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Remember to Tell the Children: Book Two: Strangers and Sojourners
Remember to Tell the Children: Book Two: Strangers and Sojourners
Remember to Tell the Children: Book Two: Strangers and Sojourners
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Remember to Tell the Children: Book Two: Strangers and Sojourners

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As the 19th Century dawned, the pioneering days of the Children of the Danube were now mostly behind them. The new generation no longer thought of Hesse, Baden and Wrttemberg when they heard their elders talk about home. Home was what they experienced in their own insular village enclaves scattered throughout Swabian Turkey in southwest Hungary. It was the quest for a new Heimat that had spurred their ancestors to come down the majestic Danube River almost a century before. Yet, three generations later, their descendants still remained Strangers and Sojourners in the land.


It was their language, faith and traditions that provided cohesion to their life together but at the same time separated them from those around them. They remained outsiders and were seen as foreigners who were resistant to every attempt at assimilation. Having established their identity in their heritage they were forced to adapt to changing situations constantly challenging them. This often meant venturing beyond their own communities and living alongside those who spoke another language, subscribed to a different creed, observed customs and traditions unlike theirs and lived an accompanying different lifestyle. In response to these outside pressures, what emerged among them was a distinct society, which was perceived as a desire to remain Strangers and Sojourners.


But history was not on their side as the Napoleonic Wars raged across Europe and left their mark on the political and social landscape. The following archconservative reaction set the scene for the upheaval known as the Revolution of 1848 that swept across Europe giving birth to the Hungarian War of Independence. All of this led to repercussions from which the Children of the Danube could not escape. As that history unfolds, Habsburg Emperors along with other notable historical personages will enter the story, but it will be the little known Archduchess Maria Dorothea, wife of the Viceroy of Hungary, who would have the greatest impact on the life and future of the Children of the Danube. All of this sets the scene for the next generations who will be remembered as the Emigrants and Exiles, and their story will constitute the final volume of the trilogy: Remember To Tell The Children.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherAuthorHouse
Release dateDec 4, 2007
ISBN9781463461805
Remember to Tell the Children: Book Two: Strangers and Sojourners
Author

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.

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    Remember to Tell the Children - Henry A. Fischer

    CHAPTER I

    Has he asked you yet? Juri asked playfully, knowing that Catharine Weing never liked to discuss the subject of Daniel Werbach with him. It was just that he could simply not resist and besides he was curious to know if his girl-shy, best friend had followed through on his promise to invite her to this year’s Maientanz now just one week away.

    She decided the best response was not to answer at all and just kept looking straight ahead as they walked along in silence toward the village. They had met at the entrance to the Tefner vineyard where Juri had spent the day working at the spring pruning and weeding, neither of which were tasks he really enjoyed. But then, any kind of fieldwork was not something he looked forward to doing nor did he do any of it well. That, among other things, made Juri Tefner different and somewhat of a misfit in the eyes of many of those who lived in the rigid traditional society of the village of Döröschke.

    This rustic, somewhat isolated community was part of the small, scattered enclave of so-called Swabian settlements established here in Somogy County in the previous century. In the early 1720s their adventurous, hardy, pioneering forbears had made their way here down the Danube River in search of their own Promised Land in far off Hungary. First, they had gone on foot to Regensburg carrying what they could, where they boarded packed rafts or crowded barges along with their young families and headed down the river, forever leaving their distant homelands in Hesse and other regions of south western Germany behind them. Later, arriving in Hungary, they left Buda onboard the Imperial transports heading for the Banat, but jumped ship at Paks-on-the-Danube. From here they joined wagon trains that took them into the interior of Tolna County to redevelop the devastated estates of the nobles who recruited them with more promises than they ever kept. Gradually spreading across the forested valleys and broad Pusztas of the Tolna some of them eventually made their way into neighbouring Somogy County.

    They came in search of land to provide a better future for their families; escape various injustices imposed upon them by the nobles and the religious persecution they experienced at the hands of the Hungarian and Habsburg authorities. Döröschke’s long spiralling row of whitewashed houses with their thatched and reed roofs were clustered together, struggling to climb up the lower slopes of the Josefsberg, the highest elevation in the rolling, heavily forested hills of this part of southern Hungary just below Lake Balaton. This was the setting and location of the Heimat, which these Children of the Danube had hacked out of the wilderness and made their own.

    At fifteen, Juri Tefner had almost reached his adult height, which made him taller than most. He was slim and broad shouldered and walked with a kind of measured gait while strolling with Catharine, rather than his usual long strides that gave evidence of a discernible slight hop to his step as he shifted his hips. He wore his now dusty black vest unbuttoned and his heavily sweated hemp cravat was tied loosely around his neck. His knee length trousers were blue and tight fitting and his long knitted stockings still bore a semblance of white after a day spent on his knees in the vineyard. The short sleeved, light blue, hemp shirt he wore did not have a collar and was open at the throat revealing traces of his golden chest hair. Even though he wore a black three-cornered hat well back on his head, his unruly, almost golden, blonde hair managed to stick out in various places, especially across his dirty and sweated brow down to his slightly darker eye brows and curly lashes. His sky blue eyes and his colouring, like most of his best features, he owed to his beautiful widowed mother, the former Catharine Rudolph. His high cheekbones, thin lips, tapered slim nose and firm chin all added to his strikingly handsome appearance.

    It was no wonder that when he flashed his winsome smile in Catharine’s direction she found it hard to look him in the eye because she was convinced she would give herself away. These feelings had their beginnings in her early childhood, and had become deeper as the two of them had grown older. But they were not sentiments that Juri returned or at least he never gave any indication of anything beyond the close friendship they had always enjoyed together.

