Genealogy Chat

Hi all,

A bit of a long shot here, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions about researching people who worked on the Orient Express? My great grandfather was (allegedly) a train conductor on it, as he spoke about 7 languages, and it would have been just prior to the second world war. His name was Heinrich Reidl, and he was Volksdeutsch, meaning he was of German origin but the family lived in what is now Serbia (on the border of Hungary almost, an area called Baschka near Novi Sad). The family were 'Donauschwaben' (Daube Swabian), Bavarian Germans who were forced to migrate to that part of the world in the 1700s and kept their German traditions but lived in Yugoslavia.

I was thinking because the train was so prestigious there might be records of employees kept somewhere (probably in French or German)... any thoughts?

Any ideas would be very welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,
Kat

It may be worth trying the National Railway Museum at York, if they don't have details they may know who you could contact.
Good luck,
Liz

From this extract:

"Although now owned or leased by the various state railway companies themselves, most sleeping-cars in Western Europe are still staffed by the Wagons-Lits company who provide the sleeper attendant, the bed linen and the on-board catering."

(taken from http://www.seat61.com/OrientExpress.htm#Chronology ),

it is a Belgian company who set up the concept and would have been the employer at the dates you are interested in.

... and its successor French company website (English version) is here:

http://www.cwl-services.com/en/index.php

- but it doesn't look hopeful - there are contact details for the company and its UK subsidiary, but I think Liz is right, York will be the best bet for pointers to railway archive information.

Thanks Liz and Ivy. Yes, it is a fairly difficult thing to research, but I hadn't thought of the York museum, it's a good starting point. And thanks for those links too, something to give me a general idea, very much appreciated.

Kat