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Transylvanian Saxon culture

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The UNESCO-recognized Evangelical Lutheran fortified church of Biertan (German: Birthälm) in Sibiu County (German: Kreis Hermannstadt) is a prominent symbol of Transylvanian Saxon culture in Transylvania, Romania and a World Heritage Site since 1993 (alongside other Saxon villages with fortified churches).

The Transylvanian Saxon culture refers to the regional culture of the Transylvanian Saxons (German: Die Siebenbürger Sachsen, Romanian: Sași transilvăneni or sași transilvani, Hungarian: erdélyi szászok), an ethnic German group (part of the Germans of Romania and one of the most significant constituent groups therein; also significantly related in particular to the Luxembourgers) which has been living in Transylvania (German: Siebenbürgen, Romanian: Transilvania), present-day central Romania since the mid and mid-late 12th century onwards, thus being one of the oldest groups of the German diaspora still residing in Eastern and Central Europe, alongside the Baltic Germans (German: Deutsch-Balten) and the Zipser Germans (German: Zipser Sachsen).[1][2][3]

The regional culture of the Transylvanian Saxons includes their dialect, namely Transylvanian Saxon (German: Siebenbürgisch-Sächsisch, Romanian: Dialectul săsesc) which is one of the oldest German dialects (spoken since the High Middle Ages onwards), their cuisine, their literature, their folk dances, their traditional costumes (German: Sächsische Trachten), their celebrations and cultural festivals, their traditional music, their regional anthem (i.e. Siebenbürgenlied), their history, former regional governance as the Transylvanian Saxon University (Latin: Universitas Saxonum, German: Sächsische Nationsuniversität), local architecture represented by the many villages with fortified churches (German: Kirchenburgen or Wehrkirchen), and heraldic (including their coat-of-arms).[4][5][6]

Background

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Illustration from 'Die Gartenlaube' (1884) depicting a group of Transylvanian Saxons during the Middle Ages.

The Transylvanian Saxons, a group of the German diaspora which started to settle in Transylvania, present-day Romania, since the high medieval Ostsiedlung, have a regional culture which can be regarded as being both part of the broader German culture as well as the Romanian culture.[7]

Having continuously lived for centuries in a diverse cultural region, their regional culture also influenced those of the Romanians and Hungarians in Transylvania and vice-versa. The Transylvanian Saxon heritage in Romania is present in the local architecture of many Transylvanian villages, towns, and cities as well as in the Romanian cuisine, as dishes of German origin are shared between the cultures of the two peoples. The eclectic origins of the Transylvanian Saxons as a Germanic people (with roots also from Luxembourg) make their regional culture to be distinguished as Central European and Western European (given their origins from the Rhine river valley).[8]

Folk dances

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Examples of Transylvanian Saxon folk dances include Königinnentanz (i.e. the queens' dance) or der Webertanz (i.e. the tailors' dance).[9][10]

Cultural festivals and celebrations

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The annual gathering of Transylvanian Saxons is held in Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria, southern Germany in May.

Haferland is the name of the Transylvanian Saxon cultural festival which unfolds over a period of time of one week.[11] The festival has been attended by both Romanians and foreign tourists as well.[12] Another noteworthy historical Transylvanian Saxon festival is the Crown Festival (German: Kronenfest).[13] There is also the annual gathering (or Pentecost; German: Heimattag) of the Transylvanian Saxons held in the small Bavarian town of Dinkelsbühl in southern Germany.[14] The respective festival is held annually in May.[15]

Visual arts

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In terms of visual arts, the Transylvanian Saxons have excelled at painting through the works of the following artistic representatives: Friedrich Miess, Fritz Schullerus, Trude Schullerus, Arthur Coulin, or Edith Soterius von Sachsenheim, the latter whom also emigrated to England.[16]

Religion

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Religion has been a very important part of the Transylvanian Saxon culture throughout the passing of time. In the distant past, more specifically during the High Middle Ages until the Reformation, the Transylvanian Saxons were Roman Catholic. After the Reformation, the vast majority of the Transylvanian Saxons became Lutherans through a peaceful collective conversion. Nowadays, the small Transylvanian Saxon community still left in Romania is religiously represented by the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania (German: Evangelische Kirche A.B. [Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses] in Rumänien).[17]

Contributions to Romanian culture

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Map depicting Transylvanian Saxon fortified churches across Transylvania.

The Transylvanian Saxons also contributed significantly to the Romanian culture through their historical heritage and the century-long cohabitation with the Romanians in southern, south-eastern, and north-eastern Transylvania. Their heritage in these areas of Transylvania is best represented by the rural fortified settlements which are UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Sites.[18] It is estimated that there have been c. 300 (or even more than 300 according to a particular estimate)[19] such fortified settlements known as kirchenburgen (or fortress church) in German. Nevertheless, nowadays the number of those which haven't yet fallen into ruin is significantly lower, estimated at 150–200.

