| Notes |
- !BIR-MAR-: EVANGELISCHE KIRCHENGEMEINDE; SCHWENNINGEN; GERMANY;
PERSONAL VISIT 1987; CERTIFIED DOC'S IN MY SAFE
!CENCUS AUGLAIZE COUNTY OHIO 1850 FILM # 660 PG 350-351
!IMMIGRATION LETTER WRITTEN BY JACOBS HAND SENT FROM OHIO
TO GERMANY DATED 9 SEP 1847
THANKING TOWNSPEOPLE IN GERMAY FOR SEND THEM
AND LETTING THEM KNOW THE GOT TO OHIO SAFELY.
OTTO BENZING
STORIES FROM THOSE WHO CAME
FROM AROUND THE NECKAR AREA
SECOND VOLUME
36 MINIATURES STARTING FROM THE 17TH CENTURY UNTIL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITY IN 1907
FIRST EDITION
TRANSLATED BY JAN A. KRANCHER
=======================================================
CHAPTER 31
1847
PAGE 1
THE EMIGRANTS
THE COMMUNITY SENDS THE HUNGRY ONES TO AMERICA
THE FIRST RAYS OF THE APRIL SUN GREETED THOSE WHO DEPARTED. 200 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN STOOD AROUND THE FOUR HORSE DRAWN COVERD WAGONS. BETWEEN THE BEDS AND THE HOUSEHOLD BELONGINGS, THEY PACKED GRANDMOTHERS AND INFANTS. BEFORE THE MAIN GATE, THE COLUMN STOPPED AND THE PEOPLE OF VILLINGEN WITNESSED A HEART-RENDING SCENE. A THRONG OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS ACCOMPANIED THE EIGHT WAGONS THUS FAR. NOW THERE WERE LAST EMBRACES, A FINAL HANDSHAKE, A TEARFUL ?GOD BE WITH YOU? AND ?DON?T FORGET TO WRITE US!?. THEN THE CONDUCTOR FROM REUTLING, WHO WAS TO TAKE THE EMIGRANTS TO MAINZ, REMINDED THEM ?FORWARD PEOPLE, IN THE NAME OF GOD!? AND THE LONG TRAIN WAS SET INTO MOTION. UP THE BRIGACHTAL, OVER THE SOMMERAU THEY PLANNED TO DESCEND THE KINZIGTAL TO OFFENBURG.
THE CONDUCTOR HAD, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, ASSIGNED EACH WAGON TWO DOZEN PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH FAMILY STAYED TOGETHER. ASASIGNED TO THE FIRST COACHMAN, JOHANNES BENZING, WERE THE ?ANDRESLIS? BROTHER JAKOB AND MATHIAS LINK WITH THEIR WIVES AND FIVE CHILDREN, IN ADDITION TO BOTH ?CHRISTIAANS? FAMILIES WITH 12 CHILDREN. WHILE THE WOMEN WERE STILL CRYING QUIETLY, THE MEN WERE SOON OCCUPIED, BECAUSE THE HIGHER THEY CLIMBED UP THE BLACK FOREST, THE MORE FREQUENT ONE COULD FIND REMNANTS OF SNOW AND ICE IN THE STREETS. THEY HAD STOPPED CURSING THE LONG WINTER SOME TIME AGO. ONLY ONE URGE REMAINED - TO GET AWAY FROM HUNGER AND SORROW AS IF THEIR LIVES DEPENDED ON IT. IN GUTACHTAL WHERE NORMALLY AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR THE FIRST PATATO SPROUTS WOULD APPEAR, THE LAND WAS STILL BARREN AND SMALL PONDS HAD FORMED IN THE MEADOWS.
THE INN KEEPER?S WIFE, IN WHOSE BARN THEY COULD STAY OVERNIGHT, COMPLAINED THAT FOOD ALREADY HAD RUN OUT BEFORE EASTER. HOWEVER WHEN SHE MET ?CARAVAN GIRL CHRISTINE, WHO WOULD TAKE CARE OF HER BROTHER CHRISTIAAN IN THE NEW WORLD, SHE HAD PITTY ON HER. DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE DID NOT EVEN HARVEST A
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CRATEFUL OF POTATOES IN THE FALL, AND THEY WERE HALF ROTTEN, SHE NEVERTHELESS BROUGHT OUT A BIG LOAF OF BREAD WITH A BOX FULL OF APPLES FOR THE KIDS.
