Editing Transylvanian Saxons (section)

== Origins and medieval settlements ==

{{Main|Ostsiedlung}}
{{See also|Pied Piper of Hamelin}}

[[File:HeimSachsen.png|thumb|right|The regions of origin from which the initial waves of Transylvanian Saxons stemmed (the dotted line represents the border of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] during the High Middle Ages). Legend:
{{legend|lime|[[Lorraine]] – the main region of origin of the initial settlers}}
{{legend|yellow|[[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]], Bavaria, and [[Thuringia]] – secondary regions of origin}}]]
[[File:Saxons Transylvania.svg|thumb|right|Map depicting the territorial extent of the Transylvanian Saxons in Transylvania, including their sees and districts.]]

[[File:Panoramic-Sibiu.jpg|thumb|right|Panoramic view of Sibiu ({{langx|de|link=no|Hermannstadt}}, [[Transylvanian Saxon dialect|Transylvanian Saxon]]: ''Härmeschtat''), one of the oldest and most important towns of the Transylvanian Saxons (as well as of the Romanians). In 2007, it became [[European Capital of Culture]] along with [[Luxembourg City]] ([[Luxembourgish]]: ''Lëtzebuerg'').]]

The initial phase of German settlement in Transylvania began in the mid and mid-late 12th century, with colonists travelling to and residing in what would later become known in standard German as {{lang|de|Altland}} (i.e. Țara Oltului in Romanian, after the German name for the [[Olt (river)|Olt]] river, or the old land as in a word for word translation from German) or {{lang|de|Hermannstadt Provinz}}, based around the picturesque well preserved medieval town of {{lang|de|Hermannstadt|italic=no}}, today's [[Sibiu]]. Additionally, the surrounding areas of the present-day town of Sibiu/Hermannstadt (former [[European Capital of Culture]] in 2007 alongside [[Luxembourg City]]) were formed of marshlands in the High Middle Ages. This is further hinted but also highlighted in the coat of arms of the town of Sibiu/Hermannstadt ({{langx|la|Cibinium}}) by the water lily included therein.

<gallery class="center">
File:SibiuCoatofArms.png|The official coat of arms of the town of Sibiu/Hermannstadt, with the water lily including the two swords therein.
</gallery>

These German settlers were invited by [[Géza II of Hungary|Géza II]]. Although the primary reason for [[Géza II of Hungary|Géza II]]'s invitation was border defence, similar to employing the [[Székelys|Szeklers]] against foreign invaders in the east of Transylvania, Germans were also sought for their mining expertise as well as the ability to develop the region's economy. Most colonists to this area came from [[Luxembourg]] ([[Luxembourgish]]: ''Lëtzebuerg'') and the [[Moselle|Moselle River]] region (see for instance ''Medardus de Nympz'', former knight and founder of the fortified village of Niemesch/Nemșa in [[Moșna, Sibiu|Moșna]]).<ref>{{cite book|lang=de|title=Chronik der Familie Medard (Maiterth) zu Nimesch|author=Maiterth, Konrad Andreas|date=1910}}</ref>

A second phase of German settlement during the early 13th century consisted of settlers primarily stemming from the [[Rhineland]] region, the southern [[Low Countries]], and the Moselle region, with others from [[Thuringia]], Bavaria, and even from [[France in the Middle Ages|France]]. A settlement in northeastern Transylvania was centered on the town of {{lang|de|Nösen}}, the later {{lang|de|Bistritz}} ({{langx|ro|[[Bistrița]]}}), located on the [[Bistrița (Someș)|Bistrița River]]. The surrounding area became known as the {{lang|de|[[Nösnerland]]}}. That area was important for mining in the Middle Ages.

Continued immigration from the Empire expanded the area of the Saxons further to the east. Settlers from the Hermannstadt region spread into the [[Hârtibaciu|Hârtibaciu River]] valley ({{langx|de|link=no|Harbachtal}}) and to the foot of the [[Cindrel Mountains|Cibin]] ({{langx|de|link=no|Zibin}}) and Sebeș ({{langx|de|link=no|Mühlbacher}}) mountains.

The latter region, centered around the town of {{lang|de|Mühlbach}} ({{langx|ro|[[Sebeș]]}}), was known as {{lang|de|Unterwald}}. To the north of Hermannstadt they settled what they called the {{lang|de|[[Târnăveni|Weinland]]}} including the village of {{lang|la|Nympz}} (Latin for {{lang|ro|Nemșa|italic=no}}/{{lang|de|Nimesch|italic=no}}) near {{lang|de|Mediasch}} ({{langx|ro|[[Mediaș]]}}). Allegedly, the term ''Saxon'' was applied to all Germans of these historical regions because the first German settlers who came to the Kingdom of Hungary were either poor miners or groups of convicts from Saxony.<ref>K. Gündisch, "Autonomie de stări și regionalitate în Ardealul medieval, în Transilvania și sașii ardeleni" în ''istoriografie, Asociația de Studii Transilvane, Sibiu'', Heidelberg, 2001, pp. 33–53.</ref>

In 1211, King [[Andrew II of Hungary]] invited the [[Teutonic Knights]] to settle and defend the {{lang|de|[[Burzenland]]|italic=no}} in the southeastern corner of Transylvania. To guard the mountain passes of the [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] ({{langx|de|link=no|Karpaten}}) against the [[Cumans]], the knights constructed numerous castles and towns, including the major city of {{lang|de|Kronstadt}} ({{langx|ro|[[Brașov]]}}). 

