The Heidebauern Connection
Contributed by Henry Fischer
The origins of the later known
Heidebauren as a distinctive “people” began after 796 following
the defeat of the Avars and the destruction of their Empire in
what is now known as Slovakia by Charlemagne. In order to defend
the eastern approaches to his empire he built fortresses in the
area, which future generations would know as the Burgenland, “the
land of fortresses”, and a defensive ring along the Danube. Along
with the border garrisons he also settled Bavarian and Franconian
peasant farmers to provide the necessary provisions for the troops
and also serve in the defense of the fortresses when they were
under attack. This area would later be better known as Western
Hungary and consisted of Weisselberg County that the Hungarians
referred to as Moson County.
In the century that followed,
numerous new groups of Germanic peoples joined the original
settlers and adopted the Bavarian name of Heidebauern to describe
themselves. All of their original settlements and farms were
overrun and devastated by the onrushing Magyar tribes that
streamed into the area from across the Danube at the beginning of
the tenth century, while the population was massacred, fled or
went into hiding. With the defeat of the Magyars, the future
Hungarians, at the Battle of Lechfeld on the outskirts of Augsburg
in 955 they retreated eastwards to the Great Hungarian Plain and
the remnants of the refugee Heidebauern returned to the Heideboden
where they had lived previously.
Later a new wave of colonists
arrived, mostly again from Bavaria and Franconia. Stephen I the
first Christian king of Hungary married the Bavarian Princess
Gisella of Passau and gave her the Heideboden as part of the
marriage settlement and a massive German immigration took place
throughout Hungary. Many of the new settlers were knights and
nobles, skilled tradesmen and peasants as well as large numbers of
monastic orders whose formidable task was the conversion of the
nomadic Magyar tribes. This colonization was the beginning of
most of the towns and cities of Hungary and their German character
would last well into the 19th century.
In the future many wars were waged
along this western frontier of Hungary and the population was at
the mercy of marauding armies. Then the ultimate disaster
appeared with the coming of the Mongols in the 12th century that
devastated and ravaged the countryside and massacred the
population, leaving Hungary desolate and impoverished. King Bella
IV called for more colonists and settlers to his domain and new
German-speaking people came to the Heideboden and other parts of
Hungary.
A pivotal point in the development
of the Heideboden came during the reign of young teenage Louis II,
married to a young Bavarian Princess Maria of the House of
Habsburg, which would forever change the relationship between
Hungary and Austria. Both he and his young wife were avid
followers of the teachings of Erasmus of Rotterdam and as a result
also read the writings of Martin Luther. Their chaplain at court
was an ardent Lutheran and played a role in their acceptance of
the “new” teachings. Louis II however was forced to face the
advance of the Turks into Hungary and at the Battle of Mohacs in
1526 he and his army were annihilated. His young widow Maria was
given the domains of Ungarisch Altenburg (Mosonmagyarorvar), which
contained all of the Heidebauern villages and communities. This
central fortress alone was now able to withstand the never ending
Turkish raids into the territory, which saw countless Heidebauern
massacred or taken captive to be sold in the slave markets of
Turkey. It was during these troubled and perilous times that the
Lutheran Reformation was introduced into Hungary and especially in
the Heidebauern communities, which would become a stronghold of
Lutheranism in the following centuries, in the face of relentless
persecution, both by the Roman Catholic hierarchy and the House of
Hapsburg.
The Heidebauern were now joined by
Lutheran refugees from Upper Austria and Styria, and Upper Swabia
from around Lake Constance and brought new dynamics into their
communal and religious life. Their influence can be noted in some
of their family names that indicate their origins were not from
Hungary like the Heidebauren who had settled there earlier. There
were twenty Heidebauren communities in all, some now in present
day Austria and the others in Hungary. Although the Heidebauren
had gone en masse over to the Reformation, it was only in six of
the communities that they were able to maintain their Lutheranism
after repeated forced conversions of the population. It is
interesting to note that the reasons given for their ability to
survive was the role that fathers played in their household, where
the “house” church was the norm, and the catechism and hymnal and
scripture were taught and as one disgruntled and frustrated Jesuit
put it, “the fanaticism of the women who were so deeply steeped
in their heresy and were beyond conversion”.
