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2) THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER (by Tom Steichen)
 I had an interesting
exchange this past month with new member Robert Chapman of Los Angeles. Bob has
interest in the Göltl and Wurm surnames. I’ll include parts of that exchange
below:
Bob writes:
I fortuitously happened upon The Burgenland Bunch website today! I am
delightfully impressed with what you folks have accomplished.
Earlier today I sent an e-mail similar to this one to Frederick Scott Pianalto
upon discovering that he was associated with the Göltl family in Herndon,
Kansas. My mother’s maiden name was Lydia Marie Göltl, daughter of Jozef/Josef/Joseph
Göltl and Susanna Wurm. She was born in Rawlins County, Kansas near Herndon in
1909.
While I have been able to compile some genealogy records on my ancestors, I am
hopeful that you and/or others in The Burgenland Bunch may be able to further
assist.
I do have a few original family immigration records and photos, including a
beautiful photo album presented to my grandmother by my grandfather on Christmas
day, 1898. In that album are wonderful photos of the families in and around
Herndon (most of whom I am unable to identify).
I replied:
The 1920 Herndon Twp census shows Joseph and Susie (ages 45 and 42) on page 69.
They indicate they emigrated from Austria in 1885 and 1879 respectively (at ages
~10 and ~1). Children listed are John, Henry, Louisa, Ida, Lyda, Herman, Bertha
and Ernest (ages 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 8, 4 and 1 ...if that age is correct for
Lyda, she was born in 1907 or 1908).
The 1910 census has them on pages 190 and 191, ages 35 and 31, married 11 years
with 5 children, same emigration years but listed as Hungarian Germans).
Children are John, Henry, Lousa, Ida, Lydia, ages 10, 8, 5, 3, 1 3/12 ... since
the census date is 29 Apr 1910 this would put Lydia as born in Jan or Feb of
1909).
The very next family entry is for John and Eva Goltl, ages 73 and 72, both
Hungarian Germans; John emigrated in 1885. Looks like this is Joseph's parents.
The 1900 census has John and Eva on page 343B, both born July 1837 in
Austria-Hungary and emigrated 1885. Children listed are Paul born May 1870,
Joseph born Mar 1874, with daughter-in-law Susan born Sept 1876, married 1.5
years, and grandson John H born May 1900.
[Editorial note: US census records are an excellent starting tool for
investigating the ancestry of a family. They are available free through many
libraries or online for a nominal fee.]
As you probably know, the BB Surnames list shows 3 researchers of the name:
Gols and Lebeny are about 20 miles apart, with Gols now in Austria and Lebeny
in Hungary, though both were in the Hungarian part of the empire in 1885.
Wurm is a Burgenland name also...
|
Wurm |
Gary L Portsche
|
Gols |
|
|
Wurm |
Thomas Wurm
|
Brunnergraben, Gamischdorf, Rauchwart |
Frank and Mary (Hanzl) Wurm immigrated in 1903-4 and settled in Egypt, PA. |
|
Wurm |
Robert Zecker
|
Carlburg (Rusovce), Ragendorf (Rajka) |
To Pusztavám (Ondod, Fejér Vármegye, Hungary). |
|
Wurm |
Phil Wurm
|
Gols |
Settled in Decatur and Rawlins Co, KS. |
|
Wurm |
Johann Bernthaler
|
Gols |
|
There may be some useful contacts among the Wurm researchers,
particularly the first and fourth above.
You might also want to look at http://www.burgenlandfamilies.com/goltl/
. This is Gary Portsche's work but appears to be your family's line. He places
the Goltl line in Leiden (Lebeny) and the Wurm line in Gols. Likewise, look at http://www.burgenlandfamilies.com/wurmm/index.htm
...Susanne is part of this line.
 Bob
replied:
One item that you mentioned was particularly gratifying and that is that
the Goltls were Hungarian Germans. I was fairly certain that such was the case
from conversations with my mother and one of my uncles. However, I have been
unable to document the fact. Thanks also for that tidbit.
I do have … a modest amount [of genealogy] on my maternal side, going back to
my great-great grandparents. I should be able to contribute to the Burgenland
Bunch, particularly with details on my grandparents and their children, my aunts
and uncles. I do possess sporadic other family details. For example, I have
found that my great-grandparents, Matthias Wurm and Elizabeth Wurm Wurm, arrived
in New York on 22 May 1879 aboard the ship Silesia. (My grand-mother, Susanna,
was eleven months old at the time.)
