From Waldviertel to Wisconsin: The forgotten history of emigration
From Waldviertel to Wisconsin: The forgotten history of emigration
An exciting discovery at the Ahnendorf in Hospital near Weitra: The story of Juliana Pautsch, who emigrated to America with her husband Franz Brunner in 1882 and her four children, reveals a fascinating migration movement. The man of Juliana, whose parents had moved to Pepin County in Wisconsin ten years earlier, gives this story an even greater depth.
Interestingly, I came across a genealogical website to numerous emigrants who came from the region between Schrems and Waidhofen/Thaya and who moved to the said area in Wisconsin. Many local families settled in a small town called "Lima". This discovery raises the question of why this emigration from the Waldviertel was largely ignored in history.forgotten roots
The historical neglect of this movement can be attributed to several factors. First of all, the Habsburg-friendly newspapers were not interested in reporting on the emigration. Afterwards the First World War and the subsequent turbulence influenced the memory of these events.
The emigration itself was an adventure full of uncertainties for many Waldviertel. Many went from Pürbach or Schrems on a long journey that led over Bremen to New York, where they continued to travel with steamships and trains. Your arrival in Wisconsin meant a fresh start for most of them.
A group of around 60 people from the Schremser area was the first large group in May 1871. Numerous other families followed in the following years, with many of them wore surnames like Bauer or Brunner. These settlers often had to work hard to make the ground original and start a new life.
The documentation of this emigration shows that many Waldviertler in Lima are very alive. In a letter, the emigrant Alois Brandtner describes how close he was from his neighbors, who also came from home. This illustrates the strong band between the newly arriving and the old homeland.
the cultural embossing
The descendants of these emigrants can still be found in the region today. Many still wear surnames such as Brunner, Bauer or Preissl. An interesting cultural event is the cultivation of poppy for the typical Poppy Rolls, a specialty that is not common in the USA and which is reminiscent of the culinary roots of home.
an in -depth analysis of the details of this emigration as well as the special challenges and experiences of the people can be found in the latest report by the Waldviertel Heimatbund in the quarterly publication "Das Waldviertel".
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