Balassa M. Iván, Cseri Miklós szerk.: Népi építészet Erdélyben - Az 1999. március 21-27-én Tusnádon megrendezett konferencia anyaga (Szentendre: Szabadtéri Néprajzi Múzeum, 1999)

Olsefszky, Edmund: Tanulmány a Brassó megyei Kőhalom vidékéhez tartozó szász falvak revitalizációjához

Revival of the Transylvanian Saxon settlements in the region of Kőhalom in the county of Brassó EDMUND OLSEFSZKY The region of Kőhalom in the northeastern part of the county of Brassó lost its population in a great extent between 1945 and 1991, furthermore, an exchange of population took place, which had unfavourable consequences on the economic, social and urban development as well as on the possibilities of the preservation and protection of the typical and valuable local culture. The purpose of the research carried out in 1991 was the evaluation of the possibilities of the economic, social an urban development of the villages Kacsa, Zsiberk and Sáros, in order to work out a revival strategy. The tragedy of these villages began in 1945, when the Saxon inhabitants have been deported to the Soviet Union and with the confiscation of their property. The tragedy continued with the collectivisation - as in all Romanian villages - with the migration of the youth to the towns and with the policy of the so-called „village arrangement", which aimed at the destruction of the traditions (life, work, architecture). The deportation and later the emigration of the hardworking, well organised Saxon population with their large knowledge and experience in agriculture resulted in the qualitative and quantitative change of the population. Gypsies settled down to replace them, people without any attachment to soil and to village and without any tradition of agricultural work. The present population (with 58% gypsy majority) is not able to fully exploit the economic possibilities of the region and the traditional culture of the settlement and of the environment, which has been created in the past and to maintain the historic and cultural inheritance. This is the reason for the present state of the villages. The analysis of the urban and architectural values (adjustment to the environment, the picture of the village, the street network, the market square, the arrangement of the plots, the quality of the street fronts of the houses, the proportions, the dwelling houses and the ancillary buildings, the public buildings, the colours, the building ornaments) and the analysis of the exploitation, survey and aesthetic values support the possibility of revival. Following conclusions of the essay can be mentioned here: - It is necessary to carry out a sociologie study about the present population in order to survey the ability of the population to make use of the economic possibilities, to revive the economy, to evaluate the possibility of their integration in a historically developed urban structure and mind, whether they are able to keep and preserve the values taken over mainly from the Saxon inhabitants. This study has to offer a realistic basis for any proposed revival project. - The revival process of the urban and architectural frame must be a natural consequence of the result of the economic restructuring, which should be supported by credit programs, projects and administrative measures. - The projects have to be worked out by specialists with a good knowledge of the characteristics of the Saxon villages and they have to safeguard the saving and protection of the historic-cultural inheritance. - It is important to gain the support of the local population, to make them want to be integrated in a certain urban environment and to rehabilitate and to preserve it. - The essay recommends the creation of a management organisation in the county of Brassó for the purpose of continuing, extending and finalising the revival study, the protection of the historiccultural inheritance and the harmonising of the ideas and programs.