    Catharine was wearing her white Kopftuch well back on her head and tied very loosely beneath her chin with a narrow pointed bow as was the custom and tradition in Döröschke. In this way her lustrous, thick, light-brown-almost-blonde-hair was visible. Unlike most other girls her age she did not try to straighten the texture of her hair or part it in the middle, although like them, she braided her hair to form a soft silken bun at the nape of her long slender neck known as a Schnatz in the Hessian Lutheran villages in Somogy County. She often went bareheaded like most of her contemporaries but because it had been such a hot, late April day she wore her kerchief rather than the tight fitting Krälle Kap that completely covered hair, head and ears against the ravages of the sun.

    Her light brown brows and long curly lashes drew attention to one of her best features: her fascinating hazel eyes. At first glance they appeared to be brown but when the eyes of the beholder met hers they would discover a hint of green that seemed to capture the essence of her vitality and revealed much of her personality. Her warm, welcoming, soft lips were like an open invitation, and her finely chiselled nose gave her the appearance of being delicate which was a sign that her prettiness was well on the way to becoming a maturing beauty. Her voice had a lilting quality that expressed itself in her easy laughter and even at the worst of times she managed to speak without an edge to her voice.

    The layers of skirts that she wore reached well below her knees, and were topped off by a soft green overskirt. The whole effect gave evidence of her narrow waist and long legs. Her upper Mutze was made of the same material and colour as her outer skirt and the sleeves extended to her wrists. The high-buttoned collar somehow drew attention to the contours of her developing bosom. A shiny hunter green apron completed her ensemble. Her choice of colour highlighted her hazel eyes so that on occasion Juri was convinced that they were bright green. She carried herself well and was light on her feet. Walking beside Juri, she was level with his chin, making her taller than most girls her age. Yet despite the refinement of her looks there was nothing physically frail about her.

    Although Catharine Weing was a year younger than Juri, she was maturing physically at a rapid pace, a fact which most of the other youth and young men in the village recognized and upon which one of them had already acted. There had been a marriage proposal from a rather quiet but persistent seventeen-year-old suitor, which had been turned down by her mother because of Catharine’s age. Nor could a postponement be agreed upon between the two widowed mothers. Dark haired, dreamy eyed Johannes Wolf had been devastated, but at his determined mother’s insistence, he had reluctantly given in to her and contracted an advantageous arranged marriage to a compliant Anna Maria Sarg of Ecsény, which had taken place just two months before. The elaborate wedding celebration would be considered the major social event in the life of the village for all of 1803.

    Catharine was now going on fifteen and would be considered a more eligible candidate for marriage in the near future, but she doubted Juri had any thoughts or inclinations in that regard. Walking alongside him like this, their shoulders or hands would accidentally brush up against that of the other. There were times when Catharine lived for those kinds of physical contacts with him, hoping for some kind of response, but there were never any. Besides Juri would hardly notice anyway. Getting Juri to notice her in the way she wanted him to notice her, had been her life’s ambition but there were no results to show for all of her efforts.

    The only crack in Juri’s armour had been at the age of eight, when he had kissed her, after the two of them had fallen all over each other in the middle of the road in his attempt to get her attention to ask her to forgive him for getting her into trouble with the schoolmaster: strict, old Kaspar Ritzeld. Actually, it was Juri’s dog Floppsie that had been the real culprit and knocked Catharine down on top of him and kissing her seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But now, outside of dancing together, there was no physical contact between them. They were obviously just good friends. It was all really very innocent. Like brother and sister. Because of that, the community thought nothing of their unsupervised meetings like this and considered them benign in terms of any kind of romantic significance. Which to say the least was rather rare in this tradition bound society with its strict mores with regard to relationships and contacts between unmarried young people. The only dissenter to this view of things was Juri’s mother, who in her heart of hearts, was convinced Juri was in love with her, even if he did not know it.

    Now that your Johannes Wolf is out of the picture, would you go with Daniel? Juri asked cautiously, knowing he was dealing with a sensitive matter.

    The subject of Johannes Wolf had never come up between them before and Catharine was surprised he would mention him now, not having expressed any thoughts or opinion during the marriage negotiations between the two families and she had to admit she had been both rather hurt if not mystified by that fact.

    I’m afraid, Daniel would have to ask me first, she replied without turning to look at him. With nothing to lose she asked, Do you realize this is the first time you’ve ever mentioned Johannes to me? How come?

    To be honest, Juri had no idea of why he had done so.

    I was never quite sure how you felt about him, he replied, not knowing where that came from either as he felt a sharp pain on the sole of his left foot.

    Would it matter? Catharine asked, as Juri paused to remove a stone from his Klumba.

    Looking into her hazel eyes as if for the first time, he saw something he had never seen before and it haunted him. Could it be tears? Or was it something else?

    What did you think of him? Juri asked as they continued to walk alongside of one another, with Juri looking straight ahead, wondering how he would respond to what she might say.

    Well for one thing, I have to admit I thought he was rather good looking, she confessed and noticed Juri’s facial reaction to what she had said.

    But Juri had no comment to make on that subject.

    He’s certainly hardworking and ambitious, she added, remembering what her mother had pointed out to her and which was considered highly important in a future husband.

    Unlike your present company, Juri replied with a self-deprecating snicker.

    "You work hard at the things that matter to you Juri," she answered as if she felt he needed that affirmation. They had both stopped walking and faced one another.

    But what was he like? Juri asked not wanting to deal with what she had just said about him, because he did not see himself in that way.

    Shy in many ways, she answered. Actually, Johannes never did say very much.

    Kind of dull and unexciting I suppose, Juri suggested, almost hopefully.

    Not dull. He just wasn’t sure of himself, Catharine replied. Unlike you.

    Juri decided to let her last remark go without the need to comment on it.

    Were you in love with him? Juri now wanted to know as they began to walk again.

    I hardly see why that should be of any interest to you now, Catharine answered almost petulantly.

    I’m just asking for Daniel’s sake. He just doesn’t know if he has a chance with you and I’m afraid he’s not bold enough to find out.

