The History of Swabian Turkey
By Rosina T.
Schmidt
The
six towers of the fortress of the Danube Swabian emblem represent the
six regions of settlement of the Danube-Swabians:
1 -Ofner Bergland which
also includes Pest County and the ring of Swabian settlements all
around Budapest itself.
2
-Swabian Turkey (south of Lake Balaton the counties Tolna, Baranya and
Somogy),
3
-Slavonia-Syrmien-Bosnia,
4
-Batschka,
5
-Banat,
6 -Satmar
with the Crisana-Maramures region.
Greater Hungary ca. 1910 with the six Danube
Swabian Regions; Map by Eileen Lund-Johnson, Steve Herold and
Rosina T. Schmidt
After the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was defeated at
the siege of Vienna in 1687, where Jan Sobieski's Polish troops led in
the liberation of the encircled city, the Habsburg Monarchy with the help of German and Polish
forces pushed the Turks from most of the Kingdom of Hungary out.
As much of the Pannonia Plain was depopulated during the
140 years of the Turks occupation, after the Ottomans were expelled, the
Austrian Habsburgs, who also inherited the crown of Hungary, began to
resettle the land with various colonists. Croats, Slovaks, Serbs and
Germans.
The German colonization in southern Transdanubia began
in 1689. Even though, some came from Swabia, the
German settlers also came from Palatine, Hesse, Westerwald, Fulda,
Bavaria and Franconia.
As the
new colonists were mainly German speaking people, who as mentioned
already came down the River Danube from the embarkation port in Swabia,
a new nickname for the area was formed: The Swabian Turkey.
The settlers were often induced to migrate to Hungary
with the promise of three years without taxes. All the settlements in
Swabian Turkey were organized through private ventures run by the
nobility or the church. Germans also settled extensively in the major
towns of Pécs (Fünfkirchen) and Mohács.
Already
in 1688 the Bishop Matthias Ignatius Radanay of Fünfkirchen (Pécs), owner
of vast landholdings in and around the city, wrote to the Hungarian king
in Vienna, who was as we know at the same time also the Emperor of the
Holy Roman Empire, a request to help bring the destitute Catholic people
from Swabia, who lost their home and livelihood through the invasion of
the French. He was willing to accept groups of 50s, then groups of 100s
and eventually accept many thousands of those destitute souls, provided
they were all Roman Catholics.
There were three
major migration times from other parts of the Holy Roman Empire of the German
Nations to the future Danube Swabian Homeland areas:
I. -1722-1726 - under Emperor Karl VI who reigned 1711-1740;
II. 1763-1772 - under Empress Maria Theresia, who reigned 1740-1772;
III. 1781-1787 - under Emperor Josef II, who rained 1780-1790.
Contrary to the settlement of the Banat, which was owned
directly by the Emperor, and where the settlers received money and
goods to help them establish themselves, all the settlers in other
areas, including the Swabian Turkey, by early 1700’s needed 200 Gulden
to put their roots on a manorial estate.
This was
documented by the
“Reichsfürst” of Fulda, the Abbot Constantin von Buttlar, on
28th of May 1718. Today this oldest surviving
document of that kind is to be seen in the Archives of Marburg an der Lahn in Hesse, Germany.
The
documents describing what those 200 Gulden were used for tell us the
following:
30 of
the 200 Gulden were needed to build a house.
30 Gulden was needed to buy three steers.
14
Gulden were supposed to cover the price of a cart, plow and a harrow.
44
Gulden were needed for four big oxen with which to break the Steppe
in. Two would be plowing that day; the other two would have a rest.
22
Gulden were necessary for two horses.
40
Gulden had to be put aside for four cows and four calves, to start the
dairy farming business.
Three
Gulden would buy two mother pigs.
The
rest of the money was needed to buy the food until the next harvest.
The nobles sent their
agents to Vienna or the Danube ports en route to entice the German
settlers heading for Banat to settle on their lands instead, by
promising the travelers better initiatives. Some families decided to
shorten their travels and head the calls, specifically those of non
Roman Catholic faith, as they were unwanted in the Habsburg’s Banat.
One of the large
landowners in the Swabian Turkey was Count of Mercy, the governor of
Banat.
So he would not be
accused of stealing the Banat heading settlers, he accepted also
Calvinist, Lutheran and Reformed settlers, but went out of his way to
establish his villages primarily as per religion. He was powerful enough
to protect his non Roman Catholic villages against the wishes of the
Crown.
