Transylvania – The heart of Romania | DW Documentary

Transylvania – The heart of Romania | DW Documentary

There are some places just about everyone has heard of but few truly know one such place is Transylvania a male dominated culture that nevertheless has its softer sides for us a horse is like a child horses are like members of the family for us Roma Transylvania is a region with a

Long history and vibrant Traditions it’s a place where people enjoy life and are even at peace with the idea of it one day coming to an end our cemetry is the only one in the world where people laugh rather than cry away from the cities some places

Appear almost Frozen in Time right in the heart of Europe lwh hanging clouds of mist Sinister Legends vampire stories Transylvania is perhaps best known for The Saga of Count Dracula Brian Castle is marketed as the Count’s home but the region has much more to offer than spooky myths its magnificent buildings are the backdrop to a dramatic history hungarians Germans

And Romanians have shaped Transylvania in the far north on the border with Ukraine is maramures the region historically a part of Transylvania is known for its skillful Crafts People and the elaborate wooden churches recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites in the small Orthodox Christian Community of sapena residents believe that death loves

Wood they say that the whole of human life from the crib to the coffin is bound up with wood and people here have an unusual view of death this is especially evident in the cemetery of this Village of 3,000 residents when a person dies they get their very own personal Memorial a

Lovingly carved brightly painted wooden cross a picture and a poem each one unique tell the story of the deceased honestly and bluntly For Better or For Worse for 45 years dumitru pop has been carving crosses here a place the locals called the Mary cemetery this makes him something of a village chronicler the

Plan is for his son-in-law Yuan to one day follow in his footsteps to do the job one needs to know a lot about the people of Sensa the whole village knows the story of this deceased woman because everyone knew how badly she treated her family especially her son-in-law she really bossed him around he had to dance to her tun and people mocked him for it after her death the family asked me

To make a cross that was a true Memorial to her life and this is It beneath this cross lies my mother-in-law if she’d lived Just One Day More I’d be down there you who admire this cross don’t try to wake her otherwise she’ll come back home to annoy and tease me the reactions were positive no one said I’d written anything wrong that was how she

Was it’sit alone who decides which life event commemorates the deceased and above all what information is included in the short Poem this is for a young man who died in a car accident and I wrote The Following oh I rest here at a young age my name is Gru gor I proudly bought myself an expensive car but the Mercedes didn’t last long I died in my car before it had

Even left the lot my life came to an end so early if only I’d at least had a bride but now I’m lying in my grave a virgin and final words of remembrance sincere but with a wink and a [Applause] nud but to meu has no intention of

Mocking the deceased he carves paints and writes with one overarching aspiration day the idea is to change people’s perspective on death the Mary cemetery is the only one in the world where people laugh about death rather than cry taking the sorrow out of death a mission that became his life’s work over

The years the 67-year-old has made a name for himself across Romania geographically Transylvania forms the center and the northwest of Romania the region is surrounded by the elongated mountain ranges of the carpathians Ku naoka is seen as The Unofficial capital of Transylvania with some 325,000 residents clug is Romania’s second largest city

And the cultural economic and scientific center of Transylvania Formerly known as Clausen Borg it was founded by German settlers in the 13th century the grand buildings in the old town testify to its great Regional significance today it’s mostly young people out and about on the streets clug is a University City representing a young and modern Transylvania an

Exception in a region that’s for the most part Rural and traditional in the small towns and Villages there’s an incredible sense of peace and quiet here people still have time or at least they take It on the roads there are almost as many carriages as there are cars horses are closely linked to the Region’s history to this day in Transylvania they’re not just an important mode of Transport they’re also a status Symbol Constantine Vos is the proud owner of 31 horses his farm isn’t far from CL hi come to Papa Come to Papa who’s the best behaved Constantine or costell as everyone calls him has a close almost familiar likee bond with his Horses horses are the most beautiful animals on this planet I’ve Loved horses since I was a kid when I was eight I bought myself a donkey I couldn’t afford anything more nowadays not only does c have enough money to pursue his passion he’s also turned it into a source of