    Why are you doing this for Daniel? Catharine asked, rather perplexed by the role that Juri was playing in both of their lives.

    Because I think Daniel is just right for you, Juri said with utter conviction.

    Shouldn’t I have something to say about that? Catharine demanded. What if I’m in love with someone else?

    That thought had never entered Juri’s head before. In his own mind he was convinced that his best friend was perfect for his other best friend.

    They had just reached the steep hill and the road that led down into the lower village and Juri decided he still had something else to do before heading home.

    "I’m going down to the Gärtners where Hansi is working with Andreas Vetter to see how he did on his first day as an apprentice," Juri indicated and turned to leave.

    Maybe sometime we could finish this conversation, Catharine said hopefully.

    To her surprise he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her and his eyes met hers.

    I think I would like that, he replied, wondering what on earth he would tell Daniel who was counting on his intervention. He also struggled with the fact that in the past he had convinced himself he was concerned about her relationship with Johannes because of his hopes for Daniel, but after hearing her say what she had said, he realized he was jealous and not quite certain why he should be.

    From Juri’s perspective his brother Johannes, better known as Hansi, was everything he was not. Johannes was the Tefner heir apparent to the tradition and heritage of the family even though he was the younger brother. This was the way Juri had always wanted it to be. Strangely enough, there was no physical resemblance between the two brothers. Anyone who had known his father Sebastian would immediately recognize that Johannes was his son. As an old Hessian adage put it, Johannes’ features were "Aus sein Vaters Gesicht geschnitten." He had the telltale, broad Tefner forehead; the thick auburn hair that could turn golden in the sunlight; the penetrating and sometimes piercing amber eyes; the generous mouth always on the verge of a smile; the tapered nose and firm chin. Even though he was only in his thirteenth year his good looks gave every indication of a future handsomeness. He was physically sturdier than his older brother and already reached higher than his shoulders. He exuded a sense of energy and agility in the way he walked and went about his tasks.

    The same stubborn determination that was part of the Tefner character and legacy was deeply rooted within him and it seemed as if it had always been there, even from an early age. There had never been any question about his future. He would become a mason just like his father, grandfather and great grandfather before him. As a youngster he would follow his Andreas Vetter to his worksites and sit and watch, fascinated as he saw walls ascend up out of the ground, and longed to play in the loam and clay mixture that looked so enticing. Sometimes his uncle let him make bricks of his own by adding some straw to the mixture that he would bring home triumphantly to show his doting older brother upon whom his sun rose and set.

    Juri often wished he had the same sense of purpose that his younger brother had. After his own confirmation, he too had pursued an apprenticeship with Valentine Jung, one of the village shoemakers, but quickly discovered he had no ability, interest or aptitude for the trade. This was followed by a short apprenticeship as a harness maker that also resulted in an early release due to the impatience of his mentor and his own lack of ability. He just could not get his hands to co-operate in acquiring the skills required.

    In a sense that was rather strange, since he had mastered the Harmonium and continued to play whenever the schoolmaster Kaspar Ritzeld allowed him the opportunity and on occasion he had even played during some of the church services when the schoolmaster had been unavailable. But a career in music was a farfetched and fanciful idea. He lacked an education beyond the sixth grade when formal schooling in the village school ended. He knew his mother was not in a position to send him to school in Gyönk or elsewhere, even though Pastor von Horváth encouraged her to attempt to do so. It was simply beyond their means. They lived comfortably, but Catharine Tefner had to take on doing all kinds of additional work to maintain the household and manage to keep and work the vineyard and fields that remained of the Tefner holdings, along with the house, garden and orchards. Juri was still searching to find his place and in many ways was simply marking time, living from day to day and not thinking too much about the future, except for when it came to his younger brother whom he idolized.

    It was only at Hansi’s confirmation a few weeks earlier that Juri realized that his brother had also inherited the depths and intensity of the Tefner spirituality that had in some sense eluded him. Ever since his father’s death, Juri struggled desperately to believe and have faith in the way his father had and in the way his mother did. He often spoke to her about his doubts and spiritual conflicts and she seemed to understand and offered what counsel she could. At her suggestion and encouragement he tried to find what he was looking for and somehow missing in prayer, his Bible and the Stark Gebetbuch, which had always been the lifelines in the spiritual quest of his family. But up until now, all he experienced was a gnawing void: an inner emptiness and sense of hollowness that had first overwhelmed him on the day of his father’s funeral when he had run off to the creek to be by himself and only Catharine Weing had risked to follow and stay with him. That had bonded them for life and was something he needed to take into account in his ongoing relationship with her, but now when it came to Hansi it was another matter. At his recent confirmation he had further demonstrated to Juri that he was farther along in his spiritual formation than he had even imagined.

    Unlike Juri, he excelled in his confirmation studies and had become the Överst from among the twenty-one members of his class. On the day of his Confirmation during the pastor’s Public Examination of the nervous and anxious young catechumens, much to the utter relief of his classmates, he had turned to Hansi when coming to the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed and the meaning. Hansi had risen to his feet slowly in order to answer and as he began to speak everyone in the hushed little wooden church that his father had helped to build was spellbound by what they heard. The youngster was not simply reciting words from Luther’s Small Catechism but was confessing the faith that had come to birth within him and no one knew that better than Juri, who had to fight back his tears as he heard his brother personally acknowledge:

    I believe that Jesus Christ true God, begotten of the Father from all Eternity

    and true man, born of the Virgin Mary is my Lord.

    He has redeemed me a lost and condemned person

    and delivered me from sin, death and the power of the Devil;

    Not with silver and gold but with His holy and precious blood,

    His innocent sufferings and death,

    In order that I might be His own

    and live under Him in His Kingdom

    and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness

    Even as He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns eternally.

    This is most certainly true.