FOR A WHOLE WEEK, THE PEOPLE FROM SCHWENNINGEN HAD TIME TO DISCUSS THEIR WAGON JOURNEY AND WITHER THEY DID THE RIGHT THING TO LEAVE THEIR HOMELAND. SEVERAL FAMILIES WITHDREW AT THE LAST MOMENT. AT THAT TIME IN OCTOBER WHEN THE FAMINE STRUCK, MORE THAN 250 PEOPLE WERE READY TO COME ALONG. BUT THE CLOSER THE DAY OF DEPARTURE GOT, THE GREATER BECAME THE FEAR FOR THE UNKNOWN.
OH, HOW DIFFICULT WERE THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH SEVERAL AGENTS. THE NOTARY PUBLIC, MR STAHLEN FROM HEILBRONN WAS FIRST TO DECLARE THAT HE WAS READY TO UNDERTAKE THE DRIVE. THE TRANS OCEANIC JOURNEY AND THE CARE OF THE ADULTS WOULD COST 84 GUILDERS. BUT HE ALSO HAD ADVISED AT THE TIME TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK IN THE SPRING. IT WOULD BE CROWDED THERE OTHERWISE AND IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO OBTAIN ROOM OR TRANSPORTATION INTO THE INTERIOR. ELIAS HELD FROM ROTTWELL, ON THE OTHER HAND, WANTED TO LEAVE IN MARCH, BUT THE 90 GUILDERS WHICH HE ASKED, WERE TOO MUCH FOR THE TOWN COUNCIL. ALDERWIRT RUFLI FROM SISSIN IN AARGAU DID HIS UPMOST TO GET THE ORDER, BUT HIS TRAVEL ROUTE LE THROUGH LE HAVRE AND THE FRENCH OFFICIALS WOULD NOT ALLOW EMIGRANTS THROUGH WHO COULD NOT PROVE THEIR NET WORTH. A COMMISSION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL WENT THE EXTRA MILE AND WENT TO MANNHEIM AND STRESSBURG TO OBTAIN FAKE ASSOCIATION DOCUMENTS AS PROTECTION FOR THE EMIGRANTS TO TEXAS.
BUT FINALLY THEY CAME TO TERMS WITH THE AGENCY OF JACOB BECK IN REUTLINGEN. HE WOULD TAKE 97 ADULTS, 83 CHILDREN 12 AND TEN INFANTS TO MAINZ. FROM THERE HE WOULD TAKE THEM WITH A STEAM SHIP TO LONDON AND THEN BELOW DECK A MAIL CARRYING SHIP TO NEW YORK. THE COMMUNITY PAID HIM 91 GUILDERS FOR EACH PERSON OVER 12 YEARS, 55 GUILDERS FOR EACH CHILD AND THE INFANTS WENT FREE. ON BOARD OF SHIP THERE AWAITED EACH A PLACE TO SLEEP AND COOK IN ADDITION TO SUFFICIENT DRINKING WATER, WOOD, COAL AND LIGHT. FOR PROVISION EACH ADULT RECEIVED 40 POUNDS OF BISCUIT, 14 POUNDS OF BEEF JERKEY, 55 POUNDS OF FLOUR, 5 POUNDS RICE, 2 POUNDS SALT, 2 LITER VINGAR AND A QUANTITY OF POTATOES. THE CHILDREN PROPORTIONALLY RECEIVED LESS. THE PROVISIONS HAD TO LAST SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS BECAUSE THAT WAS HOW LONG THE JOURNEY WOULD TAKE.
