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Board of DirectorsMartha McClelland, President Hays, KansasO.M. Windholz, Vice President Hays, KansasShirley Kuppetz, Secretary Ellis, KansasGuy Windholz, Treasurer Hays, KansasGilbert Augustine Ellis, KansasIrmgard Hein Ellingson Decorah, IowaEileen Goetz Hays, Kansas

The Bukovina Societyof the Americas

NEWSLETTERPublisher: O.M. Windholz Editorial Committee: pat6363@yahoo.com Irmgard Ellingson Rebecca Hageman Steve Parke

Vol. 24, No. 4 December, 2014P.O. Box 81, Ellis, KS 67637 USARebecca Hageman Wichita, KansasArthur Honas Ellis, KansasNorma Lang Ellis, KansasSteve Park Pueblo West, CODarrell Seibel Hays, Kansas

SOCIETY NEWS & EVENTS

• MembersoftheBukovinaSocietymetfortheannualbusinessmeetingonOctober10,2014attheOktoberfestinHays,Kansas.Electedtonewtermsontheboardwere:MarcyMcClelland,SteveParkeandArtHonas.

• OurdeepestsympathiesareextendedtoLarryMenestrina,longtimeBukovinaSocietymemberaswellasaformermemberofourInternationalBoard,atthedeathofhiswifeNataliyainWichita,Kansas,onOct.30,2014.ThefuneralservicewasheldatSt.JudeCatholicChurchinWichitaonSat.Nov.8.TheNataliyaMenestrinaMemorialFundhasbeenattheCessnaEmployeesCreditUnion,4CessnaBlvd,

Wichita,KS67215,toaidthefamilywithfuneralexpensesandotherchallenges.

• FatherMyronFlax,O.F.M.Cap.,wasrecentlyrecognizedfor50yearsofserviceintheOrderofCapuchinFranciscans.HewasbornSeptember30,1928inRansom,NessCounty,KansastoGodfreyandCatherine(Weber)Flax.RansomwashometoaBohemianGermanCatholiccolonythatsettledtherewhenlandbecamemorescarceandexpensiveinEllisandTregoCounties.Fr.Myronservedfor38yearsintheCapuchinmissionsinPapua,NewGuineainoutlyingareasoftheSouthPacificislandnation.HewasthefirstWesternertoentertheGambeareaandformednewparishesthere,laterbecomingadministratoroftheMendiDioceseCathedral.HecontinuedministryuponhisreturntotheUnitedStatesandhasnowretiredtothefriaryoftheBasilicaofSt.FrancisinVictoria,Kansas.

• LuzianGeieroftheBukowina InstitutinAugsburgwrotethathisuncle,PaulMichalski,diedinLima,NewYork,onAugust22,2014.HewasborninNewYorkandreturnedwithhisparentstoOstraandStulpikani,Bukovina.Hewaspartofthe1941Umsiedlung(resettlement)toGraz,Austria,andwasregardedasaprotectorofhispeopleduringtheUmsiedlungandWorldWarII.HereturnedtotheUnitedStatesin1957.TheBukovinaSocietyextendsitssinceresympathiestothefamilyandfriendsofPaulMichalski.

• MembersoftheFrankandLeonaNeuburgerfamilymadeaJune-July2014triptotheEllis,Kansas,areatovisitthefamily’shomestead.Thegroupconsistedof

International BoardMichael Augustin Leonberg, GermanyJoe Erbert Secretary Emeritus, Ellis, KSAyrton Gonçalves Celestino, Ph. D. Curitiba, BrazilLaura Hanowski Regina, SK,CanadaOrtfried Kotzian, Ph. D. Augsburg, GermanyEdward Al Lang Sycamore, Illinois

Paul Massier Las Vegas, NevadaVan Massirer Crawford, TexasDouglas Reckmann Portland, OregonKurt Rein, Ph. D. Baldham, Germany

