 Map depicting the distribution of ethnic Germans in Romania (according to the2021 census which was postponed to and conducted in 2022 because of theCOVID-19 pandemic) | |
| Total population | |
| c. 22,900 (as per the2021 Romanian census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Romania | |
| Languages | |
| MainlyGerman(i.e.Hochdeutsch and dialects) but alsoRomanian andHungarian | |
| Religion | |
| MajorityLatin Catholics (12,495), but alsoLutherans (Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania),Romanian Orthodox andother confessions[2] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| MainlyGermans andAustrians |
TheGermans of Romania (German:Rumäniendeutsche;Romanian:Germanii din România or germani-români;Hungarian:romániai németek) represent one of the most significant historicalethnic minorities ofRomania from themodern period onwards.
Throughoutthe interwar period, the total number of ethnic Germans in the country amounted to as many asc. 800,000 (according to some sources and estimates dating to 1939, just on the verge ofWorld War II),[3][4][5] a figure which has subsequently drastically fallen toc. 36,000 (according to the2011 census) and dropped even more toc. 22,900 (as per the2021 Romanian census, postponed one year because of theCOVID-19 pandemic and conducted in 2022).
Following the decreasing trend of the overall population of Romania, the German community of the country is expected to continue shrinking in numbers as well, as it has already been officially reported by the partial results of the2021 census.
The Germans of Romania (or Romanian-Germans) are not a single, unitary, homogeneous group, but rather a series of various regional sub-groups, each with their different culture, traditions, folklore, dialect or dialects, and history.[6]
This claim stems from the fact that various German-speaking populations had previously arrived in the territory of present-day Romania in different waves or stages of settlement, initially starting with theHigh Middle Ages, firstly to southern and northeasternTransylvania,Kingdom of Hungary (some of them even crossing the outerCarpathians to neighbouringMoldavia andWallachia), then subsequently during theModern Age in otherHabsburg-ruled lands (such asBukovina, at the time part ofCisleithania, or theBanat).[7]
Subsequently, theRomanian Old Kingdom (Romanian:Vechiul Regat,German:Altreich) was also colonized by Germans, firstly inDobruja and then gradually in other areas of Moldavia and Wallachia.
Therefore, given their rather complex geographic background and the fact that major border changes took place in the region throughout history (afterWorld War I, Romania expanded its territory from the pre-war 137,000 km2 (53,000 sq mi) to 295,049 km2 (113,919 sq mi)), the Germans of Romania are generally divided into the following independent sub-groups in an attempt to better understand their language, culture, customs, and history:
While an ancientGermanic presence on the territory of present-day Romania can be traced back tolate antiquity and is represented by such migratory peoples as theBuri,Vandals,Goths (more specificallyVisigoths), or theGepids, the first waves of ethnic Germans on the territory of modern Romania came during theHigh Middle Ages, firstly toTransylvania (then part of theKingdom of Hungary) and then to the neighbouring and emerging medieval principalities ofMoldavia andWallachia. The first major German group to arrive and settle in what is now Romania were theTransylvanian Saxons (German:Siebenbürger Sachsen,Romanian:Sași transilvăneni,Hungarian:erdélyi szászok), partly under the protection of theTeutonic Knights, who came to Transylvania (German:Siebenbürgen, meaning seven cities/citadels, i.e. from the seven fortified medieval cities/citadels which they founded) at the request ofHungarian KingGéza II (Hungarian:Géza a második,German:Géza der Zweite,Romanian:Géza al II-lea) during the late 12th century. The main tasks of these settlers was to develop the areas of Transylvania where they settled as well as to defend them, and, implicitly, the rest of theKingdom of Hungary, from the invading incursions of the migratory Asian peoples such as theCumans, thePechenegs, or, ultimately, theMongols and then theTatars. Later on, the Transylvanian Saxons further fortified both their rural and urban settlements against the invadingOttoman Empire.
