Many people in the United States today are of German heritage. Some of them trace their roots back to Russia and call themselves the Volga Germans. Their history includes stories of immigration and broken promises. Our history is very similar but we come from an area to the south, the Banat province of Austria-Hungary.
The history of the Banat is as difficult to explain as it must have been, at times, to live there. Over the years it has held many names in many languages. Today you will find our ancestral home, Georgshausen, is Velida Greda in the South Banat District of the province of Vojvodina, Serbia.
Schwabia was one of the provinces of the southern and western part of Germany where the German who traveled to the Banat originated. They were called Schwabians. Later the term Donauschwaben came to be used to distinguish the Schwabins from southeastern Europe. Donau meaning Danube (as the river Danube) and Schwaben meaning the people of Schwabia.
There was much to attract these hard working Germans to the Banat. Land was free, they were promised self-governance and were guaranteed protection under the Hapsburg Emperor. They became the first free peasants in Hungary if not in all of Europe.
In three Schwabenzug, or Schwabia Migrations, our people traveled to the area north of the Danube river to establish settlements. The first Schwabenzug was from 1722-1726. The second, under Empress Maria Theresia, from 1762-1769. The third, under Emperor Josef II beginning in 1780. By that time descendants of the first and second migrations were forming new villages. Georgshausen was established in the winter of 1787 through the spring of 1788.
where did you find the information "Georgshausen was established in the winter of 1787 through the spring of 1788".
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