"devotee of"). [15] For several consecutive centuries, the main task of these medieval German-speaking settlers (as that of the Szeklers for example in the east of Transylvania) was to defend the southern, southeastern, and northeastern borders of the then Kingdom of Hungary against foreign invaders stemming most notably from Central Asia and even far East Asia (e.g. Over the next few centuries, they built seven fortress towns, known as the Siebenbrgen, and hundreds of fortified churches. A newspaper dedicated to the community of Hungarian-Germans in Ohio is now on Chronicling America! The majority of them are still in very good to relatively good shape to this day, after further consolidation and renovation based on European funds or Norwegian grants (for example in Alma Vii or Laslea), but also based on foreign donations. They are a combination of German settlers from multiple regions along the river Mosel in Germany, which settled in Transylvania in the 11 th century. Nowadays, organisations representing the Transylvanian Saxons exist in Romania, Germany, Austria, Canada, and the United States (in the latter case most notably 'Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons'). Als Gemeinschaften grer wurden, und Leute beweglicher oder whlen. The lowest figure indicates the approximate contemporary distribution mostly in Transylvania, central Romania, whereas the highest one applies worldwide. Baby Names - Boys, Girls Names. Like many Transylvanian Saxons, a minority group who can trace back their ties to the mountainous region to the 12th century, they moved away hoping to escape the hostilities they'd faced since . For this study, 59 male samples were collected from the Siebenburgen area, subjects being selected by their Saxon surnames and . [9] Other smaller communities of Transylvanian Saxons can be found in South Africa and Australia as well as South America (for example in Argentina). You may also be interested in:The surprising story of the Basque languageA craft kept alive by 10 Swiss mastersAn ancient rite that could save Earth. . mannerisms). A second phase of German settlement during the early 13th century consisted of settlers primarily stemming from the Rhineland region, the southern Low Countries, and the Moselle region, with others from Thuringia, Bavaria, and even from France. Tabellen zusammengestellt mit Informationen von: For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the Kingdom of Hungary. Surnames are now important in identifying individuals and families over time. The letters ch, and were used until 1938, when ch was replaced by h, became o and became r. They were later reinstated, but were no longer used after 1957. Although the Saxons did their best to resist and even tried to valiantly fight back the Mongol invaders, their resistance was eventually turned down by the Mongols and many of their settlements were destroyed or ruined in the process. At the same time, especially after Romania's accession into NATO and the EU, many Transylvanian Saxons are returning from Germany, reclaiming property lost to the former communist regime and/or starting up small and medium-sized enterprises. Alarmed by the knights' rapidly expanding power, in 1225 King Andrew II expelled the Teutonic Order from Transylvania permanently, which henceforth relocated to Prussia in 1226, although the colonists remained in Burzenland. A dictionary of Transylvanian Saxon was published in . The territory colonized by Germans covered an area of about 30,000km2 (10,000 sq. Transylvanian Saxons, German-speaking population that in the Middle Ages settled in Transylvania, then part of Hungary. An Outline of Transsilvanian-Saxon History by Klaus Popa, MA (inglise keeles) The History of Transylvania and the Transylvania Saxons by Dr. Konrad Gndisch (inglise keeles) Transylvanian Saxon surnames (inglise keeles) Transylvanian placenames in different languages (saksa keeles) General site on the Transylvanian Saxons (saksa keeles) The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. 50. They got by on one name and used a personal identifier when needed. The anthem is also known as Siebenbrgen, Land des Segens (literally Transylvania, land of blessings).[57]. Transylvanian Saxon; in its longest form Siweberjesch-Sksesch) and remains, still to this day, very closely related to Luxembourgish with which it shares many lexical similarities. Valea Viilor (German: Wurmloch) Evangelical Lutheran medieval fortified church, Saschiz (German: Keisd or Hnenburg) Evangelical Lutheran medieval fortified church, Viscri (German: Weisskirch) Evangelical Lutheran medieval fortified church, The Mongol invasion of 124142 devastated much of the Kingdom of Hungary. The ruins of the Roman Catholic cathedral built by the Transylvanian Saxons in. Such an attack would often stem from the Cumans, for example, or from the Pechenegs. Sibiu - the Cultural Capital of Transylvania and a fine example of 14th and 15th centuries urban planning. Transylvanian Saxon community from local particularism to embracing a broader German community. fortified churches). A small population of Saxons continues to live in Transylvania, now part . The churches were positioned on high points overlooking the communities; stone structures punctuated with watchtowers and surrounded by high defensive stone walls. In 1945 more than 70,000 Transylvanian Saxons were apprehended by Soviet occupiers and deported to labour camps in Siberia. 