Income he’s been breeding and selling horses for 30 Years hey look here sweet little guy come to Papa give me your leg good boy good boy bra bra he’s still young if you don’t train him now he’ll kick you in the face later he has to learn now just like a child but as much as he grows fond of

The animals at some point it’s time to let them go one of the Region’s most important markets is taking place tomorrow Stella the mayor is due to change hands the negotiations are already in full swing I’m I’ve asked for €4,500 I don’t know if I’ll get that I have to convince the

Buyer in person I’ll try and negotiate the highest possible price the potential buyer wants to see some new photos before meeting the horse tomorrow in the flesh costelle breeds Romanesque semiu a traditional Romanian breed originally used as working animals today they’re primarily EST state to symbol at the upcoming horse Market in G

They’re highly prized Transylvania means Beyond the Forest like a thick old carpet forests cover large areas of the region right up to the peaks of the Carpathian Mountains the few people who settle here live with and from nature it sounds romantic but it’s not so easy it’s 6:00 in the morning the start

Of the Working Day for shepher twad Tapas even though today’s work is a little out of the Ordinary it’s going to be a tough day but that’s just the way it is I’ll feel the work in my bones this evening but that’s okay twad can’t live from his sheep alone every 2 months he sets off to his firesight to make Charcoal we need the charcoal to survive otherwise there isn’t enough money we need both the sheep and the charcoal then we manag to get by tw’s Family Farm is located high up in the mountains besides sheep he owns goats pigs and a few hectares of forest meaning he has wood at his

Disposal with the source material at hand twad can get started he gradually piles up several tons of bone dry wood the center what’s known as the quandel shaft is crucial it’s where twer will light the fire later to do to do this he needs bone dry wood a refined technique and this secret

Ingredient the rubber boot Burns Ultra fast one by one twad and his helpers stack the logs in a circle around the core it looks simple but it demands great concentration this spacing is crucial too close and not enough oxygen will reach the core too far apart and it will burn unevenly I’ll only see if I did a good job at the end until then all I can do is hope twad grew up in the mountains just him and his parents while other children practice writing and math twad learned to bring 400 sheep safely to pasture to

Make cheese out of milk and charcoal out of wood I couldn’t work in an office I need the freedom and the fresh air out here in nature and not everyone can live in the city anyway the stack is almost finished a pile of wood weighing tons with ventilation

Shafts twer covers it first with straw and then with cold Ash and soil this protects the wood from wind and moisture finally he lights the fire through a narrow Gap in the Stack I need to hurry and that more wood so that the fire catches on the other side otherwise it’ll just burn at the front the Flames go out quickly but the Embers continue to Glow beneath the Dome where there’s just enough oxygen the skill lies in controlling the

Invisible smoldering fire to prevent the stack from going up in Flames twad won’t know how good the charcoal will be until he reopens the stack after 5 days trans syania has been the backdrop of an eventful history Romania’s best known region is a Melting Pot of different European

Peoples the culture of the Region’s ethnic Germans is entrenched here to this day there are more than 150 preserved fortified churches here an impressive Legacy of the Transylvanian Saxons they were built around the 15th century to defend against ottoman invasion in towns like biran or sigis swara residents could take refuge in these

Structures houses of worship were turned into proper strongholds with thick walls observation towers and entire neighborhoods most of the ethnic Germans began leaving Romania after 1970 today around 16,000 Transylvanian Saxons still live in the Region in the village of chinku two of them are going back to their Roots Marina and Alex heret want to preserve the culture and language of their ancestors in particular the Artis and traditions of the Transylvanian Saxons together they’re renovating the house that once belonged to malina’s grandparents with old materials and tools when possible they’re currently working on a wooden Pavilion the challenge is when you work with old materials it’s quite normal that Nothing fits and everything’s crooked because everything was crafted by

Hand while Carpenter Alex takes care of practical aspects Milena goes on a daily treasure hunt for old items her latest find antique doors and matching windows she’s also discovered evidence of their historic value I’m sh we found the exact technical drawing in the Carpenters book from 1874 things like this are proof that

Here in this region of Transylvania in Romania there’s an old Artisan tradition that’s worth Reviving in their renovation project the habits utilize their ancestors materials and knowhow as a way of building sustainably while saving money these fines very nearly became firewood yeah yes it’s a great piece of work in

