Oldal 115 [115]
“THE NEw MECCA OF IMMIGRANTS”...
prevent them from expecting too much from the prairies).*' This meant that,
besides the primary target groups, at the turn of the century many people also
arrived from the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
A person of Hungarian origin also participated in the production and
dissemination of immigration booster literature to attract Hungarians into
the Canadian West. Paul Oscar Esterhazy became “one of the most effective
promoters of Hungarian immigration to the United States and Canada.”” He
hoped to create a “New Hungary” on the Canadian Prairies.’ Although such
a plan was never realized, he was instrumental in creating a positive image
of the region and country, and in recruiting settlers to the area, primarily by
circulating pamphlets about the success stories of former settlers.“
One of Esterhazy’s main publications was a 1902 pamphlet available in both
English and Hungarian. The Hungarian Colony of Esterhaz, Assiniboia, North¬
West Territories, Canada was disseminated in thousands of copies in the United
States and Hungary." Ihe image of Canada depicted in this pamphlet was the
exact opposite of that described by Thirring above. While Thirring claimed that
pamphlets like that of Esterhazy kept the true dangers of emigration secret,
Esterhazy claimed that his pamphlet was written to fight the malicious “fake¬
news” spread about the area by others. Thusa discursive conflict started in which
both sides presented their (one-sided) arguments, while criticizing the other for
spreading false information. The short publication itself introduces the history
of the settlement of Esterhaz and depicts a truly positive image of Canadian
immigration, including the description of rich arable land, opportunities for
cultivation, etc. According to the author, in a country with so much beauty and
fertile agriculture, people’s endeavors are richly rewarded.** The description
of the opportunities and the process of starting a new life in Canada is often
overly positive. Even the cold climate during the winter is presented favorably,
by claiming that the winter weather provides joy and health for body and soul
alike.” According to his pamphlet, the area could receive thousands of families
and it included an outline of future plans, statistics, photos of buildings and
crops to support this.
“Laura A. Detre, Canada’s Campaign for Immigrants and the Images, In Canada West
Magazine, Great Plains Quarterly, Spring (2004), 113-129.
Dreisziger, Struggle and Hope, 61.
* Quoted, Ibid., 63.
4 For more information on Esterházy, see for example: Győző Dojcsák, A kanadai Esterházy
története, Budapest, Magvető, 1981.
Magyar colonia, Éjszak-nyugati Tartományok Kanada: levelek a telepesektöl s fénykép¬
felvételek, melyeket a helyszínen vettek fel 1902, július havában, Ottawa, Kormányzósági
nyomda, 1902. Full English text available here:
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/2621.html (accessed 10 May 2020).
Esterházy, Magyar Colonia, 8.
7 Tbid., 8.
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45
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e 113"