47. Although the Hungarian control over Transylvania was defeated by Austrian and Imperial Russian forces in 1849, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 (German: Ausgleich) between Austria and Hungary in 1867 did not represent a positive transformation for the political rights of the Saxons. Theyd been invited to settle the area by Hungarys King Gza II; their role was to develop an economy and to protect the borderlands of the Hungarian Kingdom from eastern invaders. Transylvanian Churchbooks. . My great aunt lived here for more than 70 years, said Zakel, who bought the house last year from a family member. Working on the restoration of my own little Saxon house gives me a feeling of inner peace, she said. Lower part: the locator acts as the judge in the village. Most of the churches are big enough to house villagers fleeing from invaders - sheep flocks, cow herds and family dogs included. Size of this PNG preview of this SVG file: 800 533 pixels. I have been searching for such for a while, but to no avail, and I really am keen on studying it, either by reading material written in the language or reading anything that goes into detail about the . 'Hauptstuhl' means head/high seat and this one in particular was the most important administrative unit and centre of the Transylvanian Saxons throughout the passing of time, in cultural, religious, and political regards. It . However, throughout the passing of time, demographically, their numbers gradually dwindled and had been subsequently assimilated in the local medieval Wallachian and Moldavian cultures by the overwhelming Romanian ethnic majority. . For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Transylvanian Saxons . Transylvania County, North Carolina - Transylvania County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. [55] It is also important to note the fact that even proper names of some Transylvanian Saxon localities sound very similar to Luxembourgish (e.g. It has also come in contact with Romanian and Hungarian from which several words were derived. The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Gza II of Hungary (1141-1162). The road to Malancrav follows a snaking path with vistas stretching out across wildflower meadows of shepherds grazing their flocks in hilly pastures. The old wicker basket is almost full, but it is one of many tasks required by Zakel, who lives in Switzerland but visits regularly, as she goes about maintaining and restoring this old farmhouse to keep her ancestral heritage alive. Nonetheless, a sizable Transylvanian Saxon population also resides today in North America, most notably in the United States (specifically in Idaho, Ohio, and Colorado as well as in Canada, southern Ontario more precisely). 9. . The Saxons first arrived in Romanias Transylvania region in the 12th Century from areas that today constitute Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg. I cant explain this kind of attachment, Stanciu said. This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. After the end of World War I, on 8 January 1919, the representatives of the Transylvanian Saxons decided to support the unification of Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania. Transylvanian Saxons adopted surnames a little later than in western Europe, starting in the 1500's. Although many surnames are also common in other German-speaking areas, there are some distinctions due to the Saxon dialect's pronunciation and vocabulary, and due to loan-words from other languages, primarily Hungarian and Latin. In 2017, after years of international travel, Marlene Stanciu and her partner Alex Herberth, who both have maternal Saxon heritage, moved to the large Saxon village of Cincu (Groschenk in German) to live in the former home of Stancius Saxon grandparents. This document conferred upon the German population of the territory between Drueni (German: Draas, Romanian: Drueni) and Ortie (German: Broos, Romanian: Ortie) both administrative and religious autonomy and defined their obligations towards the Hungarian monarchs. beschreiben oder auch ihre Persnlichkeit und Manierismen). Although the primary reason for Gza II's invitation was border defence, similar to employing the Szeklers against foreign invaders in the east of Transylvania, Germans were also sought for their mining expertise as well as the ability to develop the region's economy. The word means 'god-given' or ' gift of God .'. The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Gza II of Hungary (1141-1162). In 2011, Peters changed his surname to Espenhorst. However, over the past few decades the community has all but vanished from the region decimated by one of modern Europes greatest ethnic migrations. . The coastal stretch from the Elbe to the . However: surname spelling has only recently become fixed, and people sometimes Each person in a family might have a different descriptive identifier and those It was written and composed in the mid 19th century. Entire Site The predominantly German-populated Hermannstadt was a noteworthy cultural center within Transylvania in the past, while Kronstadt (Braov) represented a vital political center for the Transylvanian Saxons. The rapid expansion of cities populated by the Saxons led to Transylvania being known in German as Siebenbrgen and Septem Castra or Septem Castrensis in Latin[d], referring to seven of the fortified towns (see Historical names of Transylvania), most likely: Other potential candidates for this list include: Other notable urban Saxon settlements include: In addition to fortifying their towns over the passing of time, the Transylvanian Saxons also had to fortify their villages by building their fortified churches (the Transylvanian Saxons were initially strongly Roman Catholic then Evangelical Lutheran after the Reformation). Herberth, just like his ancestors would have, even brings raw wood by horse and cart from the local forest, which he says incurs far less waste and is more environmentally friendly. Two Seats), Mediasch und Schelk. After all, the Saxon villages in Transylvania doubled as outposts used to defend trading routes through the countryside. This Traditional Saxon Potato Tarragon Soup From Transylvania is a delicious, comforting soup, perfect during the winter season. She named it Casa