| Part Two Continued |
Firmian had dangerously depopulated his own country and was chastised
by Rome, not for his inhumane actions, but because he had not crushed
the Protestants earlier. After Salzburg was cleansed of Protestants,
Firmian appropriated all that was possible for himself, his family and his
cronies, and in 1736, a greatly enriched Firmian commissioned the grand
Schloss Leopoldskron as as his family estate, a palace built on tears.
by Rome, not for his inhumane actions, but because he had not crushed
the Protestants earlier. After Salzburg was cleansed of Protestants,
Firmian appropriated all that was possible for himself, his family and his
cronies, and in 1736, a greatly enriched Firmian commissioned the grand
Schloss Leopoldskron as as his family estate, a palace built on tears.
| On to Part Three: Philipp the Sweep An Exiled Family in Franconia |
| The End Result |
The "Salzburgers" as a distinct culture became extinct. Within a short time and with the eradication
of indigenous inhabitants, the farms and villages which were emptied of Protestants filled up almost
entirely with strangers to the area, some from poorer regions of Austria, others from Catholic cities
in Germany. The local surnames changed as most of the old population vanished. Off in their new,
distant lands, whether in East Prussia, Georgia or Holland, the exiles thought of themselves and
were regarded by others as Salzburgers for just a little while longer until they assimilated.
of indigenous inhabitants, the farms and villages which were emptied of Protestants filled up almost
entirely with strangers to the area, some from poorer regions of Austria, others from Catholic cities
in Germany. The local surnames changed as most of the old population vanished. Off in their new,
distant lands, whether in East Prussia, Georgia or Holland, the exiles thought of themselves and
were regarded by others as Salzburgers for just a little while longer until they assimilated.
| The Expulsion of Salzburg Protestants |
Edict of Expulsion Firmian's Edict
Trails of Tears: The East Prussian Migration. NAMES
More Trails of Tears: Other areas of Emigration
Ebenezer: Salzburgers to Georgia USA. NAMES
Martin Luther Sermon "Then You must depart.."
Radstadt and the Pongau The Saltlickers
Berchtesgaden The "Erring Faith"
Post Firmian Exiles Zillertalers NAMES
The Loinbacher Story of a Song
Meanwhile, trying to appeal to the Corpus Evangelium, six Protestants journeyed to Regensberg in
1731 with a petition speaking for their fellow believers which stated their grievances and requested
relief under the terms of the Peace of Westphalia. When the Archbishop found out, he considered
it high treason, but he was in a ticklish situation. The power of the Protestant Prussian king was a
concern to him, and the Austrian Emperor was too preoccupied should Firmian need his help. His
clever ally von Rall decided on a strategy. They would very publicly "give in" to the Protestant's
demands and pacify them so as to seem accommodating. The naive Protestants were ecstatic.
They were even allowed to have prayer meetings! Now they were in the open...but then the other
shoe dropped. Firmian and his cronies concocted and exaggerated a couple of "incidents" which
gave them an excuse to clamp down even harder in hopes to eradicate the "noxious weed".
1731 with a petition speaking for their fellow believers which stated their grievances and requested
relief under the terms of the Peace of Westphalia. When the Archbishop found out, he considered
it high treason, but he was in a ticklish situation. The power of the Protestant Prussian king was a
concern to him, and the Austrian Emperor was too preoccupied should Firmian need his help. His
clever ally von Rall decided on a strategy. They would very publicly "give in" to the Protestant's
demands and pacify them so as to seem accommodating. The naive Protestants were ecstatic.
They were even allowed to have prayer meetings! Now they were in the open...but then the other
shoe dropped. Firmian and his cronies concocted and exaggerated a couple of "incidents" which
gave them an excuse to clamp down even harder in hopes to eradicate the "noxious weed".
While oppression and unrest spread across the land, Firmian spent his free
time in the company of Countess Arco at the Chateaux of Elesheim, bribing
his court councillor Christian von Rall to do his dirty work with fifty
thousand dollars of church money. Rall, a Tirolean, took on the name of
Christiani da Rallo to fit it with Firmian's attendants and associates, who
were chiefly Italians. With Rall's encouragement, a greeting was concocted
to ferret out Protestants: "Praise be to Jesus Christ for eternity. Amen!"
The Protestants viewed it as taking the Lord's name in vain, especially when
used in taverns, and predictably refused to greet one another with it. This
simple act of omission gave them away.
time in the company of Countess Arco at the Chateaux of Elesheim, bribing
his court councillor Christian von Rall to do his dirty work with fifty
thousand dollars of church money. Rall, a Tirolean, took on the name of
Christiani da Rallo to fit it with Firmian's attendants and associates, who
were chiefly Italians. With Rall's encouragement, a greeting was concocted
to ferret out Protestants: "Praise be to Jesus Christ for eternity. Amen!"
The Protestants viewed it as taking the Lord's name in vain, especially when
used in taverns, and predictably refused to greet one another with it. This
simple act of omission gave them away.
The non-violent Salzburgers identified with Luther's advice of submitting to legal authority while
still being obedient to their conscience, but this would cost them dearly. What next transpired was
of a magnificent proportion and a true cultural cataclysm which shocked the European world.
still being obedient to their conscience, but this would cost them dearly. What next transpired was
of a magnificent proportion and a true cultural cataclysm which shocked the European world.
Tradesmen, farmers, woodsmen were all given different deadlines, some as little as eight days. As
they cast parting glances at their mountains homeland, long lines of the exhausted exiles departed.
They left proudly, however, clinging together and singing Joseph Schaitberger's Exulantenlied all
the while, both in honor of his memory and for strength and inspiration. Victims of robbers, illness,
death and starvation, the exiles headed for refuge in tolerant German Protestant cities.
they cast parting glances at their mountains homeland, long lines of the exhausted exiles departed.