Membership Dues:Lifetime $150.00

Annual $15.00

Web Site: www.bukovinasociety.org

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WayneandMaryNeuburger,hisbrotherandsister-in-lawKenandMaryNeuburger,theirmotherLeona(thewidowofFrankNeuburger),theirauntIdaanduncleJulius,andcousinsNorma,Dorothy,andKenneth.ThefamilyhadlivedintheEllisareauntil1953,whentheymovedtoSalem,Oregon.The2014tripmadeitpossibleforLeona,bornonafarmoutsideofHaysonJune30,1915,toreturntoherbirthplaceonher99thbirthday.WayneandKenwerealsoabletovisitwithEllisareaacquaintancesincludingBukovinaSocietyboardmembersArtHonasandJoeErbert.TheBukovinaSocietywishestoacknowledgetheNeuburgers’visittoEllisandtoextendbelatedbirthdaygreetingstoLeona!

THE LAST EMPERORWORLD WAR I: A CENTURY AGO

Itisnowacenturysincethe1914outbreakofWorldWarI.ThenBukovinawasstillpartoftheHabsburg[Austrian[EmpireandFrancisJosephhadreignedasEmperorofAustriaandKingofHungaryfor66years.Theoldemperordiedin1916andwassucceededbyCharlesI,whoreignedfrom1916until1918,whenhe“renouncedparticipation”instateaffairsbutdidnotabdicate.Hespenttheremainingyearsofhislifeattemptingtorestorethemonarchyuntilhisdeathin1922.CharleswasthelastruleroftheAustro-HungarianEmpire,thelastEmperorofAustria,thelastKingofHungary,anthelastmonarchoftheHouseofHabsburg-Lorraine.

Charles and Zita on their wedding day,October 21, 1911

“Iamanofficerwithallmybodyandsoul,”hetoldhiswifeupontheoutbreakofWorldWarI,“butIdonotseehowanyonewhoseeshisdearestrelationsleavingforthefrontcanlovewar.”-quotedbyJamesandJoannaBogleinA Heart for Europe: The Lives of Emperor Charles and Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary,GracewingPublishing,page54.

THE ORIGINS OF THE BUKOVINA GERMANS

Irmgard Hein Ellingson

AreyouresearchingyourBukovinaancestors?Well,youarelucky!Somuchoftheregion’shistory-andthatincludessettlementhistoryaswellasfamilyhistories-haslongbeenknownandpublished,therebyfacilitatingourongoinggenealogicalandotherstudies.

BukovinaislocatedontheoutereasterncurveoftheCarpathianMountains.Thisruralareaof10,422squarekilometerswasannexedbytheHabsburg[Austrian]Empirein1785.ItquicklybecamemultinationalasPoles,Ukrainians,Romanians,Jews,Germans,Serbs,Croatians,Slovaks,Hungarians,ArmeniansandotherscamethereinresponsetotheHabsburgreligioustolerationpolicyandtheircolonizationprograms.Withinabouttenyears,theregion’spopulationhadmorethandoubledandwithinacentury,ithadmultipliedtentimes.Theregion’s1880censusdatareportedthattwelvepercentofthetotalpopulationwasJewishwiththeremainderbeingUkrainian(42%),Romanian(33%),German(19%),andPolish(3%),withsmallernumbersofHungarians,Slovaks,andothers.ThesepercentagesremainedfairlyconsistentupuntilWorldWarI.

AsfortheGermans,theycametoBukovinafromvariousplacesinEurope(note:“Germany”wasnotformeduntil1871).Thefollowinggeneralregionsoforiginhavelongbeenknownandresearched:

-theZips(Spiš)district,fromwhichGermanminerswererecruitedtoworkintheBukovinamines,-thePfalz(thePalatinate)andBaden-Württemberg,fromwhichGermanfarmersemigratedtoGaliciaandthenBukovina-westernBohemia,fromwhichGermanlumberjackswererecruitedfortheBukovinaglassmakingcottageindustry.

