LOCATIONS

Prejmer / Tartlau

How terrible it must have been for the folks of Prejmer to hear the bells toll faster than when beckoning them to the holy service! Two hundred years before, it was the Tatars' ruthlessness they feared. Their rampage on three occasions is still remembered to this day. But this time it was the Turks who, just ten years after 1421, came roaring to their walls with the renewed threat of a near total destruction of the village. So all the Saxons ran to the fortified church, locked the gates, lowered the portcullis and loaded their famous "organ of death". They were the only Saxons to possess such an inventive weapon.

Sura Mare / Grossscheuern

The settlement is first referred to in 1332-1335 as Magnum Horreum ("The Great Barn") and later as maior villa Horrei ("the great city of the Barn"). It was of little importance prior to the Turkish invasion in 1493 when neighbouring villages were destroyed by the invading armies. Later in the same year the Romanesque basilica at Sura Mare received substantial assistance from the Province of Sibiu and the Seven Seats (Siebenburgen) to facilitate its reconstruction. It is possible that the two events are related.

Slimnic / Stolzenburg

Around 1930, a treasure containing 18 golden coins minted between 1050 and 1350 was found in the territory of Slimnic. 12 of the coins were from mints located half way down the river Elba. It can therefore be assumed that some East-German colonists lived on these lands in the 14th century however the Saxon community here is known to be much older than that. The stronghold of Slimnic (Stolzenburg) is set on the hillock called Burgbaesch. From this hill, that dominates the village below, the fortress was supposed to guard the way from Media? to the residence of the seat of Sibiu. Because of the deteriorating effects of historical events on the fortress, a set of ruins are all that remain today.

Merghindeal / Mergeln

The story we are about to tell happened in 1413, when Romanians of Tara Fagarasului had a terrible brawl with the Saxons around Sibiu. During the fighting, besides the regular deaths and casualties, it so happened that "some occasional killing of six females of Walachian blood occurred" (quibusdam homicidiis in sex personis femineis de Walachorum genere). The culprits were, in fact, some Saxons of Merghindeal...

Calnic / Kelling

The Saxon name of the place is Kelling and comes from the surname of its first ruling family, the Kelling noblemen. Like other Saxon families, the Kellings surpassed their status as simple local lords (called in Romanian greavi) and acquired the power and influence of a count from that time period.

Hosman / Holzmengen

Several old documents refer to the settlement as Holzmeni (1318), Holzmengen (1479) or Holczmang (1494). These names seem to stem from holz, German for 'wood', and Menge, meaning 'bunch'. These would seem to add up to 'a bunch of wood', quite accurate for describing the first houses on the road connecting Sibiu to Nocrich.

Seica Mica / Kleinschelken

The village of Kleinschelken is situated 48 km north of Brasov and 23 km west of Medias. It has a fairly long and richly documented history. The first settlement in this area dates back to the Bronze Age though is in no way related to the 1280 Saxon settlement.

Tapu / Abtsdorf

The architectonic details of a certain church may usually be related to the economic and social status of the community it served when built. The same goes for the church of Tapu. The settlement used to be a subordinated commune in the 15th century, but evolved to be a free commune after the serf system was abolished in 1848. Because, during the 13th century, it was a property of the abbey of Igris, it was then called Villa Abbatis ("the Village of the Abbot").

Bagaciu / Bogeschdorf

Inside the church at Bagaciu can be found some of the most beautiful 16th century stalls, richly carved and decorated with inlays. This stall work is far from silent. The sculptures depicting fantastic creatures are covered with several inscriptions. One of them represents an owl, the symbol of both sinners who have yielded to darkness and of the humbleness of Christ, and is accompanied by the words: "I am a bird by the name of Owl, whoever spites me shall be brought down by sword".

Saschiz / Keisd

It was in 1356 that the Saxons of Saschiz, Archita and Roades-pe-Tarnave together with the ones in Crit, Mesendorf and Cloasterf belonging to the abbey of Carta rose up against Count Jacob, son of Geubel and attacked his estate at Hasfalau-pe-Tarnave. They must have been so angry with him that they turned the houses to ashes, took all the goods they found inside, abused his wife and daughters and almost killed them.