    After Hansi sat down the lingering silence bore witness to the truth that had been spoken and confessed by the young boy. Juri knew he was not there yet, but for the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of hope.

    Approaching the Gärtner’s house Juri could see Hansi up on the scaffolding with a V- shaped wooden tray resting on his shoulder from which their Andreas Vetter scooped out the loam mixed with clay into the wooden forms set up to encase the rising wall. It was his uncle who noticed him first and waved and nodded towards Hansi who then turned and grinned at his brother. Juri had to keep from laughing because his brother looked the worse for wear on his first day at work. The dried clay and loam clung to most of his clothes and there was a streak of mud across his broad forehead and in his hair that had managed to find its way out from under his three-cornered hat. Other dirty smudges covered his cheeks and upon closer examination his hands and arms also bore testimony to his work in the loam pit for most of the long workday.

    "Since Juri’s here, I guess it’s time for us to quit," Andreas Landek announced to both of them grinning happily.

    Hansi would not have admitted it, but he was exhausted. Every muscle ached and his sweated body gave evidence of the hard work he had done. The sight of Juri had its desired effect because he wanted him to see that he was equal to the task to which he had set himself without any reservations. Juri’s unqualified approval alone would make it all worthwhile and from the look on his face he knew he had it. He scampered down the scaffold and made an attempt at brushing off some of the dried clay and mud from his clothes, but with little success as he walked towards Juri.

    "You can do that at home Hansi," Juri assured him as he proceeded to talk to Andreas Landek to thank him once more for giving his brother this opportunity to learn his trade.

    There is so much more I owe to both of you because of everything your father did for me and who he was for me, he confessed resting his hand on Juri’s shoulder and the emotion he felt was obvious to Juri. At times I can’t believe he’s been gone five years already, he added shaking his head.

    It’ll be five years on the first of May, Juri replied choking back his tears before he found himself in his Andreas Vetter’s powerful arms. Hansi observed all of this from a distance and knew that this was an intimate moment for both of them. His memories of his father were growing dimmer and dimmer and he could hardly remember what he looked like, or what his voice sounded like, but most of all he missed him on those nights when Juri would tell him and their little sister Elisabeth the story of the One Hundred Towers of Regensburg.

    Eight-year-old Elisabeth brushed back some loose strands of her reddish blonde hair from across her forehead and reached down for the frightened, frail, little gosling that she placed in her lap resting it on her outstretched blue apron. Like her mother she wore several layers of skirts with a sky blue one on top. Her black tasselled Halstuch bordered with tiny red roses that she wore across her shoulders was crisscrossed at her waist. She was bareheaded and her hair was braided and the two pigtails were wrapped around the crown of her head with a straight part in the middle. Sitting on the stool that her mother had put out for her here in the yard she turned to her task. Her green eyes twinkled as she looked down at the gosling and gently petted it and could feel its small body tremble with fright while she now offered it a small sop of bread that she had dipped in some warm milk. Cautiously the gosling responded and gulped it down with one swallow making Elisabeth giggle before she proceeded to offer it another that was eagerly awaited by the trembling white and yellow fluff sitting on her lap.

    Catharine Tefner, the little girl’s mother, was surrounded by her Twelve Apostles, as her geese were known, even though the goslings numbered eleven this year, along with the goose and gander from last year’s flock that she had kept for breeding. She too was bareheaded and one single strand of braided blonde hair rested up against her left shoulder. Her waist was narrow and despite bearing seven children, her body was hardly matronly nor had her youthful beauty faded in the least and in some sense there was a kind of radiance about her that belied the difficulties and losses she had faced and the responsibilities she bore as a widow with three young children. The sleeves of her white blouse only went as far as her elbows and there was some floral embroidery around the cuffs and collar as well as along the row of buttons of her black velvet vest. Her series of black skirts reached down slightly below her knees and her workday ensemble was complete with her long white knitted stockings, not to mention her wooden Klumpen that she wore outside of the house working in the garden, yard, orchard and stables.

    The gander raised his head and rubbed his long neck up against Catharine’s thigh in the hope of getting her attention and another morsel of bread dipped in milk. The young scavengers among the goslings squabbled and hissed as they fought over bits of bread and kernels of corn tossed their way and fluttered and beat their emerging wings that were just beginning to become feathered against each other, while the goose looked on as if supervising the whole operation and gulping down any bread or corn that had gone astray. On occasion it would glance at the other much smaller gosling that sat up and ate the morsels that the enchanting little girl offered to it safely away from the others. It had hatched over a week later than the others and Catharine Tefner had named the little late arrival, Benjamin. Although the geese were her pride and joy, the goose down that she was able to sell, provided additional income for the family along with the extra pigs she was fattening this year. She had also purchased four more sheep to increase her small flock for their wool and Hansi had adopted the lamb that a ewe rejected in favour of its twin and had nurtured it so that it was now as strong as its twin and was accepted back into the flock.

    Faced with all of this work and her household activities, not to mention the comings and goings of Juri and Hansi who were now out working, gave her little pause to feel sorry for herself, which is something she seldom did because she found her strength to go on because of her children, her memories of Sebastian and the children she had lost, and her abiding faith. It was hard to believe that it was only five years…it seemed so much longer to Catharine, especially during the long lonely nights.

    After glancing around approvingly at her charges, Catharine raised her hand to shield her eyes against the sun and looked up the road and saw them coming. There were no two other brothers quite like them. They were the best of friends even though they were as unalike as possible. Hansi was certain and sure about everything and Juri never quite sure of anything. She was simply grateful that they were so deeply committed to one another.

    "Ach Lisje mei Kind, they’re coming, Catharine called to her daughter. Get the Lavour and fill it with some warm water from the kitchen so that the boys can clean up."