Thehand-drawnmapbelow,whichappearsonourSociety’swebsite,showsthewalkingpathfromtheBohemianForesttoBukovina.Itwasoriginallypublishedin“Buchenhain:DieHeimatunsererDeutschböhmen”byJosefNeuburgerandappearsinDr.ValentinReitmajer’sGermanBohemianCookBook,translatedbyDr.SophieA.Welisch.

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DoyouhaveaquestionabouttheoriginofyourownGermanancestorswhosettledinBukovina?Feelfreetoemailmeaboutitatirmgardellingson@yahoo.com.

THE POST-WORLD WAR II LEGACY

IrmgardHeinEllingson

TheBund der Vertriebenen(BdV),ortheFederationofExpellees,isanon-profitorganizationformedin1957torepresenttheinterestsofethnicGermanswhoeitherfledtheircentralandeasternEuropeanhomesduringWorldWarII,orwereforciblyexpelledafterit.Beforethatdate,theBund der Heimatvertriebenen(LeagueofExpelleesandDeprivedofRights,1950)representedtheinterestsofGermanexpellees,alsocalled“displacedpersons.”

TheBdVisthesinglerepresentativefederationfortheapproximately15millionGermanswhoafterfleeing,beingexpelled,evacuatedoremigrating,foundrefugeintheFederalRepublicofGermany.Theyareorganizedin

21regionalassociations,calledLandsmannschaften,accordingtotheareasoforiginofitsmembers,16stateorganizations(Landesverbände)accordingtotheircurrentresidence,and5associatememberorganizations.

TheBukovinaSocietyoftheAmericasisasisteroftheLandsmannschaften der Buchenlanddeutschen (Bukowina) e.V.Since1989,theBukowina-InstitutatAugsburgUniversityhasservedasahistoricalandculturalcenterforBukovinastudies(seede.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukowina-Institut_an_der_Universität_Augsburg).

Thefollowingdocument,endorsedbyalloftheLandsmannschaften,outlinesthesharedpositionoftheexpellees,includingthosefromBukovina,topositive,

constructiveparticipationinthepost-WorldWarIIworld.Noteinparticularthefirstpoint,withitsspecificrenunciationofrevengeandretaliation.TheBukovinaSocietyaffirmsthesesprinciplesinourongoingpartnershipwiththeLandsmannschaftanditsresearcharm,theBukowina-Institut.

CHARTER OF THE GERMAN EXPELLEES

ConsciousoftheirresponsibilitybeforeGodandmen,consciousoftheiraffiliationtotheWesternChristiancommunity,consciousoftheirGermanorigin,andrealizingthecommontaskofallnationsofEurope,theelectedrepresentativesofmillionsofexpellees,aftercarefuldeliberationandafterhavingsearchedtheirconscience,haveresolvedtomakepublicasolemndeclarationtotheGermanpeopleandtotheentireworld,definingboththedutiesandtherightswhichtheGermanexpelleesconsidertheirbasiclawandanindispensablepreconditionfortheestablishmentofafreeandunitedEurope.

1.We,theexpellees,renounceallthoughtofrevengeandretaliation.Ourresolutionissolemnandsacredinmemoryoftheinfinitesufferingbroughtuponmankind,particularlyduringthepastdecade.

2.WeshallsupportwithallourstrengtheveryendeavordirectedtowardstheestablishmentofaunitedEuropeinwhichthenationsmayliveinfreedomfromfearandcoercion.

3.Weshallcontribute,byhardanduntiringwork,tothereconstructionofGermanyandEurope.

Wehavelostourhomeland.Thehomelessarestrangersonthefaceoftheearth.Godhimselfplacedmenintheirnativeland.Toseparatemanforciblyfromhisnativelandmeanstokillhiminhismind.

Wehavesufferedandexperiencedthisfate.Wethereforefeelcalledupontodemandthattherighttoournativelandberecognizedandrealizedasoneofthebasicrightsofman,grantedtohimbyGod.

