Andreas Ratzlaff family emigration; train to Germany

In late 19^th and early 20^th century, the vast majority of European emigrants leaving the continent for America travelled through and departed from Germany.  Most of these travelled via the main German shipping lines of Nord-Deutscher Lloyd, based in Bremen, Germany, and the Hamburg-America Line, based in Hamburg, Germany.  By the early 20^th century, quite a bit of infrastructure was in place to assist the immigrants on their trip. 

Immigrant stations, sponsored by the German shipping lines, were located at several locations along the German frontier.  At these stations, immigrants would be processed for travel and board trains bound first for Berlin, Germany, and then either Bremen or Hamburg.  These immigrant stations were positioned at strategic points along the frontier where immigrants from Russia, Poland, Austria-Hungary, the Baltic States, etc, could easily reach them.  Stations included locations at Bajorham, Tilsit, Eydtkuhnen, Insterburg and Prostki along the Baltic frontier; Ilowo, Posen, Ostrow and Soslowice along the Polish-Russian frontier; and Myslowitz, Ratibor and Leipzig along the Austro-Hungarian frontier.  The Ratzlaff Party, having successfully crossed the Russian – Austro-Hungarian border, would have made one of these immigrant stations their destination. 

Arriving at Brody, Austria-Hungary, the party would have acquired train tickets to get to Lemberg (today know as L’viv or L’vov).  Lemberg was a very large city at the turn of the century.  The central railway depot was brand new in 1904 and would have seemed tremendously imposing to foreign immigrants:

After passing through Lemberg, the Ratzlaff party would have been bound for Krakow (Cracow) via Przemysl, Jaroslau, Rzeszow, Tarnow and Buchnia:

The railway station at Krakow:

At Krakow, the party would have needed to make a decision about which immigrant station they would use.  At that time, stations were positioned along the Austro-Hungarian – German frontier at Myslowitz (Myslowice) and Ratibor (Racibor), as well as Leipzig.  The station at Myslowitz would have been more direct; Myslowitz lay at the junction of the Russian – Austro-Hungarian – German border.  Since the party had been smuggled out of Russia, I can imagine they would have wanted to avoid contact with the Russian border at all costs.  If a Russian officer would have reviewed the Ratzlaffs’ travel documents, they may have been detained or made to return to Volhynia. 

Ratibor, on the other hand, was a little farther away and the train fare may have been a bit more expensive.  Nevertheless, they would have safely avoided the Russian frontier by going to Ratibor.  Unfortunately, documentation does not exist and we will probably never know of their exact route.  Leipzig, however, was probably not an option since that city is quite a bit farther west than they were headed at that point.  It may be interesting to note that the Ratzlaff party may have considered themselves German or even Dutch.  In Russia, the Mennonites tended to cling to their German heritage; maintaining their German language and customs.  They did not acclimate themselves with their Russian, Polish or Ukrainian neighbors.  Once the Ratzlaff party crossed the border into Austria-Hungary and Germany, they may have felt somewhat secure since they were familiar with the language and culture.

Railway station at Mysowitz:

Railway station at Ratibor: