The descendants of Burgenland immigrants are fortunate in that many of the Burgenland church and civil records available as microfilm in the United States contain the house numbers of their ancestors’ homes. The records for 1828-1921 (copies archived in Budapest) were filmed during the 1960’s by the LDS (Mormon Church). They are available to anyone interested in family history. The Burgenland Bunch can tell you how to use them. You can thus find their ancestor’s village house number. During a visit to Burgenland, you can then find the house, take pictures and talk to the present inhabitants.

In some villages (if not all) older houses also have a house name (vulgo), often the surname of the person first living in the house. If one knows the house name, many villagers can still tell you where the house is. Klaus Gerger (BB-BG liason) has created BB internet lists of many village house names, numbers and the house owner surnames in 1858.

My research indicates that house numbers were first assigned in Burgenland about 1840. The numbers started with number 1 one on one side of the village main street and then were issued in sequence house to house. After that, numbers were assigned (continuing the sequence) in random order as new buildings were erected. Many are still the same as when first issued. Others have changed as villages expanded; I don’t think numbers were retired. Unlike the United States where numbers are assigned by street in sequential order (with odd numbers on one side and even on the other), Burgenland numbers can be very random.

The Berghold house Nr. 44 in Poppendorf still has the same number but a new owner. A Gasthaus was built in front of it (Nr. 101) and I couldn’t find it until shown by cousin Helena Gilly of Nr. 29. Rosenberg Nr. 225 (Güssing), the Sorger residence for 200 years is still there but I was told during a 1993 visit that it burned down. Later, Heinz Koller (Güssing) told me the number had been changed and during a visit he and cousin Klaus Gerger took me there. Although for sale and uninhabited, it was a wonderful experience. Two digit numbers give way to three as you move out to the edges of villages.
I’ve also seen at least one case (Eltendorf) where duplicate numbers have been used, being differentiated only by the terms “old village”, “new village”. I also read recently that numbers are still being issued to new construction in sequential order. In some cases the Gemeindeamt can locate houses for visitors.
A visit to one’s ancestral home is something to be treasured forever. Many have changed or modernized, they will rarely look the same. Our immigrant ancestor’s wouldn’t recognize some, but still the site is important. One of the most treasured favors a village resident can perform is to show a visitor where his ancestors lived.
 

by G. Berghold <GBerghold@aol.com>