Slowly but steadily, the Saxon colonists managed to build solid and prosperous communities in theCarpathian Basin, more specifically in south-eastern, southern, and north-eastern Transylvania. These Transylvanian Saxons are very tied with their initial origin which stems from Western Europe, more specifically fromLuxembourg and theRhine-Moselle river valley. Their dialect,Transylvanian Saxon, is a strong testimony to this as it reflects many similarities withLuxembourgish.
Subsequently, as the Teutonic Knights left Transylvania (forced by the Hungarian rulership), the Transylvanian Saxon colonists remained and were given more rights through local autonomies, according toDiploma Andreanum (German:Der Goldener Freibrief der Siebenbürger Sachsen,Romanian:Bula de aur a sașilor transilvani) issued byAndrew II of Hungary in the early 13th century. Their autonomous lands were later known as the 'Royal Lands' or 'Saxon Lands'.[18]
In these lands, they lived together with the Romanian ethnic majority as well as with the Hungarians (who formed a significant minority). Eventually, they also sporadically rebelled against the Hungarian rulership, most notably in the proximity ofRupea (German:Reps,Transylvanian Saxon:Räppes) led bygraf (Romanian:greav or grof) Henning of Petersdorf/Petrești in 1324.[19][20]
Across theCarpathians, the Saxons settled along with the Romanians inWallachia andMoldavia and contributed to the establishment of the first major urban centres and capitals of these two Romanian medieval principalities. Noteworthy towns and medieval capitals co-founded by Saxons includeBaia in present-daySuceava County orTârgu Neamț (German:Niamtz) inNeamț County as well asTârgoviște (German:Tergowisch) inDâmbovița County orCâmpulung Muscel (German:Langenau) inArgeș County. Here they brought urbanisation and German laws as they did inSuceava as well, in which the local administration had operated for some time under theMagdeburg law, just likeSiret (German:Sereth), Baia, or Neamț. They even briefly served asSchultheiß (Romanian:Șoltuz), or the equivalent of the administrative title of medieval mayor in these communities. Nonetheless, along with the passing of time, the Saxons were assimilated in the larger Romanian communities of Romanians, both of the Wallchians and Moldavians.
Back in Transylvania, they managed to thoroughly fortify their villages and towns. In bygone times, there used to be as many as 300 (or approximately 300)villages with fortified churches built by the Transylvanian Saxons. Now their number is close to half, but among these there are many very well preserved ones which are bothUNESCO-recognized (asWorld Heritage Sites) and importanttourist destinations in Romania.
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During the Modern Age, other groups of Germans commenced to arrive and settle parts of contemporary Romania, more specifically in the historical regions ofBukovina,Banat, and once more inTransylvania. As the Kingdom of Hungary became weakened by the Ottoman wars and theHabsburgs were on the rise and continuously expanding their domains eastward, larger groups ofBukovina Germans,Banat Swabians, andZipser Germans settled the aforementioned Romanian historical regions, mainly for economic and socio-demographic reasons. In Transylvania, other groups of Transylvanian Saxons settled there along with expelled Protestants fromSalzkammergut,Austria during EmpressMaria Theresa's reign toSibiu region, Evangelical Lutheran settlers henceforth known asTransylvanian Landlers or, simply,landlers.[citation needed]
At the same time, during the 19th century, in theRomanian Old Kingdom (Romanian:Vechiul regat,German:Altreich), concomitantly with the crowing ofKingCarol I, a large influx of German settlers came toMuntenia andOltenia. These Germans are known asRegat Germans. In addition, Germans also settled inDobruja and this group is known asDobrujan Germans.[citation needed]
At around the same time, inBessarabia, then part of theRussian Empire, larger numbers of German settlers established colonies in preponderantly inBudjak (Romanian:Buceag), a constituent historical region of Bessarabia situated in its south towards theDanube's end to theBlack Sea. These settlers were requested by the then imperial Russian authorities in order to develop the agriculture of the land and boost the region's economy as well as to instill urbanisation.