Please remember the photo album from 1898 that I mentioned earlier. I have
scanned all those photos and they are too precious not to share. What can be
done to publish them within the Burgenland Bunch and hopefully identify the
various people and reunite them with their descendants, who might not have such
photos?
[Editorial note: The 61 photos are now available on the BB website at http://www.burgenland-bunch.org/KS-NE-1898/KS-NE-1898-01.htm
.]
I replied:
LDS records for Lebeny are a bit more extensive than usual, going back
before ~1824 (when most Burgenland records start). If your ancestors remained
there, you should be able to go back a few more generations, since Baptism
records start in 1727 and your gr-grandfather was born 1837 (given this, I'm
surprised Gary Portsche had not gone back further).
[Editorial note: You can search LDS microfilms clicking on “Place Search”
at http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp
or you can get the film numbers directly at http://www.burgenland-bunch.org/LDS/LDS.htm
for villages in Burgenland.]
 LDS
records for Gols start in 1827, so Gary's work clearly goes back further. This
suggests that he went to Burgenland (or to a Burgenland-based researcher) to
research this line (which are the only options once LDS records run out).
You did not mention where you are based, but Gary is in Olathe, KS; you may wish
to visit with him (or his website at http://www.burgenlandfamilies.com/
).
The BB serves primarily as an information exchange, linking researchers to each
other. While we database some limited family information, that really is not a
major goal or activity. We are more inclined to provide the how-to's and the
where-are-the-records types of information. Generally, information about a
particular family is of interest to only a handful of our members.
Probably the best way to offer this information is to become a member (it's
free, even hassle-free) listing the lines you are interested in. Then, current
and future researchers will know they should try to contact you. The BB has, at
times, published small collections of family photos in an attempt to identify
people. As you might expect, this succeeds only when others in that family line
already have copies of the photos and know who the people are, especially so
when you have pictures as old as yours. Generally, it is better to make direct
contact with the handful of potential family members. We have been much more
successful when it is more a question of interpreting writing on a picture...
some of our members are quite fluent in translating the old language and reading
the old script.
 I also
note the Gary Portsche mentions a Rawlins County Museum in Atwood, KS. Perhaps
that might be a reasonable repository for a copy of the photos or even a place
where you might be able to sort out who is who in the pictures.
On a different tack, a BB-affiliated effort is "Burgenlanders Honored and
Remembered" (BH&R) at http://www.burgenland-bunch.org/BH&R/home.htm
. This is a sub-group that documents the final resting place of Burgenland-born
emigrants to the US. A few of your emigrants are already in there (probably
through Gary) but you may wish to add the rest. The site tells you how. This
would not help you spread the word about your information but is a nice thing to
do.
Bob replied:
Thanks for your reply and knowledgeable insights and suggestions. I will
contact Gary Portsche as well as the Rawlins County Museum.
As for assistance with interpretation/translation, a document is attached where
such assistance would be helpful. I do have a few other documents in storage,
although I believe those were all translated for me by UCLA some years ago.
[Editorial note: If you care to try your hand at translating, the document is
on the BB website at http://www.burgenland-bunch.org/KS-NE-1898/TT-01.htm
.]
I replied:
A number of BB staffers took a shot at this text. There was good
agreement on all but the precise translation of the last section, which I've
marked with [ ]. All translations really say the same thing; it's really more a
matter of moving from German to English and not having an obvious one-to-one
choice. The ones marked 2 and 3 are more interpretation and less word-for-word
translation.
