Emigrants and Exiles: Book Three, Volume One

By Henry A. Fischer

The isolation the Children of the Danube experienced from the upheavals of history in the rest of Europe would no longer hold true in the second half of the 19th Century and beyond. At the outset, Emperor Francis Josephs attempts to preserve the position of the House of Habsburg in the face of the rising power of Prussia among the German states would inevitably lead to a disastrous war. Austrias defeat set the stage for the rise of the German Empire and the struggle for supremacy in Europe among the major powers resulting in the catastrophic wars of the next century which would destroy the only life the Children of the Danube had ever known.

The agricultural sector was in a shambles in Hungary during the last decades of the century which had repercussions for the Children of the Danube among whom the landless were the fastest growing part of the population and among whom poverty had become a way of life. Land was expensive and simply unavailable. As in the past, the only remedy was emigration. The first wave of emigrants from Swabian Turkey sought their future in Slavonia recently opened for colonization. It was just the prelude for the massive emigration movement soon to take place to the New World.

Some of the surviving emigrants and exiles will meet in a railway station in a small town in Canada as the final phase of the Schwabenzug takes place and the Children of the Danube transplant their roots in their new Heimat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456743659

Henry A. Fischer

Henry A. Fischer is the author of several genealogical and historical studies of the descendants of German families that migrated into the Kingdom of Hungary during the early 18th Century. Born in Kitchener, Ontario in Canada, he is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Waterloo Lutheran Seminary. Following over forty years in the pastorate he began research on his own family history that led to his career as an author. He is married to his wife Jean, the father of Stephen and David and the grandfather of Julianna, John, Evan and Luke the next generation of the Children of the Danube now transplanted to Canada.

Book preview

CHAPTER I

Do you really think he’ll ever come back? Tobias asked sceptically. As he spoke, the haunting sound of the bells tolling in the majestic baroque tower of Döröschke’s Lutheran church, perched on the crest of the hill, drifted across the valley announcing the Karfreitag service would begin shortly.

My mother certainly believes he will, Margaret responded and from the way she said it Tobias knew instinctively that she did not feel the same way.

I had no doubts about her, I was just wondering about you, Tobias replied, fully aware of Anna Maria Schneicker’s rather audacious hope, that her husband Andreas; who abandoned them for another woman years before, would return some day. Tobias was never certain whether it was simply naivety on her part or obstinacy as others claimed. He had to admit that it was perhaps her resolute faith as his parents believed.

I don’t really care anymore. We’ve had to live with this ever since I can remember and the gossip never seems to end but she just won’t give up and I think that makes it even worse, Margaret admitted fighting back some unwelcome tears that threatened to fill her deep blue eyes that she owed to her reprobate father.

Tobias wanted to offer comfort and put his arms around her and hold her as he had once or twice on other occasions only to discover that Margaret was reticent to accept these physical expressions of his affection for her. For that reason and the fact that they might be seen made him hesitate. They had gone out for an early morning walk through the meadows at the foot of the Josefsberg to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather and had marvelled at the bright array of emerging wildflowers already blooming everywhere. Spring had come early to Somogy County in 1864 and Ostern would be celebrated on March 25th. Entering the upper reaches of the village they were in contact with the steady stream of sombre looking churchgoers as befitted the solemnity of the occasion. He knew any kind of public display of affection between them was contrary to the strict courtship traditions their Hessian ancestors had brought with them to Hungary a century and one half before. Further scandal was hardly what either of them or their families needed.

I know what that kind of gossip can do personally, ever since my sister Anna Margaret left Christoph May the week after their wedding, Tobias indicated, hoping to convey he understood what it felt like to be the victim of a family scandal in their rigid and insular village society.

But that was over five years ago wasn’t it?

And people just choose not to forget and you can’t do anything about it.

Yes you can! She insisted. You can ignore it, she said defiantly.

Tobias had to admit her grit and determination were some of her endearing qualities that had captured his heart in childhood. At times he still had to convince himself that his boyhood infatuation with the prettiest of the Schneicker girls had matured into the deep love he felt for her. Even now he had to remind himself that it was now less than a year before they would be getting married. He and his father, the elder Tobias Bitz, had made the appropriate visit the previous November and officially paid their suit for her hand in marriage. Her mother, Anna Maria Schneicker, had accepted on condition they wait a year until Margaret was eighteen and in the hope her father might return by then. Tobias’ initial disappointment over the delay was allayed when Philip Jetter, his best friend for as long as he could remember, assured him it was a small price to pay to have his heart’s desire compared to several of their contemporaries who were being forced into early arranged marriages to avoid military service.

Philip told me to pay no attention to it either, he responded.

"You and that Philip Jetter! It seems you two are always together," she replied, giving expression to her barely hidden annoyance over their close friendship. She felt threatened about her place in his life because of all the time he spent with him rather than with her now that she was reconciled to the fact that Philip’s older brother Konrad was far beyond her reach.

He’s my best friend, Tobias said, indicating he was not prepared to distance himself from him because of her need for more, if not all, of his time and attention.

But things change, Margaret replied as the bells in the tower tolled for the last time. Then she added, Who knows? He could be one of those chosen to go into the army in the conscription lottery next Wednesday.

Tobias had thought about it but wondered why she had not mentioned he might be one of the conscripts himself because of what that could mean for them and their future plans.

As they approached the church Tobias saw that Philip was waiting for him talking to Margaret’s mother and two sisters. He was always easy to pick out in a crowd because of his height. At nineteen, a month younger than Tobias, Philip had reached his mature adult height making him at least a head taller than Tobias who was average. For that reason Tobias was considered short by most villagers because the two of them always seemed to be together which only strengthened this false impression.

