However, the Habsburgs still promoted Roman Catholicism to the Saxons during the Counter-Reformation. 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. Saxon, member of a Germanic people who in ancient times lived in the area of modern Schleswig and along the Baltic coast. sources for similar lists for other villages. work-related (occupation name or an allusion to a : Out of 25 ancestral surnames, 12 or 13 look German: 1) Neumann . Use the drop-down list to select a specific part of the site. After all, the Saxon villages in Transylvania doubled as outposts used to defend trading routes through the countryside. Numerous Saxons have emigrated to Germany, especially after the fall of the Eastern Bloc in 1989 and are represented by the Association of Transylvanian Saxons in Germany. mannerisms). May 5, 2018. 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'). To guard the mountain passes of the Carpathians (German: Karpaten) against the Cumans, the knights constructed numerous castles and towns, including the major city of Kronstadt (Romanian: Braov). Founded in 1902, the Alliance is open to Americans of Transylvanian Saxon descent. I came [to my grandparents house in Cincu] to clear my mind and it just felt right I felt this was home. Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us onFacebook, or follow us onTwitterandInstagram. In the aftermath of the invasion, many Transylvanian towns were fortified with stone castles and an emphasis was put on developing towns economically. Under the influence of Johannes Honterus, the great majority of the Transylvanian Saxons embraced the new creed of Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation. The literal translation of this Romanian last name is 'black beard.'. 1935 Einwohnerbuch - Strehlen This Traditional Saxon Potato Tarragon Soup From Transylvania is a delicious, comforting soup, perfect during the winter season. After 1918 and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, in the wake of the Treaty of Trianon (signed in 1920), Transylvania united with the Kingdom of Romania, after the Transylvanian Saxons also voted for the union with the Romanian kingdom in February 1919. 5. "Siebenbrgische Zeitung". (default) detailed compact very compact clear. The Saxons first arrived in Romanias Transylvania region in the 12th Century, but over the past few decades the community has all but vanished from the region. The Transylvanian Saxons (German: Siebenbrger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: Siweberjer Sksen[6][7] or simply Soxen, singularly Sox or Soax; Transylvanian Landler: Soxn or Soxisch; Romanian: Sai ardeleni, sai transilvneni/transilvani; Hungarian: erdlyi szszok) are a people of mainly German ethnicity (and overall Germanic origin; mostly Luxembourgish) who settled in Transylvania (Romanian: Transilvania, German: Siebenbrgen or Transsilvanien, Latin: Transsilvania, Septem Castra or Septem Castrensis, Medieval Latin: Trnsylvnia) in various waves, starting from the mid and mid-late 12th century until the mid 19th century. Romanian Saxon villages might be tiny, but the churches are mighty. [46], One prominent example of a local traditional dessert of the Transylvanian Saxons is the hanklich (Romanian: hencle or hencle ssesc), a sweet cheese pie with powdered sugar on top (variations include plums as main ingredients, raisins, or other dry fruits). [16] Later on, the Saxons needed to further fortify both their rural and urban settlements against invading Ottomans (or against the invading and expanding Ottoman Empire). A newspaper dedicated to the community of Hungarian-Germans in Ohio is now on Chronicling America! Jede Person in einer Familie konnte einen anderen beschreibenden 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. For decades, the main . siebenbrgischen Namen auch die jene Nachnamen auf die in den 17ten They got by on one name and used a personal identifier when needed. Nearly 200,000 Romanians have this surname. fixiert worden, und Leute haben manchmal ihren Namen gendert! The Transylvanian Saxon population has been steadily decreasing since World War II as they started leaving the territory of present-day Romania en masse during and after World War II, relocating initially to Austria, then predominantly to southern Germany (especially in Bavaria). Bogdan. Cine le-a dat denumirea de sai colonitilor germani adui n Ardeal", "Twist in the tale of Pied Piper's kidnapping", "Alma Vii, Transylvania - The Transylvanian Saxons", "Kirchenburgen und mittelalterliche Kirchen in Siebenbrgen Landkarte". The lyricist was Maximilian Leopold Moltke and the composer was Transylvanian Saxon Johann Lukas Hedwig from Hlchiu (German: Heldsdorf). They were subsequently allied with the Transylvanian Romanians and thus sided with the Austrian Empire in the context of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. Linzing lives in Malancrav with her husband and two children, who all speak in the Saxon dialect, which is similar to that of Luxembourgish, when they are at home. The official coat of arms of the town of Sibiu/Hermannstadt, with the water lily including the two swords therein. Die Thu 1 Oct 2009 15.30 EDT. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. Old Town Braov one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Romania. Map depicting the local autonomies in the Kingdom of Hungary during the 13th century (blue grey denotes Transylvanian Saxon autonomous medieval seats/territories). Stephan Ludwig Roth, an Evangelical Lutheran pastor and intellectual who led the German support for Romanian political rights, eventually opposed the unification of Transylvania with Hungary and was executed by the Hungarian military tribunal during the revolution. ( Mac / Adobe Stock) Transylvanian Fortified Churches as Heritage of Saxon Settlers . Janosch m German (Modern), Transylvanian Saxon. Geni requires JavaScript! Of the 101 people, 55 had surnames (54.4%). The Sachsenheim Originally a house purchased by the Transylvanian Saxons Sick Benefits Society in 1907, the Sachsenheim underwent major renovations in 1910 and 1925. 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. Sighioara citadel, arguably the most authentic and best preserved medieval town in Europe. Tabellen zusammengestellt mit Informationen von: The surprising story of the Basque language, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter. It has forty-three branches and approximately 10,000 members. Throughout Transylvania, many Saxon homes remain empty, dusty and strewn with decaying personal belongings. Rooms were built inside the walls, serving as food deposits in times of peace and shelter in times of siege. This is further hinted but also highlighted in the coat of arms of the town of Sibiu/Hermannstadt (Romanian: Cibinium) by the water lily included therein. 47. Although the Saxons did their best to resist, many settlements were destroyed. The letters f and h only appear in loanwords. ersten Halter des Namens geben, gibt es, Some researchers think that surname meanings are of little value beyond the Moreover, under the title of Schulthei, ethnic Germans were even briefly in charge of some of these settlements during the High Middle Ages. But even forsaken communities such as these can be partly revived, as Carmen Schuster discovered on a fateful return to her ancestral village of Cincor (Kleinschenk in German). Building them was a shared community effort and worthy journey, but it hasnt been easy. Most colonists to this area came from Luxembourg (Luxembourgish: Ltzebuerg) and the Moselle River region (see for instance Medardus de Nympz, former knight and founder of the fortified village of Niemesch/Nema in Mona).[22]. Saxons in Wallachia also settled in Rmnic (i.e. identifiers could change. Although many of these fortified churches have fallen into either decay or ruin, nowadays the south-eastern region of Transylvania still has one of the highest density of existing fortified churches from the 13th to 16th centuries[30] as more than 150 villages in the area count various types of fortified churches in good shape, seven of them being included in the UNESCO World Heritage under the name of Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania. Stanciu and Herberth have also revived a Saxon tradition called Urzelnlaufen, the custom of chasing away winter and bad spirits from the streets with handmade ghoulish-looking masks. . history. This word in Romanian means 'bushy beard.'. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. It was estimated that there are approximately 300 such villages with fortified churches built by the Saxons in Transylvania during the Middle Ages.[31]. Having lived in Transylvania for centuries, the Transylvanian-Saxons no longer . 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. The anthem is also known as Siebenbrgen, Land des Segens (literally Transylvania, land of blessings).[57]. . whlen. Als Gemeinschaften grer wurden, und Leute beweglicher oder About. Together they are translated as "black beard". 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 General forum for the Transylvanian Saxons [39], The newly arrived Saxons outside in the Carpathian arch in the emerging medieval Romanian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia brought urbanisation, craftsmanship, trade, and the so-called German law, under which the local administrations of medieval Romanian towns had operated in the beginning.[40]. Salt Anglo-Saxon, English. [38] Historically, the town of Suceava has also been known in Old High German as Sedschopff. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. In 1989, still 95,000 Saxons lived in Romania (approx. Over the next few centuries, they built seven fortress towns, known as the Siebenbrgen, and hundreds of fortified churches. Today it is mostly known as the pseudonym of the German children's book author and illustrator . "Funken" fr einen Schmied), persnliche Merkmale (Adjektive die den Person krperlich After the Mongols retreated from Transylvania, in the event of another invasion, many Transylvanian towns were fortified with stone castles and an emphasis was put on developing towns economically. They are still used in the Lativan diaspora. . We took our traditions from our parents and grandparents, she said. This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. For more than a hundred years starting in the 2nd century, the region in what is now Romania-comprised of the Transylvanian Basin and the lands to the south-was the Roman province of Dacia.Prior to this, the region had been settled by Indo-Europeans, which the Greeks called the Getae, who then intermingled with other tribes that the Romans . The word means 'god-given' or ' gift of God .'. The lowest figure indicates the approximate contemporary distribution mostly in Transylvania, central Romania, whereas the highest one applies worldwide. Nevertheless, Transylvanian Saxon is very similar to Luxembourgish and sounds as a form of medieval German (e.g. The colonization of Transylvania by ethnic Germans later collectively known as Transylvanian Saxons began under the reign of King Gza II of Hungary (11411162). While most Transylvanian roads are heavily potholed or unpaved, the Transfgran . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. These fortified churches, or kirchenburgen as they are known in standard German, had defensive capacities in the event of a foreign attack on a rural Transylvanian Saxon community (e.g. 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). 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. The most common surnames are Pop / Popa ("the priest"). The Saxons in northeastern Transylvania were also in charge of mining. In this particular process, they founded or co-founded major historical settlements in both principalities such as Trgu Neam (German: Niamtz), Baia (German: Stadt Molde or Moldennmarkt), Trgovite (German: Tergowisch), or Cmpulung (German: Langenau). Currently in Romania, about 60% of ethnic Germans reported being Roman Catholic and 40% Protestant (see Religion in Romania). In the process of fortifying the borders of the Kingdom of Hungary to the east, they were early on helped by the Teutonic Knights. THE RESTORATION OF THE TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIAN ARISTOCRATS. people-related (personal names linked in some form "son of" or . ". 8. At the time she didnt mind: as a young woman, it meant liberation from oppressive communism, a chance to forge a life on the back of newfound opportunities in a wealthier country. First recorded as a surname in Staffordshire, England, but refers to a village in Normandy called Rugles. My great aunt lived here for more than 70 years, said Zakel, who bought the house last year from a family member. Its weekly publication is the Volksblatt. Source: Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons. This house was built by my great grandfather in 1911, and my grandparents lived here until they died in 2013 then I took over, she said. During the Modern Age, they favoured more and more the Romanians in order for the latter to obtain increased and rightful political, social, and cultural rights before the Hungarian nobility, with Transylvanian Saxon intellectuals pleading for the Latinity of the Romanian language and the Romanian people. The most common names are Petru (11, 10.9%), Radu (8, 7.9%), and Stefan (8, 7.9%). ara Oltului in Romanian, after the German name for the Olt river, or the old land as in a word for word translation from German) or Hermannstadt Provinz, based around the picturesque well preserved medieval town of Hermannstadt, today's Sibiu. Abstract Records (1902-1981) of the Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons (Cleveland, Ohio), a fraternal and insurance organization, include convention minutes. In February 1942 and May 1943, Germany concluded agreements with Hungary and Romania respectively, following which the Germans who were fit for military service, although they were either Hungarian citizens (in Northern Transylvania, entered the composition of the Hungarian state through the Second Vienna Award) or Romanian citizens (in Southern Transylvania, remaining part of Romania), could be incorporated into the regular German military units, into the Waffen-SS and into war-producing enterprises or into the Organisation Todt. . Almost all became Lutheran Protestants, with very few Calvinists, while other minor segments of the Transylvanian Saxon society remained staunchly Catholic (of Latin Rite, more specifically) or were converted to Catholicism later on. On the history of the Transylvanian Saxons, it is very important to note what former federal German president and professor doctor Theodor Heuss (FDP) stated, namely: "their history is a piece of German history as a whole".[21]. This, according to some scholars, is of ancient German origin. In its early years, it included the territories of Hermannstadt, Leschkirch (Nocrich), and Gro-Schenk (Cincu), the areas that were colonized the earliest by ethnic Germans in the region. ausgenommen dem Neugier-Faktor. Stelle-verwandt (aktuelle Wohnung-Stelle, ehemaliger Wohnsitz, Between them, they are reviving lost Saxon traditions and crafts through theirKraft Made concept. fortified churches). Lupu. Structured data. Bogdan. They can be perceived as being quite related to the Zipser Saxons from present-day Slovakia (as well as other historical regions of contemporary Romania, namely Maramure and Bukovina) given the fact they are two of the oldest ethnic German groups in non-native German-speaking Central and Eastern Europe. The surname is a Siebenburgen Saxon or Transylvanian Saxon specific surname. 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 . As a result, today only approximately 12,000 Saxons remain in Romania.[20]. Rugeley Anglo-Saxon. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Transylvanian Saxons . ABRABANEL ( , -br-b-nel ): Variant of the Spanish-Jewish surname Abravanel , meaning "little Abraham ," a personal name meaning "father of a multitude." Isaac Abrabanel (1437-1508), was a Jewish scholar and statesman. Ergnzt durch Logik und andere Forschungsquellen, u.a. The Transylvanian Saxons origin and nature will be . Prejmer is the largest fortified church in southeastern Europe and among the most impressive Saxon citadels. Although they only give specific information about the original holder of the name, there are, Neben den in der Heimat gewachsenen Nachnamen nimmt die Liste von Famous Transylvanian Saxons include intellectuals Johannes Honterus, Christian Schesaeus, Johannes Sommer, Samuel von Brukenthal, Georg Maurer, Johann Bhm, or Stephan Ludwig Roth, composers such as Georg Meyndt and Carl Filtsch, visual artists such as Fritz Schullerus, Edith Soterius von Sachsenheim, or Friedrich Miess, scientists such as Hermann Oberth and Conrad Haas, or sportsmen such as Michael Klein, Mora Windt-Martini, or Otto Tellmann. 