These six communities were:
Deutsch Jahrndorf
Zurndorf
Nickelsdorf
Strasssommerein
(Hegyshalom)
Kaltenstein
(Level)
Ragendorf (Rajka)
The first three are in present day
Austria and the others are in Hungary, and I have also given their
current Hungarian names.
Due to several factors, the most
important of which was the lack of religious freedom, the
Heidebauren began to move elsewhere and establish new communities
to the south of the Heideboden. They had also experienced a
series of droughts and a stream of refugees had swarmed into the
area and taxed the meager food supply. The Turks final attempt to
take Vienna in 1683 had been unsuccessful but they had pillaged
and massacred the local populations throughout Western Hungary
including the Heideboden and the population sought another
location far removed from the War of Liberation which the
Habsburgs were waging and for which they were seeking recruits for
their armies.
They established settlements at:
Pusztavam, Gyorkony, Bikacs, Lajoskomoram, Paks, Egyhazarackozar
They were also to be found in
various new settlements being formed in Tolna County that
consisted mainly of Hessian colonists coming directly from the
German areas. These were usually family groups or individuals.
This is were the Danube Swabians met the Heidebauren and to all
intents and purpose became part of the same family, expect the
older communities in the Heideboden continued on their own way in
defining who they were as the Ungarn Deutsche (German Hungarians).
In what follows I will list the
various Heidebauren communities with a brief description of their
history and the major family names associated with them. Some of
the names are not exclusive to the Heidebauern, such as Fischer,
Hoffmann, Schmidt, Schneider, etc. and will be identified with an
* for that purpose.
Kaltenstein (Level)
This
Heidebauern community existed since the year 900, but its first
600 years are shrouded in mystery. It was only in the high Middle
Ages that families took on “second” names. The first documented
list of families comes from 1546 and includes:
Bennusch Hausmann, Georg Thanicker
Anton Pinkitzer, Wolf Stelzer
Marx Zechmaister, Clement Murrer
Valtein Rott, Jakob Lang*
Mathes Stainer, Kyrein Reyer, Georg Wallner
In addition there were:
Wurmb (Wurm)
Pairr (Bayer)
Vischer (Fischer)*
Mutt (Muth)*
Weidner
Muer
A
document entitled the Possessio of Kaltenstein of 1644 indicates
the following families were living in Kaltenstein:
Thomas Stelczer, Gregorius Andreas Muhr
Ambrosius Muhr, Thomas Pinketzer
Vitus Danicker, Mattaues
Chechmaster
Gregorius Daninker, Christof Muhr
Martinus Steltzer, Christof Steltzer
Blasius
Ratt (Rott), Gregorius Schneider*
In addition to these holding land
there were cottagers who did daily labour for the noble:
Christophorus Botter, Gregorius,
Simon and Thomas Hauczinger
Matthaeus Peckh, Thomas Huetflus
Matthaeus Fischer*, Abraham Heckh
Andreas Bierleiher, Joachim Gross*
Rupertus Daschner, Johannes Fleischacker
Michael Saltzer, Simon Fischer*
Lauren Macher, Matthaeus Gross
Gregorius Grass, Gallus Pamer
Philippus Schmickl, Marcus Marx
Wolfgang Salamon, Matthaeus Schuesser
Johannes Holczer, Johannes Hierschinger
Martinus Ranner, Augustinius Seubalt
Balsius Ratt (Rott), Johannes Lienhart
Matthaeus Kharni, Paulus Raisinger
Stephanus Marcus, Gregorius Stattner
Sebaldus Matern, Paulus Pinter
Adam Grass, Peter Schmauser
Christoph Stelczer, Gregorius Plambtritt
Andreas Schnaider (Schneider)*, Bartold Daschner
Gregorius Pinter, Johannes Griessell
Johannes Schueb, Matthaeus Grass
Thomas Rhatt, Andreas Schmauser
Matthaeus Pameker, Salomonis Ranner
Jakobus Grass, Johannes Dasch
Blasius Wennes, Jakobi Raiff
Christoph Gebhardt, Martinus Grass
Matthaeus Eckher, Gregorius Schneider*
Sebaldus Schuesser, Joannes Perkhamer
Gallus Schuister, Blassius Wiessinger
In the Possessio of 1732 these
families are identified:
Hutfless, Hong, Nicz
(Nitsch, Nix), Tulner,
Mur, Groff, Cwinkel, Taninger, Wesuckner ,
Lehner, Weth, Solczer (Salzer)
Stelzer, Wajsz ( Weiss)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church
records of 1736 list these families:
Hoffbauer, Riecher or Riecker, Lechner
Rath, Hake, Tulner, Dorn, Limbacher,
Pamer, Mayrim, Troscherin, Pagessam,
Buechler, Hagn, Schmoltzer, Gangl,
Dumpf, Wallner, Niczinger, Kastler, Pauret
Schiebinger, Weiss, Dascht, Schmickel,
Weber*, Praimagen
Paks on the Danube:
This river port on the west
side of the Danube was the jumping off spot for the immigrant
trains into the interior of Tolna County. Large numbers of
Heidebauern settled here rather than taking up land, because they
were artisans and tradesmen and sought a life other than
homesteading and farming. Along with them there were also
colonists from Germany, primarily from Wurttemberg and Baden.