    Elisabeth set down her small frightened charge and the goose immediately made its way over to guard and protect it against the more aggressive chickens in the yard, not to mention the rest of her boisterous brood, while also eyeing Floppsie who had just awakened in response to the announcement of the boys’ coming. This frolicsome dog was from a litter that the original Floppsie had sired and in colouring, size and character was very much a replica of the original. The dog was up on its feet in a bound and before Catharine could open the gate, the dog crawled under it and ran up the road where Juri and Hansi were beginning to descend the hill at the Aumanns. He barked and wagged his tail furiously and jumped up on Hansi in greeting, almost knocking him over, while Juri tried to restrain him afterwards and bent down and welcomed the wet kisses that the dog excitedly lavished all over his face.

    Catharine stood at the gate and watched them and a lump came to her throat as she thought, If only Sebastian…

    She could have completed that thought in a variety of ways, but today in particular she wished that he could have somehow counselled her on how to deal with Juri who seemed destined never to find himself or his place. She felt a special ache in her heart over him. In the past she had been able to share things with her Ami Wesje, Anna Maria Landek her closest confidant, but she had died the year after Sebastian and no one had ever taken her place. Fortunately there had always been a special bond between herself and Juri, the only son who resembled her, not only in looks, but also in temperament and character. For that reason Juri found it easy to confide in her and trusted her judgement and she knew when it was time to leave him because of his need for solitude without feeling excluded from his life. But she knew that both of her sons needed the support and the insights of a man in their lives.

    Catharine looked to her two cousins, George and Andreas Landek, to fulfill that role, especially George, because he was Juri’s godfather. Andreas was very much following through on that with Hansi by teaching him his trade, and he also had a close relationship with Juri. But despite all of George’s considerable efforts, he had been unable to help Juri find a future direction. He had made the arrangements for the apprenticeships with both the shoemaker and harness maker and had paid the full fees even though Juri did not complete his contracts with either of them. Both he and Andreas had offered to provide funds to assist Catharine to send Juri off to school but that idea had been dashed when it became clear that he would be unable to keep up with the work because of his lack of a comprehensive knowledge of Hungarian.

    Since the turn of the century, Hungarian had become the compulsory language for all instruction in the higher institutions of learning in Hungary beyond what was available in the village schools. Juri’s knowledge of the spoken language was considerable but there were very few occasions or reasons for him to ever use it, which made him like most of his Swabian contemporaries who were not in touch with the Hungarian-speaking public. But the fledgling Hungarian nationalist movement was determined to change that in the future. Vastly outnumbered by various minorities, the Hungarians were reacting out of fear of being swamped by these populations in their own homeland, forever changing their national identity, character and aspirations. As a result, knowledge of the Magyar language would become the ultimate loyalty test for of all of the minorities, otherwise in the eyes of the Hungarian nationalists, they would forever remain strangers and alien sojourners in their land.

    As they approached their mother, they both grinned, while she stood on the other side of the gate. Seeing the dried loam and mud all over Hansi’s clothes and the exposed parts of his body and the visible results of Juri’s efforts pruning and weeding, she shook her head and said, "Your sister has a Lavour of water waiting for you. Get cleaned up for supper."

    What’s for supper? Juri asked hopefully.

    "Bohnasup und Pogatscha," his mother replied knowing how much he loved both, while she noticed Hansi turn up his nose.

    "There’s some Schunga too," she assured him as he grinned back at her.

    She opened the gate and they ran towards the stable where Elisabeth was placing the basin of water along with a block of recently made soap from lard and some lye retrieved from wood ashes that she had helped her mother boil and dutifully stir for hours. It was one of the many steps in her training to become a competent Swabian Hausfrau.

    So tell me then, did you like it? Juri asked as he soaped his naked chest, wearing only his knee length trousers, having abandoned his cravat, Klumpen, shirt and vest.

    Most of it, Hansi admitted as he scrubbed his hands and arms, not wanting to give Juri a false impression of what was involved in his work, much of which was rather strenuous and dirty.

    I guess that’s alright, as long as this is what you want to do, Juri commented as he cupped water in his hands and proceeded to rinse off the soapsuds from his chest and under his armpits. Hansi finished washing his hands and following his brother’s lead he took off his shirt and proceeded to work on the newly exposed areas of his body badly in need of cleansing while Juri began to dry himself.

    Let me do your back, Juri said after he was done, shaking his head wondering how that got dirty too.

    Hansi was only too happy to comply and stood there with his hands on his hips with his back to his brother. As Juri went about his task he realized how physically mature his brother was becoming. In light of the trade he had chosen he would need it, Juri decided.

    Have you never thought of becoming a mason…? Hansi asked.

    I’m afraid that just doesn’t interest me and I’m not good at using my hands, Juri responded honestly.

    Then what’re you going to do?

    I really don’t know. I guess I’ll just to try to help out here at home any way I can, until something comes along, Juri replied. There, you’re dry now.

    But isn’t there something you really want to do? Hansi asked as he turned around and faced his brother, needing to see his face when he answered.

    We know that’s not possible now, Juri answered with a hint of despondency about it.

    I just wish I could do something, Hansi replied.

    You are, Juri assured him, With you around I never have to worry about Momma and Elisabeth because you’ll have a trade regardless of what I end up doing.

    Juri began to wash his hair, while Hansi dealt with his feet and legs that were also casualties of the loam and mud pit. When Juri began to dry his hair, his younger brother felt the freedom to speak of something he had never brought up before.

    Do you think Momma will ever marry again? Hansi asked apprehensively.

    Juri paused before he answered because that was a possibility he had thought about.

    In the first few months after Poppa died there were a whole bunch of men who came and proposed marriage, Juri admitted. But she didn’t show any interest and said it was far too soon. And then this one man came from Kötcse and I thought that maybe she would say yes because he seemed so persuasive and self-confident. He was a widower and a very prosperous farmer. The idea of moving away was not something Momma was prepared to do and told him so. But he was persistent and came back a second time.

