Romania’s Haferland Festival, dedicated to reviving Saxon traditions with the help of homemade jam and senior politicians, kicked off this weekend in one of the country’s most idyllic spots.
Haferland
The Haferland Festival which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, aims to shine the spotlight on the region and bring prosperity to the handsome, but underdeveloped villages which are part of Romania’s national heritage.
Thousands emigrated to Germany during communism–sold by hardline leader Nicolae Ceausescu for hard currency– and thousands more left for Germany after the 1989 anti-communist revolution.
But efforts such as the Haferland Festival as well as the interest and commitment of Britain’s Prince Charles have renewed interest and revived fortunes in the hilly and forested region of southern Romania where the Saxons settled.
Fortified churches
The Saxons arrived in Romania the 12th century and over the years built 250 fortified churches in southern Transylvania where they settled, also known as the Transylvanian colinde or highlands.
Caroline Fernolend is one of the best-known local Saxons. Her passion for preserving Saxon traditions attracted Prince Charles to Romania who bought his first house in her native Viscri, and put this gorgeous, unspoiled corner of Romania on the map.
Her forefathers moved to Viscri, one of the best-preserved Saxon villages, in 1842 and withstood the pressures of Ceausescu who wanted to demolish the village and move residents into drab apartments in towns.
Villages
Viscri was one of 6,000 Romanian villages that were earmarked for destruction and oblivion before he was overthrown and executed in 1989.
Ms Fernolend launched a National Trust-style project on a local level to preserve the villages. She is deputy chair of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, named after Romania’s national poet.
On Saturday, in a heart-felt speech, she told the audience that Bunesti, a village of a few thousand east of Sighisoara, that it could be proud that is has three foundations dedicated to preserving Saxon traditions.
Traditions
“Our aim is to bring value to the people who live in these villages and for people to prosper,” she said. “We can create wealth with our traditions.”
Apart from the Mihai Eminescu Trust, the Michael & Veronica Schmidt Stiftung and the Tabaluga Foundation, created by German rock star Peter Maffay (born in Transylvania) support local initiatives including the Haferland Festival.
Visitors came from Bucharest, Germany and elsewhere for the festival, a place for politicians and diplomats to enjoy the traditions and meet and network.
Bogdan Aurescu
Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu will use the occasion to mark 30 years of post-communist relations with Germany on Sunday. Last year, President Klaus Iohannis, himself an ethnic German spoke at the festval.
Tourism is a mainstay of the local economy, but locals are also producing Romania’s best beef thanks to the fertile pastures. Black Angus and Limousine are breeds which are doing well and sold to different parts of Romania.
Rhubarb Jam
Locals produce rhubarb and gooseberry jam, a bit of a delicacy as the fruit doesn’t grow in the hotter climes of southern Romania and elderflower cordial which is sold in London’s Fortnum & Masons.
There’s the Transylvanian Saxons’ answer to Calvados known as rachiu de mere, elegantly bottled and ripe for gifting.
Potters craft elegant dark blue and white pottery which is distinct from the Hungarians red-patterned and Romanian brown and green handmade pottery.
And of course there is music, an ingredient of everyday in Romania, and particularly Transylvania.
Fortified church
Hundreds gathered in the courtyard of the fortified church in Bunesti on Saturday which was first built in Romanesque style in the 13th century.
The Fanfara din Turnisor, a Sibiu all-man brass band offered spectators traditional songs in German such as Siebenbürgen, süße Heimat.
People clapped and ethnic Germans who’d left the area many years ago said it reminded them of their childhood days.
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