History of the Village
God Bless Our Home
Beschka Homeland Book

by Peter Lang

Translated by Brad Schwebler

Table of Contents
 Linked to translation

page Title
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Foreword

At the meeting of the homeland committee in May 1967 we were agreed that an "Ortsmonographie" of our former homeland community should be written.  Because I was already in retirement at the time I gladly took on this task although I had no documents.  I got the courage to obtain about four pages of Friedrich Scherer's memories.  I had already written about 200 pages without documents when by chance I came across the preserved Krtschediner homeland book by Friedrich Renz.  Because Beschka was the parent community of Krtschedin, I received this book as a gift from God because in it it described the history of the people of Beschka.  References for further written documents (Bierbrunner and Pindor) I received from Rev. Peter but these books disappeared as souvenoirs from the Germans Abroad Institute during the occupation time.  Again by chance I learned from Director Friedrich Lotz that he had the Bierbrunner papers and he soon also sent me a handwritten excerpt as far as it concerns the book Beschka.  I was naturally very lucky that I now had papers for the first 40 years.  The Pindor papers I obtained through a friend from the Budapest bishop's office.  The present Serbian pastor in Beschka also sent me the most important papers from Beschka from 1702 to the present.

As suggested through the Krtschedin homeland book with its register of births, deaths, and marriages I decided to record the people of Beschka in such a way also, because our church books were not at our disposal or that of our descendants either.  I printed a questionaire and distributed it to the countrymen at the fourth village meeting in 1968 in Echterdingen.  But it took three months for the first questionaire to come back.  I already thought the plan failed because of lack of interest, but gave up and reported in the refugee newspapers in which many questionaires are already entered.  (Many and few is a relative term and I deliberatively chose the word "many", knowing very well that it is psychologically better because "Where there are many pigeons, many more come besides, and where there are few, fewer fly from it.")  This propoganda worked amazingly and from the further reports I was already clearer and cited "more than 200 questionaires."  In the spring of 1970 there were already almost 1000 questionaires and I wrote the remaining families from the federal settlement office.

In August 1970 I sent invitations to about 800 addresses for the fifth village meeting, together with the request for the advance order and advance payment for the books.  That way I could be assured that the minimum would be printed up before the meeting in October.

Now nothing more stood in the way of distributing the book.  The completion of the book took more than three months because I was very short of material.  It was not easy for me to make the choice, because he who has the choice, also has the torment.  Selecting the illustrations was especially difficult because I had to leave many pictures out because of the question of cost.  I have given preference towards group photographs of families.  Individual photographs I only chose when there was a special reason, such as traditional costumes, to show them.

For the selection of the text I also dealt with the relationships to the parent communities, because the people of Beschka came from them.  Preference belonged not to our parent community, but to the social product and tax relationship in favor of allowing our parent community to be correct. 

As source materials besides the writings mentioned I also used: Hudjetz-Rometsch "Neupasua", especially the register of births, deaths, and marriages; Peter Wack's "Torschau"; Konrad Blum's "Liebling", and Heinrich Schmidt's "Jarek".  The memories of Friedrich Scherer, Jakob Philippi, Andreas Scherer, Peter Ewinger, and Anton Bobosch were very useful to me.

I thank everyone who helped in some way, especially the refugee newspapers in the following order of their appearance from west to east: "Mitteilungen" (Communications), 7500 Karlsruhe, Kaiserallee 8/2; "Der Donauschwabe", 7080 Aalen and "Das Neuland", 8228 Freilassing.  Last but not least I would also like to thank the Leuchter Publishing Company for the favorable price offer, especially for the illustrations.

Marbach/Neckar, 28th of June, 1971

Peter Lang

 
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 Geography of Our Homeland Community of Beschka

     For our descendants it will not be natural to know where our homeland community of Beschka is.  It lies in Yugoslavia, about 55 km north of Belgrade, about 5 km south of the Danube River, and about 1 km east of the 20th longitude.  Beschka is no longer our homeland community, but it was for 84 years, from 1860 to 1944.  Before that our homeland was north of the Danube in the Batschka, in nine so-called parent communities, from them to other communities still to be reported.  Before 1784 our home was in Germany which I will be describing as our original home in the following, from which region I was from, in which our forefathers and we lived from 1860 to 1944, was described as our homeland.

     The name Beschka comes from the Turksand means "Five-Hour-Way" in English, probably from the old Peterwardein Fortress, which is found 25 km northwest of Beschka.  But possibly the name also means "Bird flight."  It is certain that the first syllable "Besch" means five.  From my memory the name was interpreted in Beschka's school chronicle as the "Twelve-Hour-Way."  But Five-Hour-Way may be right.

     The ground around Beschka consists of clay which is about 1 m thick and occasionally also a thick layer of humous which was very fertile.  The land was very uneven.  Young strong people could climb almost all the slopes with the bicycle.  Only the Franken Mountains which stretch along the Danube River not far from Beschka, were considerably high up.  Beschka was 126 meters above sea level by the Reformed church and the land had a moderate gradient toward the east.

