City archive

Rust praised Eisenstadt for its “intelligent citizens”

Gerold Stagl and Martin Krenn go on a journey through time in Rust.

(Bild: Karl Grammer)

Historical surprises are revealed when you take a look at the rich archive of the free city. The historians' findings range from "astonishing" and "highly interesting" to "ingenious".

The wealth of documents, deeds and files from the past, which are stored on the shelves of the Rust town archive and are largely digitized, is astonishing. The records focusing on Lake Neusiedl alone are almost unmanageable. Today it is hard to imagine that a water depth of five meters was recorded in writing in the early days of Rust's historiography.

The free town did not want to be part of Austria in 1920
A change of scene in the town's former politics: Rust was opposed to the annexation to Austria. On January 26, 1920, a convoy of eleven wagons and a crowd of citizens rolled into Ödenburg to veto the Entente commission meeting there. Mayor Alfred Ratz and parish priest Franz Haubner were at the head. "The wagons will be paid for, if a claim is made. The less well-off will also receive a daily diet of 42 crowns," the city administration said.

Bachkönig has been eagerly helping to comb through the archives and digitize the historical documents for many months. He and historian Krenn will give an insight into the extensive work tomorrow.

(Bild: Grammer Karl)

Four months after this appeal, a Hungarian defense association was founded, which also rebelled against the Anschluss. At the constituent meeting, Ratz called on everyone to "unanimously protest against the peace treaty". A telegram to Budapest was unsuccessful. Peace was sealed on June 4, 1920 and the annexation was completed.

Eisenstadt as the capital
A different picture presented itself on March 11, 1924, when the municipal council in Rust decided to vote for Eisenstadt as the provincial capital. "Due to its geographical location, its industrial status and the high number of intelligent inhabitants, only Eisenstadt comes into question," read the statement in the minutes.

March for a "capital in the Burgenland".

(Bild: Stadtarchiv Rust)

Lecture on Thursday
The city archive can be visited every first Saturday of the month from 10 am to 12 noon. "Or by telephone appointment with the municipality," adds Mayor Gerold Stagl. Under the title "Rust in old views - glimpses of the town's history", historian Martin Krenn and Wolfgang Bachkönig will be giving a presentation tomorrow, Thursday, from 6.30 pm at the Seehof in Hauptstraße 31, providing some unknown insights into the historical collection.