PAGE 3
THE WOMEN COULD HARDLY BELIEVE THAT SO MUCH SUPPLY HAD TO BE STORED FOR THEIR FAMILY. THE PAINTER JAKOB JAUCH CALCULATED FOR HIS WIFE THAT SHE, TOGETHER WITH THEIR SEVEN CHILDREN, NEEDED TO ACQUIRE A WHOLE BUSHEL OF POTATOES, 150 KILOGRAM OF BISCUITS AND SO MUCH MEAT, WHICH THEY NORMALLY WOULD NOT HAVE EATEN IN AN ENTIRE YEAR. THEY ALL LOOKED FORWARD TO THE STEAM BOAT JOURNEY, BECAUSE STARTING FROM MAINZ THEY WOULD GET COFFEE AND BREAD FOR BREAKFAST, SOUP, MEAT AND VEGETABLES FOR LUNCH AND IN THE EVENING THEY HAD SANDWICHES AND TEA. IN COMPARISON WITH THE SOUP FOR THE POOR, THE CARROTS AND DRIED MUSHROOM ON WHICH THEY LIVED THE PAST FEW MONTHS, A PLUSH LIFE WAS AWAITING THEM ON THIS JOURNEY.
THE COMMUNITY?S ACCOUNTANT CALCULATED THAT IT WOULD STILL BE CHEAPER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PAY THE TRIP FOR THE POOR THAN IT WOULD BE TO FEED THEM UNTIL THE END OF THE FAMINE. THE SOUP FOR THE 200 POOR ALONE WOULD COST MORE THAN 1000 GUILDERS PER YEAR. TO PAY FOR THIS, THE COMMUNITY HAD CONFISCATED ALL INHERITANCES, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY ACCRUE TO THE EMIGRANTS AT TIME OF DEATH OF ONE OF THEIR RELATIVES. ANOTHER SAVING WAS ASSURED BY COLLECTING THE WOOD AND PEAT SUPPLY OF THESE EMIGRATING CITIZENS AND THESE COULD THEN BE SOLD. IN ONE YEAR ALONE, THE SUM OF 15,000 GUILDERS WHICH THE TOWN HAD TO RAISE, WAS AMORTIZED THIS WAY.
JOHANNES BURK, THE YOUNG INDUSTRIALIST, EVEN HAD WRITTEN SIX WEEKS EARLIER IN THE STUTTGART OBSERVER, THAT THE ALMIGHTY WOULD GUARD EACH COMMUNITY TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE OF THESE NEEDY PEOPLE, TO BE THE MEDIATOR, YES, THAT HE EVEN BE THE AUTHOR OF THE DESTRUCTION AND SORROW OF THESE CITIZENS WHO WERE SENT ABROAD. BUT JOHANNES COULD EASILY SAY THIS- HE DID NOT HAVE TO BEG FOR SOUP ABROAD. THEY ALL HOPED TO FIND COMPATRIOTS ABROAD, WHO WOULD HELP THEM ON THEIR WAY. SINCE THE LAST FAMINE OF 1817, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FROM SCHWENNINGEN EMIGRATED TO AMERICA.
IN MAINZ, MR BECK WAS ALREADY AWAITING THEM. HE TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO SEPARATE THE PARTY IN TWO GROUPS. WITH 65 PEOPLE HE IMMEDIATELY LEFT FOR LONDON. THE OTHERS HE LEFT BEHIND UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF HIS CONDUCTORS. AFTER ONE WEEK, BECH RETURNED AND ANNOUNCED THAT THE FIRST GROUP WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY TO NEW YORK ON THE MAIL CARRYING SHIP ?HENDRIK HUDSON?. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL. WITH THE REST HE REACHED ROTTERDAM IN THREE DAYS AND IN ANOTHER DAY
PAGE 4
HE ARRIVED IN LONDON. THERE HE WAS TOLD THAT THE SHIP STILL HAD TO BE EQUIPPED FOR PASSENGERS. BY COINCIDENCE THEY FOUND OUT THAT ITS DESTINATION WAS NOT NEW YORK, BUT QUEBEC.
THE ADULTS WERE GRIPPED BY UNSPEAKABLE FEAR. THEY WOULD LIKELY NOT SEE THEIR COMPATRICTS AGAIN, THOSE WHO SAILED OF EARLIER. THEY WOULD ARRIVE IN AN UNKNOWN AREA WHERE THERE WOULD PROBLEY BE NO GERMANS AT ALL/ HOW COULD THEY GET FROM THERE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE UNITED STATES? THEY THREATENED BECK WITH SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A SHIP GOING TO NEW YORK IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. THEY ADVISED THEM TO SUE BECK SO THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD LAY CLAIM ON HIS COLLETERAL. BUT THEY WERE FAR FROM HOME AND HAD ALREADY USED UP THEIR CASH. WITHOUT BECK?S ASSISTANCE THEY NEITHER WOULD HAVE BOARD NOR ROOM. IT WOULD BE BETTER TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH HIM THAN TO WAIT FOR NEWS FROM HOME.
