We can establish some logical itineraries. Train service from Güssing to Kormend (discontinued after WWII) began in 1899 and somewhat earlier in Jennersdorf, the last Hungarian station on the Budapest-Graz line. The Raab Valley service, Budapest-Graz, via Szombathely (Steinamanger) opened in 1883.
It was the logical way to get to Budapest for connections with Vienna and Germany (probably via Salzburg-Munich for the southern ports in Holland and via Prague for the north German ports) from southern and middle Burgenland.

North of Oberwart, there was early train service to other parts of Austria with connections from Vienna for Wiener Neustadt-Pinkafeld-Oberwart-Gross Petersdorf. There was also a line Pamhagen-Gols- Parndorf- Neusiedl- Bruck-Vienna. During the early 1900’s, the Hamburg-America Line (HAPAG) operated a travel agency in Güssing. This accounts for many immigrants from this area leaving from port of Hamburg. Agencies could issue a through ticket, rail as well as ship, including US rail if required. Other agencies operated pre and post WWI in Neusiedl am See, Eisenstadt, Pinkafeld, Oberwart, Grosspetersdorf, and Güssing (i. e. North-German Lloyd was in Güssing in 1922 plus others.) The Austro-Americana Line provided trans-Atlantic service from Trieste as early as 1913, but I have yet to find Burgenlanders to the US who went this way (there must be some). We also know that in 1910, 91 % of Austro-Hungarian immigrants left via Hamburg, Bremen, Rotterdam and Antwerp. Of these, most (80 %) used Bremen and Hamburg. The remainder used Trieste (7 %) and Genua (2 %). When looking for ship lists, I’d try Hamburg or Bremen first.

The itineraries given for south Burgenland immigrants of the 1900-1920’s period to New York and Pennsylvania may not apply to north Burgenland immigrants of the 1870’s. Most of them settled in the mid-west.
Rail transport may not have been available that early and they may have used Danube and other river transportation. They also had a NY to mid-west journey. What was their route? Did they use any canal or riverboat transportation? Were they part of any western wagon trains? Does anyone know?

Likewise the middle Burgenland (Oberwart district) immigrants of the 1890’s settled in the „German“ belts of Chicago and Detroit. What was their US route?

(to be continued)
 

by Gerry Berghold <GBerghold@aol.com>