Czechs in Romania

The Czech minority in the Banat is a small ethnic minority living in Serbia mainly in Romania, but in a smaller number.

History

In the early 19th century, people settled in different parts of the Habsburg monarchy in Romania. From Bohemia, particularly from Central Bohemia arrived about 9000 emigrants who settled in the southern Banat and there founded a number of villages. One reason for this was similar to the Banat Swabians, the timber industry. As an incentive to settle here, served privileges such as exemption from taxes and from several years of military service. Some of the people were also attracted by private entrepreneurs with false promises of land and labor. This was especially true for the first wave of settlement from 1824 to 1825, which was organized by a Hungarian wood entrepreneur named János Magyarly. After the completion of clearing work, he disappeared without complying with its commitments to the workers. Many settlers then entered into the army. The second, larger wave from 1827 to 1828 had been organized mainly military, their goal was the settlement of the border area in the Banat Mountains at the iron gate of military-strategic reasons ( Wehrbauerntum ). Sources of income were mainly timber and agriculture, but also later coal mining.

On the Romanian side of the Danube so created several Czech settlements, of which six are still inhabited predominantly or exclusively of Czechs:

  • Eibentál (Romanian: Eibenthal )
  • Rovensko (Romanian: Ravensca )
  • Svatá Helena (Romanian: Elena Sfânta )
  • Gerník (Romanian: Garnic )
  • BIGR (Romanian: Bigar )
  • Šumice (Romanian: Sumita )

Also in the town Orşova ( Czech Orsava ) to Banat Czechs settled. Other villages such as the 1823 first founded Svatá Alžběta (Elisabeth field) or Frauvízn ( dt: Woman meadow, rum Poiana Muierii. ) Were abandoned again. One reason for this were problems with the water supply, which on the hills is the military strategic location of some villages up to the present day difficult. Is on the Serbian side, near the border with Romania, Cesko Selo ( founded in 1837 ) to mention.

As the Banat in 1861 fell under Hungarian rule, there was a third, smaller wave of immigration in its wake but no new towns were founded: Few immigrants were distributed among the hitherto non- Czech -populated villages Clopodia in a circle Caras -Severin (1862 ), Peregul Mare in Arad County (1863 ) and Scãiuş in Arad County ( 1863-1865 ), where now only live a few Czechs. Offside organized by these waves of immigration but always came back even individuals, mainly artisans, but mostly attracted to larger cities and were assimilated rapidly.

In contrast, only little contact with the Romanian-speaking environment, even from the rest of the Czech -speaking world originated in the small villages due to the isolation in the mountainous landscape, the small enclaves were largely cut off. Thus, the linguistic and cultural life in the 19th century was largely preserved. The language of the Banat Czechs therefore characterized by old-fashioned forms and some Romanian loanwords.

Another group of emigrants came in 1828 from the Pilsen area - Bohemian Forest. These were, however, not Czechs, but German Bohemia, the just north of the settlement area of the Banat Czech villages Garaña ( Wolfsberg ) Brebu Nou ( Weidenthal ), Poiana (Wolf meadow) and Lindenfeld founded.

Current situation

Today, the Czech villages are struggling with a strong population decline. This is a result ( after a first wave of emigration 1947-49 ) mainly due to migration of the youth to the Czech Republic since the opening of the borders after the fall of communism from 1990. Overall still live about 3,938 Czechs in the Romanian Banat ( 2002 census ) and 1648 Czechs in Vojvodina (mostly in the Serbian Banat ) ( 2001 census). In recent years it has increasingly begun, in addition to agriculture and tourism ( especially from the Czech Republic ) to open up as a new revenue source. Overall, the contacts with the Czech Republic have been intensified in 2007 even a weekly bus service from traffic forming Svatá Helena to Prague was put into operation. The Czech minority is recognized as an ethnic minority in Romania and as such has a seat in the Camera Deputaţilor, the lower house of the Romanian Parliament.

Czech population shares by town

Romania ( 2002 census )

  • Dubova, Circle Mehedinţi - 40.70 %
  • Garnic, district Caras -Severin - 33.46 %
  • Coronini, district Caras -Severin - 27.36 %
  • Berzasca, district Caras -Severin - 14.24 %
  • Sopotu Nou, district Caras -Severin - 10.92 %
  • Lăpuşnicel, district Caras -Severin - 10.75%
  • Socol, District Caras -Severin - 4.60%
  • Peregu Mare, Arad County - 3.83%
  • Eşelniţa, Circle Mehedinţi - 2.31%
  • Orşova circle Mehedinţi - 1.85%

Serbia

  • Large Bela Crkva - 3.99%

Known Banat Czechs

  • Ignat Bednarik, painter
  • Anton Chladek, painter
  • Anton Borel, botanist
  • Lascăr Borel, painter

Map

  • Club českých turistů: Turistická Mapa Banat, M 1: 100,000. 1st edition. Freytag & Berndt, Prague 2001, ISBN 80-85999-88-9 ( map and guide, Czech / Romanian / English).
Iron Gates Plzeň Bela Crkva, Banat
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