However,aslongasthisrighthasnotbeenmaterializedforus,wedonotwanttostandasideunderimposedinactivity,butratherwanttostriveandworkwithallmembersofournationinnew,purifiedformsofbrotherlyandconsideratecooperation.

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Forthisreasonweclaimanddemand,todayasinthepast:

1.Equalrightsascitizens,notmerelybeforethelawbutalsoineverydaylife;

2.JustandreasonabledistributionoftheburdensofthelastwaramongtheentireGermanpeopleandanhonestapplicationofthisprinciple;

3.ReasonableintegrationofallprofessionalgroupsofexpelleesintothelifeoftheGermanpeople;

4.IncorporationoftheGermanexpelleesintothereconstructionworkforEurope.

Thenationsoftheworldshouldbecomesensitiveoftheirco-responsibilityforthefateoftheexpelleeswhohavesufferedmostfromthehardshipsofourtimes.

ThenationsshouldactinaccordancewiththeirdutiesandtheirconscienceasChristians.

ThenationsmustrealizethatthefateoftheGermanexpellees,justasthatofallrefugees,isaworldproblemthesolutionofwhichcallsforthehighestmoralresponsibilityandforacommitmenttotremendouseffort.

Wethereforecalluponallnationsandmenofgoodwilltojoininthemutualendeavortofindawayoutofguilt,misfortune,suffering,povertyandmiserywhichwillleadusalltoabetterfuture

BUKOVINIANS IN VENEZUELA

ErwinMassier,JosefTalskyandB.C.Grigorowicz,Bukowina – Heimat von Gestern,trans.SophieA.Welisch(Karlsruhe:Arbeitskreis Bukowina Heimatbuch,1956),pp.315-316.

“Inthesummerof1951agroupof150passengersdepartedforsettlementinVenezuela.OrganizingthisventureweretheBukovinapriestKurtBenschfromPoianaMikuliandprelateBüttnerfromtheStudySocietyforSettlementAbroad(Studiengesellschaft für Siedlung im Ausland).Atripviaplanearousedmuchattentionatthattime.DespitethetropicalclimateandlivingconditionsforEuropeansinaarea2000–3000metersabovesealevel,the“Bukovinos”–asthelocalpopulationreferredtotheBukovinaGermans,”haveestablishedamodelsettlementinTurénwithextensivefarmsinaself-containedcommunityrecountedherebyL.Canelon...

UnitedStatesofVenezuelaNationalAgriculturalInstituteCaracas,September11,1950

INM3045ReverendKurtBenschHotelAmbassador

IhavethepleasureofturningtoyouforyourmediationwiththeecclesiasticalaidorganizationonbehalfofGermanrefugeeswhosedelegateyouareandtopresentthefollowingproposaltoyouinthenameoftheNationalAgriculturalInstituteincollaborationwiththeresettlementofagriculturalfamiliesfromBukovina.

Agricultural settlement of Turén:InthissettlementtheInstituteoffersthirtyofthedesignatedfamiliesanequalnumberoflandparcelsandhousesamongthosealreadyexistingthereandtheuseoftheareaafteraproposedvisitduringwhichtheywillhaveseenthehousesandparcelstheyhavebeenoffered.

Selection of the applicants:theselectionoftheapplicantswillbemadebytheVenezuelanImmigrationMissioninGermanyandAustriaonthebasisofsuggestionswhichhavebeenpreparedbytheirorganizations.Thesemustincludethename,age,profession,andcompositionofthefamily.Thisinnowaydisallowsthecandidateswhodesireit,toapplydirectlytotheMissionforimmigrationtothecountry.Thisgroupofthirtyfamilies,whichhasbeenaccepted,willundergoamedicalexamination,whichwilltakeplaceattheMissionorthroughsubmissionoftheinformationrequestedintheaccompanyingform.ThechosenfamiliesmustkeeptherequireddocumentsreceivedfromtheGermanauthoritiesforthetriptoVenezuela.Theexpensesforthemedicalexamination,acquisitionofdocuments,andtransportationofthechosenfamiliestotheairportfromwhichthetripwilltakeplacefallstotheorganization.TheGermanauthoritiesmustoffertheVenezuelanImmigrationMissionallfacilitiestoeasethecarryingoutoftheirtask.TheGermangovernmentobligatesitselftoreadmitthesettlersandfamiliestotheircountryaswellasthosewhomDirectoryoftheInstitutehasbannedfromtheirparcel.

