Agnetheln

Agnetheln (Romanian: Agnita, Hungarian: Szentágota, Transylvanian Saxon: Ognitheln) lies almost in the centre of Romania, in the Harbach Valley. It was here that one of the most beautiful Transylvanian Saxon traditions arose: the Urzellauf (Urzel Run).

The first Urzel appeared at the time of the Turkish incursion into Agnetheln. The townspeople fled in fear into the fortified church and remained there until the Turkish threat had passed. After a time, weakened by repeated attacks, famines, and epidemics that had decimated the population, they lost their courage and were on the verge of opening the village gate to the cruel enemy. "This cannot happen!" — said Ursula to herself, the daughter of a tanner. Dressed in rags over which she wore a fur coat and with her face hidden behind a demonic mask, she went out to meet the enemy. Terrified by the whip-cracking sounds and deafening noise of her tangled costume, the enemy fell into panic and retreated.

The Urzellauf still takes place in Agnetheln today. Every year in January or February there is an "Urzel Parade" in Hermannstadt (Sibiu), where the various Urzel guilds present themselves.

Author: Zîmța Andreea
Date: 02.04.2018

For photos from Agnetheln, please click: Photos from Agnetheln