Figure 1.--This school photograph was taken in a German village Glogowatz / Vladimirescu in Romania. It was a Transylvanian Saxon village. The photo shows the 1st and 2nd grade pupils of the village school during the school year 1934/1935. The children belonged to German-speaking families. Nationality in the Balkans was a very sensitive subject. Transylvania was a province with many Hungarians and Hungarey claimed. We are not sure how Romania handled this problem in the schools. We suspect that instruction at this school was in German. Put your cursor on the image to see the rest of the group.

The Transylvania Saxons are the largest group of Volksdeutsche in Romania. Transylvania used to be Hungarian. It is now the central area of Romania. Transylvania was part of ancient Dacia. After numerous wars and invasions, the Hungarain crown claimed Transylvania (11th century). The Saxons of Transsylvania settled in Transylvania (12th century). They were invited to settle in Transylvania by the Hungarian king Geza II. They founded the cities Kronstadt (now Brasov), Hermannstadt (Sibiu) and Schäßburg (Sighisoara). The Teutonic Knights (1211) built 7 castles, hence the name Siebenbürgen in German. The German colonists were granted all kind of privileges. When the Reformation came, Saxony became largeky Protestant. About 90 percent of the Saxons in Transylvania also became Lutherans (16th century). Under Governer Samuel von Brukenthal (1721-1803) Transylvania became quite prosperous. The Saxons in Translvania were part of the reason. At the end of the 19th century, about 10 percent of the population was Saxon. Famous Saxons were Stephan Ludwig Roth, a writer who was executed by the Hungarians in 1849, Hermann Oberth, a rocket scientist and Johnny Weissmüller, who played Tarzan in American movies. Transylvania was an intensely contested region in the 20th century. The region has a Romanian Catholic majority with large Hungarian and German minorities, mostly Protestant. Of the 800.000 in 1939, perhaps only 100.000 Saxons remained. There all still several German organisations left in Transylvania, but the future looks bleak. Only the very old towns ( mentioned above) bear witness of a unique and illustrious history and culture. However, many buildings are extremely neglected and ready to collapse.

Location

Transylvania is now the central area of Romania. Neighboring Hungary considered it rightly a province of Hungary both for historical reasons and because of a substantial ethnuic Hungarian population. This question was finally settled by the Soviets following World War II.

Medieval Transylvania

Transylvania was part of ancient Dacia. After numerous wars and invasions, the Hungarain crown claimed Transylvania (11th century). The Saxons of Transsylvania settled in Transylvania (12th century). They were invited to settle in Transylvania by the Hungarian king Geza II. They founded the cities Kronstadt (now Brasov), Hermannstadt (Sibiu) and Schäßburg (Sighisoara). The Teutonic Knights (1211) built 7 castles, hence the name Siebenbürgen in German. The German colonists were granted all kind of privileges, including the use of their own language. The Germans along with the Hungarians (Magyars) and Szekely (a Turkish tribe) became the three privlidged nations of Translvania. The Romanians (Vlacha or Walachs) began to appear in the 13 century and came to make up most of the peasanat (serf) population. A voivode or royal govenor oversaw the seven counties of Transylvania. After the Ottomon's victory over the Hungarians, much of Transylvania came under the nominal control of the Ottomans. The Hapsburg emperors claimed the crown of Hungary. The Trnsylvanian voivode, John Zapolya, claimed the Hungarian crown (1526). In a partition of Hungary with future emperor Ferdinand I and the Ottomans, Translvania was able to exercise some autonomy. The prince of Transylvania for two centuries played the emperor and sultan off each other to maintain a level of independence.

Religion

When the Reformation came, Saxony became largely Protestant. About 90 percent of the Saxons in Transylvania also became Lutherans (16th century).