Conveyance:ConveyancefromGermanytoVenezuelashouldprimarilyproceedbyair.Totheextentthatthisisthemeansoftravelbychoice,everypersonhastherighttotakebaggageupto50kg.Intheeventthattheseavoyageshouldbelessexpensive,thismeansoftransportwillbechosen.TheusermustreimbursetheInstitute.Forthispurposetheexpenditurewillbeenteredonhiscreditaccount.

Enrollment:Theimmigrantswillbeenrolledatthe

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Trompilloreceptioncenter,providedaccommodations,undergoamedicalexamination,andgiventhenecessarypapers.TransportationtotheplacewheretheywillbesettledwillbypaidbytheInstitute.

Mitigation:Withoutpaymentoftollstheimmigrantshavetherighttobringtheirnecessitiesincludingclothing,furnitureforpersonaluse,andtools,whichtheyneedfortheiroccupation;moreover,everyadultmaybringarifleforpurposesofhunting.NoruponentranceintotheterritoryoftheRepublicwilltherebeachargewhetherastaxorassecurity.

Transfer of the land parcels and houses:AsalreadystatedeveryBukovinianfamilywillbesoldalandparcelvaryinginsizebetween25and40hectaresaswellasadwellingwhichisonthelandandequippedwiththenecessaryaccommodations.Thissellingpricemustberepaidwithin25years.ThesettlermustpaytheInstitute3percentinterestperyearonwhatisowneduntilfulfillmentofthecontractualagreement;hecanmakespecialpaymentagainsthisdebt,whichmustbeatleast500bolivars.ThereisanunderstandingthattheInstitutethroughadeclarationoftheDirectorycanreclaimtheparcelfromasettlerandreversethesaleforoneofthefollowingreasons:1) becauseofabandonmentofparcel,2) becauseoflackofdisciplineorunseemlybehaviorof

theuserwhichmakeshimanundesirablecharacterinthecolony,

3) becauseofobviousneglectorlackofabilityofthesettlertomaintainthestructuresorimplementswhichhavebeenentrustedtohimorbelongtothesettlement,

4) proofthattheparcelisnotdirectlybeingworked,5) notfollowingtheworkanddevelopmentplanswhich

areestablishedbythesettlementornotfollowingthetechnicaldirectivesoftheInstitute,

6) groundlessnon-fulfillmentoftheInstitute’sfinancialtermsorneglectoftheincurredfinancialobligations;itisunderstoodthatfailuretomakeonepaymentbythesettlertosatisfythecurrentagreementwillsufficeifitdoesnotconflictwiththeparagraphofarticle132concerningagriculturalstatus,

7) becauseofrepeatednon-fulfillmentofacceptedobligationsbythesettlerasamemberofassociationsorotherorganizations,whichhadbeenagreedtoorapprovedbytheInstituteorbyamemberoftheinstitutionswhichenforcetheexistingagriculturalstatute.

8) Thesettlermustworktheassignedparcelhimselforwithrelativeslivingwithhiminanascendingordescendinglineofkinshipandwithco-lateralrelativesthroughtheseconddegreeofbloodkinship;

hecannotselltheparcelnorleaseitinanylegalform;withtheexceptionofcasesunderahigherjurisdiction,laborbynon-approvedworkersmustbeadequatelyauthenticatedandspecificallyapprovedbytheInstitute.Aslongasthesettlerhasnotterminatedhisresponsibilities,whichbenefittheInstituteunderhiscontract,hecannotencumberhisrightstothelandinanyform.TheInstitutehaswide-reachingmethodsofcontrol,oversightanddirectionoveroftransactionsmadebythesettler.