     The streams from the surrounding area of Beschka flowed into the Danube River.  North of the settlement there was a small creek without a name.  North of the Long Street there was a dry valley, that only once, it was about the year 1935 in the area of house number 30 up to 6 water ran, during it from house number 6 up to the brick oven in the east water also ran in dry seasons which merged there with a creek from the south.  The last creek came from the Banstol, a farmland region west of Beschka. (Banstol comes from Ban = higher administrative office, and from Stol = slate, table).  So much water flowed in this creek each season that a mill could be operated with it which had a capacity of almost exactly 1400 watts, which amounts to about 2 PS.  The mill originally belonged to Johann? Hemmler (vgl. reg. number 980) and was still in operation around 1930.  The later owner, Ph. Kniesel (vgl. reg. number 1041) directed the mill to the private power supply in 1944 with a direct current dynamo because the water main was broken down at the time.  German soldiers who guarded the train bridge built a dam in the creek by the train bridge towards Maradik during World War II.  The spa that was created was an attraction for the youth - also the Serbs who affectionately cared for the soldiers.  My son Otmar, 4 years old at the time was brought swimming by the soldiers.  At the end of Peter-Deringer Street by house number 29 the creek mentioned merged with a smaller one only ran in the lower reaches.  All of these creeks took care of the water removal.  They swelled up from the heavy rains.  In the east, at the end of the village, there was a shallow lake 100 meters wide and long.  From here the landlord and the Fleischhacker (butcher?) fetched ice for the ice pit, because there were still not many refrigerators.  About 1000 to 1500 meters farther east from the lake there was another water mill which had already been still for some time.  It belonged to the Serbian Joca Varicak, 5 Long Street.  The creek there already had a name, namely Patka (Serbian for duck).

     There were no woods in Beschka.  The only thing that belonged to Beschka was a Danube island with willows growing on it.  It was also generally used as pasture by individual owners.  Very little attention was paid to the land on the island.  It happened that a yoke of land was sold there for a liter of wine.  Of special interest however were the island rights during World War II.  At the time the island belonged to Hungary for three years.  The bearer of island rights therefore easily kept a pass for Hungary.  Also in later "Lastenausgleich" (compensation paid to individuals for damages and losses during and immediately after the Second World War), the island rights worked out favorably so that the bearer was relatively well compensated.

     Mineral deposits besides clay did not exist in Beschka.  The nearest quarry was by Krtschedin on the Danube.  However this was unfavorable for traffic to Beschka.  The stones had to be transported from a distance of 25 km by train.  Because of this street construction was very expensive and the streets were bad.

     Beschka is dominated by a continental climate.  The summer is very hot and dry.  In July and August it doesn't even rain for six to eight weeks.  The farmers resisted the drought by breaking up the ground.  Under the fruit trees no grass was allowed to grow.  A Serbian proverb said: "Ko u sljiviku seno kose, zimi rakije prosi." (Whoever mows hay in the quetsch garden, begs for schnaps in the winter.)  When it rains in Beschka, there is a powerful cloudburst.  At one such cloud burst  in Mohacs in 1526 the Hungarian king drowned in the battle with the Turks.  The transition from rain to beautiful weather does not last long.  In summer it seldom rains more than an hour, usually shorter.  The bad weather in the summer brought a pleasant cooling off.  In the summer the temperature was constantly about 35 degrees Celsius throughout the day for a week.  Also during the night from July to mid-August the temperature seldom fell under 30 degrees Celsius and so people only covered themselves with a linen cloth to protect themselves from the flies while sleeping.  The winter was very cold with temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius.  In the spring a southeast wind blew called "Koschawa", which as a rule persisted for three days.  In May the "scheduled cold ice men" came.  The first night frost was expected about the 15th of October.  The months of September and October were often rainy, so that the farmers with the harvest and the winter sowing frequently advised the need for time.

     The name Srem (Syrmien) came from Roman times.  This described the land between the Danube and the Save Rivers, about 80 km long and 50 km wide.  The Batschka is the region between the Danube and the Theiß Rivers, about 100 km long and 80 km wide.  The Banat lies east of the Theiß and the Danube and stretches up into the present day Romania.  Srem and the Batschka were for a long time two independant administrative units with an "Obergespan" (overseer?) in Zombor (Sombor) or rather Vakowar (Wolfsburg) at the top.  The Banat had two Comitat, namely the Torontaler (Toron Valley) and Temeschburger.  Srem, Batschka, Banat, Baranya and northern Serbia without Belgrade were united about 1930 in the Danube "Banschaft?"  At the top stood the Banus.

 
14 The Prehistory of the Region Around Beschka

Beschka lies in the area of old cultures.  I would like to stress the history of this area.