They followed the same pattern here as in Györköny, and although
they were fellow Lutherans they did not intermarry with the other
group until later in the 19th century. Any attempts on
their part to develop any kind of Lutheran congregational life was
impossible due to the influence of the sheriff of the County who
also happened to the bishop of the area. It was only in the early
1800’s that Lutheran Church life officially began there so that
the information I have comes from the Roman Catholic parish
records and also includes Lutherans from Bikács and Györköny, who
at times were also forced to come under the jurisdiction of the
Roman Catholic clergy. The following family names can be found in
these records:
Aich, (Eich), Achs (Ochs)
Bauer, Bayer, Becht, Beck, Becker, Bens (Benz), Bernhard,
Bernhaller, Binter, Blasser, Bock, Brandtner,
Braun, Brihm, Bruckner, Brunner,
Durr,
Eberhardt, Ebert, Eich, Eiler, Engel,
Engelhardt,
Falb, Fantzler, Fischer*, Friedrich,
Fritz, Frohlich,
Galler, Gangl, Gast, Germann, Gobel, Goldmann,
Graf, Groff, Gross*, Grunwald, Gsellmann, Gutsell,
Haass, Hack, Hackl, Hckstock, Hadinger, Hanol,
Hartmann, Haupt, Hausser, Herber, Hermann, Hess,
Hessmer, Hirsch, Hobler, Hofbauer, Hoffmann,
Hollendonner, Huber, Huntzinger, Hutfless,
Jager,
Keim, Keller, Khern, Klag, Kleitol,
Kloiber, Koller, Kotzmann, Krauss, Krebs, Kreidemacher,
Kremm, Kreutzer, Kubik,
Lackner, Lang, Leitner,
Macher, Majer, Mannweif, Marks (Marx),
Marth, Marz, Mattern, Meixner, Messer, Muller*, Munch,
Muth*, Mutz,
Neuhauser, Nikitscher, Nitschinger,
Osswald, Ochs,
Pamer, Paul, Piller, Pingetzer, Pinter,
Piringer, Pohl, Polon, Poor, Potz, Prahauser,
Rapp, Rauch*, Rausch*, Reichert, Reiss,
Reth, Rohfritz, Rohm, Rohn, Ruder, Rumpp,
Saffenauer, Sammet,
Sauer, Schafer, Schleyer, Schlosser,
Schmausser, Schmeltzer, Schmidt, Schmidtberger, Schneider*,
Schosser,
Schrenck, Schwarz, Schweigert,
Seib, Spiess, Stangl, Steiner,
Stelzer, Stoos, Stomberger, Stumpf, Sulzer;
Tell, Tetzl, Tieringer, Till*, Trapp,
Tullner,
Unger,
Vogel,
Wagner, Weber*, Weger, Wehnhardt, Weiler,
Weiss, Weissling, Weymer, Wiessberger, Wimmer,
Winckler, Wolf, Wunsch, Wurm,
Zech, Zecher,
Pusztavam:
The first settlers in Pusztavam came
from the Heidebauern villages of Nickelsdorf and Ragendorf from
the domains of Ungarisch Altenburg (Mosonmagyarorvar) in 1715 in
search of religious freedom and new opportunities from the drought
ridden Heideboden. Others followed them, both German speaking,
Slovak and Hungarian. Among the families there in 1768 were:
Stephanus Antal,
Josephus Belozsy, Andreas Bencz,
Theodore Bencz,
Andreas Cecher, Laurentius
Cechmaster (Zechmeister), Andreas Cehmaster, Martinus
Cehmaster,
Mathias Cehmaster, Thomas Cimerer, Georgius
Csernanzky, Joannes
Csernanzky, Georgius Csuha,
Josephus Csuha
Georgius Farkas
(Wolf), Joannes Fetth, Mathias Fisser, Joannes Flasler, Jakobus
Fridmann,
Michael Fridmann,Leopoldus Fux
(Fuchs),
Paulus Gajdos, Christianus