Alarmed by the knights' rapidly expanding power, in 1225 King [[Andrew II of Hungary|Andrew II]] expelled the Teutonic Order from Transylvania permanently, which henceforth relocated to [[Prussia]] in 1226, although the colonists remained in {{lang|de|Burzenland}}. The Kingdom of Hungary's medieval eastern borders were therefore defended in the northeast by the {{lang|de|Nösnerland|italic=no}} Saxons, in the east by the Hungarian border guard tribe of the Székelys, in the southeast by the castles built by the Teutonic Knights and {{lang|de|Burzenland|italic=no}} Saxons and in the south by the Altland Saxons.

A common interpretation of the tale of the [[Pied Piper of Hamelin]], dated to 26 June 1284 and recorded in Hamelin records that (the earliest of such records dating from 1384: "It is 100 years since our children left") when a group of 130 children from the town of Hamelin ({{langx|de|link=no|Hameln}}), in present-day [[Lower Saxony]], were led away from their hometown by a piper (who may be a folk memory of a [[lokator]]) is that this related to an emigration event as part of the ''Ostsiedlung'' (i.e. Eastern settlement). The destination is usually supposed to have been [[Prignitz]], [[Uckermark]], and [[Pomerania]], but a minor alternative theory suggests settlement in Transylvania.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ursula |last=Sautter |title=Fairy Tale Ending |work=Time International |date=27 April 1998 |page=58}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/twist-in-the-tale-of-pied-pipers-kidnapping-1141174.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/twist-in-the-tale-of-pied-pipers-kidnapping-1141174.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Twist in the tale of Pied Piper's kidnapping |first=Imre |last=Karacs |work=The Independent |location=London |date=27 January 1998 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Wolfgang |last=Mieder |title=The Pied Piper: A Handbook |publisher=Greenwood Press |date=2007 |page=67 |isbn=978-0-313-33464-1}}</ref>

=== The proper usage of the term Saxon in the context of medieval Transylvania ===

[[File:Ansamblul bisericii evanghelice fortificate vedere aeriana.JPG|thumb|right|[[Ațel]] ({{langx|de|link=no|Hetzeldorf}}), [[Sibiu County]] ({{langx|de|link=no|Kreis Hermannstadt}}), with the local medieval Evangelical Lutheran fortified church situated in the centre of the aerial photograph.]]

In the context of medieval Transylvania, the term ''Saxon'' was used to denote a nobleman's title and not necessarily someone who was German-speaking.<ref>{{cite web|lang=ro|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbvsdZGVwV0|title=Alma Vii, Transylvania – The Transylvanian Saxons|work=Centrul de interpretare a culturii tradiţionale Alma Vii – Reabilitarea și refuncţionalizarea incintei fortificate|author=Mihai Eminescu Trust|publisher=Youtube via Mihai Eminescu Trust foundation's official Youtube channel|date=1 August 2016|accessdate=20 January 2023}}</ref> In these regards, the Saxon title could have been awarded to someone who was a non-native German speaker as well. Not all Transylvanian Saxon settlers were German-speaking given the fact that they also stemmed from the contemporary [[Low Countries]] (i.e. aside from Luxembourg, also contemporary [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]]) and from modern day France as well. Additionally, it is equally important to mention the fact that the family name 'Sas' or 'Sasu' in [[Romanian language|Romanian]] and 'Szász' respectively in [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] could denote both an ethnic lineage as well as a social liaison to the Saxon title awarded in Transylvania during the High Middle Ages.

=== Transylvanian Saxon ethnic consciousness ===

Hence, taking in consideration the aforementioned regarding the Saxon title in high medieval Transylvania, the Transylvanian Saxons' ethnic consciousness subsequently solidified after the first waves of settlers from Western Europe arrived in the region and was further reinforced or revitalised with new waves of settlers from central and southern present-day Germany during the [[Modern period|Modern Age]], more specifically during the 19th century. Furthermore, Transylvanian Saxon intellectual [[Stephan Ludwig Roth]] also pleaded for a strengthening of the German element in Transylvania during the 19th century by means of subsequent waves of settlers stemming from contemporary Germany while at the same time firstly supporting the rights of the ethnic Romanians.