| Part Two Continued |
| By 1730, Archbishop Leopold von Firmian (1679- 1744), a rather unpopular and pompous secular prince had bought his way to the Salzburg throne. Staid and anti-social, Firmian surrounded himself with Jesuits and other anti-Protestant zealots in his determination to cleanse the land of Protestants. Book raids increased, spies rooted out secret Protestants and harsh fines were levied for not attending mass. A greeting was intentionally encouraged to ferret out the secret Protestants: "Praised be to Jesus Christ for eternity. Amen!" Predictably, the Protestants viewed it as taking the Lord's name in vain, especially when used in taverns, and refused to use it. This simple act of omission gave them away. |
Firmian confiscated as much as he could for his relatives and cronies. Never popular within the
church, he 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.
church, he 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.
| On to Part Three: Philipp the Sweep Birth of a Chimney Sweep Dynasty |
or take a side trip below
| The End Result |
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. And, yes, history later repeated itself in East Prussia where most of
the exiles reestablished themselves. The "Salzburgers" as a distinct culture became extinct, and
simply the fodder for story telling.
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. And, yes, history later repeated itself in East Prussia where most of
the exiles reestablished themselves. The "Salzburgers" as a distinct culture became extinct, and
simply the fodder for story telling.
| 2. The Greater Salzburg Exile |
Edict of Expulsion Firmian's Edict
Trails of Tears: The Great Trek to East Prussia>
Trails of Tears: The Diaspora
More Tales of the Exiles John Wesley's Account
Ebenezer: Exiles to America Ship lists exiles. NAMES
Martin Luther Sermon "Then You must depart.."
Preußisches Patent The King's Welcome
Radstadt and the Pongau The Saltlickers
Berchtesgaden The "Erring Faith"
Exile Tales: Thomas Carlyle's Account
The Great Exile of the Salzburg Protestants:
Map Religious Exiles Austria 1580-1837
Paul Gerhardt Musical Voice of Lutheranism
Regensburg The Imperial Diet
Spener, Arndt and Pietism Spener, Arndt, Pietism, Francke, Halle
The Demise of the Salzburgers: The Sad Fate of East Prussia.
The Loinbacher Story of a Song
Finally, 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. 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 shocked when 21,475 citizens came forth
and openly admitted their faith... choosing exile rather than compromising their beliefs!
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. 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 shocked when 21,475 citizens came forth
and openly admitted their faith... choosing exile rather than compromising their beliefs!
The harsher Firmian's measures, the more resolute and stubborn the Protestants
became. He turned to his court councillor Christian von Rall who inflicted even
more severe punishments. Rall was a Tirolian bribed to do his dirty work with
fifty thousand dollars of church money. He took on the name of Christiani da
Rallo to fit it with Firmian's attendants and associates, who were chiefly Italians.
Firmian, meanwhile, spent his free time in the company of Countess Arco at the
Chateaux of Elesheim while unrest in the land increased.
became. He turned to his court councillor Christian von Rall who inflicted even
more severe punishments. Rall was a Tirolian bribed to do his dirty work with
fifty thousand dollars of church money. He took on the name of Christiani da
Rallo to fit it with Firmian's attendants and associates, who were chiefly Italians.
Firmian, meanwhile, spent his free time in the company of Countess Arco at the
Chateaux of Elesheim while unrest in the land increased.
The non-violent Salzburgers identified with Luther's
advice of submitting to legal authority while still being
obedient to their conscience, but it cost them dearly.
What next transpired was of a magnificent proportion
and a true cultural cataclysm which shocked the world.
advice of submitting to legal authority while still being
obedient to their conscience, but it cost them dearly.
What next transpired was of a magnificent proportion
and a true cultural cataclysm which shocked the world.
Tradesmen, farmers, woodsmen were given different deadlines, some as little as eight days. They
left singing Joseph's Exulantenlied and I Can No Longer Suffer this Lamentation. Lines of the
exhausted exiles, clinging together for strength, extended for miles. Victims of robbers, illness,
death and starvation, most of them headed for Protestant cities. Whole villages on their route stood
in amazement at the passing spectacle, some ringing their church bells and feeding or housing the
procession, while other hamlets hissed and jeered, depending on the religion of the town.
left singing Joseph's Exulantenlied and I Can No Longer Suffer this Lamentation. Lines of the
exhausted exiles, clinging together for strength, extended for miles. Victims of robbers, illness,
death and starvation, most of them headed for Protestant cities. Whole villages on their route stood
in amazement at the passing spectacle, some ringing their church bells and feeding or housing the
procession, while other hamlets hissed and jeered, depending on the religion of the town.
Families were ripped apart, lovers were torn from one another, and mothers and fathers too old to
travel had to be left behind. People tried to take what they might need in the mass confusion and
were forced to make hasty arrangements in the dead of winter. Since land owners were generally
given only three months to sell their property, it resulted in an even greater financial loss.
travel had to be left behind. People tried to take what they might need in the mass confusion and
were forced to make hasty arrangements in the dead of winter. Since land owners were generally
given only three months to sell their property, it resulted in an even greater financial loss.
| The Diaspora |
The Protestant kingdoms eagerly arranged refuge for them. King Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia,
the Soldier King, magnanimously took in over twelve thousand exiles to begin with. Hoping to
repopulate the remote eastern regions of the Prussian realm which had previously been devastated
by plague and famine, he personally guided them and demanded they have some monetary
compensation. Another group ended up in the colony of Georgia in America and still others moved
to Holland. Still others fled to more distant realms, while some never went far at all: a full quarter
of the exiles died within 2 years of leaving their homes.
the Soldier King, magnanimously took in over twelve thousand exiles to begin with. Hoping to
repopulate the remote eastern regions of the Prussian realm which had previously been devastated
by plague and famine, he personally guided them and demanded they have some monetary
compensation. Another group ended up in the colony of Georgia in America and still others moved
to Holland. Still others fled to more distant realms, while some never went far at all: a full quarter
of the exiles died within 2 years of leaving their homes.
| The Salzburg Exiles |