    I happened to be in the house when he came that time and I overheard some of the conversation. As I remember it, I heard him say something like, I’m just not prepared to lose you a second time. You know I’ve always loved you and I know that you once had feelings for me. How can you even think of turning me down again? Just think of everything I can offer you now. What I can do for you." I was only about ten years old and I know I was afraid she would say yes. I know now, I don’t have the right to make that kind of decision for Momma. But after he left that day he went and stayed at our Leonhard Vetter’s waiting for her answer. Momma told me that he was Baltasar Kurz and she had once been engaged to him and the marriage contract had been signed but she had left Kötcse a few weeks before the wedding because she had met Poppa when he visited his grandparents and she had fallen in love with him but was afraid to break the engagement until she knew how Poppa felt about her. And of course we know the rest. When he came back the next day she told him she was not interested in remarrying and I remember that he didn’t say a thing. He just shook his head in bewilderment and left."

    I can’t imagine Momma with anyone except our Poppa, Hansi confessed. Was she ever in love with this Baltasar?

    She never told me that, Juri admitted, but she did say that what he called love, she called control and I’m not sure what she meant.

    That’s what I like about having you for my brother, Hansi said as he slipped into a clean shirt.

    What’s that?

    You know everything worth knowing, he replied as he ran his hand through his auburn hair in the hopes of straightening it out into a semblance of order.

    That’s really a surprise to me. Because that’s the way I feel about you, Juri replied as he stretched out his hand and messed up his brother’s hair once more and then a friendly tussle took place and for the first time in a long time, Juri planted a wet kiss on his brother’s cheek the way he did when he was younger and both of them recognized that the relationship they had as brothers was grace: a special gift from God.

    "Our Lisje mentioned she saw you coming home from our vineyard with Catharine Weing today," their mother said after supper as she and Elisabeth were gathering up the bowls and homemade cutlery.

    For a reason unknown to Juri, he felt his cheeks burning.

    Because he did not respond and she had her back to her son, Catharine Tefner pursued her objective.

    "Did you ask her to the Maientanz?"

    His cheeks burned and he felt embarrassed.

    Daniel was supposed to, was all Juri could come up with for an answer and sounded rather unconvincing.

    Did he?

    Apparently not yet, Juri replied, while Hansi had a rather puzzled look on his face. But I’m sure he will.

    You do plan on going don’t you?

    Most likely with some of my friends, he answered.

    None of this sat well with Catharine but she knew that Juri had a mind of his own and at least he was a Tefner in that sense, but she could not understand why Juri failed to see that Catharine Weing was in love with him. With that thought came the realization that perhaps there was someone else. She would have to ask around among the mothers and Fraaches at the Maientanz.

    "Should I get the Stark Gebetbuch?" Hansi asked to change the subject, much to his brother’s relief.

    Yes please do, his mother answered as she came back to sit at the table, and tonight perhaps you could read.

    Hansi looked at Juri. He swallowed hard. This had always been Juri’s prerogative ever since the day of their father’s funeral.

    Now that you’re confirmed and a working man I think you should, Juri assured him.

    Hansi left for the Wohnstube where the book was kept and then returned to the kitchen and sat down across from Juri as he always did. He leafed through the book until he could find the place for the reading that night. Clearing his throat, he looked first at his mother and then his brother and began to read out loud in his clear voice:

    May I, with a truly humble heart, know and acknowledge

    that everything that I have and am, is the gift of your grace,

    and that I have nothing whereof to boast but my weakness.

    May such a view of my own unworthiness dispose me to peace

    and humility towards all men.

    Help me daily and from my heart

    to forgive those who trespass against me,

    as I hope and pray that you will forgive my trespasses,

    so that I may not be daily praying against myself.

    Every Christian must frequently call to mind

    that we belong not to ourselves but to God,

    and this should encourage us to offer ourselves,

    and all we have, to God in return.

    Juri had a lot to think about and decided not to go to the Spinnstube that night and bade his mother goodnight and proceeded to the door to go out to the stable where he slept in the hayloft in his Himmelbett. Hansi followed right behind him with a pillow and Federteck.

    Where do you think you’re going? Juri asked somewhat perplexed.

    Where do you think, now that I’m a working man? He answered matter-of-factly and proceeded out the door in front of him.

    Juri stood there looking at his mother as if asking her what to do. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled and he knew a new day had dawned in the Tefner household.

    CHAPTER II

    Are you going to mention anything to Catharine about last night? Christina May asked sheepishly as she and Eva Knoch hurried to the Weings on their way to church.

    "Well I just mentioned it to you, because you know the way she gets when she hears anything about Juri," Eva replied, hoping that Christina would encourage her to tell her anyway.

    The two of them, along with Catharine, were known as "The Inseparables" ever since their days in school and confirmation class when their close friendship had begun. It was also the time when it first became obvious to the two others that Catharine was infatuated with their classmate, Juri Tefner. Nothing had really changed in that regard since then, in spite of the recent furor over Johannes Wolf’s proposal to Catharine several months ago and his subsequent marriage to someone else.

    Both girls were bareheaded and wore their braids around the crown of their heads, only Christina did not braid her chestnut brown hair as tightly as Eva and allowed for some of her curls to show in sharp contrast to Eva’s rigidly combed blonde hair. They were about the same height, but Eva was rather slim and slender while Christina was slightly on the plump side, which in the minds of many, made her more attractive. Eva’s large deep blue eyes were her best feature, while Christina’s round face drew attention to her high cheekbones and generous lips. Her dark brown eyes always had the hint of a sparkle, which very much described her quiet yet effervescent personality. That was not the case with Eva. She was of a different kind of disposition and was given to being much more vocal than her two friends. Above all she loved to be at the centre of things as well as the source of new information, but always maintained a high level of decorum and never succumbed to gossiping: at least whenever possible, as she put it.