Terms of craftsmanship and design it’s a real treasure that survived for more than 100 years but there’s still quite a bit of work to do before Alex can fit the doors into the wooden frames it’s going in MIM 2 millim yeah that’s staying put the problem the struts too long and

The joint has the wrong Dimensions but Alex is not giving up they’re not defeats their challenges in his Workshop Alex finds a suitable tool for every challenge the 38-year-old collects traditional tools from the region and repairs Them the old tools are better the quality of Steel is better they’re much more robust than the standard tools you can buy everywhere these days and if they’re old and from the village it’s safe to say they were made by a Village Blacksmith with a particular Craftsman in

Mind so he’d never give him anything shy because the two of them would see each other almost every day the unconventional project has long been the subject of Village gossip for sure people shake their heads when they talk about us we’re the ones who collect all the old junk that would

Normally be thrown away to make a few quick lay for scrap iron or firewood no one’s collecting this kind of stuff of course we’re the freaks around here the freaks but that’s just fine Good Alex was born in brov marinaa in Bucharest they were raised bilingually but living in Germany was never an option for them their roots to their Romanian Homeland Run Deep and Molina feels them here [Applause] especially when my grandmother died I came to the empty house a short time later for a vacation at a very difficult time in my life a time when I was wondering who I was and what I was actually doing um so um yeah I wasn’t so conscious of it at the

Time but it turned out to be a wonderful dream and so Melina stayed but realizing her dream became more complicated than expected the couple kept coming up against new unforeseen problems that’s not working at all is it the nails from Alex’s Supply don’t fit they won’t be able to continue

Working on the wooden frames for the Pavilion while Malina and Alex tried to find a solution further to the north people are also working to preserve another artisanal Transylvanian tradition in the little village of suena doit pup makes his wooden crosses for the deceased he’s been doing it for 45 years

He feels those years in his bones it’s important to him that the tradition is passed on his son-in-law is to take over the Reigns a huge honor for the young man it’s a big responsibility for me I’m not setting out to be better than my predecessor but I’d like to at least

Reach his level I’d like to achieve that like many young Romanians Yuan worked on construction sites or Farms across Europe as a migrant laborer his home Village couldn’t secure him a future neither personally nor financially until he met D’s daughter and started helping out in the workshop she great

To work with the crosses gave me a purpose in life again so that’s why I decided to stay in Sensa I felt at home here again it was very difficult for me before he’s been dumitru’s Apprentice for 2 years and will ideally take over the job soon but there’s one problem his skills

Aren’t quite up to the Master’s exacting standards the the I’d like you to finish chiseling the upper wreath today where the lettering will go later I hope it works out I’m nearly done here and once you’ve done that you can help me with the painting I’ll do my

Best this cross is to be a final Memorial to a departed family friend The golo horse Market is a combination of trade show and family reunion it’s already packed just like every year and Traders are still trying to secure an area on the field which is much too Small costell the horse breeder from CL is late again but he’s determined to find a Spot I don’t know of any event like it this Festival is unique it’s about honor and money a lot of money costell’s hoping to sell one of his best today the potential buyer is also the organizer of the market PFI moldan makes sure everything comes Together I can’t put into words how important this Market is to me it’s in my blood my father my grandfather my entire family always had horses and that’s how they earned a living a horse is like a child horses are like members of the family for us

R PFI belongs to the Romani ethnic group like almost all those taking part in the market the first Romani people arrived in Transylvania in the mid 14th century from India and Anatolia horse trading is one of this ethnic minority’s oldest and most respected professions

With a lot of fanfare the men try to get potential buyers to notice their horses negotiations are conducted in a rather crude manner enough you crew let’s shake 3,000 you’re joking you scoundrel 4,000 eventually a double handshake seals the deal and the tone becomes friendlier horse trading is a male