German: [line splits as original]
Taufschein (issued by the Lutheran congregation of Gols)
Im Jahre Ein Tausend Acht Hundert Siebenundsiebenzig,
den Vierundzwanzigsten September ~ 1877 den 24 September ~
ist allhier geboren und den Fünfundzwanzigsten desselben Monats
getauft worden: Susanna, des Matthias Wurm, Inwohners,
u seiner Ehegattin Elisabeth, geb. Wurm, beide evengel. Reli-
gion A.C., eheliche Tochter. ~ Taufpathen: Paul Hackstock, Inwoh-
ner mit seiner Ehegattin Susanna geb. Wolfram. - [dies wird
hiemit nach No. 70 des obengenannten Jahrgangs pfarrämtlich
bezeuget.] Gols den 17 April 1879
Aug Schuthe
evPfarrer
English: [line splits approximating original]
Baptism Record
In the year one thousand eight-hundred seventy-seven
on the twenty-fourth of September ~ 1877 the 24 September ~
is born here and on the twenty-fifth of the same month
baptized: Susanna, of Matthias Wurm, lodger/tenant,
and his wife Elisabeth nee Wurm, both Lutherans,
legal daughter. ~ Godparents: Paul Hackstock, lodger/tenant,
with his wife Susanna nee Wolfram. [1. This becomes
herewith by No. 70 of the abovesaid year volume of the parish office
documented.] Gols, the 17 April 1879
August Schuthe
Lutheran pastor
[2: This is attested by the priest's office with this document as No. 70 of the
year mentioned above.]
[3: All this is herewith certified by the Lutheran parish office according to
entry No. 70 of the records of the above-mentioned year.]
Bob replied:
Wonderful! Once again, thank you for the prompt and thorough response. |
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4) THE HISTORY of the RAILWAY OBERWART - OBERSCHÜTZEN
After the opening of the railway section between Steinamanger
and Pinkafeld in December, 1888, when every year more and more guests were
visiting the spa town of Bad Tatzmannsdorf, influential circles began working
towards a railway connection for Bad Tatzmannsdorf.
The vehicle owner Johann Ochsenhofer from Oberwart, who probably figured that at
that time a railway to Tatzmannsdorf would not be built so quickly, took
advantage of the ever-increasing flow of tourists in 1892 and bought a new
omnibus for the ride to Tarcsa (the Hungarian name of Tatzmannsdorf). This
omnibus corresponded in every aspect, both in elegance and convenience, to its
time. It was big and spacious and built according to the specifications of the
Viennese summer tramway wagons.
In 1896, Adolf Stern from Szombathely initially requested permission for
preliminary works for a local steam-driven railway from the station
Großpetersdorf, of the Szombathely-Pinkafeld railway, via Dornau, Neumarkt,
Altschlaining, Stadtschlaining and Bergwerk to Tatzmannsdorf. Alternatively, he
thought of a train from Oberwart to Tatzmannsdorf. In May, 1896, the permission
was granted by the Secretary of Trade, and extended by one year in 1897.
However, for financial reasons, Adolf Stern soon went for the shorter track from
Oberwart, and opted for an extension until Oberschützen to extend it further
later on towards the border in an appropriate way. For this he also got the
permission. The "technical soul” of the project was engineer Ludwig
Fränkl, who had already completed successfully various other railway
constructions. Soon the track was displayed. Starting from the station Oberwart,
it led over the hill Jesusberg, through the Zicken valley, passed the gypsies of
Unterschützen, rising to the hill between Tatzmannsdorf and Oberschützen until
the cemetery of Oberschützen. Unterschützen, Tatzmannsdorf, and Oberschützen
were designated as stations.
The funding of the construction started with the offering of common stock. The
municipalities along the route were invited to take shares. Initially, the
negotiations with the municipalities were quite satisfactory. Some private
persons also bought bigger shares, e.g., Camillo Bennfilier from Unterschützen
(5,000 fl.). The municipality of Oberschützen was even willing to buy shares
worth 10,000 florins, if they got a rail connection. Stern warmly welcomed the
intention of the management of the antimony mine in Schlaining to have their
goods transported by train via Tatzmannsdorf in case of realization of the
project. Adolf Stern also sought support at the Comitatus (county) and asked for
16,000 florins.
On December 20, 1897 the revision of the track Oberwart - Bad Tatzmannsdorf -
Oberschützen took place.