     Alexander the Great already watered his horse in the lower Danube 336 years before Christ's birth which at the time was called the Istar.  At the time the Celts lived from the Black Sea to England.  From them came for example the name Danube (Roman name was Danubia), Theiß, Kreisch (Hungarian name is Körös), Drau and Sau (Serbian names are Drava and Sava).  In the year 9 B.C. the Roamns also ruled the land south of the Danube and with it the land around Beschka.  The region from Vienna to Belgrade was called Pannonia at the time.  The land east of the Theiß and north of the Danube was called Dacia.  It corresponded with today's Banat and Transylvania.  Between the Danube and the Theiß Rivers lived the Jzygen during Roman times which the Romans found difficult to rule.  In the Batschka the Romans built the special so-called Roman trenches.  Today these are so deep that a rider can get stuck in them.  The Romans gave our region the name Syrmia (Srem).  The city that was called Sirmium at the time is called Mitrovica today after the goddess Demeter.  The seat of several Roman emperors was there.  The city of Sirmium already had 200,000 inhabitants at the time.  Also in the neighborhood of Beschka are found Roman villages such as Acuminikum - the seat of the Roman headquarters in the province of Pannonia, which today is called Slankamen.  Other important Roman cities in the neighborhood of Beschka were Burgal, today known as Banovci; Ritium, today known as Surduk; and Kusum, today known as Karlovitz.  In Beschka one of my students found a copper Roman coin from the 3rd Century.  In the year 1942 Vlada Jovanovic, known as Vuletic, 21 Long Street, stumbled upon an old pottery oven by the side of a pathway in his yard which was still full of pots.  It is possible, that this oven came from before Roman times.  Roman rule was also broken during the migration of people into the region around Beschka.  Goths, Huns, "Awaren", and many other people moved through the land and destroyed all the cultural memorials.

     The Croatians settled in today's Croatia in the 7th Century and later chose the Hungarian king as their own king.  This condition lasted until World War I.  But notice also that the Hungarians had no national king since 1526.  What's more is that the Habsburgs at the time were king of Hungary and Croatia.  The Serbs migrated to today's Serbia in the 7th century.  At first they were dependant on the Byzantines, up to the 12th century they were independant, up to the 15th century they were under Turkish rule, and were first completely free in 1912.  The apostles Cyril and Method converted the Serbs to Christianity.  Both apostles were canonized.  Cyril is the creator of the Cyrillic alphapet which the Russians, Serbs, and Bulgarians of today still use.  The Croatians ,on the other hand, use the Roman alphabet which goes together with their religion because they are in contrast with the orthodox Catholic Serbs.  The difference in beliefs and the historical development caused a deep rift between the brotherly Serbs and Croatians.  The Serbs, Croatians, and Slovenians first united in 1918, then in the kingdom of Jugoslavia (Jug=south).  This name has remained.  What has changed is the form of state because Jugoslavia is no longer a federal socialistic republic.

     It should also be mentioned that the French under Charlemagne also ruled our homeland, the former Roman Pannonia.  Karlovitz has kept the name of Charlemagneand the name Frankengebirge (French Mountains) (Serbian name is Fruschka Gora (Frug=French) which also refers to the French history.

     In the year 895 the great Prince Arpad led the Magyars into Hungary, whose borders at the time were determined to run through the Carpathians from Preßburg to Orschowa.  In the west the border went almost exactly south to the Mur-Drau-Danube and to Orschowa.  In 975 began the Christianizing of Hungary and with it also the migration of the German monks, priests, officials, and craftsmen.  In greater numbers came the Transylvanians and Zipser Sachsen (Saxons) in the 12th century to Hungary.  The Zipser and the Transylvanian Saxons survived the Tatar and Turkish times and could accept the Evangelical belief under the Turks.  In Turkish times there were many Calvanist Hungarians.

     After the expulsion of the Turks about 300,000 Serbs came from Serbia under the leadership of patriarch Cernojevic in the Batschka and the Banat because as imperial collaborators they had to flee the revenge of the Turks.  Also German soldiers settled in the devastated region.  Later under Emperor Leopold and Maria Theresia German Catholic farmers came to settle little by little.  For the time being the Protestants were not tolerated.  Emperor Josef II first issued the Tolerance Act for Protestants and a year after that followed the Settlement Patent.  The homeland history researcher Director Friedrich Lotz established that Emperor Josef did not issue this Settlement Patent and what's more is he entrusted high officials of his to be permitted to advertise that it would be issued in his name.  But it was certain that Emperor Josef would keep all promises in the Settlement Patent.  The emperor was way ahead of his time.  He was often called Josef the German but he was also very tolerant towards other people.  French, Spaniards, and Italians were also settled.  It was not clear why the Germans were not preferred that the "separation" was only approved with the consent of the Serbs (for further reference see "Eimann").  French, Spaniards, and Italians were assimilated without obligation by the Germans.  The name Gabert in Beschka may have come from the French name Chabert.  Other names: Fakundini, Knefely, Balanger, Castelli, Massong, and so on.

 
16 The So-called Settlement Patent

(Ref. Eimann, page 48) "was essential for the development of the parent community"

It reads word for word:

   We the people of Josef the Second, chosen Roman Emperor  by his gracious God, through all times in the majority of the Empire, king of Hungary, Bohemia, Galicia, and Lodomeria, do (thun) herewith (Jedermänniglich kund) that we in our kingdom of Hungary, Galicia, and Lodomeria possessed many unoccupied, empty, and desolate lands which we thought to settle with German members of the Empire, especially from the upper Rhine region.  In the end we promise, by our drilled-in imperial royal slogan to all of our migrating families of the Empire, which we are in need of many thousand of farm families and professionals:

First: A perfect conscience and religious freedom (Freyheit) as each religious party (Partey) is provided the most completely needed clergy and teachers belonging to it.

Second: Each family was provided with a respectable new roomy country house with a garden beside it.

Third: The field hands with each family were presented with the necessary ground in existing good fields and meadows as well as the necessary draft and breed livestock, then field and home implements.

Fourth: The professionals and day workers on the other hand merely had those appliances in the landlord’s house to enjoy but the professionals are paid 50 Rhine Guilders to acquire their craftsman’s implements.

