Case Study Romania
The methodological and interpretative Workbox generated by Romanian academics grouped in three BBU research centres – TRANS.SCRIPT. The Centre for Diplomatic and Medieval Documentary Palaeography (TS), the Territorial Identities and Development Research Centre (TIDRC), the Oral History Institute (OHI) – for RESTORY will be tested against several Transylvanian case studies. The general context of use and reuse of the former text-bearing-surfaces (especially parchment) must be seen as part of the behaviour of a pragmatic society of merchants and craftsmen that avoided a despotic, iconoclastic attitude towards its own past, artefacts, and ultimately, investments. Consequently, what could usually be salvaged was indeed reclaimed and reused or adapted to a new, changed situation.
The project’s primary focus is on the heritage of the Transylvanian Saxons, a German-speaking group that settled in modern-day Romania about 800 years ago. RESTORY will conduct methodologically-hybrid case studies, integrating textual and oral heritage to offer a broad spectrum of expertise and knowledge. This approach not only aims to uncover hidden cultural treasures but also facilitates knowledge transfer from academia to local institutions and communities, fostering sustainable development.
One key case study is Sighișoara, a medieval citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its rich heritage and strategic importance for tourism. Despite German ethnics comprising less than 2% of the population today, the local administration actively preserves Saxon cultural heritage. The partnership between RESTORY and Sighișoara’s Mayor’s Office focuses on recovering and preserving the town’s medieval and modern textual heritage, aiming to create a dedicated virtual gallery and a permanent exhibition at the local Municipal Museum under the guidance of the successful model of Belgium’s Maison du patrimoine médiéval mosan. The project aims to produce digital sources accessible to the public and develop exhibitions that engage visitors with the local heritage. This approach seeks to create an inclusive, participatory, and reflective landscape that supports regional development and cultural preservation.
Whether church-related or secular, registers provide invaluable insights into the everyday activities, social interactions, and gender roles of communities. RESTORY’s second research target focuses on the churchwardens’ account of Jelna, a village with a rich Saxon heritage now mostly inhabited by Romanians. Teaming up with both the academic and entrepreneurial stakeholders, RESTORY intends to bring insight into the past stories of a small community by publishing the historical churchwardens’ account and recovering Jelna’s scattered parish archive, and contribute to the local re-branding as a tradition-rooted wine-producing region
RESTORY also extends its focus to other towns with similar historical backgrounds, such as Mediaș and Sebeș, to further explore the transformative nature of textual heritage. These towns possess extensive archival collections that, though often neglected, hold significant potential for storytelling and public engagement.
In addition to textual heritage, RESTORY emphasizes oral history research, building on previous oral history initiatives in Cincu, a village with a rich Saxon legacy now facing severe depopulation. It aims to interview local residents, focusing on resource management practices during challenging times, such as the communist dictatorship. The project will collect at least 500 interviews from diverse cultural groups, particularly highlighting women’s experiences, to provide a holistic understanding of the community’s adaptive strategies.
