HISTORY OF COLONIZATION
German merchants and miners started to settle in the Kingdom of Hungary at the beginning of the 12th century, but this migration was not extensive. The colonization of Germans (Aleman, Swabs, Francs and Bavarians) along the lower Danube area started intensively after the long period of Turkish rule (1552-1718). The first wave of resettlement came after the Ottoman Turks were defeated in the battle of Vienna in 1683, as they were gradually forced back. The Turks left this area of Central Europe, geographically known as the Panonnian plain, totally devastated. It was full of swamps and marshland , partially covered with woods. In the scattered settlements lived the Serbian, Sokac and Bunjevac population. The first impulse for an extensive migration was given by the Empress Maria Theresa (1740-1780) and later her son Josef II (1780-1790).
The House of Habsbourg wanted to populate this area with loyal people who would be a defense toward Turks and a balance toward Hungarian classes. The Vienna Court decided to bring to this area , proclaimed the Serbian Vojvodina during the 1848 revolution, peasants from the German principalities, who would be a good military progeny. They were offered freedom from serfdom and free arable land with “fundus instructus”. During the period of propaganda, the Austrian agents talked about a rich land, a land of abundance. The migration slowed down in the nineteenth century and was definitely stopped in 1829.