The contributions of the Transylvanian Saxons to the Romanian culture also include a significant number of loanwords from German to Romanian, most notably denoting professional titles or tools (see also Romanian terms derived from German on Wiktionary).[20] In the Romanian lexis, there is also a significant influence stemming from Austrian High German (German: Österreichisches Hochdeutsch).[21]

Contributions to humanity

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The Transylvanian Saxons also made noteworthy contributions to humanity in the field of science and technology by pioneering spacecraft propulsion through the works of engineers Conrad Haas and Hermann Oberth.[22][23][24][25][26]

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  • Transylvanian Saxon medieval guardsmen, illustration from 'Die Gartenlaube' (1884)
    Transylvanian Saxon medieval guardsmen, illustration from 'Die Gartenlaube' (1884)
  • Transylvanian Saxon medieval guardsmen, illustration from 'Die Gartenlaube' (1884)
    Transylvanian Saxon medieval guardsmen, illustration from 'Die Gartenlaube' (1884)
  • The Black Church (German: Die Schwarze Kirche) in Brașov (German: Kronstadt)
    The Black Church (German: Die Schwarze Kirche) in Brașov (German: Kronstadt)
  • Evangelical Lutheran fortified church at Dealu Frumos (German: Schönberg), Merghindeal (German: Mergeln), Sibiu County of the local Transylvanian Saxon community
    Evangelical Lutheran fortified church at Dealu Frumos (German: Schönberg), Merghindeal (German: Mergeln), Sibiu County of the local Transylvanian Saxon community
  • Fortified pesant citadel of Saschiz (German: Keisd or Hünenburg)
    Fortified pesant citadel of Saschiz (German: Keisd or Hünenburg)
  • Transylvanian Saxon women from Roșia (German: Rothberg) in traditional costumes (German: Sächsische Trachten)
    Transylvanian Saxon women from Roșia (German: Rothberg) in traditional costumes (German: Sächsische Trachten)
  • Transylvanian Saxon man in traditional costume (coloured photograph)
    Transylvanian Saxon man in traditional costume (coloured photograph)
  • Transylvanian Saxon woman in traditional costume, portrait by Transylvanian Saxon painter Friedrich Miess
    Transylvanian Saxon woman in traditional costume, portrait by Transylvanian Saxon painter Friedrich Miess
  • Inside the Evangelical Lutheran Transylvanian Saxon fortified church of Cisnădie (German: Heltau)
    Inside the Evangelical Lutheran Transylvanian Saxon fortified church of Cisnădie (German: Heltau)
  • Traditional Transylvanian Saxon carpet with the German-language inscription 'Siebenbürgen süsse Heimath' (i.e. 'Transylvania sweet homeland')
    Traditional Transylvanian Saxon carpet with the German-language inscription 'Siebenbürgen süsse Heimath' (i.e. 'Transylvania sweet homeland')
  • Autumn landscape by Transylvanian Saxon painter Friedrich Miess
    Autumn landscape by Transylvanian Saxon painter Friedrich Miess
  • Autumn landscape by Transylvanian Saxon painter Friedrich Miess
    Autumn landscape by Transylvanian Saxon painter Friedrich Miess

References

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  1. ^ "Transylvanian Saxons". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  2. ^ Victor Rouă (3 October 2015). "The History of the Transylvanian Saxons". The Dockyards. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  3. ^ Siebenbürgisches Kulturzentrum Schloss Horneck E.V. "Transylvania and the Transylvanian Saxons". Schloss Horneck. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  4. ^ Andrea Corsale; Monica Iorio (2014). "Transylvanian Saxon culture as heritage: Insights from Viscri, Romania". Academic Article. 52: 22–31. doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2013.12.008. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Saxon Heritage in Romania". Romania Tourism. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  6. ^ Tomáš Drs at the Institute of Ethnology, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (2015). "Current Manifestations of the Ethnic Identity of Transylvanian Saxons". Ethnologia Actualis. 15 (2): 46–65. doi:10.1515/eas-2015-0016. S2CID 53395586.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Transylvanian Saxons". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  8. ^ Ro Insider (25 February 2019). "National Geographic looks at how Saxons revive their traditions in Transylvania". Romania-Insider.com. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  9. ^ Mihaela Kloos-Ilea (23 May 2013). "De când reginele dansau polca în sat". Povești săsești (in Romanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  10. ^ Mihaela Kloos-Ilea (3 February 2016). "Dansul țesătorilor/Der Webertanz". Povești săsești (in Romanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  11. ^ Știrile TVR (31 July 2022). "Haferland, festivalul culturii sașilor. Tradițiile locale săsești au fost celebrate prin muzică, dansuri tradiționale, teatru, ateliere de pictură și meșteșuguri". TVR.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  12. ^ Monica Anghelovici (5 July 2019). "Delicii culinare săsești, concerte, dansuri și cântece tradiționale la Săptămâna Haferland 2019". Povești de călătorie (in Romanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  13. ^ Editorial Staff at HotNews.ro (21 July 2017). "How Transylvanian Saxons manage to keep their customs and culture". HotNews.ro. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  14. ^ Paola Pluchino (30 May 2016). "Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș visits Germany". Berlin Global (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  15. ^ "73. Heimattag des Verbandes der Siebenbürger Sachsen". Kulturstiftung der deutschen Vertriebenen (in German). 29 May 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Soterius von Sachsenheim Family History". Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania". World Council of Churches. January 1948. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  19. ^ "The Fortified Churches of Transylvania". Rolandia, your local expert for Romania. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  20. ^ "List of Romanian words of German origin". EZGlot. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  21. ^ Hans Dama, "Lexikale Einflüsse im Rumänischen aus dem österreichischen Deutsch" ("Lexical influences of 'Austrian'-German on the Romanian Language") Archived 18 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in German)
  22. ^ Victor Rouă (25 May 2017). "Pioneering Spacecraft Propulsion In Late Medieval Transylvania". The Dockyards. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  23. ^ Reka (5 May 2014). "Conrad Haas – inventatorul rachetei". Bună Dimineața.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  24. ^ Redacția Incredibilia.ro (21 November 2021). ""Sulițele zburătoare" ale lui Conrad Haas, rachetele medievale descrise în Manuscrisul de la Sibiu". Incredibilia.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  25. ^ Kaushik Patowary (9 March 2021). "Conrad Haas: The 16th Century Rocket Pioneer". Amusing Planet (in Romanian). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Conrad Haas - Raketenpionier in Siebenbürgen". SibiWeb.de (in German). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
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