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As the Modern Age came to an end, gradually so did the privileged class status of the Saxons in Transylvania which eventually drew them closer to Romania and voting the declaration of union of Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania in the wake of World War I in 1918. Other groups of Germans from other previously Austrian-ruled Romanian historical regions (and the previously Russian-ruled historical region of Bessarabia) also voted for the union of their respective regions with the Kingdom of Romania from a wide variety of reasons. One of the most important reason was that the Romanian monarchy was also German in origin, being a branch of theHouse of Hohenzollern from the principality ofHohenzollern-Sigmaringen inSwabia.
Between the two World Wars, namely in 1925,c. 20,000 Swabians fromTimiș County were relocated to neighbouringArad County in order to create an ethnic balance in the latter administrative unit.[21] Before and during World War II, their organizationDeutsche Voksgruppe in Rumänien actively supported Nazi Germany.[22] Subsequently, huge numbers of both Transylvanian Saxons and Banat Swabians (ranging betweenc. 67,000 to 89,000 in total) weredeported to the Soviet Union forforced labour afterWorld War II, as a war compensation to the Soviets, despite the diplomatic efforts of Transylvanian Saxon politicianHans Otto Roth.[23] Later during the 1950s, theBărăgan deportations forcibly relocated many from near the Yugoslav border to theBărăgan Plain. Survivors of both groups generally returned, but had often lost their properties in the process.[24][25]
In addition, the once influential Bukovina German community also drastically dwindled in numbers, primarily as of the cause of theHeim ins Reich population transfer, leaving only several thousands of ethnic Germans in southern Bukovina (or present-daySuceava County) after the end of World War II. As communism paved its way in Romania, most of the remaining Bukovina Germans decided to gradually leave the country for West Germany up until 1989 (and even beyond), as it was the case of the entire German community of the country for that matter.[26][27]
Furthermore, during the 1970s and 1980s, tens of thousands of other Romanian-Germans were 'bought back' by the West German government under a program to reunite families - and following the collapse of Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime in December 1989, around 200,000 Germans left their homes in Romania.[28] During communist times, there have been several significant German-speaking opposition groups to the Romanian communist state, among which most notably there wasAktionsgruppe Banat, a literary society constituted in Banat by intellectual representatives of the local Swabian community (including, most notably, writerRichard Wagner). Overall, regarding the many Germans which were bought per capita by the West German government, the communist Romanian state was quite greedy in requesting more German marks for them, as in the words of formerGerman chancellorHelmut Kohl, also formerleader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Eventually, although the German minority in Romania has dwindled in numbers to a considerable extent since the fall of theIron Curtain, the few but well organised Romanian-Germans who decided to remain in the country after the1989 revolution are respected and regarded by many of their fellow ethnic Romanian countrymen as a hard-working, thorough, and practical community which contributed in many positive regards to the local culture and history of, most notably, Transylvania, Banat, and Bukovina, where the largest German-speaking groups once lived alongside the Romanian ethnic majority.[29]
Furthermore, the bilateral political and cultural relationships between post–1989 Romania and the unified Federal Republic of Germany have seen a continuous positive evolution since the signing of a friendship treaty between the two countries in 1992.[30] Additionally, on the occasion of the election ofFrank-Walter Steinmeier asPresident of Germany in 2017, current Romanian presidentKlaus Johannis stated, among others, that:"[...] Last but not least, there is a profound friendship bounding the Romanians and the Germans, thanks mainly to the centuries-long cohabitation between the Romanians, Saxons, and Swabians in Transylvania, Banat, and Bukovina."[31]