16th-19th Century

The Bathory family played an imprtant role (16th nd 17th centuries). Stephen Bocskay achieved recognition of freedom of worship from the emperor. Other princes of Transylvania (Gabriel Bethlen, Emeric Thokoly, and the Rakoczy family) successfully defendended Transylvani's autonmy within the Hapsburg domains. The Hapsburgs were able to establish direct ruke (1711). Under Governer Samuel von Brukenthal (1721-1803) Transylvania became quite prosperous. The Saxons in Translvania were part of the reason. Control passed to Hungary after the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian joint monarchy (1867). Romanins peasants suffered as a result of Hungarian Control. At the end of the 19th century, about 10 percent of the populatio was Saxon.

Famous Individuals

Famous Saxons were Stephan Ludwig Roth, a writer who was executed by the Hungarians in 1849, Hermann Oberth, a rocket scientist and Johnny Weissmüller, who played Tarzan in American movies.

Transylvania in the 20th Century

Transylvania was an intensely contested region in the 20th century. The region has a Romanian Catholic majority with large Hungarian and German minorities, mostly Protestant.

World War I

Transylvanoa was largely part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until after World War I. Romania fought on the Allied side and was able tto seize Transyvania at the end of the War. as a result was awarded Translvania in the post-War settlement. Hingary ceeded the province (1920). The RomniannGovernment seize the large estates mostly oned by the Hungarian magnates. The estates were distributed to the peasantry.

World War II

Hungarian Fascists pressed for the eturn of Translvania to Hungary. Hngary was preparing an invasion of Romania when Hitler intervened. Romania was the rincipal non-Soviet source of oil and Hitler did not want the supply to be interupted. As part of the Vienna Cnference, he approved the transfer of Transylvania to Hungary. Romania joined World War II as a NAZI ally, but the Romanian Army was devestated by the Soviets in the fighting around Stalingrad. After World War II began to go against NAZI Germany, Germany in Eastern Europe began to flee west before the Res Army arrived. Some of the Volkdeutsche attempted to remain in their ancestral homes.

Communist Romania

The Germans were not expelled by the Romanians as was the case in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and some parts of Hungary. I am not sure why this was. Presumably as Romania was an ally, there were relatively few NAZI attrocities in Romania. The Saxons under the Communists , however, lost all of their privileges under the Communists. The farmers lost their farms and cattle and many families started to move to Germany and Austria.

Current Situation

Of the 800.000 in 1939, perhaps only 100.000 Saxons remained. There all still several German organisations left in Transylvania, but the future looks bleak. Only the very old towns (mentioned above) bear witness of a unique and illustrious history and culture. However, many buildings are extremely neglected and ready to collapse. A HBC reader tells us about his trip to Transylvania in 2005 to lean more about the the German ethnic community there.

Bessarabian Volkdeutsche

Romania which fought with the Allies in World War I, joined the Axis in World War II, although under considerable NAZI pressure. We only have limited information at this time on how the the Volkdeutsche fared during World War II. We know that the Volkdeutsche in Bessarabia left when the Soviets seized the province from Romania (July 1940). The NAZIs encouraged the Volkdeutsche who had resided there for centuries to leave rather than stay under Soviet rule. Once safely across the River Prut, however, the Volkdeutsche were not allowed to resettle, but rather confined in camps. I'm not sure what happened to them after the NAIs invaded the Soviet Union. Presumably many tried to return to their former homes.

Reader Comments

A reader writes, "I was in Romania in 2006, and had a very similar tour. I loved the architecture and could pick up some of the Romanian-language words, which are similar to Italian--showing the Latin roots. I found the people very friendly. Many spoke English. One of the highlights of the trip was to play the organ in one of the walled Saxon churches. The caretaker, Herr Schneider, said there were not many members of the congregation left. I also met a Romanian priest who maintained his own museum and showed us a printing press he had hidden from the Communists."

Sources

Stueck, Rudi. E-mail message, July 8, 2005.

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Created: 4:11 AM 7/8/2005
Last updated: 7:31 AM 9/4/2008