The Black Church

Part of the interesting history of Romania is the depopulation of the Germans of Transylvania. Many of the homes and buildings of present day Rasnov were built between 1880 and 1912. Over several of the archways spanning the driveways of the homes are German names and the year of construction. Geor 1896 Schultz is implanted in the masonry of a typical home.

Much of Transylvania was inhabited by Germans and Hungarians. For a portion of its history Transylvania was part of Hungary. As Romania happened to end up on the winning side of both world wars, it was ceded the area. Many of the towns of the region are majority Magyar – Hungarian – but the entirety of Transylvania is only about 20% so. Cluj, our designated site, is that percentage.

There is antipathy between the Hungarians and Romanians, as trust has yet to fully develop between the two ethnic populations. People of German descent, though, are next to impossible to find.

During the years of Communism, the German families were sold to Germany. Rasnov once had a population of 7 thousand ethnic Germans. Now there apparently are less than 300. Many of the smaller German villages were completely abandoned and are now occupied by Gypsies. What the Germans left behind beside their names and dates over their homes was their churches.

There is a Lutheran Church in Rasnov. We toured it yesterday. A fine old building built in 1776 of masonry. The previous three wooden churches had burnt to the ground. We toured the bell tower and the choir loft. The old pipe organ was turned on for us, all we needed was a performer. The church could easily have held 400, but now the average attendance on the every other Sunday that services are held is about 40.

Yesterday was Rasnov. This evening we visited the Black Church in Brasov. Brasov is a much larger town than Rasnov and the church is much bigger. Built in the late 1600’s it gets its name from the charred outer walls. Inside the church imagine a vaulted ceiling, massive masonry pillars, curved walls, oriental rugs hung nearly everywhere to acoustics of the stone, an alter beneath a rose window, wooden pews that the backs swung one way or the other so the attendees could sit either facing the alter or facing the magnificent organ.

We faced the organ because it was a recital. Bach the way Bach was meant to be played, full throttle. For those of you who know classical music, the toccata and fugue in G. I wish I could hum a few bars for you, but even if I could it wouldn’t do either Bach or the organ justice. It seemed as if the painting of Martin Luther, hung in a place of prominence, smiled when it came time for Ein Fiste Burger – A Mighty Fortress -.

Basilica Neagru, this is the symbol of Brasov on the main square, but even here the church is only half used and depends upon the quarters from the tourists to maintain itself. Romania is a country of churches, but the best that can be hoped for the Lutheran churches is a graceful decline.