AUSTRIA.
[Illustration: WOMEN of SLAVONIA.]
AUSTRIA;
CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE
MANNERS, CUSTOMS, CHARACTER AND
COSTUMES OF THE PEOPLE OF THAT EMPIRE.
BY FREDERICK SHOBERL.
ILLUSTRATED BY TWELVE COLOURED ENGRAVINGS.
The proper study of mankind is man.--_Pope._
Philadelphia:
PUBLISHED BY C. S. WILLIAMS.
W. Brown, Printer.
1828.
PREFACE.
On turning over the pages of this work, some readers may possibly be
surprised to find that so large a proportion of the engravings belong
to one of the countries composing the Austrian empire. When, however,
it is considered that a high degree of civilization tends to
assimilate the manners, amusements, and dress of the great mass of the
inhabitants of those countries in which it prevails; and that the
people of the German states of this empire are scarcely, if at all
surpassed in that respect by any nation in Europe; it will be evident
that they must exhibit fewer of those peculiar characteristics which
it is the object of this work to collect and delineate.
Hungary stands in a very different predicament. Peopled by tribes
belonging to many different nations, whose distinctive habits,
manners, and prejudices have not been melted down by refinement and
cultivation, it affords much more ample materials for the pencil than
Austria, properly so called. For this reason, by far the greater part
of the embellishments have been selected from among the singular,
picturesque and romantic costumes of that kingdom and its dependant
provinces.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. PAGE
I.--Provinces of the Austrian Empire--Their Extent and
Population 1
II.--Of the different Nations of the Austrian Dominions--The
Jews--The Germans--The Slavonians, including the Bohemians--
The Slowacks--The Wendes and the Rascians of Illyria--The
Magyares or Hungarians--The Walachians--The Zingares or
Gipsies--The Armenians--The Greeks, Turks, &c. 2
III.--Religions--Roman Catholics--Greek
Church--Armenians--Protestants--Socinians--Jews--Mahometans 9
IV.--Character of the People of Austria 12
AUSTRIA, LOWER AND UPPER.
V.--Inhabitants of Lower Austria--Manners of the People
of Vienna--Amusements--Houses--Population
and Mortality--Shops--Paved Streets--The Fire-Watch--
Costumes of Upper Austria 16
STYRIA.
VI.--Costume of the Inhabitants--The Johannæum at Grätz 26
BOHEMIA.
VII.--Costumes of the Bohemians 28
MORAVIA.
VIII.--Costumes of the Inhabitants--Account of the Haunacks--
Peasants of the Frontiers 30
THE TYROL.
IX.--Migrations of the Tyrolese--Their Frankness--Their
Attachment to the House of Austria--Anecdote of the
Archduchess Elizabeth--Literary Turn of the Tyrolese--
Their Extraordinary Honesty--Fondness for Pugilistic
Exercises and the Chase--Ancient Practice--Moral
Character--Superstition--Mechanical Genius--Persons and
Costumes--National Songs--Custom of visiting the Graves of
Relations--Marriage Ceremonies of the Tyrolese 32
HUNGARY.
X.--Extent--Division--Constitution--Vast Estates of the
Magnats--State of the Peasantry--Their Indolence--Thievish
Disposition of the Herdsmen--Punishments--Hungarian
Prison--General Appearance of
the Peasants and their Habitations in different
Counties--Horned Cattle--Sheep--Village Herdsmen--Ravages
of Wolves--Granaries--Costumes 49
TRANSYLVANIA.
XI.--Extent of Population--Manners of the Walachians--The
Gipsies--Costumes 70
BUKOWINA.
XII.--Transfer of the Country to Austria--Extent--Population--
Costumes 81
THE MILITARY FRONTIERS.
XIII.--Military Constitution--Carlstadt Frontier--Banal
Frontier--Slavonia--Banat Frontier 86
GALICIA, OR AUSTRIAN POLAND.
XIV.--Extent and Nature of the Country--Benefits resulting
to the People from the Partition of Poland--Cruelty
and Injustice of the Ancient System--Superior
Degree of Security enjoyed under the Austrian
Government--Mode of Building--Appearance
of a Polish Village--Inns--Jews--Uncleanliness of
the Poles 100
LIST OF PLATES.
1. Clementinian Women of Slavonia, _Frontispiece_
2. Peasant of Egra in Winter dress, _to face page_ 28
3. Peasant of the Mountains of Moravia 31
4. Tyrolese Hunter 37
5. Hungarian Peasant of the County of Weszprim 64
6. Armed Plajash 80
7. Boyar of Szered 82
8. Unmarried Female of Jackobeny 84
9. Female Peasant of Philippowan 85
10. Tanaszia Dorojevich, Vice Haram-Bassa of the Szeressans 88
11. Unmarried Female of Ottochacz 93
12. Unmarried Female of Glina 94
AUSTRIA.
CHAPTER. I.
PROVINCES OF THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE--THEIR EXTENT AND POPULATION.
The empire of Austria, one of the most extensive and powerful of the
states of Europe, is composed of provinces situated in Germany, Poland
and Italy, and embraces the whole of Hungary.
The German dominions of this monarchy consist of Upper and Lower
Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Bohemia, Moravia, part of
Silesia, and the Tyrol and Salzburg.
In Poland it possesses the kingdom of Galicia.
The Hungarian states are: Hungary proper, Slavonia, Croatia, Dalmatia,
Transylvania and the Bukowina.
In Italy, Venice and the Milanese form the Lombard-Venetian kingdom,
one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Austria.
The extent and population of these provinces is shown in the subjoined
table.
EXTENT AND POPULATION OF THE PROVINCES OF THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE.
German
Square miles. Inhabitants.
The kingdom of Bohemia 956.80 3,203,222
The Margravate of Moravia 417.64}
The duchy of Silesia 86.85} 1,680,935
Austria below the Enns 363.65 1,048,324
Austria above the Enns, including
the circles of the Inn and
Hausruck and Salzburg 344.32 756,897
The duchy of Styria 398.98 799,056
The duchy of Carinthia 190.90 278,500
Illyria and part of Croatia 250.95 467,836
The Littorale, or Coast District 176.18 422,861
Tyrol and Voralberg 520.44 717,542
The Lombard-Venetian kingdom 867.50 4,111,535
The government of Dalmatia 274.94 295,089
The kingdom of Galicia 1526.12 3,755,454
Civil Hungary, Croatia and
Slavonia 4097.06 8,200,000
Civil Transylvania } 1,510,000
Transylvanian Military } 1118.70
Frontiers } 138,284
Banat Frontiers 186.00 171,657
Slavonian Frontiers 139.40 230,079
Warasdin Military government 67.40 107,217
Carlstadt Military government 166.40 188,906
Banal Regiments 54.20 95,442
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12,204.48 28,178,836