What were the names of the first German Families with Inheritance Rights in Bukovina
and where did they come from?
Hans Dreßler
John Losee, Trans. & Ed.
From:150 Jahre schwäbische Kolonisten in der Bucovina 1787-1937, September 25 and 26, 1937.
Reprinted by Deutsche Zeitungsgenossenschaft (Czernowitz).
Stuttgart: Raimund Friedrich Kaindl Gesellschaft e.V., 1987): 7-11
Posted February 9, 2021
In the autumn of 1787, several southern German families, generally called “Swabians” in eastern Austria at the time, came from Galicia, where they had arrived as colonists in 1784 and 1785, but could not be accommodated, and thus were sent on, to bolster the much less populous Bukovina. Unfortunately, the many disappointments and hardships these colonists experienced and suffered while moving around Galicia for several years, did not immediately cease after their arrival in Bukovina. Until the summer of 1788, they had to temporarily live in other communities and in other people’s houses, and had to work very hard, until they finally got their own home and land, and then finally, they got some rest. In 1938 it will be 150 years since 7 of the colonies, populated today by descendants of the Swabians mentioned above, were founded. The 150th anniversary of the founding of the 8th “Swabian Community” of Tereblestie won’t occur until 1941. Certainly, in due time, the “Swabian” communities in Bukovina will honor the days 150 years ago, and those present will gratefully remember those who more than 150 years ago, took up their walking sticks, and with their cattle and children set off, in order, as they hoped and believed, to create a decent lot for themselves and their descendants, and to serve others as teachers.
As an introduction to next year’s commemoration days, related celebrations have already begun this year, so it would certainly be appropriate to include the names of the founding fathers – the “first Swabian ancestral families in Bukovina”, and their places of origin, as much as is possible to determine, based on available sources and evidence, to communicate it to a wider audience. I am following Wickenhauser’s corrected “Directory of names of German Progenitors”. Information that appears in one or the other document, but is not unequivocally clear to me, is provided in brackets for each family name.
Now follows the enumeration of the “first German progenitors” of each colony, along with the time they arrived..
1. In Arbora from 1788-1790 : Adam Wuerth from Jettenbach, District Office of Kusel, in the Palatinate; Wilhelm Neu from Siegelbach, District Office of Kaiserslautern in the Palatinate, with whom a Johann Jakob Schlosser also came, but about whom we have no further information; Lorenz Nehr, place of origin unknown; Michael Schlotter, a carpenter from Siegelbach, District Office of Kasierslautern in the Palatinate; Peter Burkhard from Morbach, District Office of Kaiserslautern in the Palatinate; Johann Jakob Leib, a cabinet maker [from Setrin in Birkenfeldschen]. Also arriving on November 20, 1789, was Christian Mathes, about whom however, details could not be found; and last in Arbora: Lorenz Wagner, head of the municipality from Fuerstenhausen in the Saarbruecken district.
2. In Badeutz-Milleschoutz in 1788 : Adam Haas, about whom nothing more is known; Johann Rohrmann from Guntersblum, Oppenheim district. Also arriving in May 1790 was Andreas Glass, about whom however, details are missing; Jakob Becher from Guntersblum, Oppenheim district; Johann Georg Stressle from Damm, Jueterbog-Luckenwalde district; Johann Haas from Medard, near Lauterecken; Filipp Walter from Holbornerhof, District office of Kaiserslautern; Johann Filipp Hamann from Karbach, St. Goar district; David Meyer from Bad Muenster, Kreuznach district, who arrived in May 1790; and the last one for Badeutz was Friedrich Klass, about whom the “transfer list” says nothing.
3. In Fratautz from 1788-1790 : Adam Boemer from Somborn, Gelnhausen district; Jakob Daub (Taub) from Mariental, District Office of Rockenhausen; Daniel Borger [from Eschnitt in Asingischen]; Theobald Rein from Losheim, Merzing district; Konrad Kurz from Voelklingen, Saarbruecken district; Heinrich Enich (Ennich) from Ilbesheim, District Office of Kirchheimbolanden; Balthasar Rothmacher (Rathmacher) from Dalsheim, Worms district; Johann Schneeberger from Simmern under Dhaun, Kreuznach district; Johann Brucker (Broder) from Lindenschied, Berncastel district; Daniel Kuehle [from Lembach in Baden-Durlachischen]; Joann Schaeffer [from Gruendelbach, Administrative District of Maulbron, Wuerttemberg]; Johann Jakob Reh, a carpenter [from Eisheim in Wuerttemberg]; Filipp Chrisian Fritz, a mason [from Waldggruefel in Asingischen]; Valentin Kissinger [from Steinbach in Nassauischen]; Johann Georg Wagner [from Oberzweil in Nassau-Saarbrueckischen]; and the last for Fratautz, Johann Ganthner, a mason [from Oberisingen in Wurttemberg].