Philip had a sturdy, muscular build; he was broad-shouldered and long-legged. He carried himself erect with his head well back as if preparing to burst out laughing. There seemed to be a perpetual twinkle in his blue eyes. The dimples in his cheeks added to his boyish handsomeness. His firm chin, thick lips, broad nose and high cheekbones gave a strong masculine foundation to his good looks. As usual he was holding his black felt hat instead of wearing it and his light brown hair had some blonde streaks that glistened in the sunlight, which would only become more golden during the coming hot summer months. He nodded in taking leave of the Schneickers and walked towards Tobias and Margaret taking his usual long measured strides.

I was beginning to think you two were going to be late, he said brightly, first looking at Tobias and then glancing shyly at Margaret well aware of her feelings towards him.

I need to join my mother and sisters, Margaret said to Tobias totally ignoring Philip. She left them and Tobias struggled with some feelings he could not identify.

Don’t let it bother you, Philip said under his breath.

We should go, Tobias replied as if he had not even heard him so as to spoil the Karfreitag service for him.

Sitting in the front row of the balcony, where the single young men and some of the older male youth of the village congregated, Tobias looked down and saw that his father sat in his usual place with Johannes Tschermack, the father of Anna Maria Schneicker. The two men had become life-long friends and shared the same deep piety nurtured by the Stark Gebetbuch. Johannes’ son Johann sat with them along with Heinrich, Tobias’ older married brother. Directly across from them sat Anna Maria Schneicker next to Tobias’ mother and his sister Anna Margaret who were joined in their pew by twelve-year-old Gertrude, the youngest of the Schneicker girls. Tobias grinned when serious- minded little Gertrude looked up just as he glanced in her direction. She smiled the smile that she always reserved for Tobias and shyly waved in his direction before her mother frowned at her. She sat upright once more and looked straight ahead while Anna Maria Schneicker smiled at Tobias knowing of the special bond between the two and then returned to her devotions in preparation for worship.

In her youth, Anna Maria Schneicker had been one of the most beautiful young women in the village and her beauty had simply matured over the years. Although her lustrous hair was beginning to turn grey and was clearly visible because of her loosely tied kerchief it seemed to reflect the maturing of an inner beauty. Over the years she had struggled with the ramifications of her succumbing to the inappropriate advances of her young seductively handsome Knecht, Andreas Schneicker. She had been forced to live with the consequences of her scandalous marriage and his constant infidelities that eventually led to his deserting her and their three daughters. Where there should have been feelings of deep bitterness towards him, she exhibited a gentle serenity instead. In discovering God’s forgiveness she had learned to forgive and even to forgive herself. She had become a woman of prayer and deep devotion but still expressed a deep appreciation for the joys of life. Neither of her older daughters seemed to appreciate her piety while from an early age little Gertrude looked up to her mother who became the model for the rich spiritual life she would make her own.

Sitting in the opposite balcony across from Tobias were the unmarried young women and teenage girls. He managed to catch the eye of fifteen-year-old Elisabeth Schneicker. She in turn offered him a warm smile. There was something dainty about her that made her unlike her sisters. She was petite and pretty rather than beautiful. Her black hair was combed straight back with her thick braids in a bun in the nape of her neck. She wore a green Halstuch around her shoulders that highlighted her hazel eyes. Being fair-skinned with fine black eyelashes and brows, rosy cheeks and thin red lips gave her an air of elegance among her companions who were more buxom, stocky and rather plain. That, of course, did not include her older sister Margaret.

Margaret had just turned seventeen and she alone among her sisters had inherited her mother’s Slavic features. There were those who said she even surpassed her mother’s beauty because everyone had to admit dark swarthy Andreas Schneicker had also been the handsomest of men. She made no attempt to curtail her naturally curly dark brown hair and avoided wearing her kerchief whenever possible as she was doing now. Her long dark lashes drew attention to her deep blue eyes and her soft red lips, her high cheekbones along with a slender tapered nose all helped to enhance her beauty.

Her prominent bosom was barely restrained within her tight embroidered black Mutze and was simply one indicator of her physical beauty. Her waist was narrow and her body shapely and slender. She was long-legged, taller than most and graceful in her gait. She was the envy of all her contemporaries. If it were not for the fact she had to live with the disgrace of her parents’ disastrous marriage she would have been sought after by the sons of the richer farmers. In light of that, she was learning to be content with what Tobias Bitz had to offer, which exceeded what she might have expected otherwise. At least that is what her mother kept reminding her. She smiled in Tobias’ direction even though it was meant for Konrad Jetter sitting behind him who grinned back at her.

Glancing guiltily at Tobias she looked down shyly hoping that he had not noticed that her smile had been intended for someone else. She felt a pang of remorse. Was she perhaps more like her father than she realized? Promised in marriage to Tobias and flirting with Konrad in church of all places! Her mother would be scandalized. Not to mention Tobias. That was something about Tobias that she found difficult to accept. He gave every indication of being much like his father when it came to upholding tradition and giving expression to his deeply held religious convictions. That had been especially true at the time of his confirmation, which he obviously took very seriously, unlike herself.

On the other hand, she had to admit Tobias was probably one of best looking and most congenial young men in the village and certainly the greatest dancer by far! That should have been enough to recommend him to any young woman or her mother. The idea that she was now a woman was something she was slowly learning to accept. For that reason she tried to discourage Tobias’ physical advances afraid to test the limits in light of her father’s reputation. That she found Tobias physically attractive was without question. She was taller than most but barely reached his chin. His body was compact, muscular and broad-shouldered. Not only was he a good dancer but his gait was so effortless. He just seemed to glide along.

