Sauris

Sauris ( German: Zahre ) is a municipality and German -speaking enclave in the Carnic Alps, northern Italy, Udine, Friuli with 411 inhabitants (as at 31 December 2012).

Location and data

Borders the following municipalities: Ampezzo (German Petsch ), Forni di Sopra, Forni di Sotto, Ovaro, Prato Carnico and Vigo di Cadore (BL).

Sauris is one of the German language islands in north-eastern Italy, and is at 1200 to 1400 m northwest of the Lumieischlucht (Italian Torrente Lumiei ) at Ampezzo, the main access to Zahre. From the west to the Piave valley / Cadore is Sauris / Zahre of the Sella Ciampigotto (1797 m).

Sauris / Zahre actually consists of two villages: Sauris di Sotto / Unterzahre (1215 m slm ) and Sauris di Sopra / Oberzahre ( 1390 m asl ) with a total of 419 inhabitants ( 31 January 2006). Both districts of the highest commune in Friuli are lovingly maintained and revitalized.

History

According to the recent findings of linguistics and regional history Zahre was about the middle of the 13th century as well as the linguistic island Sappada ( German: Bladen ) populated from the Alta Pusteria and / or the adjacent Carinthian Lesachtal.

Sources over the first settlement there is almost no after a fire in the 18th century had the allegedly rich documents Pfarrarchiv completely destroyed.

In a document already from the 12th century is from the " Contratta de Sauris " (Probably today Sauris di Sotto / Unterzahre ) the speech, so that one can assume that Sauris has existed as a place name before the German immigration. The German name Zahre was accordingly derived from the Roman name.

For centuries, led the residents in their extremely isolated village a meager living as mountain farmers and partly pedlars.

During the Fascist period in Italy (1922-1943) was the German traditions and language suppressed and banned not only in public, but even in the private sector: Mussolini and the Italian nationalism operated as in South Tyrol as well as in the German language islands a reckless policy of Italianisation.

The population was around 1880 or 800 1980 500 today and about 600 inhabitants. In 1947, the dam of Sauris thus the main entrance was built and easier to Sauris di Sopra ( Oberzahre ). The western access to Sauris is still very tedious and impossible for months in the winter.

Today there are close contacts with the other German enclaves, especially to the nearest Sappada ( German Bladen, Tyrolean dialect - Plodn, Belluno province ) and Timau ( Tischelwang, Udine ), but also to the further west Lusern ( Province of Trento ), Fersental ( Province of Trento ), seven municipalities with the capital Asiago ( Vicenza ) and the Thirteen municipalities ( province of Verona).

For several years, the community is expanding tourism and provides its very special German tradition, so especially the young people to stop the brain drain, and open up economic opportunities locally. The municipality shall on considerable success and is currently experiencing an upturn. New projects - with support from the province of Udine, Friuli region and the EU - are planned.

As delicacy ham from Sauris is known, a slightly smoked cured ham, which is flavored with mountain herbs.

Language

The Zahrische dialect is characterized by Pustertalerstrasse elements from the field Innichen - Sillian - Villgraten - Linz. It is closely related to the idiom of the north-west island Sappada Language ( Bladen ), but differs from that by some archaic linguistic elements as well as by stronger Romanesque influences. Friulian is partly colloquial language, Italian is the absence of German school, the almost exclusive written language.

The German language islands Northeast of Italy have no connection with the Germanic people of the Cimbri, one of which claimed origin is derived as " Cimbri ". This is a mistake of the early 19th century, when folklorists were aware of the hitherto forgotten German-speaking islands of Italy for the first time. Your German dialect calls the origin clearly demonstrated from the Dolomites and is expected to decline to the time of the Middle Ages when the area was part of the Bishopric of Freising with the county Cadore.

Approximately 70 percent of residents speak Zahrisch in everyday life. However, the decline of zahrischen language usage is evident up to the 80s. Beginning of the 20th century was the active mastery of the mother tongue zahrischen still at 100 percent and took decades steadily in order to be stabilizing since about 1980.

The language is also used in public life. Above all, the Church is committed to the preservation of the ancient language. So prayers and chants have been rediscovered recently. Even in kindergarten and at school Zahrisch is taught again today.

Place names

The German name Zahre as well as his counterpart Romanesque Sauris go back together on Illyrian " Savira " ( river ). In addition to some Romanesque names like Lateis the vast number of names such as mountain names Vesperkofel or Morgenleite goes back to German origin.

Bruno Petris has collected 1975 on 200 place and field names and etymologically analyzed: in the mountain economy, there are terms such as " Elble " and " Rösleite " field names like " Stanbont " and " Hoacha Laite " toponyms related to water such as " Pam Prünlan " ( " pam "means" in which " ) and many other place names of German origin such as" Pan the church "or" Ame Khraitz ". Are particularly frequent surnames Schneider, Plozzer and especially Petris.

Traditional songs and choral singing

A special tradition in Sauris / Zahre have religious and secular songs and choral singing.

The oldest song in zahrischer language dates from the 15th century: " Bas bolt chasing a hunter " ( It want ' a hunter chase ). The " Canti del Giro della Stella" ( Songs of Star Round ) dating from the 15th to the 18th century, are still sung at Christmas: On Christmas a procession comes to following a fixed star on a stick. The solemn procession passes through the villages and hamlets, with fruit, eggs, cheese and bacon are collected. The "Songs of Star Round " are sung and played in various musical and linguistic variants - on Zahrisch, Italian, Latin and Friulian. The choir " Coro Zahre " accompanied the processions "Giro della Stella" ( Star Round ) on December 26th in Sauris di Sotto / Unterzahre and on December 29 in Sauris di Sopra / Oberzahre. The traditions of the choir " Coro Zahre ", which is led by the local priest, to be maintained and expanded. The " Coro Zahre " was founded in 1975 and sings the traditional songs, but he also integrates new pieces that then get a very special zahrischen character.

The choir has now also acquired national reputation and is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Sauris / Zahre.

More in Sauris / Zahre still sung songs are the " Puer Meus ", nursery rhymes, love songs and soldier songs. The " Puer Meus " is sung in several variants in zahrischer and Latin at Christmas or on New Year's Day in the church of San Lorenzo in Sauris di Sopra / Oberzahre. Even today, the singing tradition is very much alive and is used for communication and the community life: Since 1995, almost all women found mainly Sauris di Sopra / Oberzahre every week and rehearse either new songs, which they then sing in church or sing just pleasure zahrische, but also Italian songs.

Folk Culture

Townscape and rural life of the world are dominated by East Tyrol and Friuli elements. The two churches in Sauris di Sotto / Unterzahre as in Sauris di Sopra / Oberzahre include art-historically significant Gothic winged altars from the Pusteria ( Brunico Nicholas of 1524, Michael Parth 1551 ). The population is very musical and has produced some dialect poet.

Among the most famous handicraft works include weaving and artistic processing of wood. Traditions such as the Zahrer Carnival with its archaic figures, one of the oldest in the Alps and will be held on Saturday of Carnival and Shrove Sunday, were revived.

The construction of Sauris / Zahre, characterized by peculiar wooden barns and houses with typical balconies and wooden shutters, differs significantly from the Friulian countryside. The Cultural Association " Circolo Culturale Saurano " and the congregation give the local magazine " De Zahre reidet " ( Zahre reported ) out.

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