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Archiver > BANAT > 1997-09 > 0873156156


From: Monika Ferrier <>
Subject: last mail re. Donauschwaben emigration
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 19:22:36 -0400 (EDT)


Just one more mail about the Donauschwaben and their journey to the Banat -

Emigration to the Banat was made possible either through sponsorship by the
Hapsburg monarchy (for political reasons rather than altruism) or
individuals used private means. Perhaps this is the point that is causing
the problem. For a detailed description of the whys and wherefores, please
read Sue Clarkson's article.

-------------------
From: Anton Valentin, Die Banater Schwaben

The first "Schwabenzug" (1722-26) under Graf Mercy recruited and
sponsored 15,000-20,000 people among which, among the first, were the
craftsmen, merchants, civil servants and mine workers who settled in and
around the cities of the Banat. They lived taxfree for 6 years.

The farmers in this first "Schwabenzug" weren't as well taken care of as in the
2d and 3d Schwabenzuege. Nevertheless, they were given the following:
- 3 years tax free
- after the 3rd year, they had to pay a tax of 12 Florin
- after 6 years, 18 Florin
- after 12 years, 24 Florin
- 1 Joch (=2 Morgen) of land on which to build their house as well as the
wood with which to do so
- 24 Joch (1 Session) farmland
- 6 Joch meadow
- house and farm equipment (listed in a previous email)
- animals (therefore, there was no need to bring their own - which of course
would have had to be fed as well; a better idea was to sell them and use the
cash either for the journey or in the Banat)
- those 15 years and older received 1 Florin 30 Kreuzer for travel expenses

Graf Mercy and his agents recruited not only farmers and the abovementioned
townspeople but also vintners from the Rhein-Mosel-Main area. By 1733 the
Banat vineyards were producing 70,000 pails of wine.

The settlement of these 1000s of people was financed by 8-10,000 Florins per
year set aside for this purpose. By 1734, the produce and taxes of the German
colonists were worth 30,000 Florin annually, ie. almost equaling the total that
had been spent on them.

By 1735 a silk industry with craftsmen led by Abbot Rossi from the southern
Tyrol had begun in Temeschwar-Fabrik and in neighbouring Carani (later
renamed Mercydorf). 130,000 mulberry bushes produced raw silk weighing 3
Zentner (approx. 150 kg).

In 1759, the treasury was richer by 1 million Florin paid in taxes.

The 2d Schwabenzug began with the army officers, non-commissioned
officers and invalids in the aftermath of the 7 Year War - then came the
farmers.

Again, those who were sponsored (and these were treated better than the
group 30 years earlier) received:
- FREE TRANSPORT to the Banat
- as well, adults, per person and per day received 6 Kreuzer for travel
costs while children were given 2 Kreuzer
- 6 tax free years
- at the beginning, the settlers were loaned money to build their houses; later
groups were settled into houses already built for them
- free building- and firewood
- 1 Joch for their house
- 24 Joch farmland
- 6 Joch meadow
- 6 Joch pasture

- craftsmen were entitled to 10 years tax free

From 1762-1772, 200,000 Florin were available yearly to pay for the costs of
settlement.

Crops, produce and industries:
- maize, wheat, rye, barley, oats
- hemp, tobacco
- vegetables
- potatoes, melons, beets, rapeseed, millet, clover
- plums (for Schnaps!)
- honey, wax
- fishing industry
- water-, wind- and horse-powered mills; saw- and paper mills
- breweries
- leather and textile manufacturies (since the Banaters didn't like
depending on Turkish imports)
- gold and silver factories
- glasshuts in Gallina and Orschowa
- rice fields worked by Italians in Giroda - and later moved to Omor and
Banlok

3d Schwabenzug (most arrived 1782-1787; began about 1780 and lasted til
about 1848)
- 30,000 families were involved from 1780-1790
- the farmers were given 10 years tax free
- 1 Session of farmland (32 Katastraljoch/64 Morgen)
- the use of 4 Joch in the communal pasture
- otherwise, approximately the same quarantees, goods and materials as in the
2d Schwabenzug

--------------------
Now, some details for Neubeschenowa (from Anton P Petri's book of the
same name). These settlers were given their travel documents and a letter
guaranteeing them:
- 3 years tax free
- FREE TRANSPORT to their destination
- religious care
- a house built by the state as well as free building material
- as much land (farmland as well as meadow) as each farmer was able to work

Johann Oswald (born in Temeschwar, died 1752 in Neubeschenowa)
petitioned the Hapsburg monarchy, was granted permission and received
funding to organize a group of settlers - destination: Neubeschenowa. 60
families (296 persons) from the Mainz, Trier and Lorraine area arrived in
Vienna at the beginning of June 1748. They left for the Banat in 2 ships on
June 15, arrived in Peterwardeien on June 20, in Titel were loaded onto Bega-Floesse (Bega-rafts), arrived in Gross Betschkerek on June 28, left for
Temeschwar on June 30, and were brought to Neubeschenowa in wagons.

In May 1749, Oswald again arrived in Vienna, this time with 900 persons,
mainly from the Trier area. 70 families went to Neubeschenowa, the rest to
the Temeschwar, Tschanad and Lippa areas.

Based on a study of the dialects, Senz in "Geschichte der Donauschwaben"
found that:
- 1/3 came from the Palatine region
- 1/3 from Bavaria (includes Austria and Sudetenland)
- 1/4 were Swabian (includes Alsace and Baden)
- the rest (8%) were from other parts of Germany as well as other nations

Monika

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