In many ways he resembled his father whom he was named after but he did not have the same round face-he owed that to his mother. His hair was dark brown and formed a mass of tight curls he made no attempt to tame. Looking into his sparkling dark brown eyes was rather spellbinding and she hardly noticed the slight stigmatism in his right eye that was far less pronounced than his father’s. His thick curly eyelashes and heavy dark brows only added to his good looks and his thick lips, high cheekbones, well-shaped nose and square chin all added to the effect. Surprisingly he had rather large hands but was nimble-fingered which proved invaluable in his role as a butcher and musician, two skills in which he was now fully accomplished having been tutored in both by his father.

Margaret was startled out of her daydreaming when the organist paused and a hush filled the crowded church with worshippers also standing against the walls along both sides of the aisles and in the back. Pastor Bertl strode in tall and erect, dressed in black with two white tabs at his collar, the so-called Moses Geboter. He entered the chancel and paused before the altar and then shortly after the refrain of the opening hymn began. She immediately recognized the melody. It was her mother’s favourite hymn. As the voices of the worshippers rose in a haunting crescendo she could hear Tobias’ clear tenor voice from the opposite gallery. She could sense the fervour and intensity of his singing and while he sang she watched him brush away some tears from his eyes and then his voice grew in volume as he gave expression to that part of himself she doubted she would ever understand. She opened her hymnbook and joined in singing with the others around her:

Der am Kreuz ist meine Liebe

Mein Lieb ist Jesus Christ.

Weg, ihr argen Sündentriebe,

Welt und Fleisch, mit eurer List!

Eure Lieb is nicht von Gott,

Eure Lieb ist gar der Tod.

Der Am Kreuz ist meine Liebe,

Weil ich mich im Glauben übe.

You, who upon the cross didst love me,

Jesus Christ, You are the love of my life.

Be gone all that leads us to sin,

Love of the world and the flesh depart

For your love brings only death and woe.

You, who upon the cross didst love me,

Through faith I shall cling to You evermore.

As the congregation filed out of the church in silence after the Gottesdienst concluded, the bells in the tower began to toll and the fast that had begun in the morning continued for the rest of the day. Like their Hessian forebears the only food that would be eaten was either milk or wine soup and boiled eggs. Exceptions were made for nursing mothers and younger children. Most families strictly observed the fast and no work was done; and local village officials saw to the enforcement of this prohibition. In some cases women did not even start up fires in their ovens or kitchen hearths. Extended families gathered in the home of their parents for evening household worship of Scripture reading, prayers and hymns, while during the day the bells in the church tower tolled every hour heralding the soon coming victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave.

"So what do you think Tobi? Are we doing anything today or are you...?" Philip asked as they walked towards the Bitz house after church.

I think I would like some time by myself, Tobias replied.

I understand, Philip answered even though he did not comprehend how his fun loving friend could be so deeply committed to his faith. They had been confirmed together but even then Philip sensed that Tobias, who was the Överst in their class, was in search of something that was beyond his understanding. He was glad Tobias had found it even though nothing like that had ever happened to him.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to leave after they arrived at the gate to the Bitz yard when Tobias called after him.

"Are you coming with us to the dance at the Wirtshaus on Easter Monday?"

Philip could not help smiling and turned around and called back to him.

"I’m glad to hear there’s still some rumspringa we can do together. I’ve had just about enough of this ufgeva stuff."

Tobias knew he was referring to the ban on dancing ever since Ash Wednesday and the rather curtailed Spinnstube activities of the young people. He had to admit he had missed them too but knew this was out of respect for the nature of the season. As he approached the house he found himself wondering what his life would be like if Philip would be one the conscripts that would be chosen in the lottery on Wednesday when the County and military officials from Igal came to the Wirtshaus.

CHAPTER II

Gazing across the hill and shading his eyes against the sun Adam Fischer searched for the long line of wooden grave markers and tombstones that were a mute reminder of the victims of the cholera epidemic of 1853. Struggling up the steep hill carrying the wreaths that his wife, Catharine, had formed out of dried flowers and ribbons he could not restrain the unbidden tears that began to course down his cheeks. Even after all of these years the pain was still there. Seven-year-old Johann, the joy of his life and precious little Elisabeth barely four, were resting here on the hillside in the shadow of the rising spire of the Lutheran church that stood like a sentinel over all of Ecsény. Wiping the tears away with the back of his gnarled freckled hand Adam proceeded to search for the graves he had come to decorate for Easter. He could see that he was not alone on this Saturday morning before Easter but it seemed as if each mourner was lost in thought and gave a wide berth to one another.

He found the telltale wooden marker that bore the name of his son. Kneeling down, he placed a wreath against the grey weathered board. He attempted to pray but found that no words came. All he felt was a deep emptiness in the centre of his life that somehow would never be filled. The words of the Vater Unser came to his lips as if out of nowhere and he felt a sense of comfort in praying the familiar words. Then it was time to move on.

On approaching Elisabeth’s wooden marker it appeared to have a crack inching its way down through the middle. Shaking his head in disappointment he knelt down and laid the wreath and promised himself that he would replace the children’s markers with stone memorials next summer. Praying this time came easier and he prayed with almost a sense of relief. Although Adam and Catharine had been sorely tested in the loss of their children, their faith had sustained them and they had learned to live their lives this side of the resurrection in that hope.

Just three graves over Adam came to his father’s final resting place. Friedrich Fischer had been the first of the Fischers to have been born in Ecsény and in the last year of his life he found what had alluded him all of his life and for that Adam was thankful. Laying the wreath up against the wooden marker Adam whispered, "Schloff gut Vati." He bowed his head once more and commended his father into God’s keeping.

From there he went on to another section of the Kerrichhop. He found the graves of their first two children: Jakob and Anna Margaret both of whom died in infancy. Their graves were more secluded and sheltered by the woods that were making gradual inroads on the outer perimeter of the cemetery but the markers were still in good condition and their names were easily discernible. After placing the wreaths he prayed as he had at the graves of the others. There was only one wreath left. He knew this was going to be the most difficult.

