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The Transylvanian Saxons (German: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Hungarian: Erdélyi szászok; Romanian: Saşi) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania (German: Siebenbürgen) from the 12th century onwards. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Hungarian ( magyar nyelv) is a Uralic language (more specifically a Ugric language) unrelated to most other languages in Europe. Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general Transylvania (Ardeal or ro ''Transilvania'' Erdély, see also other denominations) is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages.

The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary (1141–1162). Géza II ( Hungarian: II Géza, Croatian: Gejza I, Slovak: Gejza II) (1130 Tolna &ndash 31 May For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Kingdom of Hungary (short form Hungary) was a considerable state in Central Europe that existed from 1001 to 1918 then from 1919 to 1946 The colonization continued until the end of the 13th century. Although the colonists came mostly from the western Holy Roman Empire and generally spoke Franconian dialects, they were collectively known as Saxons because of Germans working for the Hungarian chancellery. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in 300px|right|thumb|The Franconian languages in Europe|'''Legend'''{{legend|#a0f288|Low Franconian dialects in [[the Netherlands]] The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. For much of their history, these 'Saxons' held a privileged status with the Hungarians and Szeklers of Transylvania. Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. For the village in northeastern Hungary see Székely (village The Székely ( pronounced) or Szekler people (Székely

The Transylvanian Saxon population has decreased since World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Despite mass emigrations — primarily to Germany — they still form notable minorities in Hungary and Romania. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania

Contents

Medieval settlements

Saxon sees and districts in 17th century Transylvania.
Saxon sees and districts in 17th century Transylvania.

The initial phase of German settlement began in the mid-12th century with colonists travelling to what would become the Altland or Hermannstadt Provinz (Szeben)(Sibiu County), based around the city of Hermannstadt (Sibiu). Sibiu (si'bju Hungarian: Szeben) is a county ( Judeţ) of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Szeben is the name of a historic administrative county ( Comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Although the primary reason for Géza II's invitation was border defense with the Szeklers against invaders, Germans were also sought for their mining expertise and ability to develop the region's economy. For the village in northeastern Hungary see Székely (village The Székely ( pronounced) or Szekler people (Székely Most colonists from this era came from Luxembourg and the Moselle River region. Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by The Moselle (Moselle Mosel Musel is a River flowing through France, Luxembourg and Germany.

A second phase of German settlement came during the early 13th century consisting of settlers primarily from the Rhineland, Southern Low Countries, and the Moselle region, with others from Thuringia, Bavaria, and even from France. The Rhineland ( Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A settlement in northeastern Transylvania was centered on the town Nösen, the later Bistritz (Bistriţa), located on the Bistriţa River. Banská Bystrica ( Hungarian:Besztercebánya ( previously known also by several alternative names) is a key City in central Slovakia located The surrounding area became known as the Nösnerland. The Nösnerland ( Naszód Năsăud is an historic region of northeastern Transylvania in present-day Romania centered between the Bistriţa and Continued immigration from the Empire expanded the area of the Saxons further to the east. Daughter settlements from the Hermannstadt region spread into the Hârtibaciu River Valley (Harbachtal) and to the feet of the Cibin (Zibin) and Sebeş (Mühlbacher) mountains. The Hârtibaciu River ( German: Harbach, Hungarian: Hortobágy) is a River in the Transylvania historical region of Cindrel Mountains (also known as Cândrel Mountains or Cibin Mountains) are a group of mountains in central Romania in the center of the Southern The latter region, centered on the city of Mühlbach (Sebeş) was known as the Unterwald. Sebeş ( German: Mühlbach, Hungarian: Szászsebes) is a city in Alba County, central Romania, southern Transylvania To the north of Hermannstadt was settled the Weinland near Mediasch (Mediaş). Mediaş (Mediasch Medgyes is the second largest city in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania.