Swabian Turkey German Villages Settlement Dates
|
|
|
|
TOLNA
|
|
|
|
|
PLACE
|
Establishment year |
Landowner |
Apar |
1720 |
Mercy |
Alsonana |
1758 |
Kliegl |
Alsonyek |
1765 |
|
Bata |
1720 |
Abtei Bata |
Bataapati |
1724 |
Mercy |
Bataszek |
1720 |
Abtei Bata |
Belac |
1718 |
Festeich |
Bikacs |
1730 |
Daroczy and Rudnyanszky |
Bonyhad |
1715 |
Perczel |
Bonyhadvarsasd |
1718 |
Perczel |
Bölcske |
1720 |
|
Ciko |
1703, 1719 |
Perczel |
Diosbereny |
1724 |
Mercy |
Dunaföldvar |
1703, 1707 |
Mednyanszky |
Dunakömold |
1785 |
Kamerale Siedlung |
Duzs |
1719 |
Mercy |
Dorog |
1720 |
|
Fadd |
1718 |
Festetich |
Felconona |
1719 |
Mercy |
Gindlicsalad |
1905 |
from
surround. villages |
Graboc |
1732 |
Trautsohn |
Gyönk |
1713 |
Magyary-Kossa |
Györköny |
1717 |
Meszleny |
Hant |
1719 |
Appony |
Hegyhatmaroc |
- |
Buchner |
Hidas |
1720 |
several landowners |
Högyesz |
1722 |
Mercy |
Izmeny |
1720 |
Mercy |
Kakasd |
1718 |
Festetich |
Kalazno |
1722 |
Mercy |
Keszöhidegkut |
1702-20 |
|
Kety |
1733 |
Eszterhazy, Döry |
Kisdorog |
1720 |
Döry |
Kismanyok |
1719 |
Mercy |
Kisszekely |
1720 |
|
Kistormas |
1724 |
Mercy |
Kisujbanya |
- |
Bishop of Pec |
Kovacsi |
- |
Döry |
Kölesd |
1720 |
Mercy |
Ladomany |
1735 |
Döry |
Majos |
1715 |
Perczel, Kun |
Mekenyes |
1732 |
Esterhazy |
Moragy |
1724 |
Perczel |
Möcseny |
- |
Perczel |
Mözs |
1732 |
Trautsohn |
Mucsfa |
1723-24 |
Mercy |
Mucsi |
1720 |
Mercy |
Murga |
1745 |
Jeszenszky |
Nagymanyok |
1720 |
Pec’s Cathedral’s |
Nagyszekely |
1720 |
Styrum-Limburg |
Nagyvejke |
1720 |
Mercy |
Nemetker |
1785 |
Kamerale Siedlung |
Obanya |
- |
Bishop of Pec |
Püspöknadasd |
1718 |
Bishop of Pec |
Püspökszentlaslo |
1767 |
Bishop of Pec |
Paks |
1720 |
|
Sarszentlörinc |
1717 |
Mercy |
Simontrornya |
1720 |
Styrum-Limburg |
Szakadat |
1723-24 |
Mercy |
Szakcs |
1720 |
|
Szekszard |
1715 |
Trautsohn |
Szaraszd |
1737 |
Döry |
Tevel |
1712 |
Döry |
Tolnau |
1720 |
Festetich |
Udvari |
1720 |
Styrum-Limburg |
Varalja |
1715 |
Perczel |
Varsad |
1717 |
Mercy |
Vardomb |
1766 |
Abtei Bata |
Zavod |
1718 |
Mercy |
Zomba |
1745 |
Döry |
Csibrak |
1723 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BARANYA
|
|
Apatvarsad |
1726 |
|
Babarc |
1700 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Babarcsöllos |
1715 |
|
Bükkösd |
1737 |
|
Csikostöttös |
1720 |
Eszterhazy |
Czapa (?) |
1700 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Csuza |
1715 |
|
Darda |
1720 |
Veterani |
Decs |
1715-20 |
|
Devecser |
1738 |
Batthyany |
Fazekasboda |
1720 |
Esterhazy |
Feked |
1723 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Geresd |
1723 |
Bishop of Pec |
Gödre |
1737 |
Matth. Koller |
Hasagy |
1737 |
|
Herczegszabar |
1702 |
Prinz Eugen v. Savoyen |
Hidor |
1738 |
Batthyany |
Himeshaza |
1703 |
Bishop of Pec |
Kaposszekcso |
1720 |
|
|
|
|
Katoly |
1744-51 |
|
Kisnyarad |
1723 |
|
Köbleny |
1737 |
Petrovszky |
Hidas |
1731 |
Kajdacs |
Lippo |
1720 |
|
Lovaszheteny |
1699 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Löcs |
1738 |
Baranyavar’s |
Majs |
1750 |
Baranyavar’s |
Mariakemend |
1726 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Mohacs |
1720 |
|
Pelmonostor |
1726 |
Prinz Eugen v. Savoyen |
Nagypall |
1715 |
|
Nagynyarad |
1721 |
Prinz Eugen v. Savoyen |
Nemetboly |
1730 |
Batthyany |
Nemetmarok |
1720 |
Veterani |
Nemetszek |
1735 |
|
Nyomja |
1726 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Palotabozsok |
1723 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Pecsvarad |
prior to 1700 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Püspök szt. Erzsebet |
1717-26 |
|
Racgörcsöny |
1723 |
Benyovszky |
Rackozak |