Fifth: The oldest son of each family is and remains free from military recruitment.

Sixth: Each family received free transportation from Vienna to the village and place of settlement where the necessary travel money was paid.  After that they were provided for just so long until the family is settled and can provide for themselves.  But after a period of support one family or the other has three years to refund all advances to get out of debt.

Seventh: If the new arrivals became sick because of the climate or the trip, they were put up in a hospital and cared for free of charge to return them to their previously healthy condition.

Eighth: Finally these immigrants from the Empire were promised to be completely free and remain free from land and government taxes for ten years (Abgabe und Lasten as they called them).  But after the course of these ten years they are obligated to pay the usual reasonable tax like other landowners.

Which decision and opinion (Willensmeinung) we acknowledge the truth with this certificate sealed by our K.K. pressed on the secretary's insignia for confirmation.  So it was presented to Vienna on the 21st of September in the year 1782.  Our Roman Empire in the 90's, the Hungarian and Bohemian on the second (zweyten).

Joseph.  (L.S.)

Ad Mandatum Sacrae
ut R.Prince     

Caesarea  Majestatis
 Colloredo mppria 

proprium.

Ign. v. Hoffmann

 
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 The Recruitment of Colonists in Germany

At the start of the year 1783 imperial advertising was spread to all the market spots and villages of the Rhine region and southwest Germany of the imperial settlement patent.  At first the imperial princes tolerated the emigration, however many reported that some princes had difficulties with the emigration and gave no passes.  Also "Winkelpässe" (angle passes - waves) and all sorts of notes had to be (seyn) good for it." (ref. Eimann) So once the emigrant came to Regensberg there was no danger of them turning away anyone.  Here they received the proper passes.  In Vienna they had to report to the Hungarian court chancellery.  There they were registered and with 2 Guilders travel expenses per person they were directed to go to the "highly praised court chamber" in Ofen (Buda, western part of Budapest).  In Ofen the settlers were assigned to the separate comitats (large administrative districts).

Those colonists assigned to the Bacser (Batschka) Comitat had to report the settlement rent (pension) office in Zombor (Serbian=Sombor).  For the travel from Ofen to Zombor each person received another 2 Guilders.

 
19 Furnishings of the Families 

On the strength the Settlement Patent each family received from the Settlement Rent Office: one cow or 18 Guilders, one bed (statt), one straw sack, one rug, 6 sacks, one backing (molter?), one axe, one wide pick, one ditch shovel (spade), one manure (pitch) fork, one spinning wheel, one flour sieve, one bread kiln (Schießer) (backing kiln), one water tub, one milk bucket, and one butter tub.

Only the farmers received in addition: Four horses or 88 Guilders, one short bridle, one long bridle (field bridle), four halters, eight draft (Zug) ropes, two harness ropes (wagon ropes for sheaf and hay carrying), a wagon without metal fittings, a plow together with accessories, a bow (thorn bow?), a hatchet, a pole pick, a throw shovel, a wooden fork (for hay), a scythe with whetstone, two sickles, a (Tengel?) harness, two drills, a cutting knife (a wagon maker's working tool), a hand saw and a wagon rope.  Beyond that each farmer kept one quarter to one half of a session with winter and summer fruit cultivated field with the wheat belonging to them.  The seeds had to be sowed back in.

 
 pg 19 The Encouragements for the Community on the Strength of the Settlement Patent

In each village a prayer house was erected without consideration of the religion.  The communities received a bell, a pulpit, an altar, a gold-plated goblet, a gold-plated plate for the hosts, a pewter baptismal bowl together with a jug, a host iron, a crucifix together with all the church clothes and shawls provided they were necessary and needed.  In the same way they got a schoolhouse ready in each village with tables, chairs, benches, and blackboards.  As soon as possible a temporary (interimale) parsonage was provided.

The pastor received one session of "Urbariallasten" (uncultivated?) field, another 200 Guilders for each of ten years (the communities gave 200 Guilders a year themselves in addition!) and for three years 12 fathoms each (48 cubic meters) of firewood.

The schoolteacher "as always" received a half session of free (freyes) field (tax free) for ten years (after ten years the community had to come up with it themselves), 75 Guilders a year in cash, 24 Preßburger Metzen of "half" fruit (rye and wheat mixed) and three such Metzen of "Kukuruz" (corn).

Each village received one whole session and the community notary received one half session of field.  As fire equipment each community received a six bucket barrel on a wagon, two ladders, four picks (Haken?), twelve leather and six wooden buckets.  What's more is the Rent? office announced that each new settler would be free of taxes for ten years.

pg 20 The Kameral Settlement Construction Office

     This office was our idea today of a competent administrative authority.  His task is described in the following citation:

     "This office stood for (stunde vor) Mr. Joseph Kiss, as building director, and had the obligation to keep track of several accounts for the settlement construction, such as:

   1. That the new villages were laid out orderly and systematically, the house plots  and grounds were properly measured, and the required building materials were brought to the right place (auf Ort und Stelle).

   2. That the building contractor measured correctly each house 11 fathoms long, 3 fathoms wide, and 8 "shoes" (feet) high from the stamped earth, with one room, one kitchen, one chamber, and one stable, then a staggered thatched roof and all of the remainder well made.

   3. That each house have proper inner and outer living space (Extra-Villan-Gründ= One family homes) and be neat and measured. (Anm. L.)