In 1211 King Andrew II of Hungary invited the Teutonic Knights to settle and defend the Burzenland in the southeastern corner of Transylvania. Andrew II the Jerosolimitan ( Hungarian: Jeruzsálemi II András/Endre, Croatian: Andrija I The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. The Burzenland ( Barcaság Ţara Bârsei is a historic and ethnographic area in southeastern Transylvania, Romania with a mixed population ( German To guard the mountain passes of the Carpathians (Karpaten) against the Cumans, the knights constructed numerous castles and towns, including the major city of Kronstadt (Braşov). The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians (Carpaţi Czech, Polish and Slovak: Karpaty; Ukrainian: Карпати Cumans (Кумани Byzantine: Kuman or Cuman, Kunok Turkic: Kumanlar) were a nomadic Turkic people who inhabited a Colonization in the Burzenland region consisted mostly of settlers from the Altland. Alarmed by the knights' rapidly expanding power, in 1225 Andrew II expelled the Order which henceforth relocated to Prussia in 1226, although the colonists remained in the Burzenland. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state

The Kingdom of Hungary's medieval eastern borders were therefore defended in the northeast by the Nösnerland Saxons, in the east by the Hungarian Border Guard tribe Szeklers, in the southeast by the castles built by the Teutonic Knights and Burzenland Saxons, and in the south by the Altland Saxons.

Medieval organization

The Lutheran Cathedral in Sibiu (Hermannstadt)
The Lutheran Cathedral in Sibiu (Hermannstadt)

Legal organization

Although the knights had left Transylvania, the Saxon colonists remained, and the king allowed them to retain the rights and obligations included in the Andreanum Act (Goldener Freibrief der Siebenbürger Sachsen) of 1224. The Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary ( German: Evangelische Stadtpfarrkirche in Hermannstadt, Romanian: Biserica Evanghelică din Sibiu This document conferred upon the German population of the territory between Draas (Drăuşeni) and Broos (Orăştie) both administrative and religious autonomy and obligations towards the kings of Hungary. Orăştie ( German: Broos, Hungarian: Szászváros) is a city in Hunedoara County, south-western Transylvania, The territory that was colonized by Germans covered an area of about 30,000 km². During the reign of King Charles I of Hungary (probably 1325-1329), the Saxons were organized in the Saxon Chairs (or seats). Charles I of Hungary (Károly Róbert Karlo Robert Karol Róbert (1288 Naples, Italy &ndash 16 July 1342, Visegrád,

Saxon church with fortified belltower in Netuş
Saxon church with fortified belltower in Netuş

Religious organizations

Along with the Teutonic Order, other religious organizations important to the development of German communities were the Cistercian abbeys of Igrisch (Igriş) in the Banat region and Cârţa in Fogarasch (Făgăraş). The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries the eastern part lies in Romania (the counties Cârţa Monastery is a former Cistercian monastery in the Ţara Făgăraşului region in southern Transylvania in Romania, currently a Biertan was the see of the Lutheran Evangelical Bishop in Transylvania between 1572 and 1867. Biertan (Birthälm Biyertan Berethalom is a commune in central Romania, in the north of the Sibiu County, 80 km north of Sibiu and 15

The earliest religious organization of the Saxons was the Provostship of Szeben/Hermannstadt, founded 20 December 1191. A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. In its early years, it included the territories of Hermannstadt, Leschkirch (Nocrich), and Groß-Schenk (Cincu), the areas that were colonized the earliest. Nocrich (Leschkirch Újegyház is a commune in Sibiu County, Romania, in the region of Transylvania.