For January 26, 1898, the Secretary of Trade arranged the
administrative inspection, which was led by ministerial secretary Dr. Andor
Barthos of the Ministry of Trade. There were also representatives of the
Ministry of Agriculture, the Comitatus and the Management Committee, the
Hungarian State Railways, the Steinamanger-Pinkafeld Lokalbahn AG (railway
company), the concessionaires Adolf Stern and engineer Ludwig Fränkl. Also
present were the spa doctor of Tatzmannsdorf, Dr. Aladar Rhorer, the Protestant
pastor Julius Stettner, Johann Ebenspanger of the educational institute of
Oberschützen and chief magistrate Geisa Herbst. The negotiation lasted from 11
am to 2.30 pm, until the entire route had been thoroughly discussed, especially
the bridges, culverts, street crossings, and connecting paths. After completion
of the revision, which had taken place alongside "very keen interest among
the population of the area", the entire party had been invited by the
concessionaires to a “frugal dinner” in the beautifully decorated locations
of the Tatzmannsdorf inn. All were hopeful of being able to finish this railway
in the course of 1898. They also believed that there would soon be a connection
towards Aspang or Edlitz.
On July 8, 1898 the concession for the construction of the railway was
negotiated in the Ministry of Finance in Budapest. The negotiations went well so
the construction work could start in summer. Stern and Fränkl wanted to finish
the sub-base until the end of the year. However, the opening event (Easter 1899)
had already been delayed a little bit. Because the financing was not secured,
Stern asked the Comitatus for a raise of the granted amount of 12,000 florins to
the 16,000 florins he had applied for in 1897. On July 29 and 30, however, the
permanent committee of the Comitatus decided not to grant this additional
subsidy.
However, the Board of Oberwart decided in July 1898 to subscribe for common
shares, but didn’t want to spend more than 1,000 florins.
Construction was not started. In December, 1898, engineers were back on the
track to define the definitive route, as it was said. In the beginning of 1899,
the Secretary of Trade approved a notable state contribution and asked the
concessionaire to give the deposit.
Although the last revision of the track took place in March, the necessary money
had still not been raised. The concessionaire, therefore, held a meeting:
"In consequence of the Decree No. 63.966-V/98 of February 22, 1899 of His
Excellency the Royal Hungarian Secretary of Trade in the matter of the
Oberwart-Tatzmannsdorf-Oberschützen neighbouring railway, there is need for a
counsel prior to the start of construction of the railway, which is why we have
the honor to invite you to a conference about this matter on March 19, Sunday
afternoon at 1 in the Town Hall of Oberschützen”.
 Bashful Stern did
not mention that he still needed money. The conference was well attended. The
chief magistrate Geisa Herbst, mine director Karl Rochata (antimony mine) who
was director of the spa town Tatzmannsdorf, Dr. Aladar Rhorer who was a
representative of the privateer Camillo Bermüller from Unterschützen,
principals of the municipality, and other interested people came. Engineer
Fränkl reported on the work done so far. He informed that for the railway
construction the Comitatus provided 16,000 florins and the Government 30,000
florins. Regarding the operation of the railway a favourable agreement was made
with the Hungarian National Railway, the Ministry had approved the plans and
cost estimates and issued authorization for the payment of the deposit - once
the remaining 12,000 florins worth of common shares was placed.
They were, however, not to be found. "The question of the “Vizinalbahn”
(neigboring railway) … seemingly rests, but quietly they are working
diligently on the financing of the railway," announced Oberwart’s Sunday
newspaper on July 2, 1899.
The license for preliminary work on this route had to be extended for another
year in July for the concessionaires Adolf Stern and Engineer Ludwig Fränkl.
In November, 1899, the engineers Wilhelm Brenner and Szarvas came from Budapest
to begin with the local recordings, which they presented the Ministry of Trade
during the winter. Still it was hoped to begin construction at least at the
beginning of the next spring, in 1900.
"Good things need time", recorded Oberwart’s Sunday newspaper in
April 1900 and announced that its reporter had read with his own eyes in a
notarial deed, resting at the local administration of Oberschützen, that
Engineer Ludwig Fränkl (now Louis Fábián) from Budapest had bought all claims
from his co-concessionaire Stern and therefore is now since February 9, 1899 the
sole concessionaire of the projected “Vizinalbahn” Oberwart - Tatzmannsdorf
- Oberschützen. Engineer Fábián certainly was an excellent expert - he had
also projected the Sopron - Bratislava railway - but he also lacked the
necessary funds. The financial difficulties were justified by the reluctance of
banks due to the recent increase of money costs. The construction, however,
would be imminent.