   4. That for every ten homes an authentic well (guaranteed wells, Anm. l.) with all of them built entirely from stone.  It is strongly encouraged  that the wells be constructed at the start of establishing a new village.  

21 What a Colonial House Cost  (Quotation from Eimann)

"Being able to make a rough estimate and contract, the building contractor was able to make a house in Cservenka, which can serve as an example for all villages (also in Liebling, Banat, Anm. L.) the following payments: For the stamping: 16 fl. - xr. (fl.=Florentine Guilders, xr.=Kreuzer which at the time was a 60th part of a Guilder, Anm. L.), Grease and plaster: 19 Fl.., 15 Kr., to make the chimney: 3 Fl., 12 Kr., stove (de---): 30 Kr., 2 oven bases (detto a---): 12 Kr.=24 Kr., 2 gables for 2 Fl., 4 door beams inset for 2 Fl., 24 Kr., 4 window beams for 1 Fl., 12 Kr., the upper floor n--- covered with boards for 2 Fl., 30 Kr., the same to transfer 7 --- with a loft to make the roof (stuhl?) for 14 Fl., 17 Kr., the same to put up 2 --- thatch coverings for 6 Fl., 50 Kr., 4 simple doors (Thüren) together with materials for 3 Fl., 44 Kr., 3 windows for 3 Fl. 

 
22 Josef's settlements in the Batschka and Syrmia

  On the grounds of the settlement patent the following newly established villages came to the Batschka
(Eimann: “Der Deutsche Kolonist” (the German colonist):

YEAR       NAME         HOMES    RELIGION OF SETTLERS

  1784        Torschau          250       Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

  1785        Tscherwenka    500       Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

  1785        Neuwerbaß        310       Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

  1786        Kleinker             230       Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

  1786        Sekitsch            230      Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

  1786        Bulkes               230        Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

  1786        Jarek                  80        Ev. Lutheran & Calvinist

                      (first winter spent in Ruma)

   Altogether 7 new villages and 1,830 homes. – Partly on the strength of the settlement patent the migrating settlers also settled in already existing villages.  The following old villages are listed here:

  1785        Palanka             200                Roman Catholic

  1786        Neusiwatz          135               Calvinist (Ref.)

  1786        Neuschowe          80               Calvinist (Ref.)

  1786        Kula                    60               Catholic

  1786        Parabutt             100              Catholic

  1786        Ratz-Milititsch      100              Catholic

  1786        Brestowatz          150              Catholic

  1786        Weprowatz          160              Catholic

  1786        Kernei                 100              Catholic

  1786        Tschonopl            100              Catholic

  1786        Bezdan                  85              Catholic

  1786        Stanischitsch        100              Catholic

  1786        Almasch               100              Catholic

   Altogether in 12 old (Maria-Theresia) settlements there were 1,255 Catholic and 215 Reformed homes. – IN SYRMIA:

  1791           Neupasua            Ev. Lutheran

  ????            Neudorf              Ev. Lutheran

   The Protestant settlers were settled essentially only in the newly established villages.  Of the already existing villages only Siwatz and Schowe were settled by Protestants.  However, those who settled there established a new part of the village, Neusiwatz and Neuschowe.  Later they tried to separate the Reformed from the Lutheran in the new villages.  The attempt did not last as nobody wanted to change.  In Torschau they also attempted to build a common church and indeed, first there was a laying of the foundation stone.  As a result two churches were built where each church was as large as the church originally intended for the total community.  They didn’t want one congregation to be inferior to the other.  This proved advantageous so the churches could also reach out to the communities which would be larger later.  The churches of the Protestants built in the Josef’s communities between 1811 and 1820 were erected in the same style, the Baroque style.  I believe the churches were for us old people of Beschka the most beautiful.  The first priests in Josef’s villages were predominantly Slovakian for the Lutherans and predominantly Hungarian for the Calvinists.  The ancestors of these priests were already settled in Hungary during the Turkish rule and were tolerated after the collapse of Turkish rule by the Hapsburgs.  Each priest mastered the German language and held the church service in the German language.  The German settlers only seldom needed a pastor from their original homeland with (Bulkes).

   Of the Josef’s villages listed the nine Protestant villages would be the so-called mother communities (parent communities) of the descending village of Beschka and many other daughter communities.  Beschka also received, however, influxes from other communities of the Batschka.  The most important of these communities are Feketitsch, Altwerbaß, Altker, Kutzura, Katsch, Budisawa (Waldneudorf), Sentivan (Schajkaschsentiwan), and Titel.  Beschka received little influx from the Catholic communities because there were few mixed couples.  The cultural cooperation of the Protestants and Catholics was very sincere and useful for both parties.  The ratio of Catholics and Protestants in Beschka was approximately 2 to 1, 3 to 1 in all of Yugoslavia, because the Catholics were already settled there earlier than the Protestants, especially under Maria-Theresia.  In all of Yugoslavia there were about 500,000 Germans, in all of Hungary with Transylvania (Siebenbürger) and Zipser Sachsen there were about 2 million in 1918.  The Saxons were already sent for in the 12th century by the national Hungarian king of the land and they took on the Evangelical-Lutheran beliefs in Turkish times.  So they were there before the Tolerance Act and they were tolerated.