Saxon citadel in Cincsor
Saxon citadel in Cincsor

Fortification of the towns

The Mongol invasion of 1241-42 devastated much of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Mongol invasions of Europe, under the leadership of Subutai, centered on the destruction of East Slavic principalities such as Kiev and Vladimir Although the Saxons did their best to resist, many settlements were destroyed. In the aftermath of the invasion, many Transylvanian towns were fortified with stone castles and an emphasis was put on developing towns economically. Many towns were defended by Kirchenburgen, or fortified churches with massive walls. The rapid expansion of cities populated by the Saxons led to Transylvania being known in German as Siebenbürgen and Septem Castra in Latin, referring to seven of the fortified towns (see Historical names of Transylvania):

Privileged class

Along with the (largely Hungarian) Transylvanian nobility and the Szeklers, the Transylvanian Saxons were members of the Unio Trium Nationum, or "Union of the Three Nations", signed in 1438. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Transylvania has had different names applied to it in several traditions Bistriţa (Bistritz archaic Nösen; Beszterce is the capital City of Bistriţa-Năsăud County, Transylvania, Romania. Sibiu (si'biw Hermannstadt Nagyszeben Сибињ/Sibinj הערמאנשטאדט ( Hermanshtadt) or סזעבען ( Szeben)) is one of the largest cities in (pronunciation in Romanian: /'kluʒ na'poka/ Klausenburg Kolozsvár Napoca Castrum Clus Claudiopolis קלויזנבורג Kloiznburg until 1974 Cluj, is the third Braşov (braˈʃov Brassó Kronstadt Medieval Latin: Brassovia or Corona) is a city in Romania and the capital of Braşov County Mediaş (Mediasch Medgyes is the second largest city in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania. Sebeş ( German: Mühlbach, Hungarian: Szászsebes) is a city in Alba County, central Romania, southern Transylvania Sighişoara (sigiˈʃo̯ara Schäßburg Segesvár Latin: Castrum Sex) is a City and Municipality on the Târnava Mare River in Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime For the village in northeastern Hungary see Székely (village The Székely ( pronounced) or Szekler people (Székely Unio Trium Nationum ( Latin for "Union of the Three Nations" was a pact of mutual aid formed in 1438 by three Estates of Transylvania: the (largely This agreement preserved political rights for the three inclusive groups and excluded the largely Romanian peasantry from political life. The Romanians (dated Rumanians or Roumanians; Romanian: români or historically and today rather seldom and only regional rumâni A peasant is an agricultural worker who subsists by working a small plot of ground

During the Protestant Reformation, most Transylvanian Saxons converted to Lutheranism. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther As the semi-independent Principality of Transylvania was one of the most religiously tolerant states in Europe, the Saxons were allowed to practice their religion. The Habsburgs promoted Roman Catholicism to the Saxons during the Counter Reformation, but the majority remained Lutheran. The Counter-Reformation (also Catholic Reformation denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in 1560 to the close of the

Warfare between the Habsburg Monarchy and Hungary against the Ottoman Empire from the 16th-18th centuries decreased the population of Transylvania Saxons. The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older European Habsburg Monarchy (alternatively Habsburg Empire) refers to the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish When the Principality of Transylvania came under Austrian Habsburg rule, a smaller third phase of settlement commenced which helped to revitalize the Saxons. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich This included the settlement of exiled Protestants from Upper Austria (the Transylvanian Landler) near Hermannstadt. Upper Austria (Oberösterreich Horní Rakousko is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. The Landler or Transylvanian Landler (Siebenbürger Landler were Protestants, who were deported from the Salzkammergut Region of Austria to Germans served as administrators and military officers, especially during the Habsburg Monarchy's wars against the Ottoman Turks. The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. The German-populated Hermannstadt (Now: Sibiu) was an important cultural center within Transylvania, while Kronstadt (now: Brasov) was a vital political center for the Saxons.

Loss of elite standing

Emperor Joseph II attempted to revoke the Unio Trium Nationum in the late 18th century. Heir and co-regent Joseph was born in the midst of the early upheavals of the War of the Austrian Succession. His actions were aimed at the political inequality within Transylvania, especially the political strength of the Saxons. Although his actions were ultimately rescinded, many Saxons began to see themselves as being a small minority opposed by nationalist Hungarians and Romanians. Although they remained a rich and influential group, the Saxons were no longer a dominant class.