Domain in a culture that’s generally dominating by men aside from money this business is also about socializing the market is the get together of the year for the romanii they eat drink and party into the Night in supena it’s a different atmosphere the village in Northern Transylvania is in mning a member of the close-nit community died just a week ago the Widow nuta has commissioned a cross for her husband Stan Gorga everyone’s still in shock he was only 57 years old an infection resulted in organ Failure no one saw it coming if he’d only complained about the pain earlier if he’d been at the hospital sooner but it was already too late his entire body was infected it’s so sad in Sensa people have an unusual attitude to death They Mourn but try not to dwell in the Sorrow let’s remember the good things there are so many photos our granddaughter is just one year old here the Widow n has asked to meet true po to make a cross as all the villagers do when a loved one dies locals believe the cross is the entrance to Paradise the cross will be a sign of respect for my beloved husband I’m not worried because I trust demitra with all my heart he knows the story of every person he makes a cross for he’s from here he was a friend of my husbands knows everything diit pop knows Stan gor and

His wife well he was at their wedding and their children’s baptisms while deit son-in-law works on the carving deit will write a poem about his departed friend it’s always sad when a family member passes we’ll all miss him on this occasion to diit will remain true to his

Principles whatever I write on the cross is always a surprise for the family they only see the cross at this stage and then again once it’s completely finished I never show the poem before otherwise they might say don’t write that on It nuta fully entrusts dumitru with composing her husband’s final Tribute the merry Cemetery of Sensa it’s one of a kind like an open book where visitors can read about the late residence of the village the Orthodox Christian Community faces death with openness and humor and there’s a lesson in there for the living Deit pop knows how tough life can be but he always tries to see the bright side apart from when there’s nothing cheerful or humorous to say as in the case of this little Girl burn in hell taxi that came from cibu as big as the country is you have to stop in front of our house and run me over and make my parent so sad this tragic accident happened in front of the parents events like this are so painful

How else can I describe it each time I read it the sense of grief Returns how awful but no matter how terrible the Fate diit must always find words for the unfathomable including now for the death of his friend Stan Gorka The Embers in the charcoal pile of twad tapash have been burning for 5 days he layered tons of wood to build

This stack also known as a clamp twad is milking his animals quickly today because his instinct is telling him it’s time to open the clamp you can never be certain you’ll get a good result sometimes the core doesn’t burn properly and the wood stays as it is but I’ve got a good feeling

That the clamp Sun the money from the sale of the charcoal is an important source of income for twer and his family the animals alone aren’t enough to make ends meet twer can’t really tell what the pile looks like inside he needs to open It I’m starting [Applause] here it needs more time it’s not charred yet it’s still wood I need to close the hole again carefully so no dirt gets in otherwise I’ll smother the flame again twad gingerly closes the Gap here on the left the wood isn’t yet sufficiently charred but the Embers aren’t evenly

Distributed on the right side it could be ready twad hoping for partial success at [Applause] least now I need to see if it’s worked here or not but it looks good the charcoal’s slowly starting to show here from there it’s all Char that’s very good the charcoal is sturdy no matter how I strike it it doesn’t break good quality tw’s family is one of about 20 living in the mountains isolated from the rest of civilization they rely on each other to survive TW supplies them with his charcoal for 40 L per sack around 8 and there’s always fuel in the house for cooking supper today is mutton and curdled sheep’s milk between the sheep and the charcoal twad is confident he’ll always be able to feed his Family here tucked away in the mountains of Transylvania in chinku it’s also time to get cooked like her approach to house renovation Molina Haba tries to use what’s on hand for her meals today she’s prepping a wine soup a typical dish that her ancestors would have eaten to boost their immune systems especially when they had a Cold transan Saxons are known to be frugal when it comes to their cuisine means using and consuming what’s available Molina is cooking ahead of time because she has an important appointment today work on the old Pavilion hasn’t been progressing Alex couldn’t find the right nails for the

Job but a blacksmith friend should be able to help he’s going to make them custom Nails because the head can be slightly bigger that’s a 50 and theoretically the head can be just as big Tomas sphin strikes the iron heated to around 1,350 de in the fire into the Nail’s precise conical

