More on Abraham and Anna's trip to the United States

    Aside from the two ship records, Abraham and Anna's trip to the United States is undocumented, and I can only guess about further details.  For example, how did they get from Seta to Hamburg?  Seta ("Schaty" on map below) is just east of Keidainiai ("Keidainy.")  A train line ran south through Keidainiai to just east of Kaunas ("Kowno"), and then west through Kaunas to the Russian-German border.
 
 


Westrussland, Nördliche Hälfte, A. Thomas and G. Jungk (1898)
(rail lines shown in red)

Kaunas (Kowno)
Rail Station, Kowno (WWI, showing German soldiers)

The last train stop on the Russian side was at Virbalis (German name Wirballen; shown below under Russian name Wershbolowo).  The train station for Virbalis was located in the smaller town of Kibarty, about three miles to the west.


Wirballen (Wershbolowo; Virbalis)
Undated postcard (probably showing German soldiers during the WWI occupation)
 
 

Another view of the Wirballen train station




ShtetLinks page for Virbalis
ShtetLinks page for Kibart
World War I German Uniforms



The first stop on the German side was Eydtkuhnen.
 
 

Eydkuhnen - train station
(undated)

Enlargement showing train and sign



Crossing the Border

There is an account by Alexander Harkavy about his voyage in 1882 from Vilna to New York, contained in Allon Schoener, The American Jewish Album, 1654 to the Present, New York:  Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 102-103 (1983).  Harkavy stated he took a train to a small city on the Russian side of the border, was smuggled by wagon and foot across the border, walked to Eydtkuhnen, and then resumed his trip to Hamburg (by train).
 
 

 
 
Highway near Wirballen - WWI
Eydkuhnen - Border (postcard sent in 1920's)
Kibarty Customs Station
Russian Border Guards at Wirballen - Kibarty

From the Border to Hamburg

Train lines led from Eydkuhnen west to Königsberg, Danzig, Berlin and finally Hamburg.  An alternate route turned southwest at Insterburg to Thorn and then Berlin, avoiding Königsberg and Danzig.

Link to Blackie's Atlas showing rail lines from border to Danzig or Thorn in 1882 (site of Federation of East European Family History Societies)


Rail lines from Danzig or Thorn to Hamburg via Berlin

Railway Map of Central Europe, Cassell's Atlas 1909

German Railway Map, 1870 (University of Mainz)

Animation showing development of German Railway System (University of Mainz)



Hamburg


"Gruss aus Hamburg" 

Much information about emigration from Hamburg is found at the site of the University of Hamburg.



Route from Hamburg to Liverpool, via Grimsby/Hull

Railway Map of Central Europe, Cassell's Atlas 1909



Information about Liverpool at theshipslist.com

Castle Garden

Ellis Island did not become the immigrant arrival station until 1892.  Arriving on October 29, 1888, Abraham and Anna landed at Castle Garden, shown here after it was converted to an aquarium.  They passed the Statue of Liberty, then just two years and one day old.  Statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886.

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