 After all, the Comitatus decided upon a
contribution of a total of 16,000 florins according to the concessionaire’s
request of 1898. This decision was approved by the government of Budapest in
spring, 1900. However, as "Eisenburg" (the Comitatus) announced, the
“absconding concessionaire Adolf Stern” could not be informed. Apparently,
the Ministry did not know yet, that, since February, 1899, Engineer Fábián was
concessionaire.
In June Engineer Fábián’s license for preliminary work on the route was
extended for another year. Furthermore he got from the Secretary of Trade a
license for preliminary work on a continuing route for a local railway going via
Willersdorf until the border.
Finally, Engineer Fábián was able to deposit the 30,000 krones (15,000
florins) bail set by the government in the Central Treasury in Budapest. About
this, Fábián informed the municipality of Oberwart and stated that the
construction, after clarification of some issues, would presumably start in
spring, 1902.
The government had also decided that the operation of this railway would be
undertaken by the Hungarian national railways. This ensured that when creating
the schedule, the children from Oberwart in Oberschützen would be considered
enough to be able to return home in time for lunch.
The political inspection for the extension took place on May 22nd, 1902 in Bad
Tatzmannsdorf. At the following celebratory banquet in the restaurant “Josef
Weghofer,” the concessionaire announced that the new railway would be
available for traffic until Mid-October or, at the longest, until Mid-November.
 On July 3rd, all
landowners whose realty would be crossed by the future railway assembled in the
Inn “Zum Wilden Mann” in Oberwart. The persons appearing were not edified by
the blissfulness of the concessionary speaker, the advocate Dr. Edmund Viola, as
they did not understand the necessity of the railway. They reckoned the railway
would only bring harm to Oberwart. The best land would be fragmented by the
construction, which is why they would have to charge a higher transfer fee.
After an extended debate, a minimum fee of 60 kreuzers per squared fathom was
decided. The peasants were satisfied and decided to sell the land.
A few days later, all landowners whose property would be crossed by the railway
were informed with a drumroll that their fields and meadows were to be scythed
as the construction was to begin soon.
After the authorization of the construction of the railway was confirmed by His
Majesty, a ground-breaking ceremony was held on the 18th June 1902. In front of
a big audience, construction engineer Wilhelm Brenner gave special thanks to
chief engineer Ludwig Fábián and the popular spa director Dr. Aladár Rhorer,
who followed their goal with great effort and endurance. After the workers were
offered breakfast, the real construction began. At the end of the week, about
200 workers were employed.
As the construction had begun before a permit had been obtained, Fábián urged
the authorities to issue their approval. The committee was therefore informed
telegraphically by the Secretary of Trade that a provisional concession had been
given for the task.
On June 26th, 1902, the "Felsö-Eör-Tarcsa-Felsö-Lövöi helyi érdekü
vasút részvénytársaság" (Oberwart-Tatzmannsdorf-Oberschützen local
railway stock company) was founded. It was first based in Budapest VIII
József-körút 19, later in Nádor utca 16. The capital stock was K 835.400 in
1236 common stock á K 200 = K 247.200 and 2.941 priority stock á K 200 = K
588.200. The priority stock had a prior claim on 5 % dividend, in case with the
right of subsequent payment. The stock clearance was carried out through a
raffle. The concession document was drawn up on June 21st, 1902. The time frame
was 90 years.
The people voted for chief executives were Theodor Barthos Jr., Johann
Ebenspanger, Ludwig Fábián. Dr. Adalbert Fináczy, Dr. Elias Fränkl, Dr.
Isidor Käufer, Dr. Eduard Környei Jr., Dr. Adalbert Molnár, Dr. Koloman
Olgany, Dr. Aladár Rhorer and Dr. Edmund Viola.
The earthwork progressed well, but was slightly constrained by continuing rain.
Work had also started at the train station at Bad Tatzmanndorf. In the middle of
August, workers were busy digging the well. As the main well was 21 meters deep,
there were several complications. In Oberschützen, water could not even be
found at a depth of 25 meters.
In the middle of December, 1902, the track as far as Oberschützen was put in
place and workers were finalizing the station building.
