I have hit a dead end and hope someone out there can help solve a riddle. Research on Theresia Posch nee Krempel (or Kremple or Krempl) b. 14 Sept 1878 in Plawutch bei Eggenberg, Austria emigrated to US from Trieste in 1901. Manifest says she claimed to be Bosnian, giving her last relative as her father, Franz Krempel in Volosca, Austria as point of contact. That area was called the Austrian Litteral and has been considered Austria, Bosnia, Slovenia and Italy over the years. Questions: Why would she claim to be Bosnian - wasn't this somewhat dangerous, given the Serb/Bosnian struggle for independence? Where would I find info on her, her father, in Volosca? Surnames of her children include Ulrich, Falmhaupt. Thank you.

Manifest probably listed her ethnicity based on her *country* of origin (residence) - ship manifests are in many cases wrong when it comes to that.

Her ethnicity must be established through other, relevant original sources - like her birth record.

You need to either corroborate the exact location and surname in (then) Austrian coastal town of Volosko, or the connection/migration to Bosnia.




Serbian Genealogy Society SGS "Rodoslovlje"
http://www.rodoslovlje.com/en

There are 2 terms used on old ship manifests:

1) Nationality.... as the manifests state this is the country of which the alien is subject to or a Citizen of"

2) Race or People is defined as "the stock from which the alien sprang and the language they speak"

Bosnia would NOT have been part of the Austrian Littoral, since ... Littoral is defined as: relating to, or situated or growing on or near a shore especially of the sea

The Austrian Littoral or as the Austrian called it Österreichisches Küstenland (litteraly the Austrian Coastland) consisted of The Istrian Peninsula, which is now divided mostly between Slovenia and Croatia, part of the Kvarner region of Croatia and a few island in Kvarner Bay, and Trieste Italy and the Gorica and Gradisca areas which are mostly in Italy today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_Littoral

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istria

Well.... ! I finally found her ship manifest arriving ****1913**** it indeed lists her Race or People as Bosnian. It would appear to be an obvious error...

Further the manifest lists her Father in Law, NOT her father, Franz POSCH at Volosca, Austria, which is near the City of Rijeka Croatia. Also her birthplace is listed as Graz Austria, which course would be Plawutsch bei Eggenberg, Austria

Claiming to be a certain ethnicity in those days would certainly NOT have been dangerous, although certain ethnicities may have had an advantage. Contrary to the what you may have heard in the popular media about centuries old feuds is certainly not true. This only allowed the inept or lazy western "diplomats" an excuse to stand by and watch in the 1990s and do nothing! Most of the fighting in that region in the past was instigated by the great powers, IE Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. The locals got along rather well until the founding of Yugoslavia.

Volosca Croatia is small fishing village adjacent to Opatija where I will be with a group in May 2012

http://www.mapquest.com/?le=t&q=45.3489%2C14.3175&zo...=

Opatija was among the original resorts for Austrian royalty and upper classes. And it was the Autrians who developed resort hotel, such as the Bristol hotel were we have stayed.

http://www.croatiantimes.com/?id=7306

So it is not surprising to find her coming from there. In regards to records, since she nor Friedrich, and I assume her Father in Law were not born there you probably will not find much.

My guess that listing her Race as Bosnian was simply an error.

I hope this helped.

Robert Jerin
Croatian Heritage Museum
Cleveland Ohio

Thank you so much, Mr. Jerin. I greatly appreciate your the info and the corrections to my assumptions. I'm so jealous of your trip, would love to hear more about it. May I remain in touch with you? I still wonder about her timing (leaving to avoid the coming war? involvement in the assassination a possibility? how to find the 3 fathers of her 3 children?) Does your museum have a website?

Again, very greatful thanks.

Joan