1750 |
Eszterjazy |
Sikos |
1715 |
Caparara |
Somberek |
1717-26 |
Sauska |
Szajk |
1702 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Szederkeny |
1726 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Szopok |
1763 |
Traun |
Szür |
1723 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
Udvar |
1770-72 |
|
Villany |
1744-51 |
Prinz Eugen v. Savoyen |
Zengövarkony |
1700 |
Abtei Pecsvarad |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Somogy
|
|
Boldogasszonyfa |
1753 |
Hajma |
Lad |
1745 |
Szilly |
Magyar es Nemet Pulya |
1739 |
Eszterhazy |
Szulok |
1764 |
Szechenyi |
If we have a quick look at the settlement
dates of the German villages in the Swabian Turkey, we can see that the
Abtei Pécsvarad (owned by the Bishop of Pécs) established some of the
villages already in the year of 1700.
Since the Swabian Turkey was close to the
major cities, like Budapest and Pécs, quite a few of its sons and
daughters migrated to the cities, when the farming settlers were well
off financially to give their children a better education. The
inheritance laws at least in the Lutheran villages, were practiced as
per the customs back home: the oldest son inherits the farm, while he in
turn has to pay his siblings out or fund their education.
Even though Hungary was not part of the Holy Roman
Empire of the German Nations (800-1806), their King was at the same time also the
Emperor of Holy Roman Empire, so it was administrated under the same crown. As of
1806 to 1867 the boundaries of Holy Roman Empire changed and during that time it
was known as Austrian Empire, but also included Hungary.
In 1867 Austria through political maneuvering had to
give Hungary equal rights and until 1918 the Empire was known as Austro-Hungary.
Famous
Donauschwaben from Swabian Turkey:
General Mercy.
Was granted vast properties in Tolna and purchased more
villages. Implemented the settlement policy of ‘one village one nation
one religion’. In order not to be seen as competing with the
Habsburgs for settlers, he preferred the Protestants versus the Roman
Catholics, which the Emperor advertised for settlement in the Banat.
Medical
doctors:
Dr. Ignaz Philipp
Semmelweis introduced antiseptic measures
in all Hungarian hospitals to eradicate the septicemia or “child
fever” in maternity wards. It quickly produced positive results. The
mortality in the wards fell from 40% to almost 0% by the end of the
year. Since then Semmelweis was known as the Savior of the Mothers. He
also introduced antiseptic prophylaxis in obstetrics and surgery still
practiced around the world to this day.
Military
officers:
Moritz Perczel,
born in 1811 in the Tolna. Was in 1848 Colonel of the Honved army.
After the capitulation flew to Turkey, later to England. Returned to
Hungary after 1867 and became a senator.
Nikolaus Perczel,
the brother of Moritz, born in 1812, was Major along with his brother
Moritz, became the commander of the Peterwardein fortress and later of
Arad fortress. Flew after 1848 (both were condemned to death) to
Turkey and later to North America, where he became Colonel in the
State of Iowa. Returned after 1867 Ausgleich to Hungary became premier
of County of Baranya and as of 1887 Senator in Hungary. Died in 1904.
Politician:
Julius Gombos
the Prime Minister of Hungary in the mid 1930's in the Horthy
Government. His father was a Lutheran school teacher who served in
town of Murga in the Tolna and married a girl from there where their son
Julius was born. Although Julius was a fanatic Hungarian
nationalist his mother could not speak a word of Hungarian!
Authors:
Anton Varadi,
born in 1854 in Zavod, Swabian Turkey, as WEBER.