Thefinaltitleofownership,whichconfirmsthesettler’srightstohisproperty,willbegiventohimaftertheprovisionaltitleofownershipinthenextyearprovidedthatheagreestotheaforesaidobligations.InallpointsnotincludedinthecontractsthedecisionofAgriculturalSocietywilltakeprecedenceinthedistributionoftheparcels.

Credit:Nutrition:Duringthefirstyearanduntilthefirstharvestthesettlersandtheirfamilieswillreceivesufficientprovisions,whichwillbeadvancedtothem;thesettlermustrepaythestipulatedamountwithinadesignatedperiodoftime.

Agricultural cultivation:Forthecultivationofalandparcelthesettlerwillbeextendedcreditforseeds,toolsandfarmequipments,whichmustberepaidbytheborrowerwithintwo-to-threeyearsat5percentinterestperannum.

Medical attention:Duringthefirstyearanduntilthefirstharvestthesettlerandhisfamilywillreceivedoctor’scare,pharmaceuticals,hospitalization,andsurgicalinterventionfreeofcharge

Education:ThechildrenofschoolagewillbeinstructedinthesettlementunderthesameconditionsastheVenezuelans;foradultscoursesinSpanishwillbemadeavailable.

Legal status:AllsettlersinVenezuelaenjoythesamecivilrightswhichVenezuelansaregrantedintheconstitutionandinotherlawsoftheRepublic.

Ifyouareinagreementwiththeseconditions,youmaywishtoexpressyourconsentinwritingsothatVenezuelanImmigrationMissioninGermanycansubmitthenecessarypaperstoexpeditethisproposalassoonaspossible.IusethisopportunitytotellyouthatthatwewillseparatelysubmitanadditionalproposalfromwhichthesettlementofanothergroupofBukovinianfamilieswillbenefit.

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GodandtheUnionSignature:ArmandoTamayo,Chairman

OfficialStampsUnitedStatesofVenezuelaNationalAgriculturalInstitute

LETTER OF IGNATZ SCHAFFHAUSER TO HIS SON, KARL

WRITTEN ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR I

TranslatedandeditedwithintroductionbySophieA.Welisch

While perusing the memorabilia of my Bukovinan friends and acquaintances, I had the good fortune of coming across a letter written in 1914 by one Ignatz Schaffhauser from Bori, whose son Karl had immigrated to the United States shortly before World War I. In his letter, written in the Gothic type of the Latin alphabet, the author uses the style and vocabulary characteristic of the rural Bukovina-Germans at that time. A copy of this letter is on file in the archives of the Bukovina Society of the Americas.

IgnatzSchaffhauser(1867–1914)wasathirdgenerationdescendantofthecolonistsMathiasSchaffhauserandAnnaSchwarzwhoin1835lefttheirhomelandintheBohemianForestandtookuprootsinwhatwastobecomethevillageofBoriinsouthernBukovina.Givenahighbirthrate,ascarcityofland,andlimitedeconomicopportunitiesbytheturnofcentury,manyBukovinianspursuedtherouteofimmigrationtotheNewWorld.ThosenotwishingtofarmsettledinAmerica’scities,includingNewYork,theportofentryatthattime.Comingfromanagriculturalsociety,boththemenandthewomenlackedskillsreadilytoadapttourbanliving.Fortunatelymanyunskilledlaborjobswereavailableatthattime;othersbitthebulletandlearnedanewtrade.

AmongtheseimmigrantswefindIgnatz’son,Karl(1894-1933),oneofsevenchildren.FourofKarl’ssiblings,Josefa(1892-1977),IgnatzII(1898-1971),Julianne(1903-1997)andEduard(1908-?)alsoembarkedonthelongvoyageacrosstheAtlantic,thefirstthreesettlinginNewYorkintheearly1920s,andEduard,theyoungest,takingupresidenceinCuba.In1926JuliannemarriedtheBukovinian,KarlTanda(1898-1942)inBrooklynandreimmigratedtoBukovina,onlytoreturntotheseshoreswithhertwochildreninthe1950s.Theirgrandson,LarryMenestrina,anengineerwithCessnaAircraftinWichita,

Kansas,isamemberoftheBukovinaSocietyandformerlyservedonitsboard.