Anna (Annas House) after her great aunt, who Zakel admired as a strong and confident woman who worked as the local village tailor. [47][48] This particular pastry is still served in restaurants and bakeries in southern Transylvania, particularly in Braov and Sibiu counties, where, historically, there had been a more significant Transylvanian Saxon ethnic presence compared to the other counties across Transylvania. Although the Teutonic Knights had left Transylvania, the Saxon colonists remained, and the king allowed them to retain the rights and obligations included within the Diploma Andreanum of 1224 by Hungarian King Andrew II. Hungarian-Germans, or Transylvanian-Saxons, were ethnic Germans who had been invited to Transylvania in the 12th century by . Liste von Ortschaften in . Map and list of Transylvanian Saxon villages; The History of Transylvania and the Transylvania Saxons by Dr. Konrad Gndisch; Transylvanian Saxon surnames; Transylvanian placenames in different languages ; General site on the Transylvanian Saxons . Many Saxon villages in Transylvania now have just a few remaining Saxons. Emperor Joseph II attempted to revoke the Unio Trium Nationum in the late 18th century. Transylvanian Saxons The saga of a civilization in 4 parts: colonization, splendor, decline and today's touristic heritage Underdeveloped country seeking investors - this was the slogan of Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism. Founded in 1902, the Alliance is open to Americans of Transylvanian Saxon descent. The Transylvanian Saxons (German: Siebenbrger Sachsen; Hungarian: Erdlyi szszok; Romanian: Sai) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania (German: Siebenbrgen) from the 12th century onwards. After the collapse of the Ceauescu regime in 1989 and the fall of the East German communist government, many of them continued to emigrate to unified Germany. Samuel von Brukenthal, former Habsburg governor of Transylvania. The period of Roman decline in the northwest area of the empire was marked by vigorous Saxon piracy in the North Sea. The word is made of two Slavic language words, namely 'bogu' meaning 'god' and 'dan' meaning 'given.'. . associated with Transylvanian villages - Source: sszdied database [41][42][43] About 15% of the Romanian ethnic Germans who served in the Waffen-SS died in the war, with only a few thousand survivors returning to Romania.[44]. The colonization of Transylvania by ethnic Germans later collectively known as Transylvanian Saxons began under the reign of King Gza II of Hungary (11411162). identifiers could change. The process of emigration continued during communist rule in Romania. wahrscheinlich im frhen Mittelalter verloren.). I have given after each surname the modern Romanian translation of the elements; most of these translations are probably accurate for medieval Romanian, but I cannot say for sure. Their number shrank to 14,770 according to the data provided by the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania in 2003.[45]. [36] In the case of the first settlement (i.e. His actions were aimed at the political inequality within Transylvania, especially the political strength of the Saxons. Heading into Saxon Transylvania is to get a glimpse into ancient rural Europe. Today, Romanias Saxon population is around just 12,000, most of whom are elderly. She died in 2014. Nearly 200,000 Romanians have this surname. Transylvanian Saxon/Siweberjesch-Sksesch Material. Apply this search to the main name collection, the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name, search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes, this field understands simple boolean logic, force a term to be included by preceding it with a, force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a, sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations, syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations, names without pronunciations are excluded from results. Typische Schsische Familiennamen - Typical Saxon Family Names If you liked this story,sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newslettercalled "The Essential List". Romania's significant German (Saxon) heritage is obvious in Southern Transylvania, home to hundreds of well-preserved Saxon towns and villages. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Ages). ehrgeizig wurden, dieser German minority in Romania, in the Transylvanian region, Flag of the Transylvanian Saxons and the coat of arms of the, Medieval fortified Evangelical Lutheran church at. of the former Kingdom of Hungary). Familienanzeigen der Alongside the Zipser Germans (also sometimes known or referred to as Zipser Saxons), the Transylvanian Saxons are one of the two eldest German-speaking and ethnic German groups in Central-Eastern Europe, having continuously been living there since the High Middle Ages onwards. THE TRANSYLVANIAN SAXONS IN 1848 The Germans of Transylvania, commonly called the Saxons, settled in the 12th and 13th centuries between Orastie and Brasov in the southeast and in the northeast around Bistrita. Hence, taking in consideration the aforementioned regarding the Saxon title in high medieval Transylvania, the Transylvanian Saxons' ethnic consciousness subsequently solidified after the first waves of settlers from Western Europe arrived in Transylvania and was further reinforced or revitalised with new settlers from central and southern present-day Germany during the Modern Age, more specifically during the 19th century. The surname is a Siebenburgen Saxon or Transylvanian Saxon specific surname. Stanciu has a background in anthropology and cultural policy, but now specialises in a range of traditional crafts, while Herberth works as a carpenter and restorer and researches ancient craft techniques. Nearly 150,000 Romanians have this last name. 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