The Saxons of Transylvania: Fortified Churches and a Lost World

Episode 161 of The History of Romania takes you into the world of the Transylvanian Saxons — the German-speaking colonists who built fortified churches, founded towns like Sibiu and Brașov, and shaped the region for nearly a millennium. Lucas and Luna trace their arrival in the 12th century under King Géza II, their privileged status under the Diploma Andreanum, and their role in medieval trade along the Via Carpiana. They explore the defensive architecture of villages like Viscri and Biertan, where churches doubled as fortresses against Ottoman raids. The conversation also covers the Saxon cultural legacy: their Transylvanian Saxon dialect, the Saxon University as a political body, and the devastating impact of World War II and the Cold War, when most Saxons fled or were expelled. Specific names include Johannes Honterus, the Reformation leader in Brașov; the Hărman fortified church; and the 1990 emigration wave. The episode ends with a reflection on what remains today — from UNESCO World Heritage sites to the fading sound of Saxon German in remote villages.

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