Karlwasunemployedandpennilesswhenhewrotetohisfatherinearly1914,buthedidlearnthecraftofbakerandintimeownedandoperatedhisownshopinNewYork.Hisbrother,IgnatzIIalsoworkedasabaker,atradehelearnedintheUnitedStates.

OnJune20,1914,threemonthsafterthelettertohisson,IgnatzdiedinBori,thevillageofhisbirth.HisonlyextantphotographisaffixedtohistombstoneinGurahumora.Hiswife,Maria(neeBrandl)andtwootherchildren,Anna(1890-1953)andMathilda(1905-1955)withtheirfamiliessettledinGermanyin1940.

Ignatz’sletterofMarch13,1914revealsaproudmanlivingindifficulttimes,comfortedbyhistrustinGod,aconcernforhisfamily,andaninvolvementwithhisneighbors,hiscommunityandhischurch.Thetextofletterisasfollows:

Bori,March13.1914

DearsonKarl!

WiththegreatestpleasureIsitdowntowriteyouafewlines.Tobesure,whenyoursisterJosefagavemeyourlettertoread,youcanbelievemethatbecauseIwascrying,Icouldnotimmediatelyreadittoher.Youimploredustogiveupthegrocerystore;sincetheNewYearIhavealreadygivenupthewhiskeyandrum,sinceIgotalargetaxof1080crownsforoneyear.Wherecanthistakeus?Wewillkeepthebeeranddistillerysincewealreadyhavetheinsuranceandsomeonealwayshastobeathome.They[thewhiskeyandrum]wouldhavebroughtusnoincome,evenifwehadkeptthembecausewehavetoeat,becausewehavetobuyeverything,whichweuse,becausethreepoorharvestsfollowedoneafteranother,whichhopefullyyoustillrecall.Weonlyhavethehay.

DearsonKarl.Ihavetotellyouthatmylegisnothealed,thatIhadtosuffergreatpain.Youwritethatyoucannothelpme.ThisIcanbelieve,sinceallthreedoctorsalsocannothelpme.Thethree[doctors]inGurahumoraadvisemetogotothehospitalsinceIhavealreadyspentsomuch.ButIamfearfulofthehospital;perhapstheywillamputatemyleg.Iwouldratherdiewithmychildrenathome.PerhapstheywillprayanOurFatherformeatthecemetery.

Dearson.IwishtotellyouthatGrandmotherisverysick,andyouwillneverseeheragain.Iwillalso

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tellyouthattheyshotJosefHaas,theforesterfromWoronetz[villageontheoutskirtsofGurahumora].Wealsohavealotofsnowhere.IwishtotellyouthatLeonBrandlisalsoverysickwithpulmonaryproblems.Heusedtovisitmealmosteveryday.NowhecannolongercometomeandIcannotgotohim.Hesendsgreetingsalsoasdoeshissister,TheresiaBrandl,andyoushouldwritetoher.

DearsonKarl.IalsowanttotellyouthatyouwriteyouhavenoworkinAmerica.YoucanimaginehowheavyofheartthatmademefeelbecauseweincurredgreatexpensesforyourtriptoAmerica.Ifyoubelievethatyouwillgetnowork,sowriteme,I’llimmediatelysendyoumoneytoreturnhome.Hereyouwouldhavemuchwork.Onlyyoushouldbehealthy.Ignatz[sonoftheauthorandKarl’sbrother]workswithFerdinandHellinger.Heearns1Guldenand20Kreuzers.Hewouldsurelypayyoumore:1Guldenand50Kreuzers.Inaddition,youcanearnmoneywiththehorses,upto7Florinsperday.Sofigureouthowmuchyouwouldhaveearnedduringthistime.IgnatzistooweaktodrivethehorsesandIcan’tdoit.IgnatzearnsenoughforonesuitofclothesforhimselfbuttheotherchildrenalsoneedthingsasdoMotherandI.IfIgetwell,Idonotevenhaveasuittoweartochurch.Iwouldbeashamed.Andthentherearemydebts.Icannotmakethepaymentsandatbestnoteventheinterest.