After making his way down into the lower cemetery where the more recent graves were to be found he could not help remembering the special joy both he and Catharine had known when all thoughts of another child had been dashed when a second Johann Fischer had entered the world. The infant died a few weeks later. At first, this loss was more than Catharine could bear and she had become almost a recluse until their friend Heinrich Kleiss had offered her some spiritual counsel. This enabled her to face this recent loss that she alleviated by lavishing all of her love and affection on their only surviving child who was now eleven-years-old. Young Adam had almost been carried off by cholera during the epidemic in 1853 but had somehow survived. For that reason both Adam and Catharine tended to be overprotective and if truth were told Catharine was guilty of pampering and spoiling him, a matter her husband Adam often brought to her attention. He always found himself disarmed when she would defend herself by saying, "But Adi, he’s all we have."

Looking down at the small grave Adam wondered who Johann could have become. Could he have fulfilled all of his dreams for him? Dreams that he also had for Adam who was giving evidence of going in directions that were only too familiar to his father whose brother Johann had shown the same tendencies as a boy. It was not that Adam was a disappointment, he was just different. At least that is what Adam tried to convince himself.

With this final visit he wondered if he should have gone in search of the older family graves that were almost surrounded by the encroaching brush and Brennessel bushes in the old Friedhof. It seemed that there were destined to be more Fischers in the Kerrichhop than in the village. His son Adam could very well be the last Fischer in Ecsény.

Climbing the steep hill from behind the church Adam took the short cut home. Three years before he had built their new house on the Kerriche Gass’. It was one of the largest on the Kippl in Mittl Etsch and the property boasted one of the purest wells, a spacious stable and Scheuer, an outdoor Backowe, large Tretplatz and a tile stove in the Kich. These were all signs of the family’s relative prosperity due to both Adam’s Fleissigkeit and Catharine’s Sparsamkeit. The house was located on the fourth lot from the corner and the church, where a winding road branched off and made its way through the dark thick Apadi forest to Bonnya that lay beyond. The house was rather strategically situated, close to the church and a stone’s throw away from the rambling evangelische Schul that young Adam attended. This is where the schoolmaster Konrad Becht ruled with an iron fist if the youngster could be believed. In fact, it was a slender willow rod as many of the boys and a few of the girls of the village could painfully attest.

Despite Adam’s accomplishments it was still difficult for some of the older villagers to believe that Adam could possibly be Friedrich’s son. Some of them explained it to themselves by pointing out that his mother had been a Bruder, part of a family that had been one of the early pillars of the church and community. Adam had the respect of the villagers and played a leading role in the life of the congregation along with Heinrich Kleiss. The fact that even at his age, Adam was a practical joker, also stood him in good stead among his friends. He was also renowned for his ability in playing several brass instruments and his fun loving spirit. His generosity was a byword in the village and every Gypsy beggar who passed through Ecsény knew he would never be turned away at his door. Adam took seriously the Biblical injunction to show kindness and mercy towards the sojourner and stranger at your gate, reminding others that their families too had come as strangers and sojourners to Hungary where they had prospered and found a Heimat of their own.

Along with Heinrich Kleiss he brought the need for a new parsonage to the attention of the congregation and became one of the major financial contributors. He was also prepared to roll up his sleeves and work and was always there to help in its construction. The project had been underway for three years and hopefully it would be completed early next year. This was welcome news for their Parra, Johannes Schöpf and his wife Francesca along with their growing brood of boys; who lived in the old, reed-roofed, crumbling living quarters the congregation provided.

"Grüss Gott Adi," the pastor called as he and his seventeen-year-old son Julius met him at the crest of the hill almost next to the church.

"Grüss Gott Herr Geistlicher," Adam replied as he doffed his black felt hat and exposed his radiant red blond hair that was always a talking point in the village.

"I see you’ve already been to the Kerchhop, he said matter-of-factly. We’re on our way there now. I’m just glad our Julius is home from school and can come with me."

Adam needed this reminder that he was not the only father to have lost children, for several of the pastor’s sons were also resting in Gottes Acker.

"How was school in Ödenburg?" Adam asked out of personal interest because he had always favoured the boy over the pastor’s other sons.

Harder than I thought, young Julius admitted.

Still can’t get his tongue around some of the more complicated Latin, Greek and Hungarian they teach there, his father explained on his behalf.

"I know you’ll do well and maybe some day you can come and be our Parrah," Adam suggested because he knew many people felt like that about the young boy who always seemed to possess a spiritual maturity beyond his years even as a child.

Old Johannes Schöpf beamed in response to what Adam had said because his greatest hope was that Julius would make the decision to become a pastor. This kind of encouragement from Adam Fischer is what he needed and young Julius took his words to heart and thanked him.

"Well now I’ll leave you with your son and go and find mine. I understand he’s busy building a Hasenstal somewhere," Adam said as he took his leave.

It’s just me, Adam called after entering the kitchen and the door closed noisily behind him. Because of his hearing loss he spoke louder than he should have and over the years Catharine had become accustomed to it but at times like this it still startled her.

Her back had been turned to him as she stirred the boiling brown onionskins to use as a dye for the Ostereier. Turning to face him she could not hide her tears.

Maybe you should have come with me, Adam suggested as he walked towards her in an attempt to console her. He took her into his arms and had to lean forward because of his height and held her snugly against his body. Once he felt she had recovered he gently released her and she stepped back and wiped her eyes with the handkerchief she had in the pocket of her apron.

Unlike many of the other women her age Catharine had not gained much weight as a result of childbearing. From Adam’s perspective she was as petite and delicate as she had always been. Looking into her brown eyes he saw the love and devotion that they had always shared with one another and had made all the difference in his life.