Common stock of 200 krones dated July 1906 of the Oberwart
– Tatzmannsdorf – Oberschützen Local Railway Inc. On the right the document
is signed by railway engineer Lajos (Ludwig) Fábián. (Collection: Municipality
of Pinkafeld)
The railway from Oberwart to Bad Tatzmannsdorf was finished
in the beginning of 1903. The official commission, which was sent by the general
management of the Hungarian State Railway in Szombathely (led by Gustav v.
Pottyondy), had already made the entire route the subject of a close inspection,
whereas the operation manager flatteringly spoke out on “solidity and a good
completion of the construction”. On March 5th the route had been inspected
again by a commission sent by the ministry and led by chief engineer Korányi.
On March 9th, the final acceptance of the construction work was finished. As the
route was found to be in a good condition, the opening had nothing in its way.
Furthermore, it was decided that four trains should operate from Oberwart to
Oberschützen and return.
The layout of the line from Tatzmannsdorf to Edlitz was to start in May.
Authoritative circles still believed that the completion of the new route would
occur within a short time.
The technical police inspection, which was combined with the ceremonial opening
of the newly built railway route, was arranged for March 24th, 1903, and a day
later, on March 25th, it was to be given over to public transport.
The hard-bitten endurance and the tireless commitment of the concessionaires,
Dr. Aladár Rhorer and engineer Ludwig Fábián, the sacrifices of the committal
family Batthyány, the community of Oberschützen, and many other interested
parties made it possible that the new railway could be opened. On the day of the
opening on March 24th, the train from Szombathely with the guests of honour on
board arrived at 9 a.m. in Oberwart where, just as at other formal occasions, a
large part of the population was listening to the speeches. The commission that
was on board carried out the required inspection and drove from Oberschützen
back to Bad Tatsmannsdorf with the guests of honour, where the gala dinner took
place in the big hall of the “Hotel zur Krone”.
On October 27th and 28th, 1903, the final acceptance of construction work of the
railway took place. Therewith, the operation was definitively taken over by the
state.
On the agenda of the general assembly that took place on June 6th, 1904 in the
Hungarian Agrobank in Budapest were the statement of financial condition of
1903, the usage of the profit (8,804.59 K), and also the election of three
executive members. Dr. Adalbert Fináczy, Dr. Koloman Olgany and Dr. Aladár
Rhorer had dropped out.
Timetable (from May 1st, 1905)
 Still before the opening of the new railway, a
group of prospective clients ensured the ways for expansion of the construction.
The Secretary of Trade gave the approval to great land owner Eduard Allmásy,
manager Dr. Aladár Rhorer and engineer Ludwig Fábián as members of the
consortium for a preliminary work for a local railway from the train station in
Oberschützen via Tauchen, Aschau towards Hochneukirchen until the national
border, possibly towards Mariasdorf, Bergwerk, Goberling, Unterkohlstätten,
Bernstein, Langeck, Lockenhaus, Deutsch Gerisdorf, Bubendorf, Pilgersdorf in
Zöberntal, towards Kirchschlag until the normal-tracked local steam railway
that leads to the border.
This approval, too, nourished the hope to build a railway as far as the Austrian
border. Many people thought that the connection to Edlitz could be built very
quickly. However, the Hungarian government had very little interest in
connecting the Hungarian German-speaking population with Austria by means of
transport.
The highest circles rather wanted to keep the people inside Hungary. The growing
road traffic gave only a little chance to this route. Operation was shut down on
December 31st, 1988.
Source: Die Eisenbahnen im Burgenland zur Zeit der
Habsburgermonarchie
Author: Hans Hahnenkamp
Published 1993, Eisenstadt
|
In 1994, Willi Resetarits started what has
become the Stubnblues. It’s music far beyond blues. It’s funk. Samba.
Folklore. Soul. Viennese songs. It’s poems and stories. Back in the days, a
Stubn was the only heated room in a house. It was the place where people
gathered, ate, talked and sang.
Willi
Resetarits (b. 1948) has been in the spotlight since the late 60s. He has been
active as a musician, radio host, and book author. In the mid-80s, he created
his alter ego Kurt Ostbahn together with author and composer Günter Brödl.
Willi added soul and authenticity to Ostbahn and communicated more than just
music. 20 years of Rock & Roll with lyrics in the Viennese dialect – a
working class hero – he made Austrian music-history. By 2003, Willi Resetarits
decided to leave behind Kurt Ostbahn to make more room for projects such as
Stubnblues.