Dearson.Youwrotethatyouwouldliketovolunteerforthearmy.ButasfatherIwouldadviseyouthatyoucouldalsohavedonethisinBukovina.Andatleastyouwouldbeathome.Ifyouarenotinterestedinfarming,youcanjointhelocalpoliceforceortheFinanceSecuritywhereyouwouldhaveanevenbetterlife.ButonepointIwillallowmyselftomake:ifyouhavemoneyanddon’twanttosendusany,thenyoucanwellimaginewhatpleasureyouarebringingtoyourparents.IfyouwritealettertoJosefa,webeseechyoutotellhertostopseeingAntonGünthnerbecauseMothercannotstandhim.NowIconcludemyletterwithmanyhappygreetingsfromFatherandMotherandfromourbigEduard.Heisalreadysobigandveryhealthy.

BestregardstoallthepeoplefromBoriandfromGurahumoraincludingWenzelHilgarthandSeidlandFranzHaasanddonotforgettheholyseasonofLentandalsogotoconfessionandtochurch.ThenGodwillnotforgetyou.PraisedbeJesusChrist.

IgnatzSchaffhauser

GERMAN-BOHEMIAN HERITAGE SOCIETY30TH ANNIVERSARY

TheinternationalGerman-BohemianHeritageSocietyheadquarteredinNewUlm,Minnesota,celebratedits30thanniversarywithabanquetonOctober18,2014.Over100membersandguestswerepresent,manywearingtheirhomelandclothing(Tracht).Thedaybeganwitha“CultureCorner”wherefamiliessetupdisplaysofphotos,newspapers,andartifactsfromtheoldcountry,andfromthenewhomelandintheNewUlmarea.TheformalprogrambeganwithawelcomeandpresentationofthenewGBHSwebsite(www.germanbohemianheritagesociety.com)byMollySchweinfurter,President.LouieLindmeyerreadaproclamationfromMayorRobertBeussmandeclaringOctober18thasGerman-Bohemian DayinNewUlm.RobertPaulson,thefounderofBCHS,deliveredhishistoricalrecollectionsofhowitallbeganin1984.GBHS’King(König)DenisWartaledtheassemblyinarousingchorusoftheBöhmerwald Lied,orBohemianForestSong,sungintheoldBohemiandialect.JerryGuldenproposedaheartwarmingtoasttoGerman-Bohemians,past,present,andfuture.DanielHoisington,historianandauthor,presentedapreviewofaforthcomingdocumentaryvideoshowingaccountsofimmigrationfromEuropetoAmericafromthememoriesofdescendantsofthepioneerswhoarrivedhereinthelasthalfofthe19thcentury.Theprogramwasfollowedbyashortbusinessmeetingwithayear-in-reviewreportandelectionofofficers.Theeveningwascappedbytwohoursofsocializing,dancing,andschunkeling(rockingandswayingtogether)tohomeland-stylemusicbyDonnieKlossneronhisconcertina.

AlthoughtheydidnotattendtheGBHS30thanniversaryevents,Mr.andMrs.LeoDorzweilerofCatherine,Kansas,andMr.andMrs.GlennSchmeidlerofHays,Kansas,friendsoftheBukovinaSociety,attendedtheannualOktoberfestinNewUlmconductedOctober3-4and10-11.TheirhostGeorgeGlotzbach,occasionalvisitortoEllisCountyandtheBukovinaSociety,providedadetailedtourofthecommunity.

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BUKOVINA SOCIETYP.O. Box 81Ellis, KS 67637