4. In Neu-Itzkany in 1788 : Wilhelm Germann (Gehmann) from Rinzenberg, Principality of Birkenfeld; Johann Nikolaus Engel, juror from Rinzenberg, Principality of Birkenfeld; Georg Rau (Nau) from Zeilhard, Dieburg district; Wilhelm Rau, a cabinet maker from Zeilhard, Dieburg district; Michael Hodel (Hotel) from Obermehlingen, District Office of Kaiserslautern; Michael Arend from Schwarzenbach, Birkenfeld Province; Heinrich Seitz (Weiz) [from Warbaden in the Palatinate]; and the last for Itzkany in 1788: Peter Hermann from Heidersheim, District Office of Frankental.
5. In Illischestie in 1788 : Ludwig Haupt from Reipoltskirchen, District Office of Kusel; Karl Brenner from Rinzenberg, Birkenfeld district; Peter Brock [from Lehnberg or Lemberg in Nassau-Weilburgischen]; Nikolaus Hassl [from Baaden or Batten – a possession of an Imperial Knight]; Josias Hunker [from Faringen in Wuerttemberg]; Freidrich Zachmann from Kieselbronn near Pforzheim; Daniel Welker from St. Johann-Saarbruecken; Anna Barbara Kerth from Waldgrehweiler, District Office of Rockenhausen; Filipp Kaspar Pelz from Hahn, Untertaunus district; Michael Theilmann, juror, [from Warnberg or Wurmberg in Wuerttemberg]; Friedrich Friedge (Friedche), place of origin unknown; Also arriving here on August 9, 1788: Johann Irion (Irrian), for whom the place of origin cannot be determined, and the last in Illischestie: Christian Klemens, a carpenter from Weiler, Pforzheim district.
6. In St. Onufry in 1788 : Nikolaus Fuchs, [from Zabez near Aschaffenberg in Kurmainzischen]; Heinrich Weber [from Kerbelsdorf in Fuldauischen]; Christian Daub from Alstens, District Office of Rockenhausen; Johann Daub from Ober Sulzmannshau, Dieburg district; Friedrich Fuchs [from Gruen-Morschein in Kurmainzischen]; Johann Schmidt [from Guntersheim (Kundersbein) in the Palatinate]; Paul Kohler, a carpenter [from Duetingen, in Wurttemberg]; and Martin Schmidt from Ellwangen in Wuerttemberg; and also arriving here in 1789 was Mathias Gruber from Haag, Bernkastel district.
7. In Satulmare in 1788 : Peter Schmidt appears without a place of origin; Heinrich Mang [from Linden in the Dominion of Landstuhl]; Johann Staudt and Adam Nunweiler are both listed without places of origin; Christof Schmidt [from Muehlheim on the Ais]; Karl Weber and Sebastian Hubich (Hubig), both without indication of place of origin; and last for Satulmare: Ludwig Schneider, a mason [from the county of Tubing in Wuerttemberg].
8. In Tereblestie in 1791 : Martin Deutscher, local official, [from Nirod in Baden-Durlachischen]; Bernhard Doerr [from Zimmersheim in Wuerttemberg]; Sebastian Schrey [from Okrisin in Baden-Durlachischen]; Christian Sauer from Rinzenberg, Birkenfeld district; Konrad Scherle [from Zillhausen, Administrative district of Baldingen in Wuerttemberg]; Karl Pfeifer from Rinzenberg, Birkenfeld district; and Peter Weber, a carpenter from Herborn, Birkenfeld district, on the Nahe.
In addition to the heads of families mentioned so far in Neu-Itzkany, two sons of Christian Kornelsen, who came from Holstein, settled as progenitors in 1799. Also, on November 10, 1788, the following non-ancestral German immigrant families were also present: Johann Bender, [a carpenter from Aspach (Aasbach) in Salmischen], who returned to Lemberg in Galicia on November 21, 1788; Georg Bischof from Duchroth (Rauchroth), District office of Rockenhausen in the Palatinate; Johann Rudolf Gessert from Angstein, District Office of Duerkheim; Christian Kinling (Killing) from Standebuehl, District Office of Kirchheimbolanden; Margaretha Uhl from Mariental, District Office of Rockenhausen; Johann Ambrosius [from Heiningen in Nassauischen]; Josef Filipp Rudolf [from Niederhausen, Untertaunus district]; and Gottfried Dronecker, place of origin unknown. They all migrated back to Galicia, namely to Grodeck near Lemberg in 1789.
In order to give a complete picture of the immigrants from 1787-1790, it must finally be mentioned that the following also arrived in Bukovina: along with Konrad Scherle, a certain Christian Ringwald; along with Daniel Welker, children of a “body” and two children of his daughter; along with Josias Hunker his two stepsons Kipper.; along with Johann Daub a sister who was still a minor; along with Johann Jakob Reh, an Anton Schreiner; along with Johan Brucker the “Father Hermann”; along with Konrad Kurz an in-law Ludwig Hubig; and with Daniel Borger, also his 44 year old sister Anna Margaret.
The heads of families and their relatives mentioned in this work, were “Swabian” cultural pioneers, who were sent to Bukovina in 1787 to serve in this part of the Vltava. They and their descendants did, as every right-thinking person today has to admit, more than was expected of them, athough, we must also say of them, of the ancients: “The first suffered great hardship. Most of the second died early. Only the third found bread.” Illischestie, September, 1937.