We had a most delightful experience not too long ago. We received a visit from my second cousin Gertrude Schlener. She came to the door of our home in Winchester, VA with a plate of tasty apple and plum strudel! She had recently found us on the internet and we corresponded for the first time through the Burgenland Bunch. She now lives near Washington, DC. Her Langasch grandmother and mine were sisters. She was just a young girl living in Heiligenkreuz during WWII and has vivid memories of southern Burgenland as it was prior to emigrating to the United States in the 1950’s. A sister remained in the “Heimat” whom she often visits and calls. She showed us some prewar family photos of her happy and attractive family in their Sunday best. Gertrude remembers a beautiful blue glass oil lamp that used to provide light. Electricity arrived late in the Burgenland and when it did come, it was a naked bulb hanging from the ceiling, nowhere near as nice as the soft glow of the oil lamp. Her father was drafted into the German army in the 1940’s although he claimed he was much too old for that sort of thing.
Fortunately he survived the war having been sent to Styria. During this period, the villagers still socialized by gathering at homes and sharing in the work necessary to provide food and comfort. They gathered to process pumpkin seeds for salad oil “Kernöl”. Seeds were removed and dried. The pumpkin flesh that wasn’t eaten (often made into a cream soup or baked with sour cream) became feed for livestock. After drying, the seeds were sprinkled with water which caused them to split. The husk was then removed and the inner seed bagged. They were taken to a mill where they were roasted and pressed. The oil has a distinctive flavor and is a great favorite. Very expensive when purchased. Enough was made to provide the family with their yearly salad oil needs.
Wagon loads of corn would be husked with the help of neighbors, friends and relatives. Usually the work would be completed in one evening. There might be 20 people on hand. It turned into a social affair, people would tell jokes and stories. It was so much fun that around 10 pm the huge pile of corn that everyone had been sitting on at 6:30, had dwindled away to nothing. Afterwards, there was a little new cider or wine, apples and bread. The whole thing would be repeated at another house. Removing the kernels from the cob was done in mid winter. Some was fed to animals but most was ground into corn flour, out of which many tasty dishes were made. Large quantities of “down” were required to fill pillows and comforters. A true down comforter is a marvelous thing on a cold night. The down was prepared by removing the side feathers from the larger central feather quills. A fingernail was used.
(The recently published chronik “Zahling” has a picture of women preparing down).

(to be continued)
 

G. J. Berghold, Burgenland Bunch <GBerghold@aol.com>