AT LAST THEY BELIEVED BECK?S ASSURANCE THAT THE JOURNEY FROM QUEBEC TO THE INTERIOR WAS NOT MUCH FARTHER THAN FROM NEW YORK. THEY ALSO SAW THAT HE WAS IN TROUBLE HIMSELF BECAUSE HE USED A LOT OF MONEY WHILE THEY WERE WAITING IN MAINZ AND IN LONDON FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS. BUT BY TAKING THE SHORT ROUTE TO QUEBEC, HE WOULD SAVE SO MUCH THAT HE WOULD RECUPERATE FROM HIS LOSSES. SO ON MAY 26, EXACTLY ONE MONTH AFTER THEIR DEPARTURE FROM HOME, THEY SET SAIL FROM LONDON.
THE JOURNEY BY SEA PROGRESSED WELL, WITHOUT APPRECIABLE STORMS AND WITHOUT SERIOUS ILLNESSES. BECK SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF HIS PEOPLE. HE FINANCIALLY ASSISTED THOSE WHO DID NOT GET MUCH SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY. HE MADE SURE THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT VEGETABLES, DRIED FRUIT, BISCUITS AND MEDICATION. HE ASSISTED THEM IN QUEBEC WITH TRANSPORTATION TO THE UNITED STATES.
SUBSEQUENTLY, UPON ARRIVAL IN WAPAKONETA, OHIO, THE WEAVER JOHANNES RAPP AND THE LABORER JAKOB WEILER, COULD WRITE TO THE TOWN COUNCIL IN SCHWENNINGEN, THAT THEY ARRIVED SAFELY AND THAT THEY COULD RECOMMEND AGENT BECK TO EVERY EMIGRANT. MAINLY, HOWEVER, THEY WANTED TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR PROVIDING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO START ANEW IN THE NEW WORLD.
PAGE 5
NOTE:
THE DOCUMENTS OF THIS ENTERPRISE AND A COPY OF THE CITED LETTERS ARE BEING KEPT IN THE SCHWENNINGEN ARCHIVES. THE FAREWELL SCENE WAS PAINTED IN THE CITIZENS NEWSPAER IN VILLINGEN. JOHANNES BURK?S COMMENTS IN THE PAPER IS PRINTED IN THE BOOK BELONGING TO F.L. NEHER, ENTITLED ?JOHANNES BURK.?
141.
COPY
WAPAKONETA, OHIO, THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER 1847
WHOL. (?) MAYOR?S OFFICE AND DISTRICT COUNCIL
AND CITIZENS COMMITTEE
FILLED WITH GRATITUDE, LOVE, AND FAITHFULNESS WE, THE UNDERSIGNED FEEL OBLIGATED TO LET YOU, DEAR SUPERIORS, KNOW ABOUT OUR SITUATION AND FATE UP TO NOW, AND TO INFORM YOU ABOUT THE DISPUTE WITH THE AGENT MR. BECK.
A CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF THE JOURNEY CAN BE FOUND IN A LETTER I HAVE SENT TO CHRISTINE SCHLANKER EARLIER. I AM SURE IT IS OPEN FOR READING TO WHOEVER IS INTERESTED IN IT.