1947 verschiedene Familiennamen. The lowest figure displays data according to the. Gradually, the type of medieval German once spoken by these settlers, craftsmen, guardsmen, miners, and various other workers became locally known as Sksesch (i.e. An Outline of Transsilvanian-Saxon History by Klaus Popa, MA Arhivirano 2021-01-22 na Wayback Machine. Lower part: the locator acts as the judge in the village. Consequently, they had to pay yearly tax to the king and provide military contributions to the royal army in case of danger of attack from abroad. The Saxons first arrived in Romanias Transylvania region in the 12th Century from areas that today constitute Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg. These surnames with matrilineal roots are common in the historical region of Moldova. Welcome to Geni, home of the world's largest family tree. The colonization continued until the end of the 13th century. As Hungarian subjects before World War I, German-speaking Transylvanian elites, predominantly Lutheran clergy and professionals, and known locally as the Literati,1 protected their cultural, political, and economic interests under "sparks" for a smith), personal characteristics The territory colonized by Germans covered an area of about 30,000km2 (10,000 sq. The coastal stretch from the Elbe to the . und gebrauchten einen weiterern Erkennungsnamen nur wenn es ntig war. Back in apu, Zakel gives me a tour of Casa Anna, a more modest project than that of Schuster and her husband. Its 2018 U.S. Census population estimate is 34,215. [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. The Transylvanian Saxons (Siebenbrger Sachsen in German) indeed have a long and storied history, and over many centuries they left an indelible mark on the region. When people lived in small groups, they didn't need permanent surnames as we We want to pass on our traditions to our children because it is something beautiful. Mehr Siebenbrgische Familiennamen national costumes or Schsische Trachten). Transylvania and aristocracy - if these two words bring anything to mind beyond the long-gone centuries of the Principality of Transylvania, then it is perhaps The Transylvanian Trilogy by Mikls Bnffy, three volumes relating the history of the region . In 1945 more than 70,000 Transylvanian Saxons were apprehended by Soviet occupiers and deported to labour camps in Siberia. Obwohl die Deutungen nur genaue Ausknfte ber den It comes from Lupo, FrenchLoup, SpanishLpez, and PortugueseLopes or Lopo. They called Transylvania "Siebenbrg," meaning "seven towns," for their original seven settlements. Other resolutions: 320 213 pixels | 640 427 pixels | 1,024 683 pixels | 1,280 853 pixels | 2,560 1,707 pixels. 9. Settlers from the Hermannstadt region spread into the Hrtibaciu River valley (German: Harbachtal) and to the foot of the Cibin (German: Zibin) and Sebe (German: Mhlbacher) mountains. In 1945 more than 70,000 Transylvanian Saxons were apprehended by Soviet occupiers and deported to labour camps in Siberia. Familienanzeigen der German merchants arrived in the 12th century to help defend the region against the Tatars and Turks. 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. In Romanian, it is also known as lichiu ssesc or just lichiu. 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. Suche - Search Prof. Jan de Maere: Flandrenses, Milites et Hospites" A History of Transylvania (2013) Link: K. Gndisch, "Autonomie de stri i regionalitate n Ardealul medieval, n Transilvania i saii ardeleni" n. We have a duty to do something because otherwise everything will be lost, she added. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Good luck in your hunt! The song of Transylvania) is the regional anthem of the Transylvanian Saxon community as well as an unofficial regional hymn of Transylvania, praising the region as a land of blessings and great natural beauty. . z.B. [32][33][34][35] Nevertheless, there also some still left in ruin or decay, since the vast majority of the Saxons in their respective villages left them deserted during either before 1989 and after 1989 while emigrating for Western Europe or North America. 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. She died in 2014. 5 5 In 1714, a personal union was established between Britain and the Electorate of Hanover in the Holy Roman Empire based on the . 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. 'Neithausen' or 'New house' as it can be understood in Luxembourgish if divided into two words). Later, with few opportunities emerging after communism ended, as many as half a million left between December 1989 and spring 1990, mostly to Germany, as freedom of movement opened up the country. The Transylvanian Saxons also colonized areas outside the Carpathian arch, and, implicitly, outside their newly native lands across Transylvania starting from the mid and mid-late 12th century. The Transylvanian Saxons (German: Siebenbrger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: Siweberjer Sksen . changed their name! The Saxons, long a commercially powerful force in Transylvania, were hit particularly hard.