Saxon of Transylvania

Saxon of Transylvania (German: Siebenbürger Sachsen ; Rumanian: Saşi , Hungarian: Szászok ) is a population of German origin which settled in Transylvania as from the 12th century.

The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was initiated by the king Géza II of Hungary (1141 - 1162). Since decades, the important task of the German colonists was to defend the south-eastern border of the kingdom of Hungary. Colonization continued until the end of the 13th century. Although the colonists come for the majority from the west from the Saint Empire Romain Germanique and generally speak about the dialects Franconien S, they are collectively known under the name of Saxons because of German who worked for the Hungarian Chancellerie.

Colonies of the Middle Ages

The initial phase of German colonization started in the middle of the 12th century with colonists who voyagaient towards what will become the Altland or the Province of Hermannstadt (county of Sibiu). Although the primary reason of the invitation of Géza II was the defense of the border with the Sicules against the invaders, the Germans were also required for their knowledge in the trades of the mine and their capacity to develop the economy of the area. Many colonists of this area came from the Luxembourg and the area native of the Moselle region.

A second phase of German colonization came during the beginning from XIIIe century, and consisted of colonists mainly originating in the Rhineland, the southernmost Netherlands, and the area of the Moselle, with others of Thuringe, Bavaria, and even of France. A colony in the North-East of Transylvania was centered on the town of Nösen , Bistritz (Bistriţa), located later on the river Bistrita. The zone with the entour became the Nösnerland. Immigration continues since the Empire further extended the zone of Saxon towards the east. Colony-girls of the area of Hermannstadt dispersed in the Harbachtal (the " valley of the Hartibaciu ") and until the foot of the Zibin (mounts Mounts Cibin) and the Mühlbacher (Mounts Sebeş). the area centered on the town of Mühlbach (Sebeş) was known under the name of the Unterwald. In the north of Hermannstadt the Weinland beside Mediasch was (Mediaş).

In 1211 the king André II of Hungary invited the Order of the Chevaliers Teutoniques to colonize and defend the Burzenland in the south-east of Transylvania. To keep the collars of the Carpates against the Coumans, the knights built many castles and cities, of which the principal city of Kronstadt (Braşov). Colonization in the area of Burzenland consisted mainly of colonists of Altland. Alarmed by the power of the knights which grew quickly, André II exiled in 1225 the Order which was reinstalled in Prussia in 1226, although the colonists remained in Burzenland.

The Eastern borders médéviales of the kingdom of Hungary were then defended in the North-East by the Saxon ones of Nösnerland, in the east by Sicules nonGerman, in south-east by the castles built by the Teutoniques Knights and the Saxon ones of Burzenland, and in the south by the Saxon ones of Atland.

Medieval organization

Legal organization

Although the knights left Transylvania, the Saxons colonists remained, and the king allowed to them to keep their rights and obligations by the Andreanum Act (German: Goldener Freibrief der Siebenbürger Sachsen ) of 1224. This document conferred on the German populations of the territory between Draas (Drăuşeni) and Broos (Orăştie) an administrative autonomy and religious and obligations towards the king of Hungary. The territory which was colonized by the Germans covered a zone of about 30.000 km ². During the reign of the king Charles Robert of Anjou (probably between 1325 and 1329), the Saxon ones were organized in Chaires saxonnes.

Religious organizations

Separately the Order teutonic, other important religious organizations for the development of the German communities were the abbeys Cistercien born from Igrisch (Igriş) in the area of the Banat and from Cârţa in Făgăraş.

The first religious organization of Saxon was the Provostie of Hermannstadt (Sibiu), founded on December 20th 1191. During these early years, it included the territories of Hermannstadt, Leschkirch (Nocrich), and Groß-Schenk (Cincu), the zones which had been colonized the first.

Fortification of the cities

The Mongolian invasion of 1241 - 1242 devastated the kingdom of Hungary. Although the Saxon ones made of their to better resist, much of colonies were destroyed. After the end of the invasions, many towns of Transylvania were strengthened by castles of stone and the urban development was encouraged. Many was defended by Kirchenburgen , or churches strengthened with massive walls. The fast expansion of the cities inhabited by the Saxon ones made that Transylvania was called in German Siebenbürgen , in reference to the seven strengthened cities:

Bistritz (Bistriţa)
Hermannstadt (Sibiu)
Klausenburg (Cluj-Napoca)
Kronstadt (Braşov)
Mediasch (Mediaş)
Mühlbach (Sebeş)
Schässburg (Sighişoara)

The privileged class

With the Transylvanian nobility largely represented by the Hungarian and the Sicules, the Saxon ones of Transylvania were members of the Union of the Three Nations ( Unio Trium Nationum ), signed in 1438. This agreement protected the political rights of the three groups and excluded the Wallachian farming community from the political life.