I FIND IT APPROPRIATE TO START IMMEDIATELY WITH THE MATTER OF MR BECK. IN MAINZ HE COULD THE 180 PEOPLE?.. (SENTENCE NOT FINISHED) RUSH WITH 63 TO LONDON, SHIPPED THEM TO NEW YORK, CAME BACK AND FETCHED THE 117 OF US ALSO. IN TWO AND A HALF DAYS HE DROVE WITH US TO ROTTERDAM, FROM THERE IN 25 HOURS TO LONDON. HERE THERE WAS A HALT. MR BECK HAD TO WORK VERY FAST ALREADY AT THE JOURNEY. WITH TIME CONSUMING DIFFICULTY THE SHIP WAS BEING FURNISHED FOR PASSENGERS SINCE IT NORMALLY WAS ONLY A REGULAR MERCHANT SHIP WITH THREE MASTS, CARRYING 550 TONS. ON THE SHIP WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING. IT WAS BUILT WELL AND HAD A GOOD CREW. HOW STARTLED WE WERE, HOWEVER, WHEN WE FOUND OUT BY ACCIDENT THAT THE SHIP WAS HEADING FOR QUEBEC AND NOT FOR NEW YORK! WE CONFRONTED MR BECK (WITH THIS) . OF COURSE, HE DID NOT DENY IT AND TRIED TO TELL US IT WOULD BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT AGREE WITH HIM AT ALL. WE BELIEVED WE WERE STILL TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE UNITED STATES AND FELT ABANDONED BY EVERYONE. MR BECK ALWAYS COUNTERED WITH PLAUSIBLE REASONS LIKE IT WOULD NOT COST MORE TO GO INLAND FROM THERE THAN FROM NEW YORK. HE ALSO KEPT INSISTING THERE WAS NO SHIP FOR US AVAILABLE TO GO TO NEW YORK. WE CALLED UPON THE CONTRACT YOU WROTE FOR US AND EVEN WENT TO THE PRUSSIAN WURTTEMBERG CONSUL. HE INQUIRED AT THE MAIN AGENCY AND HE WAS TOLD MR BECK WAS QUITE UNKNOWN TO THEM HERE. THEREUPON HE GAVE US THE ADVICE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HIM ARRESTED AND THAT WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY LET OUR CITY COUNCIL KNOW, SO THAT HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CLAIM RECTIFICATION. HOWEVER THIS SEEMED TOO TROUBLESOME TO US AND TOO EXPENSIVE. AND NOW PITTY ENTERED THE SCENE. HE ALSO PAID ABOUT 150 TO 160 GULDEN TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE A CAPITATION FEE FROM YOU. AND THUS ENDED- AS WAS STATED OUT OF PITY- THE DISPUTE. HE JUST DID NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN. THE SHIP AND WE WERE HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
PAGE 2
AFTER A DELAY OF 4 TO 5 DAYS WE WENT TO SEA ON THE 26TH OF MAY. MR BECK TREATED US VERY WELL DURING THE WHOLE JOURNEY; WE DID NOT LACK ANYTHING. HE COULD HAVE SAVED ANOTHER 100 ON US, BUT HE DID NOT DO IT. THE FOOD ON THE SHIP WAS ALSO OF EXCELLENT QUALITY AS WELL AS ENOUGH IN QUANTITY. I WOULD ADVISE EVERY EMIGRANT TO ENTRUST HIMSELF TO HIM. THE REASON HE TOOK US TO QUEBEC WAS THAT HE HAD TO PAY ONLY 64 GULDEN PER PERSON WHILE IT WAS 72 GULDEN TO NEW YORK. AND THIS SAVINGS HE NEEDED EVEN MORE BECAUSE HE HAS LOST MUCH MONEY IN A HURRY SINCE WE LEFT HOME ON THE 26TH OF APRIL AND WENT TO SEA ONLY ON THE 26TH OF MAY. ALSO ONE MAY COUNT 48 GULDEN PER DAY FOR BOARD-WAGES FOR LITTLE AND BIG PEOPLE ETC.
SIGNED JACOB WEILER
JOHANNES RAPP
THE CORRECTNESS OF THIS COPY IS CERTIFIED.
