Heanzen

Heanzen (Heinzen, Hienzen, Hinzen), the German-speaking population of southern and central Burgenland and of the peripheral areas of the Hungarian county of Ödenburg (Sopron) who immigrated into the area in the 11^th and 12^th  centuries. The origin of the name is disputed, it might be the generic version of the male first name "Heinz", once very popular among the local farmers (Heanzen-Land = Bauernland, farmers´ country) or it could be derived from the Emperor Heinrich IV, during whose reign the settlers came into the country. According to E. Kranzmayer and M. Hornung it is a derisive nickname used among farmers, going back to the frequent use of the dialect word "heanz" or "hienz" for "jetzt" (= now). Since the formation and naming of Burgenland province the new term "Burgenländer" has increasingly replaced the word "Heanzen".

The "heanzischen" dialects vary considerably from region to region and have for a long time remained unchanged because High German was not taught at school while Burgenland was Hungarian territory. Today these dialects are being replaced by general colloquial Austrian German; just as in Lower Austria, the 'ui' is being replaced by 'ua' (e.g. Muida - Muada for "Mutter" = mother). Dialect literature of the Heanzen was collected by the writers J. Ebenspanger and J. R. Bünker, the first well-known Heanzen dialect writer was J. Reichl.

Literature: H. Neubauer, Mia Heanznleut, 1962.