The Saxons of Transylvania
by Pascual Martínez & Vincent Sáez
Photographs: Pascual Martínez and Vincent Sáez
Text: Pascual Martínez + Vincent Sáez, Marlene Stanciu, Günter Czernetzky, Karl Hann, Uwe Hann and Alex Herberth
Publisher: Overlapse
152 pages
Pictures: 108
Year: November 2019
ISBN: 9781999446833
Price: 49 €
Comments: FIRST EDITION Trade Hardcover, 17 x 23 cm portrait, Section-sewn binding with cloth-covered spine; mixed art papers with deckled foredge; tip-in and foil on cover; 3 interior tip-ins, 7 texts
The Saxons of Transylvania documents a fading civilization with a mix of archival images, new photographs, illustrations and storytelling. In their second book photographed in Romania, Martínez + Sáez focus on ethnic German Saxons returning to Transylvania to preserve their distinct culture and heritage built over eight centuries. Indigenous to the region, their conflicted story is told through legend and history, and with current texts, revealing an uncertain future for what is now a dispersed group of people.
New settlers arrived in ‘the land beyond the forests’ beginning in the mid-12th century. According to legend, a Pied Piper lured local children away from the German town of Hamelin; they disappeared into a mountain and travelled underground until emerging from a cave in Transylvania where they settled into seven cities. The tale is believed to be inspired by the colonization of Central European territories by King Géza II of Hungary, when young Germans were led to Transylvania to fortify border towns. The skilled ‘Saxons’ built a productive society there and for generations lived peacefully alongside Hungarians, Romanians and Roma, while nurturing their specific identity.
In the 20th century wars and communism uprooted the people. During World War II they served in three armies (for Romania, Germany and Hungary) and became both victim and executioner. In 1945 more than 70,000 Transylvanian Saxons were apprehended by Soviet occupiers and deported to labour camps in Siberia. The new pro-Soviet government of Romania suppressed their historical rights and confiscated properties.
After the fall of communism in 1989, around 90% of the Saxons who remained fled Transylvania within a few months. Half a million people migrated to Germany and Austria, or to North America in search of a new life, and the deserted medieval villages their ancestors founded began to deteriorate. Now that very few Saxons remain in Transylvania, their history and legacy are in danger of disappearing entirely.
Today some who left Romania have returned in search of their roots and are working to preserve their heritage. This book highlights some of the last Saxons’ own stories surrounding their identity, memory, traditions and life experience.
POLYCOPIES 2019 Recommended books (PDF)
BOOK SIGNING AND LAUNCH AT POLYCOPIES PHOTOBOOK FAIR IN PARIS
Saturday, 9th November from 4pm, Concorde Atlantique boat
25-27 OCTOBER – ADVANCE BOOK PREVIEW AT FIEBRE PHOTOBOOK FESTIVAL in Madrid
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Random selection from the Virtual bookshelf josefchladek.com
The Saxons of Transylvania
by Pascual Martínez & Vincent Sáez
Photographs: Pascual Martínez and Vincent Sáez
Text: Pascual Martínez + Vincent Sáez, Marlene Stanciu, Günter Czernetzky, Karl Hann, Uwe Hann and Alex Herberth
Publisher: Overlapse
152 pages
Pictures: 108
Year: November 2019
ISBN: 9781999446833
Price: 49 €
Comments: FIRST EDITION Trade Hardcover, 17 x 23 cm portrait, Section-sewn binding with cloth-covered spine; mixed art papers with deckled foredge; tip-in and foil on cover; 3 interior tip-ins, 7 texts
The Saxons of Transylvania documents a fading civilization with a mix of archival images, new photographs, illustrations and storytelling. In their second book photographed in Romania, Martínez + Sáez focus on ethnic German Saxons returning to Transylvania to preserve their distinct culture and heritage built over eight centuries. Indigenous to the region, their conflicted story is told through legend and history, and with current texts, revealing an uncertain future for what is now a dispersed group of people.
New settlers arrived in ‘the land beyond the forests’ beginning in the mid-12th century. According to legend, a Pied Piper lured local children away from the German town of Hamelin; they disappeared into a mountain and travelled underground until emerging from a cave in Transylvania where they settled into seven cities. The tale is believed to be inspired by the colonization of Central European territories by King Géza II of Hungary, when young Germans were led to Transylvania to fortify border towns. The skilled ‘Saxons’ built a productive society there and for generations lived peacefully alongside Hungarians, Romanians and Roma, while nurturing their specific identity.
In the 20th century wars and communism uprooted the people. During World War II they served in three armies (for Romania, Germany and Hungary) and became both victim and executioner. In 1945 more than 70,000 Transylvanian Saxons were apprehended by Soviet occupiers and deported to labour camps in Siberia. The new pro-Soviet government of Romania suppressed their historical rights and confiscated properties.
After the fall of communism in 1989, around 90% of the Saxons who remained fled Transylvania within a few months. Half a million people migrated to Germany and Austria, or to North America in search of a new life, and the deserted medieval villages their ancestors founded began to deteriorate. Now that very few Saxons remain in Transylvania, their history and legacy are in danger of disappearing entirely.
Today some who left Romania have returned in search of their roots and are working to preserve their heritage. This book highlights some of the last Saxons’ own stories surrounding their identity, memory, traditions and life experience.