    Christina wore a deep wine coloured Halstuch with a smattering of tiny green leaves along the border and long silk tassels. Her extra layers of wide skirts for Sunday church attire were crowned with a new silk apron with a laced border and her apron like the overskirt were the same colour as her Halstuch. The white embroidered blouse that she wore with long sleeves was almost lost from sight by the tight vest that constrained her developing bosom. The dainty flowers she had sewn on the sleeves of her blouse were matched with the border of her large lace handkerchief that she carried. Her long knitted stockings were dark in colour to match the rest of her attire. Walking alongside Eva, her skirts would rustle whenever they came into contact with hers and whenever that would happen Eva would giggle. It was her spontaneous giggle that endeared her to her friends.

    This Sunday Eva was wearing a new Mutze she had been working on for several weeks and the material had come from the market fair over in Szil. All of her clothes in the past had been made from materials available in the household: flax, hemp, wool and linen. She was justly proud of the intricate pattern of the cloth, which was especially attractive when it was spread out in her overskirt. The basic colours were various shades of blue that of course highlighted her eyes, fair skin and blonde hair. In addition she wore a dark blue apron with white lace along the fringe. She too held a large laced handkerchief in one hand that she had made herself. Because Eva was slender she gave the appearance of being taller than she was and her provocative swaying gait drew attention to her very narrow waist.

    On arriving at the Weings, they chose to wait out in the yard for Catharine, after her widowed mother left for church along with Catharine’s one older brother Johann who was still at home and her younger sister Eva. Eva Knoch tried to use the opportunity to flirt with Johann who had quite a reputation among the girls of the village but he showed more interest in Christina and bantered with her much to her embarrassment. Eva simply laughed and shook her head at her friend’s discomfiture.

    When Catharine put in her appearance and approached her friends, Eva Knoch could not restrain herself and looking at Christina apologetically first, she burst out with what she was dieing to tell her friend.

    "My brother Michael tells me that Juri didn’t show up at the Spinnstube last night and that has everyone wondering. Just what happened between the two of you yesterday afternoon anyway?"

    Christina was embarrassed for Catharine and shook her head at Eva, who she felt had crossed the line of propriety, even if she was just as desperate to know what had happened.

    Collecting herself quickly and pretending that she was in control of her feelings Catharine proceeded to answer her inquisitor.

    Well, in answer to your last question first. Nothing. Absolutely nothing happened as usual. We just talked.

    About? Eva wanted to know and Christina sucked in her breath with excitement.

    About Daniel Werbach and Johannes Wolf, if you really must know, she answered, I really think we need to go or we’ll be late for church.

    Her answer of course confused both of her friends, but neither was prepared to pursue that line of thought any further.

    Hurrying up towards the cemetery where the small wooden church was located they complimented one another on their clothes, especially Eva’s which took her mind off of other things. But when they came to the cemetery and began to climb the steep hill up towards the church some younger boys began to ring the bell, and curiosity as usual, got the better of Eva.

    What about my first question? She asked.

    "What Juri Tefner does or doesn’t do is really none of my affair," she answered and hoped against hope that they would be able to sit somewhere close to where he was in church.

    Neither of her friends answered; they simply exchanged glances knowingly.

    Glancing around the small church Catharine was disappointed to find that Juri was not there. That too was something out of the ordinary. He never missed Spinnstube and he never missed church. Was there something she had said to him that…?

    The final bell was ringing notifying those at home that worship was about to begin and those who were holding household services would also start because the church could not accommodate all of the villagers and the heads of houses would read the service and lead in the prayers. With the final clang of the bell, Pastor von Horváth’s wife arrived with a nursing babe in arms, their fifth consecutive daughter, little Rebecca. She took her place in the seat provided for her because of her position in the congregation and community. Taking a last fleeting look at the assembled congregation, Catharine’s gaze met Daniel Werbach’s who sat next to his father and then they both guiltily looked away. The congregation waited for Kaspar Ritzeld to enter to play the Harmonium but Juri Tefner appeared instead along with Hansi who began to work the bellows under Juri’s direction. He waited as Ludwig Gärtner the new Kirchenvater prayed at the altar and then faced the worshippers announcing that he would line out the words of the opening hymn not to be found in any of the various hymnals.

    The hymn was now well known to the congregation since its introduction following the proclamation of the Edict of Toleration in 1784. It had been composed and written by one of their own: Ehrenfried Liebich, over in Tolna County, in gratitude for the action taken by our beloved, good and gracious King Joseph. It would become the only authentic "Swabian" hymn to be found in the future hymnals of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Hungary, as the Lutheran Church would be known.

    Following his instructions to the congregation, Ludwig Gärtner nodded in Juri’s direction and he began to play the haunting melody developing an appropriate tempo for singing. When he completed the refrain, Ludwig Gärtner called out the opening line and the congregation joined in and began to sing with a freedom and fervour they did not always express in singing some of the old chorales. But the words they sang were already inscribed in Juri’s heart and gave added meaning to his playing:

    Gott ist getreu! Sein Herz, sein Vaterherz verlässt die Seinen nie;

    Gott is getreu! Im Wohlsein und in Schmerz erfreut und trägt er sie.

    Mich decket seiner Allmacht Flügel

    Stürzt ein, ihr Berge, fallt ihr Hügel!

    Gott ist getreu!

    God’s faithfulness! His heart, his Father’s heart never forsakes

    His own,

    God’s faithfulness! In joy and ‘mid our pain,

    He cheers and us sustains,

    Seek peace beneath His wings Almighty,

    Though mountains quake, fall down upon thee.

    God is faithful still!

    As the succeeding verses followed, both Hansi and Catharine noticed the number of times that Juri hurriedly wiped at his eyes between stanzas. If he was crying it did not affect his playing. In fact it seemed as if the music emanating from the harmonium achieved greater volume and breadth, encouraging the soaring crescendo of voices to new heights in proclaiming the faithfulness of God that had in some way touched every heart gathered there.

