List of Emigrants

Wissembourg web site

Here is the English text that I got after running the French Wissembourg web site through a web translator.  Immediately following the history of emigration from the Wissembourg area is a link to the actual list of emigrants.

During all 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, Alsace, and in particular Forêt experienced a strong emigration towards the New World.

In Riedseltz alone, not less than 363 people left for America between 1830 and 1846, and none of the villages of our community  escaped this phenomenon of emigration.

Some made fortunes in the new world, others never again gave news to their family remaining in Alsace. Some even perished at sea before their arrival.

The causes of this emigration are multiple.  In the 17th and 18th century, the emigrants were mainly soldiers enrolled in the army of Lafayette or adventurers of all kinds.  Those of the 19th century fled misery, overpopulation and the lack of employment. Young people were required to be enrolled in the army, thus many sought to escape the conscription. There was also the hope to make fortune afar.

This massive emigration was still occurring in 1850-1860.  In 1869, not less than 7 "travel agencies" organized voyages  through "one-way tickets" towards America.  Several agencies of this type were installed in Wissembourg, and they employed recruiting agents, which furrowed the village neighborhoods.

In fact, many people were going to join members of their family already installed in the United States; others left the area following the annexation by Germany of Alsace and the Moselle.

The following list of emigrants is far from being exhaustive. It was established from the requests of passports, lists of choosing or starting from notarial acts, and of data of the provisional Land Books established in 1892 for the communes of Altenstadt, Riedseltz and Oberhoffen,  Wissembourg.  Perhaps however, it will enable you to find surnames of your ancestors and to leave in search an American uncle.  For our American friends, it will be the occasion for some to discover their roots and who knows, maybe to visit  the area of Wissembourg.

Here is the link to the list of emigrants:

If you would like to view the original French text, it can be found through this link:

http://www.cc-pays-wissembourg.fr/emigration.html