We need to see the stonecutter this summer to make memorial stones for the children because the wood is cracking, he managed to say hoping that would not result in a further display of the grief she still felt so acutely at times like this.

"Whatever you think Adi," she replied and caressed his hallow cheek.

There were so many things about Adam that had simply not changed. Despite the fact that he would be celebrating his fiftieth birthday he stood erect and was still the tallest man in the village. His blonde red hair had not lost its lustre nor had he lost any of his freckles. His sky blue eyes had softened over the years but had not dulled. He was as energetic as he had always been and deeply sensitive and aware of the feelings of others. She would be the first to admit that it was his abiding faith that sustained her in the losses they had faced together. She had confided to Heinrich Kleiss that she had learned more about Adam in listening to him pray than any conversation they had ever had with one another. If there was any cause of friction in their relationship it was their son Adam and how each of them approached parenting him. Both of them admitted that Adam was well aware of that and used it to his own advantage. But after all he was only eleven years old and they were adults!

"Ach my gebakene Hasse are burning!" She exclaimed and rushed to the oven of her tile stove where she was baking the special Easter cookies for their Godchildren.

The disaster had been averted and they were barely singed at the edges.

They look darker and more like rabbits now, Adam consoled her with his arm around her waist as he stood behind her.

"Ach go on with you now! Go and find our Adam," she said playfully as she felt his lips kiss her cheek as he released her.

Any idea of where he is?

Who knows? She said shaking her head.

Adam realized that was a clue and he went to find out.

He walked across the Strosz and made his way into the yard of Heinrich Kleiss’ house. The two couples were best friends, relatives, Gevatersleit and neighbours. When the Kleiss’ daughter Margaret was born a year after Adam, the two families had joked about their children marrying each other some day and over the years it had become an understanding between the two families. Both of the children were made aware of it and simply accepted it almost as a matter of course. That was simply the way life was from their childhood perspective of things in the adult world around them. Adam was convinced the Fischers would gain the most from the arrangement because Margaret was the kind of obedient, pleasant and dutiful daughter every parent dreamed of having. Although she was not a beauty, there was a kind of delicate prettiness about her, which was becoming more apparent now that she was ten years old.

She was playing in the Tretplatz and waved to Adam as he entered the yard. Her thick brown pigtails with red ribbons tied at the ends hung down to her shoulders. She offered Adam a giggle as she ran towards him. He hunkered down and hugged her. On releasing her he looked into her dreamy green eyes and saw her pucker her mouth before she offered a gracious smile. He had to admit her tiny button nose made her look like one of the cherubs in some of the woodcuts in the old family Bible smuggled into Hungary by old Adam Fischer from Hesse more than a century before. When he rose to his feet, it was difficult for him to realize she was taller than most girls her age because of his own height. The fact she had a sturdy constitution was also not lost on him. Taking his hand in hers she led him toward the house.

"It’s Adi Vetter!" She called out to her parents on entering the kitchen with him. Once the adults became engaged in conversation she retreated to the Kammer and put the finishing touches to her Hassenstal to welcome the Oster Hass.

"So I wondered if you’ve seen our Adi. He’s gone somewhere to build his Hassenstal and I have no idea of where to look."

"That could be a problem for you in delivering his Ostereier," Heinrich chuckled.

Sometimes I don’t know what to make of him, Adam confessed.

He’s just a boy, Anna Maria Kleiss reminded both of the men. She was forever taking his side and that was not lost on his grateful father.

He’s probably down by the new parsonage they’re building next to the church, the small soft voice of Margaret announced as she stood in the doorway of the Kammer.

Are you sure? Adam asked doubtfully.

"He was going that way after you left for the Kerrichhop," she replied and then retreated once more back into the Kammer.

She told on me didn’t she? Irate Adam said defiantly, closing one blue eye as he spoke like he usually did when he was being difficult or was considering something.

Not really. She just saw you were heading this way, his father said in Margaret’s defence.

She’s always sneaking around and squealing on me, he answered. Just what kind of a wife will she ever make me?

His father was dumbfounded. He decided to ignore his comment.

"Let’s just take your Hassenstal home so that the Oster Hass can find it to lay his eggs."

But why couldn’t he find it here?

"Adi if he left them here anybody could come and take them. How would anyone know they were yours?"

He obviously had not thought of that. Somehow what his father said made sense. That was not something that happened too often as far as he was concerned.

Look Momma I got a red and blue one! Adam said excitedly as he showed her two eggs, one in each hand, after running into the house from the stable where he had hidden his Hassentstal with his father’s help the day before.

What about all the others? His mother asked after spending so much time boiling the onionskins and dying the numerous other eggs and decorating them with patterns.

"Who needs brown ones? Even Hingl can lay brown eggs, he replied. Can I go over to my Pedr and Gohd now and see what I got over there?" In the next instant he was already running out the kitchen door without their permission and speeding across the street to his Godparents, Heinrich and Anna Maria Kleiss.

His father followed quickly after him and called out, Get back in time for church!

Adam just kept on running; raising a dust storm behind him. His father had to admit his son was flink and his skinny body belied the amount of strength he possessed. He was just always on the move. His fine red blonde hair seemed to fly about as he ran. The telltale freckles on his face and hands were replicated over his entire body and Adam Fischer knew he could never deny his paternity. Already tall and lanky at his age he gave every indication that he would match his father in height. Physically he resembled his father in every way but when it came to the intangibles like character, it was another matter. Only time would tell.