During the Reform, much the Saxon ones of Transylvania converted with the Luthérianisme. As the Principality with half-independent of Transylvania was one of the most tolerant states of Europe, the Saxon ones had the right to practice their religion. The Habsbourg promoted the Catholicisme with Saxon during the Counter-Reformation, but the majority remained Lutheran.

The conflicts which opposed the Austria and the Hungary with the Ottoman Empire starting from XVIe century made decrease the population of Saxon of Transylvania. When the Principality of Transylvania passed under the domination of Habsbourg Austrians, a third weaker phase of colonization began, which helped to revitalize the Saxon ones. The Germans worked as administrators and were useful as military officers, especially during the wars between the monarchy of Othoman Habsbourg and the . Hermannstadt, inhabited by the Germans, were an important arts center of Transylvania, whereas Kronstadt was a vital political center for the Saxon ones.

The loss of the statute of elite

The emperor Joseph II of Austria tried to dissolve Unio Trium Nationum at the end of the XVIIIe century. Its actions aimed at the political inequality in Transylvania, particularly the political clout of the Saxon ones. Many Saxon started to see themselves like a small minority opposed to the Valaques and Hungarian nationalist. Although they remained a rich and influential group, the Saxon ones were not any more one dominant class.

During the Revolutions of 1848, the Saxon ones encouraged finally the attempt of the Wallachians to obtain an equal political statute. The Hungarians, on the other hand, wished the complete unification of Transylvania with the remainder of Hungary. Stephan Ludwig Roth, a Pasteur which led the German support for the political rights for the Wallachians, was carried out by Hungarian radicals during the revolution.

Although the Hungarian attempt to acquire a larger control on Transylvania was demolished by the Austrian forces and Russian in 1849, the compromise Ausgleich between Austria and Hungary in 1867 did not propose anything good for the political rights of the Saxon ones. During the period Austro-Hungarian, the Hungarians engaged a policy of Magyarisation to fight the growing nationalism of the other ethnos groups of the kingdom.

After the First World War, the Saxon ones largely supported the unification of Transylvania with the kingdom of Romania. One promised all the rights of a minority to them, but these guarantees were not always followed and much of Saxon lost their ground.

The Second world war and post-war period

During the Second world war, much the Saxon ones of Transylvania demobilized followed the Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union. When Romania signed a peace treaty with the Soviets in 1944, the German army started to withdraw the Saxon ones of Transylvania; this operation was especially applied at the Saxon ones of Nösnerland. Nearly 100.000 Germans fled in front of the Red Army , but Romania did not lead the expulsion of the Germans as in the adjoining countries at the end of the war. Despite everything, more than 80.000 Saxon were stopped by the Soviet Army and were sent in camps of work in Siberia for co-operation with the Germans. The Saxon ones which remained were persecuted by communist Romania and lost many political rights.

Since the fall of the Eastern bloc in 1989, many Germans emigrated in Germany and see themselves regarded as Auslandsdeutsche , or " Germans of the étranger" , by the German government; many has thus the authorization to come to Germany, and to become German citizens. Because of this emigration of Romania, the population the Saxon ones of Transylvania decreases quickly.

German population in broad Transylvania (with Banat and Crişana) at the 20th century

1910 : 731.438 (including 235.000 Saxon approximately) (source: Census of 1910)
1956: 384.708 (of which Saxon?)
1977 : 359.109 (of which Saxon?)
1992 : 111.301 (of which Saxon?)
2002 : 60.008 (of which Saxon?)

NB: the figures include/understand the German of Banat and the Crişana known as Souabe S.

See too

Expulsion of the Germans after the Second world war
German (ethnos group)
Volksdeutsche
German of the Baltic
German of the Volga
German of Carpates
German of Banat
Unirea, a village of Transylvania probably founded by Walloon , making at the time part of the Holy Germanic Roman empire.

External bonds

Chart and list of the villages the Saxon ones of Transylvania
Places of Transylvania in various languages (in German)
general Site on the Saxon ones of Transylvania (in German)
general Forum for the Saxon ones of Transylvania (in German)
history of Transylvania and of Saxon of Transylvania by Dr. Konrad Gündisch

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