Stefan Tomorkenyi
(1866-1917) originally STEINGEISSNER.
Julius
Somogyvari,
born in 1895 as PREISSBERGER.
Johann Weidlein
who was also born in Murga who became one of the leading authorities
of the dialects spoken in the Swabian Turkey and was a well-known
Hungarian historian.
Josef
Schmidt, historian and researcher.
Henry Kerri
of Kaposszekcsö, historian and researcher.
Gyorgy Mueller
of Izmény, researcher and historian.
Henry A. Fischer,
author and historian.
Our
ancestry home in the Swabian Turkey soon became too small because of the
population explosion and when the Military Boarder was abolished about
1865 in Croatia and Slavonia, many of the younger generation moved there on their own initiative.
Now they
were in a different country, even though independent Slavonia was still
partner of the Hungarian Parliament. Hrastovac was the very first of the
ethnic German settlement in Slavonia.
By the
beginning of the 20th century, there was no agricultural land
available at any price in the Swabian Turkey or in Slavonia.
Another wave of young people left for the Americas, while some moved
even more south, to the newly freed Bosnian territory. Bosnia was only
finally freed from the Turks occupation in 1908, and was directly
administrated by the crown, just as Banat was back in 1722.
Map by Rosina T. Schmidt
However, the
Empire of Austro-Hungary was falling apart with the end of WWI, and it was divided
in eight different countries. Difficult times followed not only for the Danube
Swabian populations, but for their neighbours too. First came the recession of the
1920's, followed soon by the WWII and with it, the good times for our
Donauschwaben was lost forever.
By
Christmas of 1944 the Red Army had overrun and taken all of the Swabian
Turkey. They met little resistance.
Then the
drums beat in the village streets as the town-crier announced that all
men between the ages of 17 to 50 years and all women 17 to 40 years were
to report for registration for labour. In January of 1945 transport
trucks with armed Russian soldiers collected the people. They were taken
to the Soviet Union as forced labourers to the area around Rostov in the
coalmining region of Dornbas in the Ukraine. They were the "war reparations"
Hungary had to pay for being an ally of Germany.
The worst was yet to come.
Three
men met at Potsdam and redrew the map of Europe: Joseph Stalin, Harry S.
Truman and Winston Churchill. This is their proclamation:
"ORDERLY TRANSFER OF GERMAN POPULATIONS /(Potsdam) Conference, July
17-August 2, 1945/
"The Three Governments, having considered the question in all its
aspects, recognize that the transfer to Germany of German populations,
or elements thereof, remaining in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary,
will have to be undertaken. They agree that any transfers that take
place should be effected in an orderly and humane manner.
Since the influx of a large number of Germans into Germany would
increase the burden already resting on the occupying authorities, they
consider that the Control Council in Germany should in the first
instance examine the problem, with special regard to the question of the
equitable distribution of these Germans among the several zones of
occupation. They are accordingly instructing their respective
representatives on the Control Council to report to their Governments as
soon as possible the extent to which such persons have already entered
Germany from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, to submit an estimate
of the time and rate at which further transfers could be carried out
having regard to the present situation in Germany.
The Czechoslovak Government, the Polish Provisional Government and the
Control Council in Hungary are at the same time being informed of the
above and are being requested meanwhile to suspend further expulsions
pending an examination by the Governments concerned of the report from
their representatives on the Control Council."
The
Danube Swabians of Hungary were continued to be ordered
expelled back to Germany where they originated from to accommodate the
Hungarians being expelled from Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. This was
part of the "Humane population transfer" that would set all things right
in Europe forever. It meant the expulsion of 15 million ethnic Germans
throughout Eastern Europe. During the process two million would die.
Our
Donauschwaben who could did flee their ancestry lands ahead of the
Red Army. Those that did not manage to flee fared in former Yugoslavia the worst. All of
them, babies, children, old people were thrown in Tito's starvation
camps, which were only disbanded in 1949. Most of those starvation camp
inhabitants did not survive to see the freedom.
The
Danube Swabian
experience in Swabian Turkey was unique from the Banat and Batschka
because they were not part of the organized state sponsored and
subsidized settlements, which resulted in planned villages and
houses built before they arrived. Their experiences with the landlords
and nobles and the injustices their suffered have no comparisons with the
Banat or Batschka.
Today
us Donauschwaben are dispersed in all corners of the world. Majority are living
in Germany, Austria, Brazil, USA and Canada.