oldenburg-l - Nachricht 2008-01 00236

[REPKINGRON <REPKINGRON(a)aol.com>]

The main reasons for the migration during the 1840's were the famine and  
economic depression which struck across Europe.  We always hear of the  Irish 
potato famine, but little of the fact that the rest of Europe was   also 
suffering from famine and unemployment.  In the  1840's  the local textile industry 
was unable to compete with English  imports.  Industrial and agricultural 
depression forced unemployed  artisans, tenant farmers, and agricultural laborers to 
emigrate. 
 
>From 1844-47 food increased 50% in price.  In addition Europe suffered  an 
extremely bad economic period in the 1840's.  The Industrial Revolution  was  
getting under way. All of which led to widespread civil disturbance  and, in 
1848-49, revolution broke out in many parts of Europe.
 
As Fred says avoiding conscription was not the major reason for leaving  
Oldenburg. My Great-grandfather left Oldenburg and arrived in Baltimore on the  
Ship Bessel on August 6, 1846.   His draft notice was published a year  later. 
 
Oldenburgische Unzeigen Sonnabend  No 85 Den 17. Juli  1847.
(Oldenburg Announcement Saturday Number 85 for July 17, 1847)
 
 A translation of the article:
Official Notice is  Hereby Given
Official Proclamation
Military  Board
The recalcitrant servicemen who are liable for military service are  required 
to show up at the draft board.  They are listed here:  There  are 71 names 
listed.  Anton was number 28.
 
"28.  Repking, Anton geb. den 12, Novbr.  1825 zu Oythe,  Loof.  No 59"
[28.  Repking, Anton born on the 12th of  November, 1825 in Oythe.]
 
According to a drafting law passed on July 19, 1837, they must appear  before 
1 April 1848 in front of the draft board or be punished.
Oldenburg, 1847, July 1
Grandduke of Oldenburg Military  Board         Jansen Behrmann
Signed - The Greater Dukedom of Oldenburg
 
He did not leave to avoid the draft, but to secure a better life than  that 
of a Heurleuter inOldenburg.  
   
Ron Repking
 
 
 
In a message dated 1/28/08 9:41:51 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
fredrump(a)gmail.com writes:

Carel,
for the  most part I think the constant references to escaping the
draft to be  apocryphal especially when there was no draft to run from.
In other areas  and other times and especially in Prussia this holds
more truth as being  drafted could have meant 20 years or so in the
army. Now THAT is something  to run from. Oldenburg had a very small
army, a regiment or so, and most  members were volunteers. All this
changed in more modern times when the  Oldenburg military was basically
integrated under Prussian  command.

Over the years of reading about all these draft evaders one  has to
become a bit sceptical about the real reasons for emigration as  you
infer. Perhaps the young men worried about the future 'possibility'  of
having to serve in the army and took the high road before that  ever
might happen regardless of the small chances of it actually  happening.
Such worries later turned into a full fledged reason for why did  you
leave the old country.

Fred


On Jan 28, 2008 5:23 AM,  Carel Paradies <c.e.paradies(a)orange.nl> wrote:
> Kay Derner-Brown  wrote that her ancestor came to America in order not to 
be drafted in the  army. JNM, NN and Marilyn wrote something similar. A very 
old aunt of mine  told me that there was a story in the family that the first 
Paradies to come  to Holland did so in 1853 as a deserter.
> Are there more families with  similar stories?
> Could these stories have been introduced to hide the  shame of leaving your 
country because of poverty or is there some truth in  them?
> Would there be sources in Oldenburg concerning  deserters?
>
> Carel Paradies 




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