Glujber (Gloiber), Michael Graff, Andreas Gstetner, Matinus Gulicz
(Golcz),
Matinus Gulicz
(Golcz), Joannes Gulyas,
Andreas Halenar, Philippus
Heller,
Josef Karner, Adamus Khineth, Karolus
Kirchofe, Jacobus Kivicz
(Kubitz), Antonius Klujber (Kloiber),
Leopoldus
Knejszel (Kneissel), Josephus Knejszel, Andreas Koch, Georgius Krasz, Martinus Krasz,
Mathias Krasz, Martinus Kreps, Paulus Kreps,
Joannes Lasz, Joannes
Lisztmajer, Laurentius
Macher, Joannes Mann, Stephanus
Marton,
Joannes Merkacz,
Godfridus
Nesztler
Andreas Pavle, Josephus Petter
, Stephanus
Pinter (Binter), Michael Poor, Laurentius
Prasser,
Paulus Pratsler,
Ambriosius Rab, Johannes Radl, Joannes
Reichart, Franciscus
Rizling, Franciscus Rusa,
Joannes
Schaiblhofer, Leopoldus
Schiel, Mathias Schmelczer, Jakobus Schmith,
Joannes Schmith, Martinus
Schnejder (Schneider)*, Michael Schvarcz (Schwarz),
Jacobus Sefer (Saffer), Michael Stajner
(Steiner), Josephus Stamler, Nicolaus
Stamler,
Nicolaus Staut, Melchior Stirle, Joannes Stocz (Stoss)*, Georgius Strobl, Paulus Szabo,
Jacobus Szam, Nicolaus Szaper
(Saiper), Joannes Szeitz,
Michael Temmer, Joannes Tenk, Georgius Tetzl, Mathias Tolmets, Paulus Tulcz
,
Simon Valdinger
( Waldinger), Joannes Varga, Mathias Veller.
According to the Conscription
Lists of 1828 these additional families names were to be found:
Benedek, Bentsch (Benz?), Bitner, Brethauer, Bruner, Buderer,
Frank, Furst, Frohlich,
Gaal, Gaszner, Gibitz, Glauber, Gollitz
,
Hallasz
(*Fischer), Hauser, Hellinger, Herold, Hornik,
Illich,
Jank, Jullick,
Karner, Kemele, Kibitz, Konig, Kropf, Kruzer, Kugler,
Lang, Lazar, Leitermann, Lengruber, Leskovits,
Mader, Meidlinger, Mokri, Mossberger (Moosberger,
Muschberger), Muller*,
Nagel, Neimann, Netzker, Novak,
Osvald (Oswald),
Pergel, Praschler,
Rauch*, Reisz (Reis), Ringler, Ritsch (Rofritsch?), Roth, Rotsek
,
Sapper,
Schafelmuller, Schafer, Schifer, Schil, Schmalzer,
Sinn,
Stadelmann, Stahl, Stamner, Stetner, Stotz, Stumpf,
Sulz (Schulz), Sumser,
Tapfer, Tier (Their), Tulz,
Unger, Urban,
Vagner (Wagner)*, Veis (Weiss),
Weber*, Weiler, Weslinger, Winkelmann, Wodal,
Zekher, Zimmermann,
Ragendorf/Rajka
The first documentation we possess
with regard to this Heidebauern community is dated 1187. At that
time it was called Reugen. It later became a market town and was
the birth place of Franz Liszt, better known there as Franz
Lisztmayer. Unfortunately I have only limited information on the
names of families who had their origins here and they are as
follows:
Blaser, Bohm,
Fischer*,
Gangl, Gross*
Hautzinger, Hoffmann, Hutfles,
Lackner, Lehner
Meidlinger, Meixner
Pamer
Schmausser, Schmidt*,
Steiner (Stinner)
Teubel, Tullner, Thauss
Strasssommerein/Hegyshalom:
This was one of
the oldest of the Heidebauern settlements and had its origins in
the 11th century but was preceded by Celtic and Roman
settlements. It is located on the border between Hungary and
Austria and is the major entry point towards Budapest. The
following are the most common names associated with the community.
