BIRTH, NAMING CUSTOMS & BAPTISM
OF OUR ANCESTORS
Rosemary & Christening and Name Day
It was customary that the godparents wore a twig of rosemary on the left lapel or on the scarf, as a sign of their faith. At the baptismal dinner, the table was decorated with rosemary, as symbol of love and affection for the newborn. At the celebration of somebody’s name, where relatives and neighbours gathered with a serenade, the “name day bouquet” (“Namenstagsstrauß”) expressed the cordial attachment. A sprig of rosemary stuck into an apple was handed over with the following words:
“I’m bringing you a name day bouquet.
It isn’t cute, it isn’t fine,
And it only costs you a glass of wine.”
Baptism Customs
by Dr. Viktor Pratscher
Translated by Brad Schwebler
The Amme (nurse) invited the godparents to the baptism. Formerly there were 10 to 12 couples and the baptism was always combined with a midday meal. Today the child often only has two godparents. The midday feast was a rarity. If the child was a girl, the godmother planted a rosemary bush from which the help received a twig on the occasion of the wedding. The “Stafiermachen?” began when the child was three or four years old. The woman who has just given birth was provided with food. The relatives, neighbors, and acquaintances supplied fully laden baskets of the best delicacies. In grandfather’s time the boys were adorned with bouquets and the girls were adorned with wreaths at confirmation. On the occasion of the first communion the parents and godparents also go to Holy Communion.
Communion and Baptismal Implements
by Dr. Viktor Pratscher
Translated by Brad Schwebler
In the beginning the community presumably used the holy communion and baptismal implements of the Hungarian mother community.
The first communion goblet was a gift of Adam Schmoll, but the minutes have no record of it. The name of the contributor is on the goblet. In 1868 it already existed. In the records of 1868-69 it reads: “Dec. 27th- for the repair of the goblet – 10 xr.”
Rev. Gustav Jurany, who the community wanted to be their administrator in 1888, can be thanked for the communion vessels used today. He collected from the community and from friends 64.15 Forints and with it he bought a silver goblet, a silver-plated jug, a silver-plated plate, and a tin can. The goblet bore the inscription: “German Community of Feketehegy 1888.”
The baptismal implements used earlier were a small porcelain bowl and a smaller glass jug, covered with a silver color. In 1923 the widow of Johann Schmidt nee Eva Dietrich, the widow of Philipp Schwebler nee Katharina Schmidt, and the widow of Heinrich Weißmann nee Susanna Dietrich presented the community a silver baptismal jug. In the same year cabinetmaker Peter Spangus finished a beautiful baptismal font of wood and gave it to the community on the occasion of the birth of his daughter Sophia. The inscription on it is: “Matthew 28, 19-20. Peter Spangus 1923.”
From the Archives of the Congregation:
The Midwives of the Congregation
by Dr. Viktor Pratscher
Translated by Brad Schwebler
In the first decade the congregation had concerns about the rounds and weekly runs of experienced midwives they had at their disposal. When the Hungarian Reformed congregation separated themselves from the political community in 1820 it certainly meant that either the midwives belonged to the Reformed congregation or they had none at all. This problem was remedied by the Evangelical community when a woman was sent to Kula for an examination on the 22nd of November 1828 and paid 5 Florints for it. In connection with this the community considered it advisable to send a present with it worth 6 Florints, 46 Kronen to Kula. After a few years (1835) the congregation collected 35 Florints to pay the tuition for a new midwife. The miracle doctor Karl Weber in Sekitsch received 3 Florints for the instruction of the midwife. The Comitat’s doctor was paid 10 Florints by the congregation for the examination, etc. In 1834 the community purchased the midwife Klistier and accessories for about 3 Florints, 45 Kronen. These were the first such instruments in Feketitsch. In 1853 the community was again compelled to pay for a midwife for 48 Florints, 11 Kronen.
When the community went to the parent community for its first local assembly on the 4th of February 1860 the following was discussed: “The well respected pastor shared the request with the midwife Catharina Antoni to apply for a bonus because on the one hand our community had a small census but on the other hand several of the community members used a second midwife, so it could not last. – At the conclusion of the assembly the aforementioned midwives did not call upon those of our community at a birth to receive two Guilders in Viennese currency. – When the above mentioned midwife moved to Vrbas in 1861, she had to pay back the tuition to the community.
Afterward there were already midwives who paid for their own education and set up private practice if they were not employed by the state.
Such midwives included: Margaretha Exle, 1863; Susanna Schorr, 1862-1922; Elisabetha Staub, 1871; Katharina Kinkel born Welker; Christina Bender born Bellmann; Katharina Morell born Hauser and certified in 1896 in Segedin, stayed in the occupation for 40 years and has been the community midwife since 1922.
It was desirable if the German women of our community want to continue to dedicate themselves to this important and beautiful profession. The importance placed on it today requires as much as possible the prerequisites of 4 years of middle school and 1 year of specialist subjects.
Source: The Germans of the Community of Feketitsch by Dr. Viktor Pratscher. Herausgegeben vom Festausschusz der Gedenkfeier.
(Rosemary in the Life of the Danube Swabians, by Hans Gehl)
Life and Death (Statistics/Sathmar)
by Stefan Schmied
Rosemary & Christenings Link not found
by Hans Gehl
Giving birth in Alexanderhausen Link not found
by Waltraud Wilhelm
Birth & Baptism in Alexanderhausen Link not found
by Elisabeth Sauer
Last updated: 11/08/2026