, which lose their postal identity and are incorporated in nearby towns. I frequently get asked if I have any information concerning these and then I begin a search of my library. Often I find very little, since most could have a sign which says: "In the year so & so, absolutely nothing happened here." I was recently asked about Rax, a village in the district of Jennersdorf, now an "Ortsteile" or appendage to Jennersdorf, along with Henndorf and Grieselstein, since 1971. This is what I found and is a model for what you can expect to find for the smaller villages:
Prior to 1921, Rax had the same name in Hungarian, but the spelling was Raks. There were two communities with a total of 1024 Roman Catholics in 1878: Also-Raks (Lower Raks, Unter-Rax), which belonged to the parish of Weichselbaum (Badafalva), and Felso-Raks (Upper Raks, Ober-Raks), which belonged to the parish of Jennersdorf (Gyanafalva). There were also 2 Lutherans and 19 Jews living in the Raks communities. All of the places mentioned were then in the Jaras (district) of Szt. Gotthárd in the Hungarian Megye (county) of Vas. Bergen or Rax-Bergen is probably the current name of Felso-Raks as Bergen signifies a community in the hills (upper). Rax lays east of Jennersdorf, between Jennersdorf and Weichselbaum, along the road connecting Jennersdorf with Mogersdorf, with Bergen slightly to the northeast on a minor road from Jennersdorf (see red-circled names in map above).
I would assume that anything that took place in Jennersdorf or Mogersdorf also affected Rax. This would include dynastic takeovers, the Mongol invasion, and the Kuruzen wars. I'm sure Rax played a part in the battle of Szt. Gotthárd (Mogersdorf 1664) - it would have been a place occupied by Imperial troops, at least by supply trains. The Turkish retreat following the 2nd siege of Vienna probably passed through here and Rax may have witnessed the Batthyány massacre of Turkish allies during that retreat. There is no mention of Rax in the canonical visitation of 1757. In the general historical bibliography of Burgenland, I find a publication titled "Römerfunde von Rax" - Barb, Manuscript IV, which describes Roman gravestones found in the vicinity. I do not have this book, but it points out that there was a community or villa here as early as Roman times. Rudersdorf was probably a minor Roman military guard post. Unlike most other communities, which belonged to a noble family, all indications I have found place the ownership of Rax as a holding of the Church of Szt. Gotthárd, probably as late as 1848.
The church and civil records for Rax and Rax-Bergen have been copied by FamilySearch and the church microfilm numbers are Weichselbaum 0700649-50 for Rax and Jennersdorf 0700669-70 for Rax-Bergen; civil records are Jennersdorf 0700294-299 for both. Rax and Rax-Bergen records in the 1828 Hungarian census would be found at no. 454 in FamilySearch microfilm no. 0623013.
The English language book "Burgenland Panorama" - Gesellmann & Stefanits (see prior newsletters for a description of this book) has this to say: "Rax - City of Jennersdorf - a German speaking village of 700 inhabitants, is a linear village (spreads along the main road with farm plots behind) with balanced agrarian and trade structures. Archaeological finds on the Rax village grounds prove the great age of this settlement. Rax today is a holiday resort with many hiking facilities."
The book "Wandern im Südburgenland" - Schubert & Franzke, includes two hiking or bicycle tours: one Jennersdorf-Bergen-Jennersdorf and one Rax toward Krobotek and Rax-Bergen. Mentioned are the old Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) schoolhouse and a war monument with chapel.
Rax-Bergen's "Wanderverein Turbo Mäuse" hiking club still remains active.
Rax's "Oleanderfest," a festival celebrating the flowering (but toxic and poisonous) Oleander shub, is held in August.
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