CHAPTER III

Her role as matriarch of the family did not come easily to Margaret Frischkorn even after almost six years as a widow. Her husband Heinrich had died unexpectedly in 1858 at the age of forty-five which in many ways was the norm for men who had been among the first settlers in Somodor. Men like him had spent their short lifetimes engaged in what had been an almost never-ending struggle to establish a homestead in this former swampy wilderness. They had done the backbreaking work of clearing the heavily forested land; drained the disease-ridden swamps; they had ploughed the unbroken, virgin soil and they had built their houses and outbuildings. In addition they had dutifully performed the necessary free labour they owed to the Batthyányi Herrschaft for their use of their land, all in an attempt to make ends meet, provide adequately for their families and set something aside for their children’s future. They did that because that is what these Children of the Danube always did and always would.

Even when they gained ownership of their land through the Land Reform Act in 1848 their lot in life hardly improved. The Herrschaft was no longer prepared to sell land and the limited sections of land they offered for purchase were beyond their means and often not of the best quality. In addition to working their own small plots of land and garden, raising livestock, bees, swine, sheep, fowl and poultry they took whatever work they could find as day labourers and their older children hired themselves out as Knechts and Magds in the surrounding villages. Entire families, including nursing mothers and their infants went into the Kreuzschnitt on the estates of various nobles and high churchmen in the area during harvest time. That had been very much the case for the Frischkorns and their four sons and surviving daughter during her husband’s last years.

There was no doubt in Margaret’s mind that her husband Heinrich had done everything he could and more to improve their economic situation. His determination and tenacity had been legendary in Somodor. He was known for his industriousness, his agricultural skills and his abilities related to the care and grooming of horses. He refused to give up the dream that had led them to leave their families and home behind in Keszö Hidegkút and strike out for Somodor in far off Somogy County to pioneer in the wilderness as their forebears had done before them. That painful separation from everything Margaret had known and held close to her heart was still a lingering ache and wrenching loss to which she had never been reconciled all of these years living in Somodor. But after listening in on her oldest son Heinrich’s conversation with Johann Schäfer and Konrad Joh about selling all of their holdings and following after another illusive dream to Schlafonie, she had been too upset to sleep the night before.

It was for this reason that she was anxious to speak privately with Elias; her second oldest son. Besides she had Ostereier for her three grandsons and a gebakene Hass for each of them. She had not seen them for some time even though they lived only a few doors down from the Frischkorn house. Her son Heinrich frowned upon her contacts with his brother and his family and was quite vocal about his feelings that Elias was the real cause of their father’s untimely death. This hurt her terribly having also lost her youngest son Johann because of his differences with his older brother but in her position she had no recourse but to follow Heinrich’s wishes in the matter. It was another price she paid for being a widow and living on the sufferance of her son and his wife Anna Maria who harboured deep resentment towards Elias’ wife Catharine who in her eyes had been the cause of the family scandal that reflected badly on all of them.

Despite the possibility of creating more conflict Margaret had risked to speak to Elias and his wife Catharine following the Easter service before returning home with the rest of her family. Indicating that she planned to visit her grandchildren later in the afternoon with her Oster Geschenk for them, Elias had taken her by surprise when he told her they were expecting his youngest brother Johann who was coming home from Gadács to stay with them for a few days. It was his first visit to Somodor since he had left the year after their father died. Her eyes filled with tears of joy and she clasped her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing out loud. This was the ultimate Easter gift for a bereft mother like her. From the look in Elias’ dark eyes she knew he was fully aware of the grief she had bourn these past five years. Johann was the only son who resembled her physically and in a sense also gave expression to her irenic spirit rather than the more volatile traits of his brothers that they owed to the Frischkorns. For that reason she felt closer to him than her other sons. When he left she had been utterly devastated and felt totally abandoned.

Johann had sensed his brother Heinrich felt he was a liability when it came to the family’s economic welfare. Following the death of their father, Heinrich as the oldest son, inherited the family home and landholdings which also meant he was responsible for the care of their mother and in future would provide a dowry for their sister Margaret. Johann’s relationship with Heinrich and his other brother Philip had always been strained and from early childhood he had gravitated towards Elias who took him under his wing and came to his support when he needed him. Farming never interested him and for reasons he could never understand he was terrified of horses unlike his three older brothers and their father who loved to work with them. He saw himself as the family misfit and opted to hire himself out to whoever might make use of him, limited as he was in both skills and aptitude.

At the age of fourteen he left home to take up an apprenticeship with a mason in Gadács who had been recommended to him by Nikolaus Ziegenheim and Johann Weissmandel when he was working on additions to their houses. When he asked where they learned the building techniques they used, they told him about George Tefner and his son Heinrich who were master masons in Gadács where they had lived before coming to Somodor. There were no masons and few tradesmen of any kind in Somodor and none of them had become a Meister and were not able to train others in their craft. After discussing the matter with Elias he had gone to Gadács to speak to the Tefners who offered him an apprenticeship and he never bothered coming back home. Over the years there had been only a few intermittent letters, each of which his mother treasured and reread late at night on those days when she missed him most.

"Ach Heinrich! Why did you bring me here and leave me to face all of this alone?" She commiserated with herself as she left the house. Trying to make peace between her sons was becoming impossible. All of her life she had tried to avoid conflict and acquiesced to her husband in matters of this kind but now there was no longer any other alternative. She decided she needed to act. But in what way was another matter.

While his wife Catharine and his mother-in-law busied themselves in preparing their Easter dinner in the kitchen and his father-in-law drifted off to sleep in the Kammer as he usually did in the early afternoon, Elias bounced his youngest son Philip on his foot as the one year old giggled happily with spittle slobbering down his chin. Like his four-year-old brother Heinrich he favoured his mother with his fair skin and blonde good looks. In comparison, their oldest brother Elias, now six years old, was a dark, swarthy, Linkdatsch Frischkorn through and through. There was a time when his father Elias was convinced he was not. That thought brought back all of those painful memories that Elias had not put behind him and probably never would.