 
24

Rev. Weber, a Forerunner for the Protestant Daughter Communities in Croatia

     Rev. Weber was born in Bulkes in 1799.  He studied theology in Germany.  First he was chosen to be pastor in Sekitsch.  However this election by the Senior was not confirmed.  (Gleich darauf).  In the same way in 1827 he was chosen to be pastor in Neupasua.  However this election by the Senior also was not confirmed, but this time the confirmation was favored by the bishop in Budapest.  Up to the year 1882 he served here.  He achieved his greatest reward when he was honored with the golden Merit Cross by Emperor Franz Joseph.  From 1860 on he was also responsible for Beschka.  He died in Neupasua in 1883.  His merit from the branch communities in Croatia gained for him in his battle for the acceptance of the Protestants.  Croatia is not mentioned in the Settlement Patent, so this land was not open for settlement by the Protestants.  Also to allow for the settlement of the Protestants in Croatia, there were heated political arguments, the first of which was successful with the Protestant Law under Emperor Franz Joseph in 1859.  This law was prepared by the Synod in 1791 and was extended to include the Evangelical and the Reformed churches.  About the year 1855 the petitions to the emperor were always more urgent.  The Hungarian Reformed church chose a real energetic tone.  Admittedly they asked "most subserviently", but the change "we are very bitter" did not sound exactly "most subservient".  The Hungarian Reformed church, which at the time possessed great political influence above all others in Hungary, demanded the release of all rebelling pastors who had languished in dungeons since 1849.  In these arguments the settlers of Pasua who had settled there in 1791, simply to be driven out with military strength.  The colonel also succeeded in impudently calling himself on imperial command when it was not to be Rev. Weber.  This was noticed by General Lontscharevitsch in Peterwardein that the colonel had no imperial order.  The people of Pasua were allowed to stay but new colonists were allowed to come to Pasua from Croatia from 1859 on.  The Slovakians there at the time in Old Pasua were not bothered.  It can be accepted that measures were taken against the Germans and not the Protestants.  Rev. Weber was accused by his office brothers that he only put in for Protestants to be Senior.  A truly shabby reproach.  Rev. Weber was a fighter for freedom and justice.  He also protected the sects in Pasua.

 
25-28 The History of Beschka, Before the German Settlers Came &
The Immigrant list of the First Germans in Beschka 

 Already it is clear that since the name Beschka comes from Turkish, that the village already existed during Turkish times.  On maps from the 15th and 17th century, which I inspected in the National Library in Vienna, the name Beschka is not listed.  The present day Serbian pastor of Beschka shared with me that the village was established in the year 1702.

Immigrant List

On the strength of the data by Friedrich Scherer
(in the year 1878)
I could put together the following immigrant list:

From 1860 to 1863 the following immigrated to Beschka:

Name                     Reg. No.            

  • Busch, Andreas       282

  • Leopold, Jakob        1206?

  • Urschel, Heinrich      2091

  • Leopold, Nikolaus     ?

  • Urschel, Philipp        2090

  • Klein, Peter             980.1

  • Urschel, Jakob          ? 

  • Wohl, Philipp            2273

  • Beck, Jakob             ?

  • Butscher, Jakob        290

  • Beck, Fritz               ?

  • Klerner, Christian       ?

  • Beck, Jakob              ?

  • Wagner, 5-6 sons      2118

  • Weiß, Johann            2193

  • Heidt, Wilhelm           745

  • Gabert, Daniel           589

  • Kniesel, Peter           1009

  • Gabert, Johann          590/588?

  • Kniesel, Franz            1008?

  • Strecker                   1958?

  • Kniesel, Philipp           1007?

  • Ziegler, Peter             ?

  • Kniesel, Philipp           1004

In the later 60's the following came:

  • Nehlich, Adam      ?

  • Dörr, Jakob          ?

  • Betsch, Philipp     147

  • Walter, Daniel      2134?

  • Albrecht, Philipp   7?

  • Weber, Nikolaus    ?

  • Kappes, Heinrich   ?

  • Spieß family         ?

In the 70's the following came:

  • Wick, Michael          2256

  • Filippi, Jakob           535?  

  • Kniesel, Nikolaus,     1011?

  • Bubenheimer family   257?

In 1882 the following came:

  • Henn, Adam                                  783/784?

  • Blasius, Heinrich                             196

  • Henn, Philipp                                 785

  • Nonnenmacher, Peter                      1412

  • Henn, Adam                                  784

  • Mahler, Georg                                1250

  • Kappes, Heinrich                             ? 

  • Ewinger, Georg (Cousin of the above)  449

The data from Friedrich Scherer must not be absolutely complete, but at least it gives an almost complete overview.

Up to the fleeing from Beschka in 1944 there were still additions (Zuzüge) of course.  But these were not counted as "settlers."

 
29 Beschka and Krtschedin Form an Evangelical Parent Community

     About the development of Beschka after the arrival of the first Germans the following reference is quoted word for word from the Krtschedin homeland book by Zmaila, in which I have inserted some of my own remarks in brackets:

     "In the year 1869 on the 5th of April they now came fighting with all the urges but from religious zeal penetrated community members in Beschka and were guided and kept together under the chairmanship of the reverend Andreas Weber, pastor of Neupasua and by the Oberlieutenant Daniel Markovic representing the military authority.

(In the military border all of the civilian administration was subject to the military authority.)

