It’s a small world after-all! I had the opportunity to speak at the Cleveland East chapter of ATS last week. The person who invited me is of Transylvanian Saxon heritage. It turns out my father was her mother’s teacher in Transylvania in the village of Senndorf (now Jelna), Romania!
Sadly, because of WWII and the communist regime afterward, there are no Saxons are left there. Although the church tower is still standing, the church my parents used to attend is in ruins. The good news is, we came to America!
More Senndorf info.
My father who was born in 1915 (deceased since 1981) from Saxon Transylvania and immigrated to the United States with a naturalization paper dated 1958. His youngest sister, along with her girlfriend was violated and her throat slit (to death) by a gang of Red Army soldiers for him to witness before being taken to a Communist work camp. His older sister was sent to Siberia and his two taller brothers were shot to death. He tried to escape and was shot in the back. He eventually came to the US where he worked for 5 years to pay back a Hungarian sponsor in NJ who paid his boat passage. He met my Norwegian and Ukrainian US born mother. After unsuccessfully trying to find work in Cleveland, OH he returned to northern New Jersey with my mother, eventually settling in Easton, Pennsylvania where I was born in 1961.
After these Transylvanian Saxons were forced out, their long developed land and homes were taken by Romanians.
As you already know, it is truly heartbreaking! Do you know of any legal cases trying to obtain reparations for us the descendants of those who suffered so much?
Sincerely, Carol Ann Thaler
carolannthaler@gmail.com
484-787-8827
I don’t know of any cases. I and my family came to America in 1951. My parents and oldest sister and brother left Sendorf in 1945 to Australia. My father found them after the war, one sister was born on the way to Austria and two of us were born during the seven years we worked in fields. We came to America in 1951 to Idaho. I would love any information or contacts to get more information. My mother had all the paperwork from the restaurant bar they owned, grocery store and farm. Which was all flattened we heard. Please please any information would be appreciated thank you. I know years ago my mother subscribe to the alliance there in Ohio is there still a newspaper? I would love to subscribe
Is this page about Transylvanian Saxons still active?
I have paternal roots in Senndorf (family deported in 1944 ahead of the Soviet advance) but I know very little. My father was born in Senndorf, unfortunately he died way too young.
I would love to learn more, maybe someone here has information, even the smallest bit.
I now live in Sweden.
Hi Mikael,
The only information I have about Senndorf (called Jelna in Romanian) is that my father was a substitute teacher there in 1936/37 and a regular teacher in 1938. It is possible that the Transylvanian Saxon organization can help you in your search for information. Much information can be found on http://www.siebenbuerger.de
Here is a link about Senndorf. https://www.siebenbuerger.de/ortschaften/senndorf/
My book is titled, Why Can’t Somebody Just Die Around Here? have you read it? I’m not sure it is available in Sweden. In the USA it is available on Amazon.
I wish you the best in your search about information about your father and your background.
Sincerely,
Gerhard Maroscher
Ohio
USA
I am a romanian born in Bistritz, my parents are from Senndorf (Jelna) and Budak. The church from Senndorf had recently received funds to be saved, hopeffuly there will be more actions on the future to save the saxon heritage. Things are changing but in a slow pace.
I’m looking forward to read your book. Take care and happy holidays.
Hello Liviu,
It is a small world indeed. My mother, brother and I were born in Bistritz. My father was born in Deutsch-Budak. He taught for a while in Senndorft and then taught in Mettersdorft. Life was good till the war intervened and the rest is history.
The Saxons spoke their Germanic dialect at home. It was the German that they spoke in the 12th century when they were invited by the Hungarian King to settle in Transylvania (Siebenbuergen.) Saxons went to German school where they learned high German for the first time. Most Sazons also spoke Romanian and Hungarian as well as some Yiddish. We survived the Mongols, the Turks, but not the communists. Now the Saxons are spread allover the Western World with most in Germany and Austria.
I hope you enjoy my memoir.
Thank you for contacting me.
Gerhard Maroscher
Small world indeed.
There is a book about Deutsch Budak writeen by Johann Dorfi
https://www.siebenbuerger.de/ortschaften/deutschbudak/nachrichten/hogmitteilung/42819-deutsch-budaker-heimatbuch.html
I’m researching a friend’s family and happened upon this page. Her grandparents were George Schuller b. 1883 and Mary Holdstztrager b. 1888, both in Senndorf. They immigrated to Cleveland initially, then moved to the Youngstown area.
When I first started looking at the U.S. records for George, they said he was born in Germany, Hungary, and Romania. Thankfully, because my ethnic German grandparents were born in Hungary, I knew about the Austro-Hungarian empire and what this discrepancy meant. 🙂
Hi Jane,
It’s a small world. Senndorf was the first town my parents lived after they were married. It is also an odd world. My brother was born in Bistrita, Romania in 1940. I was born in the same city but it was then Bistrita, Hungary. Bistrita is about six miles from Senndorf. And before WWI, that part of Romania, known as Transylvania (Siebenbuergen) was part of Hungary.
Your friend’s grandmother was Mary Holdstztrager b. 1888. I think that is either a misspelling or the spelling was changed in America. My best guess is Holztrager, which means wood-carrier. Of course I could be wrong. If you or your friend have any interest in learning about the life of one Transylvanian family that fled their homeland during WWII, you might consider my memoir. You can find it on http://www.themaroscherstory.com and on Amazon https://amzn.to/31H6cSk
Thanks for contacting me.
Gerhard Maroscher
Hello,
Just stumbled on this page. My grandmother was born in Kallesdorf in 1923 and immigrated to Erie PA and then Western New York shortly after her birth. Family name was Gubesch. Her mother and father both shared the same last name. Looking for additional info and resources to learn more.
Hi Mary Jo,
Sorry, but I have no info about Kallesdorf.
Gerhard