POLYCOPIES 2019 Recommended books (PDF)
BOOK SIGNING AND LAUNCH AT POLYCOPIES PHOTOBOOK FAIR IN PARIS
Saturday, 9th November from 4pm, Concorde Atlantique boat
25-27 OCTOBER – ADVANCE BOOK PREVIEW AT FIEBRE PHOTOBOOK FESTIVAL in Madrid
More books by Pascual Martínez & Vincent Sáez
more books tagged »Romania« | >> see all
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Transsilvanien (signed)
by Horatiu Sava
sold out -
Pride and Concrete (signed - last copy)
by Petrut Calinescu
Euro 65 -
My Name is Elena - Eclisse #4 (only 1 copy)
by Valentina Abenavoli
sold out -
Scrublands
by Antoine Bruy
sold out -
Notes for an Epilogue (signed)
by Tamas Dezso
sold out
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by Dorothea Lange – Sam Contis
Euro 33 -
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by various photographers
Euro 25 10.00 -
Durch Deutschland
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A town in Southern Italy
by Frank Cancian
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by Loli Kantor
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by Andreas H. Bitesnich
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Random selection from the Virtual bookshelf josefchladek.com
The Saxons of Transylvania
by Pascual Martínez & Vincent Sáez
Photographs: Pascual Martínez and Vincent Sáez
Text: Pascual Martínez + Vincent Sáez, Marlene Stanciu, Günter Czernetzky, Karl Hann, Uwe Hann and Alex Herberth
Publisher: Overlapse
152 pages
Pictures: 108
Year: November 2019
ISBN: 9781999446833
Price: 49 €
Comments: FIRST EDITION Trade Hardcover, 17 x 23 cm portrait, Section-sewn binding with cloth-covered spine; mixed art papers with deckled foredge; tip-in and foil on cover; 3 interior tip-ins, 7 texts
The Saxons of Transylvania documents a fading civilization with a mix of archival images, new photographs, illustrations and storytelling. In their second book photographed in Romania, Martínez + Sáez focus on ethnic German Saxons returning to Transylvania to preserve their distinct culture and heritage built over eight centuries. Indigenous to the region, their conflicted story is told through legend and history, and with current texts, revealing an uncertain future for what is now a dispersed group of people.
New settlers arrived in ‘the land beyond the forests’ beginning in the mid-12th century. According to legend, a Pied Piper lured local children away from the German town of Hamelin; they disappeared into a mountain and travelled underground until emerging from a cave in Transylvania where they settled into seven cities. The tale is believed to be inspired by the colonization of Central European territories by King Géza II of Hungary, when young Germans were led to Transylvania to fortify border towns. The skilled ‘Saxons’ built a productive society there and for generations lived peacefully alongside Hungarians, Romanians and Roma, while nurturing their specific identity.
In the 20th century wars and communism uprooted the people. During World War II they served in three armies (for Romania, Germany and Hungary) and became both victim and executioner. In 1945 more than 70,000 Transylvanian Saxons were apprehended by Soviet occupiers and deported to labour camps in Siberia. The new pro-Soviet government of Romania suppressed their historical rights and confiscated properties.
After the fall of communism in 1989, around 90% of the Saxons who remained fled Transylvania within a few months. Half a million people migrated to Germany and Austria, or to North America in search of a new life, and the deserted medieval villages their ancestors founded began to deteriorate. Now that very few Saxons remain in Transylvania, their history and legacy are in danger of disappearing entirely.
Today some who left Romania have returned in search of their roots and are working to preserve their heritage. This book highlights some of the last Saxons’ own stories surrounding their identity, memory, traditions and life experience.
POLYCOPIES 2019 Recommended books (PDF)
BOOK SIGNING AND LAUNCH AT POLYCOPIES PHOTOBOOK FAIR IN PARIS
Saturday, 9th November from 4pm, Concorde Atlantique boat
25-27 OCTOBER – ADVANCE BOOK PREVIEW AT FIEBRE PHOTOBOOK FESTIVAL in Madrid
More books by Pascual Martínez & Vincent Sáez
more books tagged »Romania« | >> see all
-
Transsilvanien (signed)
by Horatiu Sava
sold out -
Pride and Concrete (signed - last copy)
by Petrut Calinescu
Euro 65 -
My Name is Elena - Eclisse #4 (only 1 copy)
by Valentina Abenavoli
sold out -
Scrublands
by Antoine Bruy
sold out -
Notes for an Epilogue (signed)
by Tamas Dezso
sold out
more books tagged »Eastern Europe« | >> see all
more books tagged »history« | >> see all
-
Day Sleeper
by Dorothea Lange – Sam Contis
Euro 33 -
The Kindness of One (last copy)
by Margaret Lansink
sold out -
Weltsensationen im Bild
by various photographers
Euro 25 10.00 -
Durch Deutschland
by Hans Wiesenhofer
sold out -
A town in Southern Italy
by Frank Cancian
Euro 49 -
Call Me Lola: In Search of Mother
by Loli Kantor
Euro 53
more books tagged »documentary« | >> see all
-
The Auckland Project (signed)
by John Gossage and Alec Soth
sold out -
2200 Miles (signed)
by Atsushi Fujiwara
Euro 44 -
troubled waters (signed)
by Andreas H. Bitesnich
Euro 55 -
HOPE (signed)
by Natalya Reznik
sold out -
Toronto Cowboy
by Nikolaus Walter
sold out -
KITO
by Masako Tomiya
Euro 52
more books tagged »Romanian« | >> see all
-
Not Natasha
by Dana Popa
sold out -
east (signed)
by Regina Maria Anzenberger
Euro 99 49.50 -
For Birds' Sake (signed)
by Maria Sturm | Cemre Yesil
sold out -
east
by Regina Maria Anzenberger
Euro 56 44.80
Random selection from the Virtual bookshelf josefchladek.com