They left proudly, however, clinging together and singing Joseph Schaitberger's Exulantenlied all
the while, both in honor of his memory and for strength and inspiration. Victims of robbers, illness,
death and starvation, the exiles headed for refuge in tolerant German Protestant cities.
Families were ripped apart, lovers torn from one another
and mothers and fathers too old to travel had to be left
behind in the exiles' heartbreaking flight from their beloved
homeland. People tried to take what they might need, but
were forced to make hasty arrangements in the dead of
winter. Since land owners were generally given only three
months to sell their livestock, homes and property, it
resulted in an even greater financial loss. In the process,
they endured confusion and grief as well as terror.
and mothers and fathers too old to travel had to be left
behind in the exiles' heartbreaking flight from their beloved
homeland. People tried to take what they might need, but
were forced to make hasty arrangements in the dead of
winter. Since land owners were generally given only three
months to sell their livestock, homes and property, it
resulted in an even greater financial loss. In the process,
they endured confusion and grief as well as terror.
| Scattered to the Winds: The Diaspora |
Above all others, historically tolerant Prussia eagerly awaited them.
King Friedrich Wilhelm, the Soldier King of Prussia, generously took in
over twelve thousand exiles to begin with, and then gave a new home to
thousands more. In hope of repopulating East Prussia and the other
remote eastern regions of the Prussian realm which had previously been
devastated by plague and famine, he had them guided on their Great
Trek and demanded they have some monetary compensation from the
Archbishop. The remainder of exiles ended up in other German regions,
the new American colony of Georgia and even Holland. Still others fled
to more distant realms, while some never went far at all: a full quarter
of the exiles died within two years of leaving home.
King Friedrich Wilhelm, the Soldier King of Prussia, generously took in
over twelve thousand exiles to begin with, and then gave a new home to
thousands more. In hope of repopulating East Prussia and the other
remote eastern regions of the Prussian realm which had previously been
devastated by plague and famine, he had them guided on their Great
Trek and demanded they have some monetary compensation from the
Archbishop. The remainder of exiles ended up in other German regions,
the new American colony of Georgia and even Holland. Still others fled
to more distant realms, while some never went far at all: a full quarter
of the exiles died within two years of leaving home.
| The Salzburg Exiles |
In the early 18th century, while the 16,000 or so inhabitants
of Salzburg proper were almost all Catholic and in some way
connected with the court, the rural regions were teeming with
crypto-Protestants. This would soon change. In 1727, Count
Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian (1679- 1744) bought
his way into the position of Archbishop of Salzburg from the
Pope for today's price of $75,000.00. Often called the "Sun
King" of Salzburg, Firmian was born of an aristocratic South
Tirol family. Staid, narrow minded and anti-social, Firmian
surrounded himself with anti-Protestant zealots and Jesuits in
his quest to finally cleanse the land of Protestants.
of Salzburg proper were almost all Catholic and in some way
connected with the court, the rural regions were teeming with
crypto-Protestants. This would soon change. In 1727, Count
Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian (1679- 1744) bought
his way into the position of Archbishop of Salzburg from the
Pope for today's price of $75,000.00. Often called the "Sun
King" of Salzburg, Firmian was born of an aristocratic South
Tirol family. Staid, narrow minded and anti-social, Firmian
surrounded himself with anti-Protestant zealots and Jesuits in
his quest to finally cleanse the land of Protestants.
Salzburg acted as a buffer between Bavarian and Austrian royal houses, and Firmian rigorously
protected both its position and its religion. By 1730, he increased book raids and hired more spies
to root out the secret Protestants in the surrounding hills and valleys.
protected both its position and its religion. By 1730, he increased book raids and hired more spies
to root out the secret Protestants in the surrounding hills and valleys.
Whole villages along the path of their trek stood in amazement at the passing spectacle, some
ringing their church bells and feeding or housing the procession, while a few hamlets hissed and
jeered, depending on the religion of the town. They headed to Protestant kingdoms for refuge.
ringing their church bells and feeding or housing the procession, while a few hamlets hissed and
jeered, depending on the religion of the town. They headed to Protestant kingdoms for refuge.
It is said that many Salzburgers, upon reaching a safe destination, asked only one thing of their
hosts: "Have you a Schaitberg?" When provided with a copy of Joseph Schaitberger's Sendbrief, they
evinced great joy and gratitude. In neighboring Berchtesgaden, a similar scene played out among
the Salzburgers' friends and relatives and hundreds of Protestants there were also forced into exile.
hosts: "Have you a Schaitberg?" When provided with a copy of Joseph Schaitberger's Sendbrief, they
evinced great joy and gratitude. In neighboring Berchtesgaden, a similar scene played out among
the Salzburgers' friends and relatives and hundreds of Protestants there were also forced into exile.
The family Schaitberger, so long entrenched in the culture of the salt mines, has by now vanished from
their homeland and is scattered, mainly to Protestant Franconia in neighboring German lands where the
new rulers are Prussian margraves instead of archbishops. The next few pages continue the family's journey.
their homeland and is scattered, mainly to Protestant Franconia in neighboring German lands where the
new rulers are Prussian margraves instead of archbishops. The next few pages continue the family's journey.
Intolerance du Jour When one did not depart
In Greater Detail:
Thinking they could now simply expel the few acknowledged Protestants, Firmian signed an Edict
of Expulsion on October 31, 1731 which gave the Protestants a choice of recanting or exile. He
was utterly astonished when 21,475 citizens came forth and openly admitted their faith... choosing
exile rather than compromising their beliefs!
of Expulsion on October 31, 1731 which gave the Protestants a choice of recanting or exile. He
was utterly astonished when 21,475 citizens came forth and openly admitted their faith... choosing
exile rather than compromising their beliefs!