Elias knew that the young women and girls in the village found him attractive but it had little to do with his looks. It had more to do with his manner and his sturdy physical build and the way he handled himself. He was always in a hurry and undaunted by any task. His flashing dark brown eyes were rather disarming and although he seldom smiled when he did it was with devastating effect. Tall, dark and swarthy summed him up. That he was reserved, if not aloof, all added to the aura of mystery he created. He managed to hide many of his deep-seated feelings that often emerged in his tumultuous relationship with his brothers Heinrich and Philip but only in the privacy of the family circle. He projected an outward sternness that easily thwarted unwanted advances on the part of more forward girls, especially the bane of his life, Catharine Küsster.

It was a few years before that spring of 1857 when he turned twenty-one, that his best and only close friend Heinrich Rauch had first alerted him to her intentions and the kind of wiles she might use on him in the hopes of getting him to marry her. That she had the approval of her parents was without question because they numbered themselves among Heinrich and Margaret Frischkorn’s closest friends and neighbours. Catharine was their only surviving child following the deaths of her brothers in the cholera epidemic of 1853 that had decimated Somodor. In the eyes of village society she was an heiress with land and therefore highly desirable. The fact that she was rather shapely, hübsch and buxom added to her allure and because she flirted outrageously there was a steady stream of would be suitors who followed in her wake. Her fair complexion and blonde hair, along with generous lips and a fine slightly upturned nose made her appear pleasing to the eye. Her sparkling almost green eyes and long lashes added to her overall facial beauty.

Yet it was almost inevitable that Elias would be attracted to Catharine König instead.

Not in the least outgoing she was shy, quiet and gentle. All the things Catharine Küsster was not and perhaps that was her appeal for Elias. In comparison to her she was rather petite and slight physically, slender but not skinny. From the first time Elias looked into her hazel eyes he was haunted by the sense of wonder he saw in them. In many ways she was almost childlike and her laughter did something to him. Her pretty facial features touched something deep within Elias and her daintiness seemed so out of character with the more sturdy young women in the village. There was a lilt to her soft voice that gave expression to her natural warmth. Seeing her around children he caught a glimpse of the kind of affection of which she was capable. From the first time he saw her when he was barely eighteen he felt an overpowering need to protect her because there was something vulnerable about her that brought out the best in Elias.

For most of the next two years he loved her at a distance, either unwilling or afraid to give expression to his feelings that she could so easily rebuff. But the more he observed her and the few occasions when they spoke or danced together he began to realize she was not the kind of person who would do that. She was too sensitive to ever hurt him.

That spring in 1857 he finally got up enough nerve and decided to declare himself to her. To his regret it happened to be about the same time that Johann Schneicker and his father came from Polány to negotiate a marriage contract with Catharine’s parents. As usual it was his friend Heinrich Rauch who broke the news to him.

I know how you feel about her and I thought I had to tell you, Heinrich told him. The tears in Elias’ dark brown eyes came as a total surprise to him. Even though he had known him for years he was not aware that Elias could have such tender feelings. For the first time he realized that Elias was actually in love with her. Despite the thick dark moustache Elias had grown to hide the birthmark on his upper lip, his trembling lower lip betrayed him.

What’s this Schneicker guy like? Elias stammered needing to say something.

"He’s got good prospects. Not bad looking. But a bit too stolz from what I hear," Heinrich replied not wanting to prolong the discussion because of Elias’ reaction.

I guess there’s not much I can do about it, Elias added as an afterthought.

You could always talk to her, Heinrich suggested.

I doubt if that would matter, Elias replied looking even more downcast.

You’ll never know if you don’t try, Heinrich counselled him, hoping that for his own sake he would.

Elias decided he would.

Then you’re not going to marry him? Elias asked, his heart pounding in his throat.

My mother would prefer if I married someone here in Somodor. She had to give up her family and move away from all of her friends in RacKozar when she married my father and wants to spare me that, Catharine answered quietly, clasping both of her hands and resting them on her lap as they sat alongside of one another with their feet dangling over the swift running creek down below them.

Anyone in particular? he dared to ask.

Are you asking? She replied without looking at him but watching the ripples the water made running across the rock barriers in the creek bed.

In the next moment she found herself in his arms with his firm lips pressing against her own in the first kiss either of them had ever shared. He released his lips from hers and gazed into her haunting eyes and whispered, Will you marry me?

You’ll have to ask my father, she answered grinning happily taking his hand in her own as he caressed her cheek with it.

It tickles, she quipped as she ran her fingers across his moustache.

When he kissed her the second time his moustache was the last thing she felt and knew that after all of these years ever since she had first felt attracted to him that what she felt for him was love and finally gave in to the wonder of realizing that.

For all of his life Elias would never forget how he felt for those next few months and the summer that followed. He lived in awe of the reality that Catharine loved him. There was a noticeable lightness to his step and his dazzling smile was seen more often. He was more open and talkative even though he had been almost tongue-tied when he spoke to his parents and asked his father to go freying with him to the Königs, unaware that his parents had already spoken to them after Heinrich Rauch had made a few hints. The final marriage contract would be drawn up later in the autumn once the crops were in and the marriage preparations for January could begin. Everyone noticed the profound change in Elias even his brothers. They were more circumspect in their relationship with him now that he was on the brink of becoming a married man. That he was marrying before his older brother and defying tradition was not a matter of concern to the Fischkorns. Heinrich’s turn would come once his prospects improved.

"Just think, when I get back from the Kreuzschnitt over in Szent Miklósi harvesting on the bishop’s estate, our parents will finalize our marriage contract," Elias whispered in Catharine’s ear as they sat side by side with their backs leaning up against the trunk of an oak tree. As their bodies nestled against each other with Elias’ arm around her shoulder she rested her head against his shoulder and held his free hand in her own.