Amminger
Bohm*
Eder
Falb, Fischer*
Gross*
Hutfless, Hessheimer (Hessmer)
Kellner
Leitner, Liedl
Macher, Meixner, Muth*
Nicz (Nitsch, Nix)
Ochs
Pamer, Pichler, Prager
Rehberger, Reisinger, Roth
Salzer,
Schissler*, Schmickel, Schneider*
Stadler, Stinner (Stiener, Steiner)
Thullner, Tieringer
Unger
Weiss*, Wennes
Zecher, Ziegler*, Zimmermann*
Szarszentlorincz:
This originally began as a Magyar
Lutheran settlement after they left Györköny with their pastor,
George Barany in 1728. In the years that followed many of the
Heidebauern in the area who lived in non-Lutheran communities
continued to come to Sárszentlörinc for the services of the
pastor, but very few of them actually lived in the community
itself. These are the Heidebauern families I could identify in
the church records there:
Andorka
Beck, Bentsch, Blasser,
Bock, Bohm, Braun, Bruckner,
Dill
Fullner
Gangl, Geheim, Greifenstein, Grof,
Haass, Hackstock, Hartmann, Hautzinger, Heiling, Heinrich, Huber, Hutfless,
Klauss, Kranitz, Krauss
,
Lackner, Lehner,
Nitschinger,
Ochs,
Pamer, Pinter, Plesser, Pozner, Prahauser, Putz,
Roder
Schadt, Schafer, Schmausser
Sebek
Stumpf
Thausz, Theiss, Tieringer, Tullner,
Walter, Wegmann, Wimmer, Winckler, Wolf*
Zech
Zurndorf:
There is
little known of Zurndorf’s prehistory. The first documentation of
its existence as a market town first appears in 1207. The names
of landholders in 1546 included:
Druffet
Fruhwirt, Frannz, Fleischacker,
Gleichentheill, Grummensteiner
Lohmer
Maletisch
Rassner, Reissner, Rueprecht, Ruepl
Spannring
Strobner, Strobbl, Straubner,
Teutscher
Vischer
Wienner
The following owners of vineyards in
Zurndorf in 1565 included the following:
Khreuspekh
Gleichenthaill
Puringer
Prukhner (Bruckner)
Weber* Danninger
Maz
Hunger
Feierl
Wimmer
Wohlfart
Hafner
Fleischacker
Adner
Khlamer
Clawenwirth
Strohmayer
Pardt
Holl
Dokhler
Zindl
Schlehenhueber
Khegl
Hackhl
Habschtile
In the Tax
List in 1647 the following family names are identified:
Bognar
Gajer, Gottermann
Hansz, Huszty
Jakob*
Kovacs
Natlicz
Paull, Peck, Pecs
Scheznik, Szabo
Windischgratz
In the 1770 Tax Lists the following
families are listed:
Bernard
Cechmeister, Czernak, Cziglmar, Czotmann, Caninger
Denk (Tenk)
Ecke, Etz
Fischer*, Fronk
Gracz, Graff
Hoffner, Huszti
Kiristaier, Kraicz, Kuricz (Kurutz)
Lehner
Macher, Meixner, Messler, Mihal
Niczinger
Pammer, Paner, Piller, Pless
Raiff, Raiss, Riegel
Saffer, Samer,
Schmeltzer
Siebenstich, Siexstein
Stelzer (were a lesser noble family: country gentry), Stumpa
Svalb, Szaller
Tor
Waise, Wolffarth
Family names of the children in the
Evangelical Lutheran School from 1783 to 1788 included:
Falb
Goldl
Hadl, Heilmann
Kornhausel, Kopplinger
Luterberger
Madern, Meixner, Mossbontner, Muth*
Nitschinger
Ofner, Olber
Pschaiden
Rechnitzer
Siebenstich, Six
Schmelzer
Stoiber, Strobel
Pamer
Urspringer
Weiss, Wurzenberger
Zimmermann*, Zechmeister
Other Heidebauern Communities
Lajos Komarom, Veszprem County:
This community
was first settled in the latter part of the 18th
century with the majority of the original settlers migrating there
from Pusztavam. The following family names appear there in the
Lutheran Church records. There were also Slovak Lutherans who
settled there with the Heidebauern.