Shape there’s a small germane speaking community in the region it’s a mix of Transylvanian Saxons and people who have left Germany to come and live here many of them work as crafts people or Artists here it is wow wow super cool wow the new nails and the old doors fit Perfectly the historic Pavilion project is finally coming along super amazing I can picture it properly now it’s going to be great we’ve got a reason to celebrate don’t we V you bet no well then let’s tuck in the couple thanks their friends and helpers with wine soup and cake their

Dream of a house with a rich backstory in the home of their ancestors is taking shape in Sensa a new day Dawn while diit pop is finding the right words for the tribute to his late friend his Apprentice yuan is making the final touches to the Cross yuan is under a great deal of pressure after all dumitru can’t retire until his son-in-law is able to Fashion an entire cross on his own It’s not perfect there are a few small mistakes if you look closely but the most important thing is that this line here is perfectly straight so that it forms a distinct frame you’ve certainly done that welli the next step is for Yan to apply Color to the cross

The bright Hues of the Grave crosses are just as unusual as the poems and portraits yuan is getting better all the time but no one becomes a village chronicler and poet overnight I’m still a beginner there are many tricks and techniques left for me to learn but I’m in the best position

Possible because dumitru is a great teacher I’m confident I’ll be able to replace him soon demitro has written around 500 poems during his career this one was especially difficult but now he thinks he’s found the right words that looks good here I’m laid to rest my name is Stan

Gorer I’ll tell you the truth my life was not easy it was defined by work I had such a full day that’s why I’m lying in a coffin now the only nice thing I learned to make schnaps from my own apple harvest Lovely his widow will be pleased sure These days I sometimes wonder what I’ll leave behind I don’t know how many more years I have left but luckily I’ve got someone to take over and when the time comes I hope youran will write the truth on my Cross the truth about a life life in just a few words that’s no simple feat for demitro and Yuan life isn’t solely about the highs or the lows which is why there will always be space for both at the Mary cemetery in Sensa at jillo Market the horses aren’t

Just for sale they also compete in a variety of contests The the animals must demonstrate their strength and some score extra points for beauty nowadays the market runs itself organizer poofy finally has time to devote to his own Business if I like something then I have to have it and costell has something I really like I wish you a long life costell how are you I’m very well this is the mayor I’d like to sell She’s a Beauty how old is she again just two two years

Exactly what’s your price I’d like 4,500 but I don’t know what you can afford that’s daylight robbery we’re not in Germany what’s your offer 3,500 3,500 for this may no look at her legs like a goddess see for yourself take a close Look what’s your final price your offer is too low the customary negotiation is underway the men tease and provoke one another seeing how far they can push it a single handshake signals initial interest after some haggling a double handshake seals the deal I’m very pleased we agreed on

3,750 that’s a fair price for both of us the mayor is a perfect fit for my breeding program the mayor was bittersweet but I know where she’s going with him she won’t have to work in the forest she won’t be beaten it’s like a father and his

Child I wouldn’t entrust my daughter to a bad man that’s the way it is with my horses too It’s early evening and costell is returning to his farman horses in K there is pride and joy and one important part of transylvania’s vibrant culture and many here are doing all they can to preserve that Culture

Transylvania has a lot to offer: beautiful cities, endless forests, fascinating traditions. All of these are cultivated with great dedication by the people of the region.

Dumitru Pop, for example, works at the “funniest cemetery in the world”. His mission: to change people’s view of death. He carves and paints wooden crosses for the deceased. He decides which anecdotes best commemorate the dead. Too much alcohol? A tyrannical mother-in-law? Dumitru doesn’t sugarcoat anything — and adds a dash of humor to the saddest of circumstances.

Transylvania is nestled in the Carpathian Mountains and boasts seemingly endless forests and pristine nature. In towns like Sighisoara and Biertan, imposing churches remind us that Transylvania was shaped by German culture. Among the people the filmmakers meet are two Transylvanian Saxons who are renovating their house using ancient tools — and the knowledge passed down by their ancestors.

The largest ethnic minority in the country, the Roma, meet at the horse market in Gilau. The horse trade has been one of the most respected Roma professions for centuries. The market is impressive and puts on a great show. But it’s also a kind of family reunion. For the horse trader Costell and the market organizer Pufi Moldovan, it’s an exciting day.

#documentary #dwdocumentary #transylvania
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