So then it means you won’t be coming home in the evenings, Catharine indicated knowing she was going to miss seeing him because she was needed at home.

It’s more than a two hour walk each way and after harvesting all day it’s more than I think I could handle.

I’m glad your brothers and Heinrich Rauch are going to be with you. Just promise not to get into trouble with the girls who’ll be working with you.

That’s really the last thing in the world you’ll ever have to worry about, he assured her before their lips met in a long and tender kiss.

When their lips parted she looked into his dark sparkling eyes and ran her finger across his lower lip before she said what she felt she needed to say.

I hear that the Küsster girl will be harvesting with you. I have to admit I still get the feeling she hasn’t given up on you yet.

She had often playfully chided him about her in the past. Elias shook his head and then chuckled and kissed her once again.

That Catharine Küsster is going to be the death of me, Heinrich Rauch complained under his breath as he returned from behind the haystack where he had agreed to meet her. He placed his Strohsack close to Elias and lay down beside him quickly covering himself against the cold night air and also hiding the evidence of his near disaster.

Elias turned on his side facing Heinrich stifling a yawn after another hard sweaty day reaping out in the fields. He knew Heinrich expected him to react in some way.

Well what’s she up to now? He asked sleepily, not really that interested in her latest escapades.

No good if you ask me, Heinrich replied breathlessly. I almost…

But you didn’t, Elias replied severely.

You know I’m not that kind of guy. Besides Elisabeth would kill me, he answered. He was referring to his intended who also happened to be Catharine Küsster’s cousin.

Then why did you meet her like that? Elias inquired, asking the obvious question.

I just thought I’d try to find out what it’s like. You know what I mean. But once it was getting serious I thought better of it, Heinrich confessed almost embarrassed.

You should just count yourself lucky, Elias replied. Now let’s get some sleep.

The next day Elias had the feeling Catharine Küsster kept watching him and whenever he looked her way she stared back at him almost defiantly and then seemed to glance up and down the length of his body as if she were appraising him. He blushed and was embarrassed when she grinned at him rather approvingly. No wonder Heinrich had been in the state he was the night before.

When evening came, a group of young people including Heinrich and Elias’ brothers decided to head into the nearby village to see what kind of diversion they might find while Elias was content to remain behind and get some rest after another gruelling day’s work. He stretched out on his Strohsack in a secluded area in a copse of trees where he and Heinrich had decided to camp for the night. He soon fell asleep. In drifting off to sleep his thoughts were of all of Catharine and their wedding night…

The dream that followed had more reality than any he had ever dreamt before. The feel of Catharine’s warm body against his own and her lips pressing against his drove him to sensual excitement. He explored the depths of his untried sexuality and made passionate love to Catharine Küsster who had tried unsuccessfully to seduce him all day and now wantonly gave herself to him. He later awoke with a start and found her next to him. He sat up and shook his head trying to convince himself this was all just a bad dream but a rather triumphant smiling Catharine simply refused to disappear.

She grinned knowingly at him, rose to her feet and quickly began to dress silhouetted in the moonlight as the sounds their returning fellow workers were making became ever louder. Elias hurriedly slipped into his clothes and pretended to be asleep when Heinrich lay down next to him. During a sleepless night that followed Elias did not know if his feelings of violation and remorse were worse than his fear that Catharine would tell what had happened between them. He knew the repercussions would be disastrous for him and his future marriage.

What do you mean it’s mine? Elias spat out angrily after Catharine Küsster accused him of fathering the child she was carrying.

You know full well, she answered belligerently.

I wasn’t the only one, Elias replied in an attempt at self-defence.

"I can see you’ve been talking to Heinrich Rauch. Poor guy didn’t know what to do and is tarrich gange just when things were getting interesting."

I was hardly your first, Elias replied adamantly.

But I was yours. Your little Catharine might be interested in knowing I beat her to it.

Elias controlled himself because he almost struck her.

How far gone are you?

You want to count the months on your fingers do you?

He was flabbergasted. He had no idea of what to do or say.

It’s about my fourth month. My mother figures the baby will come early in April.

He did the arithmetic in his head. It was possible. It was October.

You know I’ll have to talk to Catharine about this. Our parents are already negotiating the marriage contract.

This changes things, Catharine insisted. You’ll have to tell her or I will.

With a threat like that Elias knew he had to play the man and tell her.

Can you ever forgive me? Elias begged her. It pained him to see the tears and hurt in her dazed eyes.

"I can forgive you Eli, but what of the poor child? The child needs a father. You know what it’s like for a gefunenes Kind in a small village like this."

But I could never marry her, Elias insisted.

I’m afraid you’ll have to now.

But I may not be the father, he offered as his last argument.

But you would always wonder and so would I. I’m sorry but I don’t see how we can have a life together now, Catharine responded choking back her words now unable to restrain her tears as she ran into the house weeping.

Her parents told us they have signed a marriage contract with the Schneickers and the marriage will be in January, Heinrich Frischkorn told his distraught son who could not hide his tears. Since he did not speak his father looked at his wife. She nodded her head in agreement for him to go on.

You know you have to marry the Küsster girl, he said evenly knowing his son’s heart had been broken. You know our family’s good name is at stake.

Elias shook his head defiantly. Was it not enough he was losing the love of his life? Must he be condemned to life with a woman who made him betray himself?

"Please Eli. You know you have to reconsider. The shame would be just too much for all of us," Heinrich said quietly as Margaret enfolded her son in her arms for the first time since he was little boy.

I can’t, he answered spitting out each word.

You’ll have to, his father replied sternly and left the room.