Andorka
Bader, Bartz, Bauer, Benthaler (Pentaller), Biller, Binder (Pinter)
Blasser, Block, Boch, Bohm, Brindlmeyer, Brenner, Buss (Boss,
Boos)
Christ
Deutsch
Eberhardt, Eberling, Eiler (Ailer)
Falb, Fausst, Fischer*, Friedrich, Fullner
Gamer, Gangl, Gasst, Geheim, Germann, Gotthard, Graf (Grof), Griebel, Gross, Grunwald,
Gsellmann, Guntler
Hackstock, Hafner, Hagen, Hanol, Haupt, Hausser, Hautzinger, Heilmann, Hertel, Heit,
Hermann, Hertz, Hirsch, Hofbauer, Hoffmann, Horvath, Huck, Hutfless,
Irsch
Jager, Jankovits, Juhatsch, Jullich, Jusst,
Keim, Ketter, Kibitz, Kind, Kiss, Kisstner, Kivitz (Kuvich), Kleiber (Kloiber), Klein, Kleinmann,
Klemann, Koch, Kranich, Krauss*, Krebs (Kreps), Kreutzer, Kriessl, Kruz, Kunerth, Kuntzler
Lackner, Lang, Leckner, Lechner, Lehner, Leitner, Lisztmeyer
Macher, Malentz, Mann, Marth, Mathess, Mattern, Mausser, Meidlinger, Meixner,
Mengess, Mossberger (Muschberger), Muck, Musch, Musser,
Nagel, Nass, Nitschinger
Ossterle,
Pamer, Pappert, Paul, Pavel, Prahauer, Phillip, Pohl, Pross, Pulz, Putz
Raab, Rall, Rausser, Reichard, Reiss, Reissinger, Renz, Richlmeyer, Ringler,
Rivich (Rivitz,
Rofritsch), Roth, Ruck, Ruder, Russ
Saffenauer, Sapper
Schafer, Schenk, Schmausser, Schevinger, Schmeltzer, Schmidt, Schmitz
,
Schneider, Schnitz, Schrey, Schranz, Schwarz
Seiler, Spiegel
Stiedl, Steffler, Steiner, Steinwald, Stinner, Stirl, Stock, Stolz, Stolzer, Streit,
Strobel,
Temmer, Teubel, Tetzl, Thiringer, Thorich, Thurr, Till, Tullner, Tulz
Urspringer
Viant (Viandt)
Wagner*, Wallner, Walter, Wanderer, Weber, Weiland, Weiler
, Weniger, Wenninger
Wiandt, Wieland, Wiessberger, Wimmer, Winkler, Winterk, Wolf, Wurm
Zecher,
Zechmeister, Zehr
Leiden/Lebeny:
This
Heidebauern community was situated within the domains of 'Ungarisch
Altenburg' and the population had gone over to the Reformation in
the 1560’s, but with the unleashing of the Decade of Sorrows the
vast majority of the community returned to Catholicism under
pressure. But there were some families who continued in their
evangelical faith as “household assemblies”, but gradually they
began to move to the Lutheran Heideboden villages or sought a new
future in the “settlements” to the south. Among those families
were:
Fischer*
Gross*
Hagen, Hautzinger, Hoffmann*, Hadinger, Hutfles
Lehner
Nitschinger
Reis, Reisinger
Sebek
Schmidt*
Stiener
Tullner
Wieland (Wieand), Wurm
Zechmeister
Nickelsdorf:
It was reported that the teachings
of Martin Luther were already widespread in the area as early as
1521 and Nickelsdorf would remain one of the citadels of
Lutheranism during the years of persecution ahead. Its origins
can be traced back to the 11th century and its
inhabitants were of Franconian and Bavarian descent.
The following heads of families were
the leaders of the congregation during the Decade of Sorrows from
1672 to 1683 when over 800 Lutheran churches throughout Hungary
were confiscated and the pastors and schoolmasters were exiled or
forced to give up their ministry. Those who refused to do either
ended up being imprisoned and then later sold as galley slaves in
Naples if they survived the march there on foot. The money from
their sale was used to refurbish the Sistine Chapel in Rome. The
following were leaders of the congregation who risked sending a
petition to the emperor in Vienna protesting the illegal
confiscation of their church.