SCHWENNINGEN, 15TH OF DEC 1847
MAYOR BURK
SCHWENNINGEN?S GREAT EMIGRATION IN THE YEAR 1847
AS DOCUMENTED BY NEWSPAPERS
SCHWENNINGEN?S DAILY NEWS FROM 12 MARCH
AFTER THE LOWNESS OF THE GENERAL ECONOMICAL CONDITIONS IN THE SECOND DECADE OF THE 19TH CENTURY A NEW THROW-BACK INTO DEARTH AND UNEMPLOYMENT BEGAN IN OUR AREA IN THE FIFTIES BURDENING THE PEOPLE. SEVERAL SUCCESSIVE ECONOMICALLY UNSUCCESSFUL YEARS CARRIED THE DANGER OF HAVING TO BE HUNGRY INTO EVERY HOUSE WHERE UP TO NOW THE NECESSARY FOODS FOR THE DAILY NEEDS WERE PRODUCED BY FARMING. IN ADDITION TO THIS THE CLOCK MERCHANTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL BLACK FOREST MADE HARDLY ANY BUSINESS AWAY FROM HOME AND THEY COULD ONLY SEND SMALL ORDERS TO THE HOMELAND. ? SO THE CUP OF MISERY IS PRETTY FULL?, IT IS WRITTEN IN A CONTEMPORARY REPORT ABOUT THE BLACK FOREST, ?THE THOUGHT OF HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO GO ON UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES EFFECTS THE HEARTS AND MINDS DEPRESSIVELY. NEVER HAVE SO MANY AFFLICTIONS EXISTED AT THE SAME TIME AS PRESENTLY. WHOEVER IS IN DEBT NOW AND CAN NOT PAY INTEREST OR MAKE PAYMENTS SEES HIMSELF BEING RUINED BY FORCED SALE OF HIS POSSESSIONS. YET THE PROCEEDS ARE SO LOW THAT EVEN THE CREDITOR DOES NOT RECEIVE VERY MUCH ANY MORE AFTER THE TOTAL COSTS HAVE BEEN DEDUCTED. THE FORCED SALES, WHICH ARE SPREADING HERE EVERYWHERE LIKE AN EPIDEMIC AND OF WHICH NOT EVEN THE MOST INDUSTRIOUS CITIZEN ARE SPARED, GIVE WAY TO THE QUESTION OF WHO WILL BE LEFT TO KEEP UP THE COMMUNITY HOUSEHOLDS.?
IN THE ARE OF BADEN THE MISERY REACHED SUCH MAGNITUDE THAT VILLINGEN AND OTHER CITIES HAVE BEGUN TO BUY FROM THE GRAIN STORAGE OF OTHER CITIES AND TO ESTABLISH SOUP KITCHENS FOR THE FAMILIES MOST IN NEED. A DISTINCT SIGN OF THE PUBLIC DANGER OF THIS SITUATION OF THE FAMINE IS THE ACCUMULATION OF THEFTS AND BURGLARIES AT MILLS AND FARMS IN THE ENTIRE AREA.
ON ACCOUNT OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT EVERYWHERE THE EMIGRATION TO AMERICA IS FELT AS A SALVATION FORM ALL EVIL, ESPECIALLY SINCE LETTERS FROM FORMER EMIGRANTS ARRIVE IN THE AREA IN WHICH IS WRITTEN THAT OVER THERE EVERYBODY HAS MEAT TO EAT EVERYDAY AND WEARS CLOTHES FIT FOR A COUNT IN GERMANY.
THE EMIGRATION DEVELOPS INTO A MORE SERIOUS CHARACTER AT THE POINT WHERE IT IS PURSUED BY COMMUNITIES AS AN OFFICIAL MEASURE TO FREE THEMSELVES FROM THE BURDEN OF THE POOR. ONE HAS HEARD OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF ASSISTANCE WHICH WERE GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO WERE PLAYING WITH THE THOUGHT OF EMIGRATING. BUT IN APRIL 1847 COMES THE NEWS FROM SCHWENNINGEN THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SHIP THE CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF 224 EMIGRANTS TO AMERICA AT THE EXPENSE OF THE DISTRICT! THE ?SCHWARZWALDER WOCHENBLATT?(?WEEKLY SCHWARZWALD JOURNAL?), WHICH IS FIRST TO SPREAD THE EXTRAORDINARY NEWS, COMMENTS:
?NOWADAYS THERE IS MUCH TALK ABOUT THE EMIGRATION OF THE POOR AT THE EXPENSE OF THE COMMUNITIES. THE STRAITENED CIRCUMSTANCES OF THESE TIMES, THE GROWING BURDEN OF