In this meeting the following subjects were discussed:

1. The proposal was discussed that both branch communities, Beschka and Krtschedin, would like to form an independent community, which had to elect its own pastor together, who was also obliged to instruct the children of the Beschka Evangelical school.

2. To support their pastor both communities were prepared to pay the following fees:

   a. 240 fl. in cash (Florentine Guilders).

   b. 60 Metzen of well cleaned fruit (wheat).

   c. three fathoms of hard firewood.

   d. four fathoms of wood for heating

   e. free apartment and a "Stola?" (stipend).

 
31 From the Monograph of the Batsch-Syrmian Seniorats of Bierbrunner

by Bierbrunner

   Some remarks cited are enclosed with a paper clip – page 177 of Beska – translated from Hungarian.

   “Beschka lies not far from Karlowitz in Syrmia.  It began in 1859 (with a field purchase) and in the 1860’s when 54 people settled here.  The Hungarian  provincial parliament law of 1790/91, after which the Evangelicals were not allowed to settle in the military border, was no longer in force through the patent in 1859 after which the migration to Beschka, Krtschedin, and other communities in Syrmia began immediately.  The greater part of the immigrants were Evangelicals of the Augsburg denomination and the smaller part were Reformed (Calvinists).  The people of Beschka have Neupsua as their daughter community.  Their fist teacher was Phlipp Lautenbach (1861), who worked here for two years.  )According to the Krtschedin homeland book Samuel Freibs followed him for a few months.  In 1863 Friedrich Steinmetz came for his position as teacher and Levit.  He remained here in his office for six years.  (According to the Krtschedin homeland book he led a second Matrikel? Next to Neupasua.)  After he left (to Schowe according to the Krtschedin homeland book – a teacher in Zsablya until his retirement in 1910 according to my memory) the Reformed separated from the Evangelicals and attached themselves to the Reformed mother community in Neusatz.  In 1870 the Evangelicals assigned Vicar Paul Polerezcky as pastor and teacher.  In 1872 on the recommendation of Eduard Skultety (Batschka Senior?) and Gustav Bierbrunner, pastor in Altker, and the community of Beschka applied to the mother community for approval.  The application was approved by Bishop Dr. Josef Szekacs on the 28th of November 1872.  On the 6th of April 1873 Vicar Paul Polerezcky was chosen to be the first pastor in Beschka.  During the canonical visitation in 1874 Polerezcky was in office.  The number of Evangelicals at the time amounted to 365.

   In 1861 the Evangelical community had 9 Guilders of Viennese currency input and output.

1872     Income:   462.69 Guilders  , Expenses:   377.45 Guilders

1899  Income: 4480.53 Guilders,   Expenses: 4200.20 Guilders

These numbers are evidence at best of the gratifying and relatively quick development of the Evangelical congregation in Beschka.  Since the canonical visitation in 1874 Beschka went through several important changes.  Its first pastor went to Katsch.  His successor in 1878 was Rev. Samuel J. Gretzmacher who held the church services in a very small room and lived in a very small apartment (in the last bell ringer’s apartment).  In 1884 the prayer room was enlarged with a clay floor.  In 1895 a beautiful new prayer house was built from stone with a bell tower for about 6000 Guilders.  In 1899 a decorative, pretty (csinos) organ was purchased from the Rieger brothers of Jägerndorf (Tschechei).  The Croatian government gave 1166.18 Guilders towards it and the wealthy community in Mitrowitza provided 700 Guilders in financial aid.  In 1900 the neighboring farmhouse was purchased for a parsonage for about 2250 Guilders (according to Scherer – from Beintner).  This house was demolished in 1926 and a new one was built.  The new one cost 260,000 Dinar and was planned by contractor Fritz Beck (vgl. Reg. No. 297).  Nobody should believe that the faithful would be burdened with high church taxes.  By no means.  The married couple paid 4 Guilders and 10 percent of the state wealth tax.  As a result of the good economy and their religious beliefs (buzgosag) they were able to go through this.  (Certainly much of the church construction was accomplished free of charge.)  A great help was the church fortune of 57 yokes of field that the political community allocated to the Evangelical congregation in 1890.

   For the first time in 1895 the Evangelical teacher was employed by the community school, who also served as organist for the congregation for about 150 Guilders per year.  (That was Michael Gesell, vgl. Reg. No. 612).  The salary of the pastor also consisted of a free apartment (and firewood) and 600 Guilders of Stolarien (stipend?) per year.

   The community seal had an inscription:”Evangelical congregation of Bescka”.  In the middle was an open Bible with the I. Corinthians letter, verse 13 visible.

   The congregation had two bells from the Bochumer (Westphalen) Steelworks, both weighed 7 double hundred and cost 410 Guilders.  The inscription on the larger is: “Honor God in the Highest”, and on the smaller: “Peace on Earth”.  Also in addition on both reads: “Evangelical Congregation A.C. to Beska 1874”.  (So the bells are older than the church, and they were formerly hung in a wooden belfry in front of the old prayer house).  The present pastor, Samuel Gretzmacher, was born in Ruszkin, one of the 16 Zipser? cities, on the 26th of September 1841.  His parents were the middle-class furrier Johann Gretzmacher and Anna Maria nee Wolf.  He attended public school in his birth city.  The lower four grades of grade school were in Leutschau at what was at the time “Staatlichen-Evangelischen Gymnasium”, where he took his A level exams.  He studied theology for three years in Eperjes and was ordained as pastor by superintendent Karl Maday.  At first he worked in the house of Triedon Pfannschmidt as a private tutor in Leutschau.  Later he was hired in the same capacity by the Banat large landowners Gaffay Kalman and Alexander Kaiser.  In 1870 he went to Jena (not in the same capacity) and there he was appointed to Andreas Sztehlo as chaplain, and in the same year he was appointed to Senior Michael Lang in Pest (the eastern part of the city of Budapest).  In 1876 he married Berta von Scholz who died in 1898 and left behind four orphans (further details in the register).

   The present teacher in Beschka, Michael Gesell, was born in Oberschützen, Burgenland (Austria), where he also spent his study time and received his diploma in 1890.  He was in Udvari, Tolnau for two years, and two years in Rackozar, Baranya as an assistant teacher.  In 1900 teacher Gesell was a music professor at the teacher training institute in Oberschützen where he was a student ten years before (further details in vgl. Register).  His successor was Samuel Schumacher who had his education in Essegg.” (further details in register) – end of citation.  

 
33 Josef Pindor About Beschka

  We also learned interesting facts about Beschka from the book by Josef Pindor.  “The Evangelical Church Croations, Slovenians in Past and Present,” Essegg 1902.  From this book I would like to cite the following where I have included some of my own remarks in brackets in this citation:

   “In Beschka 24 German families of both beliefs already purchased together vacant house lots and neglected vineyards in the patent year 1859.  They were connected to Neupasua for church matters and already appointed Philipp Lautenbach as their own teacher in 1860 who assembled the children in a rented room.  After this Friedrich Steinmetz followed (1863 to 1869).  Also Rev. Weber strongly accepted the young colony.  Unfortunately the Reformed detached themselves here in 1869 and at first connected themselves as the daughter community to Neusatz, to an independent parish in 1878.  There the migration continued uninterrupted, the Lutherans already purchased a house lying in the center of the village and erected a school and prayer house.  At the same time Vicar Paul Polereczky agreed as administrator to move Rev. Weber to Beschka where he cared for the congregation there.  As salary he received 240 florints, 60 Metzen of fruit (wheat), 4 fathoms of straw, 3 fathoms of wood, and free quarters placed in view on the condition that one third of his earnings besides that (Stolarien?) Rev. Weber had to pay out to the independent community.  The military border command in Agram found that the salary was much too small and uncertain and agreed to leave the community 56 yokes of horse and school? field and besides that the 10 year use and consumption of 100 yokes of Hutweide (meadow) for the formation of the church fund. This rare generosity was greeted with jubilation in the widest circles of the Evangelical  church, but the happy community brought the church authorities the independent agreement.  Polereczky was chosen to be the pastor and remained there until 1878.  In 1874 the community acquired two cast steel bells from Bochum for 600 florints. 

   Unfortunately the two parties were enemies from the very beginning and sadly endless friction followed, that the border authorities did not keep their promise, the religious school was converted into a local public school and Polereczky received an appointment to Katy (also called Kaatsch), Hungary (today Yugoslavia), and the old prayer house was put up for auction because of debts owed.

   In Polereczky’s place in the same year Samuel Gretzmacher was appointed who is still working there now (1902).  He restored peace again, ended the process against the prayer house (it did not actually go to auction), it was renovated and extended about 2 fathoms.  At the same time the political community placed 30 yokes at the disposal of both sister communities (Lutheran and Calvinist) and yet another 57 yokes in 1885.  The entrance of the Reformed (split in 1870) was made possible through new settlements, so that the Lutheran community already numbered 800 souls in 1879.

   This brought out with the division of each 87 yokes new quarrels between the Lutheran and the Reformed, which after a lot of tugging and pulling, Recurieren?, and protesting through the national government (from Croatia in Zagreb = Agram) it was finally decided that the Lutheran community would receive 53 yokes, and the Reformed would receive 34 yokes.  After that the Lutheran community was restored, a house adjoining the prayer house was purchased (in 1890) and in 1895 a beautiful church to perform in and equipped with a new organ (in 1899).  Also there was a school again (in 1893) with the Evangelical teacher Michael Gesell, and after his departure (in 1901) it was occupied by Samuel Schumacher.  The number of people in this community amounted to about 1000.  (The book cited was printed in 1902 and probably written from 1900 to 1902.)  Through the independent agreement Beschka was released from the Neupasua community, which grew into new problems for the Semlin district.  The cheap ground and the favorable work relationship had already lured individual families here since the beginning of the 19th century.  However as a result of the imperial patent the migration was accepted to such a strong extent that several gathering points formed here and some schools established such as Boljewzi, Beschanija (1865), Surtschin (1869), Dobanovci (1875), Obresch (1882).  Ministerial service was performed by the Germans (Lutherans) from Neupasua, the Slovakians of Altpasua, besides the teacher/Levit service.  The schools served at the same time as church service places.” – end of citation.

36 The Evangelical Church & School in Beschka After 1900

      For the treatment of the subject we must depend to a large extent on the memories of Friedrich Scherer.  But his memories were partially confirmed by the Krtschedin homeland book.

   There where the Evangelical church stood there was formerly a low “Quer” (h