Meschen

Meschen (Rom. Moșna, Transylvanian Saxon Mäschen, Hungarian Muzsna or Szászmuzsna) is a commune in Sibiu County in Transylvania, Romania. It includes the villages of Almen (Rom. Alma Vii) and Nimesch (Rom. Nemșa, Hungarian Szászalmád).

It is an old, atypical village. As a curious tourist, one is first drawn to the imposing fortified church, surrounded by an impressive fortress with blackened walls and slender towers.

There are many legends about Meschen, but the most beautiful and well-known is about the founding of this small village. According to this legend, the Transylvanian Saxons from the Harbach valley came through untouched forests, crossed unpaved paths, and searched for a place to build their settlement.

Having arrived at the Magarei Hill, they did not know which way to go — east, west, north, or south? Suddenly they heard a sound and a little sparrow caught their attention. The sparrow flew from tree to tree, always visible, neither too fast nor too slow. The Saxons followed it, from the hill down into the valley, along a small stream, to a more level place. There the bird perched on a huge oak tree and never left it again. Even after some time, the bird remained in the foliage, as if to say: “We have arrived!”

According to legend, the altar of the Evangelical church stands today on the very spot where the oak tree once stood. The people decided to name the new settlement “Meschen”, since “mesch” means sparrow in Saxon. A further reference to the importance of the bird for the people of Meschen is the bird-shaped iron brand used to mark livestock in the village.

The host of this place is Mariana Rempler. Mrs. Rempler returned from Germany and has since devoted all her time to the fortified church and the many tourists who visit. She is always delighted to welcome guests. Visitors are led into a fascinating world through stories about the history of the place, details of church architecture, and legends about the village. She loves to talk about the church and the rectory, whose restoration she was involved in and continues to care for. From the very first words, one senses the pride with which Mrs. Rempler speaks about this special place — a place that is home to the finest monument of Gothic architecture in Transylvania.

After the church tour, guests are rewarded with coffee and cake, if desired. By the end, visitors will be convinced that a village like Meschen is unique in Transylvania.

The fortified church of Meschen, built between 1480 and 1486, differs from other fortified churches for several reasons. One is the configuration of the eight pillars supporting the outer aisles, which are visibly inclined, probably because they precede the central nave. According to Marianne Rempler, something like this can only be found occasionally, somewhere in Austria and elsewhere in the Czech Republic. The 11-metre-high tabernacle is a masterpiece by the renowned craftsman from Hermannstadt, Andreas Lapicida.

The altar is not the original, as the original was sold in times of hardship (1720) to the community of Groß-Schenk (Rom. Cincu). The present altar dates from 1740; the central painting with the message “Watch and pray!” is relatively recent, from the 1970s.

The organ was recently restored and operates both on bellows and electricity. This organ is the sister organ of the one in Birthälm. Both organs were built in 1884 by the renowned craftsman Carl Hesse in Vienna. It is believed that the face of the craftsman Andreas Lapicida was carved above the organ. The paintings on the galleries are representative of the original livelihoods of the Saxons in Meschen: viticulture and fruit growing. The emblems of the famous guilds of Meschen, which brought prosperity to the village, can also be seen here.

Just as in other Saxon churches, there are plaques commemorating the victims of both World Wars, the deportations, and a list of the last Saxon families who remained in the village until the 1990s.

The church is surrounded by a solid peasant fortification reinforced with towers, which also includes a Gothic chapel, likely dating from the 14th century. Construction of the complex began in 1520, when the watchtower, two towers and two bastions were built. The nine-metre-high ring wall was then erected. The south-eastern tower has five levels, while the south gate, which protects pedestrian access, has three levels.

The inner courtyard had two-storey vaulted galleries on which the defensive walkways were situated. The eight-storey bell tower houses three bells (two large and one small), considered among the largest bells in Transylvania. It is believed that the vibrations they produced over time caused cracks in the tower wall.

There are legends in the village that say one of these bells was only rung when gallows executions took place. The noble bacon tower still exists today. In its special air chamber, Mrs. Rempler lovingly prepares a typical Saxon snack upon request.

Meschen also differs from other villages outside its ring walls, particularly in the extraordinary layout of its homesteads. Presumably due to the high groundwater level that made the soil waterlogged, the Transylvanian Saxons built their houses contrary to the conventional model: the barn facing the street and the house at the far end of the yard. This layout is today a tourist attraction and a source of pride for the inhabitants, who eagerly show visitors their homes — unlike any others. This arrangement facilitated the access of carts and animals so that the yard would not become muddy and dirty. The next building was usually the summer kitchen, followed by the living quarters at the back.

So that neighbours could easily pass from one yard to the next, there were small side gates in the back courtyard, where a lane developed, enabling house-to-house communication.

While in Meschen, one must sample the fine cheeses, rose jam, and all manner of organic delicacies prepared by Willy Schuster, a Saxon farmer who returned from Germany.

Meschen was also known for the famous Transylvanian Saxon pastor, teacher, school reformer, writer, and politician Stephan Ludwig Roth (1796–1849).

Meschen is also the birthplace of the world-famous Transylvanian song “Bäm Hontertstreoch – Beim Holderstrauch”. The sensitive lyrics and sentimental melody explain how quickly the song spread and the success it enjoyed around the world. During World War I, soldiers and prisoners of war sang of their longing for their loved ones as far away as England and Russia. In the 1930s, a version even appeared to have reached Japan. Both the lyrics and the melody were composed by the German conductor from Berlin, Hermann Kirchner, who was residing in Mediasch at the time.

Author: Zîmța Andreea
Date: 24.09.2017

For photos from Meschen, please click: Photos from Meschen