The Perception of the Local German Emigration during 1945-1989 in the Romanian Collective Memory Cover Image

PERCEPŢIA EMIGRĂRII ETNICILOR GERMANI ÎN PERIOADA 1945-1989 ÎN MEMORIA COLECTIVĂ A COMUNITĂŢILOR ROMÂNEŞTI
The Perception of the Local German Emigration during 1945-1989 in the Romanian Collective Memory

Author(s): Cosmin Budeanca
Subject(s): History
Published by: Argonaut

Summary/Abstract: Our study tries to reveal some aspects regarding the emigration of Romanian local Germans during 1945-1989. Regarding the use of the sources, we analysed already published studies and researches, but of most importance are 58 interviews with Romanians from Hunedoara, Sibiu and Alba districts, regarding the problem of the emigration of local Germans. We started with a general view on the situation of the local Germans in Romania at the end of the Second World War and the first attempt to emigrate during those years. The problem of emigration during the communist regime was very important due to the attitude of the system and the impact on the Romanian mentality. We insisted on the reasons that led to this fact as they are seen within the anterior researches and also during the process of interviewing. Some of the most important reasons are: family reunion, reaction against the communist regime, economic, cultural, social and also personal reasons. Because not all the local Germans legally emigrated we also research the way they had done it (legal or illegal). It is important also the way in which they were integrated in the German society after they left Romania, according to the testimonies of their Romanian friends, neighbours and relatives remained in the country. To come to an end, the problem of emigration represented an important problem even after the Romanian Revolution of 1989 and stand for a major step in the social and cultural evolution of Transylvania and Romania also.

  • Issue Year: 2008
  • Issue No: IX
  • Page Range: 170-215
  • Page Count: 46
  • Language: Romanian