During the Revolutions of 1848, the Saxons ultimately supported the Romanian attempt to acquire equal political standing. The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout the European The Hungarians, on the other hand, supported complete unification of Transylvania with the rest of Hungary. Stephan Ludwig Roth, a pastor who led the German support for Romanian political rights, was executed by Hungarian radicals during the revolution. Stephan Ludwig Roth ( November 24 1796, in Mediaş ― May 11 1849 in Cluj) was a Transylvanian Saxon Intellectual A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic

Although the Hungarian attempt to acquire greater control over Transylvania was defeated by Austrian and Imperial Russian forces in 1849, the Ausgleich compromise between Austria and Hungary in 1867 did not bode well for the political rights of the Saxons. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 (Ausgleich Kiegyezés established the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. During the years of Austria-Hungary, the Hungarians engaged in a policy of Magyarisation to combat the rising nationalism of other ethnicities within the Hungarian kingdom. Magyarization (also "Magyarisation" "Hungarisation" "Hungarization" "Hungarianization" "Hungarianisation" is a designator applied

After the end of World War I, many Saxons supported the unification of Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All See also Kings of Romania The Kingdom of Roumania (or ' Romania ' in post-1969 and also current spelling was the old Romanian state based on a form of They were promised full minority rights, but many Saxons lost their land in the land reform process that was implemented in the whole of Romania after WW1.

World War II and afterwards

During World War II, many disaffected Saxons sided with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union, as did Romania and Hungary, into which country Northern Transylvania had been annexed. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

When Romania signed a peace treaty with the Soviets in 1944, the German military began withdrawing the Saxons from Transylvania; this operation was most thorough with the Saxons of the Nösnerland. Around 100,000 Germans fled before the Soviet Red Army, but Romania did not conduct the expulsion of Germans as in neighboring countries at war's end. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya The expulsion of Germans after World War II was the Forced migration and Ethnic cleansing of German nationals ( Reichsdeutsche) and ethnic However, more than 80,000 Saxons were arrested by the Soviet Army and sent to labour camps in Siberia for alleged cooperation with Germany. Forced settlements in the Soviet Union took several forms Though the most notorious was the Gulag Labor camp system of Penal labor, resettling of entire Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving The remaining Saxons were persecuted by the Communist Romanian government and lost many political rights.

One method to expel and intimidate ethnic Germans (and Jews) from Romania by the Romanian government was to ask their native country to pay a fee to allow them to emigrate to Germany (and Israel) thus allowing greater Romanian ethnic population settling into their place and was part of the Romanian program to increase Romanian ethnic population to make a pure etnic Romanian state by intimidating other minorities.

Because they are considered Auslandsdeutsche ("foreign Germans") by the German government, the Saxons have the right to German citizenship. This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general Numerous Saxons have emigrated to Germany, especially after the fall of the Eastern Bloc in 1989, and are represented by the Landsmannschaft der Siebenbürger Sachsen in Deutschland. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. During the Cold War, the term Communist Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) was used to refer to the Soviet Union and countries it either controlled or that were The Landsmannschaft der Siebenbürger Sachsen in Deutschland ("Territorial Association of Transylvanian Saxons in Germany" is a German Organisation formed Due to this emigration from Romania the population of Saxons is dwindling. The Saxons remaining in Romania are represented by the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. The Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (Demokratisches Forum der Deutschen in Rumänien DFDR; Forumul Democrat al Germanilor

19th and 20th century population figures

(Starting with the 1930 figures, the reference is to all German-speaking groups in Romania. )

See also

External links

This is a list of localities in Transylvania that were either in majority or in minority historically inhabited by Transylvanian Saxons, having either churches placed in This is a List of famous Transylvanian Saxons. Artists Wilhelm Georg Berger, composer Friedrich von Bömches, painter The expulsion of Germans after World War II was the Forced migration and Ethnic cleansing of German nationals ( Reichsdeutsche) and ethnic This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general This page describes the origins and historical use of the term Volksdeutsche. Seats (sedes szék stuhl scaun were territorial-administrative units in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary.
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