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Die südburgenländische Arbeitsmigration in die Schweiz von 1950 bis 1970 in lebensgeschichtlichen Interviews

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse labour migration from the rural, peripheral area of the South Burgenland to Switzerland between 1950 and 1970 and to contextualise this migration in the social and economic conditions of both the sending and receiving areas at the time. The data consists of thirteen interviews and of research into the residential registers of two communes in South Burgenland. The semi-narrative interviews involved women and men from the South Burgenland who migrated to German-speaking Switzerland between 1952 and 1969. The analysis of the collected data shows the interviewees’ living and working conditions, their reasons for migration, the length and permanence of their residence as well as attempted integration and assimilation efforts. Labour migration from South Burgenland to Switzerland is regarded as an individual endeavour, for which social networks played a
crucial role. It was carried out by young, unmarried, mostly low-qualified men and by a significant number of women. In contrast to their original plans of a temporary stay, most of the migrants became permanent residents. The migration movement shows particular characteristics, but can also be related to broader Burgenland and Austrian migration movements at that time.