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THE POOR BECAUSE OF IT, SEEM TO MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE COMMUNITIES COME TO THE DESPERATE CONCLUSION TO SPEND AND TO BORROW SUBSTANTIAL CAPITALS TO SHOVE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED AWAY TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY. THEY STATE THEIR BILL IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE INTEREST OF THE BORROWED CAPITAL IS SMALLER THAN THE CONTINUOUS COST OF LIVING OF THE NEEDY. HOWEVER, FROM EXPERIENCE WE KNOW THAT THE POORER POPULATION HAS MORE CHILDREN AND THAT THE NUMBER OF THE POOR IS GROWING YEARLY AND NO REDUCTION IS IN SIGHT. IT SEEMS TO BE A MATHEMATICAL ADVANTAGE TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL TRANSPORTATION COST OF THE EMIGRATION. SUCH COMMENDABLE LOGIC SEEMS TO HAVE STIRRED THE DISTRICT OFFICE OF SCHWENNINGEN TO TAKE UP A LOAN OF 20,000 GULDEN TO HELP, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNMENT, OVER 200 LOCAL POOR PEOPLE TO GET ACROSS THE OCEAN. ONE ASKS ONESELF HOWEVER, WHETHER THE PEOPLE IN QUESTION LIKE THE DELIVERANCE BESTOWED UPON THEM. OF COURSE, THIS QUESTION HAS TO BE ANSWERED WITH A LY THE FORGIVEABLE SIN OF
EVE TO EXCHANGE THE RAGS WITH CLOTHS. BUT WILL THE EMIGRATION BE FOR THEIR GOOD IN THE LONG RUN? HOW WILL THEY FARE WHEN THEY GO ON LAND IN NEW YORK EQUIPPED WITH ONLY LITTLE MEANS? 20,000 GULDEN ARE A BIG SACRIFICE IN THESE TIMES OF NEED, BUT IT IS A MISERABLE SITUATION TO REDUCE PEOPLE, HOWEVER POOR, TO MONEY AND CONSIDER THEM AS PASSIVE CAPITAL WHICH SURELY CAN ONLY OCCUR AT OUR PRAISED TIMES. ENGLAND TRANSPORTS ITS PEOPLE TO BOTANY-BAY, BUT THEY ARE CRIMINALS. THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE NEW LAND AND GIVEN WORK AND WAGES. OUR POOR, HOWEVER, HAVE NOT BEEN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW, YET THEY ARE DISPOSED OF TO A SHIP POWER AND HELPLESSLY PUT ON THE SHORES OF THE OTHER COUNTRY. THEREFORE, THE COMMUNITIES HELP TAKE CARE. BUT THEY DRIVE THE POOR INTO A DUBIOUS FATE?
A FEW DAYS LATER, ON THE 26TH OF APRIL 1847, THE LONG TREK OF VEHICLES ON WHICH THE EMIGRANTS OF SCHWENNINGEN ARE LOADED STARTS MOVING AND TAKES ITS WAY VIA VILLINGEN TO THE KINZIGTAL (KINSIZ VALLEY).
THE ?VILLINGEN DAILY NEWS? REPORTS:
?TODAY WE HAVE SEEN THE PASSING THROUGH OF THE SEEMINGLY ENDLESS CARAVAN FROM SCHWENNINGEN THROUGH OUR CITY AND HAVE BEEN WITNESSES OF THE FIGHT WITH THE PAIN WHICH THE FATHERS OF FAMILIES, MOTHERS WITH INFANTS, OLD AND YOUNG PEOPLE DEPARTED FROM RELATIVES AND FRIENDS STAYING BEHIND, FROM HOMELAND AND ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM FROM THEIR YOUTH ON, AND SAID GOODBYE. NO EYE REMAINED DRY AND TEARS CAME TO OUR EYES TOO AT THE SIGHT OF THIS MOVING DRAMA, AND ACCUSINGLY ONE ASKS TIME AND AGAIN WHAT WRONG THEY HAVE DONE THAT THEY CAN RIGHTLY BE SENT AWAY LIKE THIS AND BE EXPOSED TO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.?
THEY WERE NOT THE LAT ONES TO ENDEAVOR FROM OUR HOMELAND TO THE NEW WORLD IN THESE YEARS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FIFTIES, AFTER THE UNLUCKY ATTEMPT TO BRING ABOUT
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THE UNIFICATION OF GERMANY BY MEANS OF AN INSURRECTION AND WITH IT THE
IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROSPERITY, MANY GERMANS THREW THEIR FAITH IN A POLITICAL FUTURE OF GERMANY OVERBOARD, THE STREAM OF EMIGRATION STARTED ANEW AND WITH INCREASED NUMBERS.
J. HENOLD, VILLINGEN
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