The German community in Romania has been actively and consistently contributing to the culture of the country. Notable examples include:
In the time of Romania's transition from a middle-sized principality to a larger kingdom, members of the GermanHouse of Hohenzollern (stemming from theSwabianPrincipality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, part of contemporaryBaden-Württemberg in south-westernGermany) reigned initially over the DanubianUnited Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia and then, eventually, also over the unifiedKingdom of Romania both during the 19th and 20th centuries.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1887 | 50,000 | — |
| 1930 | 745,421 | +1390.8% |
| 1939 | 786,000 | +5.4% |
| 1941[a] | 542,325 | −31.0% |
| 1941[b] | 674,307 | +24.3% |
| 1948 | 343,913 | −49.0% |
| 1956 | 384,708 | +11.9% |
| 1966 | 382,595 | −0.5% |
| 1977 | 359,109 | −6.1% |
| 1992 | 119,462 | −66.7% |
| 2002 | 59,764 | −50.0% |
| 2011 | 36,042 | −39.7% |
| 2022 | 22,907 | −36.4% |
| Starting with the 1930 figures, the reference is to all German-speaking groups in Romania. | ||
| German ethnic sub-group | 1930 | 1977 | 2002 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transylvanian Saxons | 230,000 | 170,000 | 18,000 | 13,000 |
 Bukovina Germans | 75,533 | 2,265 | 1,773 | 717 |
 Banat Swabians | 237,000 | 138,000 | 19,000 | |
| Banat Highland Germans[c] | 37,000 | 22,000 | 6,000 | |
 Sathmar Swabians | 27,000 | 8,000 | 6,000 | |
| Transylvanian Landler[d] | 6,000 | 4,000 | 250 | |
 Regat Germans | 32,226 | — | — | |
 Dobrujan Germans | 12,581 | — | — | |
 Bessarabia Germans | 81,000 | — | — | — |
In1941, the initial number of all ethnic Germans in Romania amounted to as much as 542,325. Subsequently, however, in December 1941, after Romania created, incorporated, and administered theTransnistria Governorate, the total number of ethnic Germans increased to 674,307, most notably along with the then newly registeredBlack Sea Germans, solely for the short period between 1941 and 1944. It is also important to note the fact that the Germans constituted the second most numerous ethnic group in Romania at that time, after the Romanians, accounting for 4.01% (in April) respectively 3.53% (in December) of the total population.
The data displayed in the table below highlights notable settlements (of at least 1%) of the German minority in Romania according to the2011 Romanian census. Note that some particular figures might represent a rough estimate.
Below is represented the notable German minority population (of at least 1%) for some counties, according to the2011 census.
| County | Percent[44] |
|---|---|
 Satu Mare | 1.5% |
 Timiș | 1.3% |
 Caraș-Severin | 1.1% |
 Sibiu | 1.1% |
As per the2021 Romanian census, there are onlyc. 22,900 Germans still left in Romania, a notable decrease from the latest census of 2011. In addition, 0.10 of all Romanian citizens reported German as their first/native language (or 15,943 people), therefore making it one of the least spoken native languages (and also of any ethnic minority overall) in Romania.
In the wake ofWorld War I, the German minority in unified Romania had been represented by a number of political parties which gradually gained parliamentary presence during the early to mid-early 20th century, more specifically theSwabian Group, theGroup of Transylvanian Saxons, theGerman Party (which, under Rudolf Brandsch, briefly formed an electoral alliance known as theHungarian German Bloc with theMagyar Party for the1927 Romanian general election), and theGerman People's Party (the latter two having a national socialist political orientation after 1930). In stark contrast to the political mutation of both aforementioned parties, theAnti-Fascist Committee of German Workers in Romania was formed shortly thereafter as ananti-fascist and democratic counterpart. After the end ofWorld War II, all of the political parties representing the German minority in Romania were either disbanded or ceased to exist.
