Anselm Roth Libri

The Transylvanian Saxons take great pride in their fortified churches, unique structures that reflect their heritage. While similar churches exist in Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, and Switzerland, Transylvania boasts a significant number, many of which are at risk of disappearing. Recent media coverage indicates a growing appreciation for this cultural inheritance, despite the historical unpopularity of the Saxon minority. The churches, built around 1500 A.D. by citizens and peasants as a defense against external threats, represent a collective effort; the labor invested in these structures often came at the cost of their families' immediate needs. Today, a slow but hopeful movement is emerging to preserve these churches, with support from various organizations, including those from Germany, the European Union, and the Romanian state. While some question the allocation of resources to restore the legacy of a dwindling German minority, experts in the field assert the importance of these historical sites. Seven of these churches are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Biertan and Viscri, among others. The number of fortified churches in Transylvania has decreased from around 300 to approximately 150, with many having fallen into disrepair or been repurposed. This highlights the urgent need for preservation efforts to maintain these significant cultural landmarks.

Many people in Western Europe who see images of Sibiu for the first time are astonished: they never would have guessed that there is a city, so far in Eastern Europe, so far away »in the Balkans«, which would bear such a great resemblance to a German city of the Middle Ages – and thus, it seems to them somewhat strange. »A large city ... but not a lot smaller than Vienna...« that’s how the cosmographer Sebastian Münster expressed his astonishment in relation to Sibiu ever since the year 1550. But this resemblance is not random, in the end the city used to be populated by German ethnics.

It is practically impossible to miss the Cisnădioara Fortress, impressively positioned on a circular hill in the village center. When visitors come from Sibiu and look down from the terrace on the village (German: Michelsberg, Hungarian: Kisdisznód) and the Cibin Mountains rising behind it, they invariably stop – the picture is just too delightful for any photo grapher to pass it up. The ticket seller is the first person to greet the visitors arriving at the town square. She officially sells tickets for the present fortress administration, the Cisnădie municipality. The Pro testant Church was forced to transfer ownership to the government so it could be renovated.

Die Bandreihe „Über Siebenbürgen“ von Anselm Roth, die 2015 begann, ist eine Hommage an die Kirchenburgenlandschaft Siebenbürgens. Der zehnte Band, der im Andenken an Roth erscheint, widmet sich den Kirchen und Burgen des Nösnerlandes und Reener Ländchens, und beleuchtet die historische Bedeutung des Gebiets, insbesondere im Bergbau.

Anabel Stoica, 14 Jahre alt aus Roandola in Transsylvanien, erlebt eine aufregende Wendung in ihrem Leben. Nach einem Umzug nach Deutschland wird sie in ein turbulentes Abenteuer verwickelt: Sie verliebt sich, wird entführt und gerettet, und genießt ein extravagantes Leben, das sie sich nie hätte vorstellen können.

Cetăţile noastre bisericeşti sunt unice în lume! Saşii, fie că au rămas, au plecat sau s-au întors, nu ezită să sublinieze acest lucru. Deşi există biserici transformate în refugii sau fortificaţii în Germania, Luxemburg, Austria şi Elveţia, Transilvania se remarcă prin numeroasele sale cetăţi bisericeşti, multe dintre ele fiind în pericol de degradare. Mass-media românească reflectă un interes crescut al saşilor pentru moştenirea lor, iar cei care studiază aceste cetăţi dezvoltă o simpatie profundă pentru ele. Aceste fortificaţii nu au fost ridicate la cererea nobililor, ci de către localnici, în special ţărani, care, în jurul anului 1500, au decis să-şi apere bisericile de ameninţările externe. Deşi eforturile de conservare sunt lente, există speranţe datorită angajamentului tot mai mare al organizaţiilor din Germania, Uniunii Europene, Bisericii Evanghelice C.A. din România şi statului român. Întrebarea este dacă merită investiţia în aceste ziduri vechi, având în vedere dispariţia comunităţii germane. Specialiştii susţin că da, având în vedere că şapte dintre aceste cetăţi sunt incluse în Patrimoniul Mondial UNESCO. În prezent, se estimează că în Transilvania mai există aproximativ 150 de cetăţi bisericeşti, dintr-un număr iniţial de peste 300, multe dintre ele fiind distruse sau degradate.