    As Ludwig Gärtner lined out another verse, Juri began to sing for the first time and it was noticeable to all because of his clear tenor voice, so reminiscent of his father’s, that rose above those of the others:

    Gott ist getreu! Er handelt väterlich und was er tut, ist gut;

    Die Trübsal auch; mein Vater bessert mich durch alles was er tut.

    Die Trübsal gibt Geduld und Stärke

    Zum Fleiss in Jedem guten Werke.

    Gott ist getreu!

    God’s faithfulness! His tender Father’s care does all things for our good.

    In grief and woe, the Father helps faith grow through all He sends my way.

    Sorrow and pain can teach me patience.

    In gloom still shines His love with radiance.

    God is faithful still!

    As the next verse began Pastor von Horváth entered by the centre aisle and before he paused to honour the altar and pray he proceeded over to Juri and placed his hand on his shoulder because his prayer had finally been answered. As he played, Juri turned slightly so that he could see the pastor and simply smiled and nodded his head and sang:

    God’s faithfulness! He freely gave his Son to save us from our sins,

    God’s faithfulness! His cross, His pain and cries that you

    and I might rise!

    We shall not die, but live in Jesus!

    The Victor! Who alone can free us!

    God is faithful still!

    It was only when the Amen was sung that Juri allowed himself to take his eyes off of the music spread before him and looked up and saw Hansi release the bellows and sit down. From the look on his face he knew he did not have to tell his brother what had happened to him. He quickly looked over to the section where the women were sitting and caught a glimpse of his mother’s sparkling blue eyes as she simply nodded her head knowingly, while Catharine who sat in the row directly behind her tried to avoid returning the glance he cast in her direction. On second thought she risked looking and their eyes met briefly just before Juri self-consciously turned away as the pastor announced the Gospel for the day and focussed his attention on what he was reading.

    By the time Juri and Hansi finally left the church, most of the women worshippers, including their mother and sister, were already on their way home to undertake the final preparations for Sunday dinner, which would be their family’s culinary highlight of the week. Groups of men wearing their best black ensembles and white open collared linen shirts reserved for Sunday wear and other special occasions, congregated in their various age groups and were getting caught up on the latest news from Vienna and the activities of one Napoleon Bonaparte, sharing predictions about the weather and the coming year’s crops or commenting on the attributes of the village’s recently purchased breeding bull. The older men lit up their long stemmed clay pipes and the rising cloud of smoke had a distinctive blue tint and harsh aroma to it, as the Herrches mused about the way things used to be, or should be, if only they were still in charge.

    Recently married young couples formed a circle of their own, even as children whose parents were otherwise engaged, raced about working off their excess energy, laughing, shouting and teasing one another. On the other hand, the Fraaches kept a close watch on the toddlers and younger children, while at the same time carrying on lively discussions among themselves centred on some potential or promising matches to watch out for at the coming Maientanz. When the name of Juri Tefner was mentioned, the silence on the part of those who were assembled was a clear indication he was not a suitable match or promising catch, depending on how a family might look at it. But all of them smiled appreciatively at him when he and his younger brother doffed their hats and greeted them as they passed by on their way to join the other young people.

    They had formed themselves into several groups. Some of them consisted only of rather boisterous, laughing, younger males, others included both sexes who were somewhat older and also included engaged couples, while a large contingent of younger girls had formed a circle of their own down along the hillside somewhat apart from the others. There were eager young men vying for the attention of some of the prettier girls and checking out their competition. The less romantic and more practical among them paid court and gave their attention to the girls who would inherit land or could expect a sizable dowry. Among those who were younger there were some secretly assessing the attributes of a girl who had caught their eye or had given an indication of a possible interest in them, who were part of one of the other groups. They would try to sneak a look in her direction or attempt to get her attention in some way from a distance. If successful, they would flash a smile before she looked away, which is what she was expected to do, except for girls like Eva Knoch who would wink back and leave her admirer rather flustered. Flustered like Daniel Werbach was now but for another reason.

    Daniel Werbach was on the fringe of an all-male younger group along with Michael Knoch, George Trapp and Valentine Stark. Both Valentine and Michael were a year or two older than Juri and the others. For that reason perhaps they were more forward about voicing their opinions and offering advice to Daniel in front of the others about his need to be more overt and forceful in his pursuit of Catharine Weing.

    She’s right over there. Just go and ask her, Michael Knoch challenged him.

    She couldn’t possibly say no to one of the best looking guys in the village, now could she? Valentine Stark chimed in on cue, winking at Michael and jabbing George in the ribs in an effort to get him onside because he sensed he was not comfortable with what was going on.

    Daniel blushed. What they had said was partly true. His handsome good looks crowned with thick curly light brown hair, his warm generous smile and fine features set him apart from most others but so did his stature or rather his lack of it. He was fairly short and although he still had hopes of growing taller he was frustrated by the fact that he had to look up to Catharine who was half a head taller than he was. In his own mind he was convinced she felt awkward around him because of it. Dancing with her was even worse from his perspective and for that reason he had been more than a little reticent to ask her to the Maientanz. But Juri had kept badgering him until he had finally turned the tables on him and asked him to be his advocate.

    About to answer the well-intentioned taunts of his friends, Daniel saw Juri approaching and abandoned the others to their own devices and ran towards him.

    If there was one person Juri needed to talk to it was Catharine and he was relieved to see that she had not left for home. Nor was it surprising to him that she was with several other girls in addition to Christina and Eva. He was about to part company with Hansi and join her, when Daniel Werbach seemed to appear from out of nowhere. Obviously he had been on the lookout for him and he could sense a kind of desperation about him.

    What did she say? Daniel asked breathlessly, ignoring the fact that Hansi was there.

    Before Juri could reply, Hansi sensing that he was not supposed to be part of this conversation excused himself and hurriedly took his leave. He casually made his way towards the

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