Transnational migration in Central Europa, 1860-1914

The aim of the proposed research project is to systematically and comprehensively analyse all transnational migration systems between the Austrian part of the Habsburg monarchry and its neighbouring states (Switzerland, Italy, Imperial Germany, the Russian empire and ihe Hungarian part of the Habsburg monarchy) during the period of 1860-1914. The project will analyse the changing importance of various types of movements across state boundaries in both directions as well as their interdependence over the course of time. Transnational migration networks will be examined within the context of interdependences with other types of migration, such as internal and transcontinental migration. Out contribution will help to establish a closer link with the current national migration historiographies, which are, for the most part, carried out in isolation from each other, and as a result tend to underestimate historical transnational migration movements, in particular between neighbouring states. Methodologically our starting point is to consider migration systems between two different regions as one unit of analysis. The search for links between in- and out-migration enables us to break with the standard approach of looking at a few dominant migration patterns by ignoring the majority of other movements. We will ask whether simultaneous in- and out-migration occurred across the board or only in certain migration systems. Our project intends to utilise two different types of sources for the systematie analysis of migration systems crossing the boundaries of the Austrian Empire and its neighbouring states. These are the published results of the official censuses, especially those by statistical offices of provinces and cities during the period of 1860 to 1914, and additional published statistics an temporary migrations. By utilising sources from different states - an approach which enables us to examine migration systems from both sides of the border - and by including seasonal migration movements, our investigation will re-evaluate the importance of historical migrations across state boundaries within Central Europe.

The aim of the research project was a systematically reconstruction of manifold forms and patterns of migration between the Austrian part of the Habsburg Monarchy and its neighbouring states during the period 1860 - 1914. This was meant to fill in substantial gaps, since the subject has long been neglected by historical research. The project attempted to systematically describe the quantitative significance of various permanent and temporary movements to other European countries at district level - if possible. Transnational migration inside Central Europe was examined within its local context(s), and migrant profiles were compared with the demographic and socio- economic characteristics of the overall population in each of the provinces under investigation. Following recent international discussions in migration history and to overcome long established views of transatlantic movements as the leading pattern, our approach conceived European migration as the bigger part of a large set of inter-related, multifarious mobility activities, embedded in the social structure of the target and departure areas. This approach enabled us to detect new relations in the changing patterns of migration activities at the turn of the nineteenth century. In several aspects the project broke new scientific ground. For the first time in historical research on the Habsburg Monarchy data for the neighboring countries in Central Europe were collected and analyzed. Our research did not focus on a few dominant routes; rather, we tried to reconstruct all forms of transnational migration at least at the level of the provinces, if possible also on the district level, as far as it was recorded in the published results of the national censuses and other surveys. Our approach leaves us with a much more complex picture of transnational migration in particular and of migration processes in general. We hope that the project results will have a strong impact on studies of contemporary migrations as conducted by sociologists and demographers. Reconstructing historical migration patterns is of great importance to contemporary discussions of the issue. The project results confirm approaches arguing that in historic times, too, migration was no exceptional and disruptive phenomenon caused by processes of industrialization in a few places, but rather, had many different destinations, and has to be seen as regular option for the majority of people in every region. Historical migration networks seem to have long- standing traditions, persisting even territorial changes such as the formation of new state borders. However, historical continuities should not be overemphasized. Many historically important migration patterns have never been re-established. Moreover, because very little research on historical migration networks has been conducted, there is still no clear evidence as to whether these same local networks are being utilized in present-day East to West migration. Therefore our project results contribute to current political debates on transnational migration, insofar as common assumptions on historical migration patterns have been tested.