Last year, when the “Burgenländische Gemeinschaft” celebrated its 50th anniversary, a lot of personal contacts to politicians and official authorities of Burgenland had been established. Finally, some Burgenländer clubs abroad invited the members of the government to visit them in America. It was a promise to keep.
Last April, a delegation of Burgenland authorities visited the “Landsleute” in Canada and in the United States: Franz Steindl, Vice-Governor of Burgenland, Verena Dunst and Michaela Resetar, both members of the government, accompanied by Walter Dujmovits and Klaus Gerger, representing the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft.

On the first day, the government invited the heads of the Burgenländer clubs in New York to a dinner. Sunday 15th, a Holy Service was held in St. Joseph´s Church. Though it was terrible weather, many Burgenländers came. In the afternoon, the 70th anniversary of the “Brüderschaft der Burgenländer in New York” had to be celebrated. Frank Zach and Josef Neubauer, President of the “1. K.U.V.”, were awarded by the government. 400 people had some good hours with good food and a lot of dancing. The other day, the delegation had some official meetings.

On the next three days the members of the delegation visited the Landsleute in Pennsylvania, in Northampton, Coplay, Allentown and Bethlehem. Everybody felt perfectly welcomed and warmly received. When they went to the local cemeteries, reading the well-known names of Burgenländers on the gravestones, it was an emotional moment. The members of the present government of Burgenland payed honour to those who had left their home country to emigrate into an uncertain future. Afterwards they saw the cement museum of Lehigh Valley, where thousands of Burgenländers had worked under dangerous and unhealthy circumstances.
When the “Coplay Sängerbund” celebrated its 90th anniversary, Bobby Strauch was honoured by the Burgenländische Gemeinschaft.

The next stop was Chicago. After a sight-seeing-tour, including a boat trip on Lake Michigan, the members of the delegation were invited to a reception by the consul general. The day after, the more and more impressed guests were celebrating the “Heimattreffen” with all the emigrated Burgenländers living in and around Chicago. Among them were a lot of people, who had helped to establish the “Burgenländische Gemeinschaft” in Illinois in former days. Karl Billisits and Tom Glatz were honoured by the Government of Burgenland and by the “Burgenländische Gemeinschaft”.

The impressive visit ended in Toronto, where the delegation from Burgenland was invited to the “Heimattreffen”. After a meeting with Minister Cole it was time to get to the airport. The visit was a success: the government was impressed by the “Heimatverbundenheit” of the Burgenländers in America, and the American Burgenländers were glad that they are still honoured by the official authorities of Burgenland. Walter Dujmovits, jun.
 

Yours,
Walter Dujmovits, jr.