Subsequently, since after theRomanian Revolution, theDemocratic Forum of Germans in Romania (German:Demokratisches Forum der Deutschen in Rumänien,Romanian:Forumul Democrat al Germanilor din România) has been the political party representing the interests of Germans through thereserved seats for ethnic minorities in theChamber of Deputies as well as in thelocal councils.[45]
Since 1989, the FDGR/DFDR has competed both inlocal and legislative elections, cooperating in the process with the main parties of the centre-right, theNational Liberal Party (PNL) and theChristian Democratic National Peasants' Party (PNȚCD), most notably at local administrative level, in cities such as Sibiu (German:Hermannstadt), Timișoara (German:Temeswar or Temeschburg), orBaia Mare (German:Frauenbach or Groß-Neustadt). The formerPresident of Romania,Klaus Iohannis, was formerly chairman of the FDGR and mayor of Sibiu and subsequently was elected President on the National Liberal ticket.
Until 1 January 2007 (i.e. the date of accession of Romania to theEuropean Union), the FDGR/DFDR was also an observing member of theEuropean Parliament (EU), briefly affiliated with theEuropean People's Party (EPP;German:Europäische Volkspartei), between January and November of the same year, with only one seat occupied by member and current deputy Ovidiu Victor Ganț.[46]
The vast majority of the Romanian-Germans are eitherRoman Catholic orProtestant (i.e.Lutheran). The Lutherans pertain to theEvangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (German:Evangelische Kirche A.B. [Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses] in Rumänien).
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In 1922, all political representatives of the German community in Romania founded theCultural League of Germans in Sibiu/Hermannstadt which was initially led by Richard Csaki. The league was in charge of organizing post-university summer courses, sending books, and providing teaching material through various lecturers in the settlements inhabited by ethnic Germans.[47]
Nowadays, there are two German-language schools inBucharest, namelyDeutsche Schule Bukarest andDeutsches Goethe-Kolleg Bukarest. The Deutsche Schule Bukarest serves Kinderkrippe (nursery), Kindergarten, Grundschule (elementary school), and Gymnasium (high school).[48]
In Timișoara (German:Temeschburg or Temeswar), theNikolaus Lenau High School was founded during the late 19th century. It was named this way in reference toNikolaus Lenau, a Banat SwabianRomanticist poet. Nowadays, the Nikolaus Lenau High School is considered the most important of its kind fromBanat.[49]
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In Sibiu/Hermannstadt, theSamuel von Brukenthal National College is the oldest German-language school from Romania (recorded as early as the 14th century), being also classified as a historical monument. It was subsequently renamed this way in reference to baronSamuel von Brukenthal, a Transylvanian Saxon aristocrat. Additionally, there is oneGoethe Institut cultural centre based in Bucharest as well as five Deutsche Kultzertrum based inIași,Brașov,Cluj-Napoca,Timișoara, andSibiu.[50]
In Brașov/Kronstadt, the German-language school is the Johannes Honterus National College, named after the renowned great 16th century Transylvanian Saxon scholar and humanistJohannes Honterus.
TheGerman State Theatre Timișoara (German:Deutsches Staatstheater Temeswar) is one of the oldest state theaters in Romania.
TheAllgemeine Deutsche Zeitung für Rumänien (ADZ) is the daily German-language newspaper in contemporary Romania. To this day, it is the only German-language newspaper published inEastern Europe.[51] Regional German-language publications also include theNeue Banater Zeitung inBanat and theHermannstädter Zeitung for the town ofSibiu (German:Hermannstadt). Previously, in the passing of time, other historical German-language newspapers included:Arbeiter-Zeitung,Temeswarer Nachrichten (the first German-language newspaper published inSouthaestern Europe), andBanater Arbeiter-Presse in Banat,Vorwärts in Bukovina, andNeuer Weg in Bucharest.
On the Romanian public TV channelTVR, the show of the German minority in Romania is calledAkzente and airs quite regularly. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in December 2019.[52] The show is dubbed instandard German (i.e.Hochdeutsch) and subtitled inRomanian as well.
![A group of Banat Swabians in 1940, celebrating 'Kirchweih' (or 'Kerwei' in their local dialect)[53]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a79_Kirchweihfest_1940.jpg)
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