Hans Blasser
Georg Zimmermann
Johann Steltzer
Lorenz Falb
Georg Pingetzer
Martin Meixner
Other families listed in the
community records for 1789 included:
Baldauf, Blasser, Bohm
Cramer (Kramer)
Dullner (Thullner)
Eder
Falb, Fischer*
Gangl, Gindl
Hackl, Hanel, Hauptmann, Hautzinger, Hutfless
Koller
Lackner, Lehner, Lorenz
Marx, Meidlinger, Meixner, Mullner
Nitsch (Nics, Nix), Nitschinger
Oszvald (Oswald)
Pahr, Pingetzer
Rahn (Rohn), Rosenmar, Rumpeltes
Salzer
Schiesler, Schmickel
Sollner
Stelzer
Theyl
Unger
Weisz, Wimmer
Zech, Zechmeister, Zimmermann
Ungarisch
Altenburg/Mosonmagyarovar:
The origins of
the community and ancient fortress is lost in the mists of the
history, but it did serve as a border fortress for the Roman
Legions defending the Danube frontier of Pannonia in the 3rd
century. German settlers arrived in the 10th and 11th
century and then with the arrival of the Magyars it became a mixed
community by the 14th century. The fortress and town
harbored both Calvinists and Lutherans in the early period of the
Reformation in Hungary, but it was the special target of the
Counter Reformation and the Inquisition. Some of the Heidebauern,
mostly artisans and tradesmen who lived in the market town
maintained their Lutheran identity. The following family names
from among them can be identified:
Gangl
Hautzinger
Hoffmann*
Hutlfes
Lehner
Meidinger
Reisinger
Steiner
Stiener
Tullner
Wimmer
Zanegg/Mosonszolnok:
Like
Leiden this community converted to Catholicism except for the
following families who left and settled in the new settlements or
went to other Lutheran villages:
Hautzinger
Meidlinger
Reisinger
Steiner
Stoiber
Tullner
Zechmeister
Wiener-Neustadt, Burgenland:
Hartmann*
Odenburg/Sopron:
This town that
stood on the remains of the Roman city of Scarbantium became the
citadel of Lutheranism in Hungary and continued to be so
throughout its history. It was a totally German royal city until
the 19th century when a Magyar population also
developed that would eventually become the majority after the
deportations of the German population in 1946. There were
individuals who sought new prospects to the south and joined in
the settlements in Swabian Turkey. Some of these family names
include:
Brauer
Ehmann
Gombos
Heller, Hupfel, Hittig
Keim, Krauss*
Lakner (Lackner)
Marth, Muller
Nettler
Potzner
Ratkotzy, Roth
Stang, Straner
Tuchhandler
Oberschutzen,
Burgenland:
This
one of the leading Lutheran communities in the western Burgenland
that shared much of the history and origins of the Heidebauern.
Balzer
Gamauf
Lutzmannsburg,
Burgenland:
This
was also another Lutheran community in the western Burgenland that
shared much of the history and background of the Heidebauern.
Bohm
Kimer
Ochs
Rossmer
Schopf
Zengraf
Pinkafeld, Burgenland:
This
community was located in the central Burgenland and was able to
withstand all of the onslaughts of the Counter Reformation and
remained steadfastly Lutheran.
Rock
Sadt
Schuler
Rust, Burgenland:
This
is the only Lutheran community that survived within the Esterhazy
estates of Eisenstadt in present day Austria.
Becker*
Ellebruch
Gagenberger
Seiler
Gols, Burgenland:
A
small village with the majority of the community holding to the
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) in western Burgenland in present
day Austria.
Grunwald
Steiner
Schutz
Taigel
Pressburg/Bratislava:
The
ancient royal free city of Pressburg shared its name with the
surrounding region the County of Pressburg. Along with Odenburg
it was the center of Lutheranism in Western Hungary and was the
capital of Hungary during the occupation of the rest of the county
by the Turks. Whether the following families came from the city
or the county cannot be verified.
Bergmann
Fleischacker
Friedrich
Heilinger
Ladenstein
Wanderer
Wissinger
Horn, Lower Austria:
This was a
stronghold of the Dukes of Horn who were prominent defenders of
Lutheranism in Austria.
Pressler
Ruppert*
