Chapter 55: Going to East Africa

Chapter 55: Going to East Africa

December 22, 1866. Hungary, Dobojci Town.

Janoson, a Hungarian who speaks German. When he was young, Janoson went to Austria to seek his fortune, and he eventually became a worker in Trieste. However, an accident with a machine caused Janoson to lose his left arm forever. Despite his misfortune, he survived with simple medicines but had to use up all his savings. Losing his left arm also meant that Janoson lost his ability to work. The ruthless factory owner immediately fired him, leaving Janoson without prospects.

Just when things seemed bleak for Janoson, he came across a newly-established company from Austria, Melared, that was hiring workers. The company's hiring conditions were rather unique—they didn't require any formal education, just the ability to speak German and at least one dialect from within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Of course, knowing multiple languages would be a bonus. After an interview, Janoson was hired.

Janoson, desperate and seeing this as his only option, decided to sign up. Since he spoke both Hungarian and German, and was fairly eloquent, the company immediately hired him. His job was simple: he had to recruit people from Hungary, with his pay entirely dependent on how many people he could convince to board a ship to the East African colonies.

This so-called Melared company was actually a front for the Black Hingen consortium in Austria, tasked with managing immigration operations in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a new employee, Janoson quickly figured out the business behind this company. He was quick-witted, and after analyzing his situation, he decided to start his work back in his hometown in order to earn money as soon as possible.

Although the company seemed like a shell operation, for someone like Janoson, who had lost his ability to work, it didn't matter—if it paid, he was willing to work. The company did not require education, and when Janoson interviewed, he saw that it only had three employees. He had worked for some small companies before, mostly in finance, where higher education was always a requirement.

Janoson had heard sailors talk about Africa, and their descriptions painted a picture of a hot, desert land, where Arab merchants traveled on camels. The Egyptians relied on the Nile River for survival, and it was home to terrifying creatures called crocodiles, capable of swallowing a person whole. These sailors, who operated Mediterranean routes, passed on their impressions of Africa to Janoson, so in his mind, Africa was all about heat, deserts, Arab traders, and black slaves.

But after joining the Melared company, Janoson learned more about East Africa. In order to recruit immigrants, he had to present East Africa as an ideal place, exaggerating its virtues. The company's script was clear: East Africa had fertile land, many rivers, vast grasslands, and a mild climate. Moreover, workers going there were provided with free travel, accommodation, meals, and even free education for their children.

This was the basic pitch, and employees could embellish it as they saw fit. If any immigrants went to East Africa and found the reality different, the company would claim that it was the individual employee's fault. After all, once you arrived, you had no choice but to stay.

Janoson went back to his hometown and began pitching the benefits of East Africa to the villagers.

"Folks, sign up now, or you'll regret missing this opportunity!"

One of the villagers, Kari, replied, "Janoson, are you trying to fool us? Such good conditions, can they really be true for people like us?"

"Uncle Kari, we are from the same village! I'm the last person who'd lie to you. You can trust my character. This is the same kind of opportunity as those who went to America to make their fortune. The only difference is that East Africa was discovered later, and America doesn't need workers as much now. East Africa urgently needs people, so the opportunity is here for us."

"Then why aren't you going to East Africa yourself, to persuade us?"

"Uncle Kari, don't be like that! I'm just doing the job assigned to me by the company. Look at my arm, it's a miracle I even have a job. If I can't keep working in the future, I'll go to East Africa to retire. After all, they provide meals, housing, and even assign you a house."

As he spoke, Janoson raised his empty left sleeve and waved it in the air.

A woman said, "Janoson, we've never even heard of this East Africa. We can't just go to some unknown place."

Another villager added, "Janoson, don't talk to us about East Africa. You've been to the big city, why not tell us how life is there? Maybe we can send our kids to try their luck."

"Uncle, the city isn't easy either! Take your kids, do they have any skills or education? If not, they'll have to start as apprentices or do heavy manual labor. It's no different from going to East Africa!"

Janoson continued, "Look at your family, you've been farmers for generations. Why send your kids to work for others for years, doing tough, poorly-paid jobs? After four or five years, their health will be ruined. Instead, East Africa offers land, free food, free housing, and even free education for the kids. Plus, the work there is what we already know—farming! You won't be tricked into doing something you don't understand."

"Don't be fooled by all the rich folks in the big cities. The waters are deep there! Most people who go to the city don't get anything. Only a tiny fraction come back successful. Do you really think you'll be that lucky?"

Finally, Janoson managed to recruit a group of villagers. In rural Hungary, it was common to have several children, and the eldest inherited the family's land, while the others had to venture out. Janoson took a group of dozens of villagers to the port of Trieste, where they were greeted by an Austrian soldier.

This soldier, responsible for managing the port, had received orders to prepare the immigrants for their journey to East Africa. His approach was simple and blunt: he reassured the immigrants that the Melared company was legitimate and backed by the German nobility, who were connected to the Austrian royal family.

"You can trust the government won't deceive you. There's no reason to worry. Don't cause any trouble during the journey. In a few years, when you've made a living, you can return. Whether or not you can return, that's up to the Austrian government, but you'll be well-supported on the way."

In truth, Ernst, the man behind the Melared company, was using this immigration scheme to weaken the influence of local Hungarian nobility. He was also addressing the issue of unemployment in Austria, especially among non-German minorities. This was a quick fix to reduce social unrest.

For now, the Habsburg royal family still had some credibility among the people, and the emperor couldn't possibly deceive ordinary folks. So, the immigrants boarded the ship to East Africa, calm and hopeful…

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