Zipser Germans
Encyclopedia
The Zipser Germans were/are a German-speaking ethnic group in former northern Kingdom of Hungary
, now in Slovakia and in the northwest area of Romania
called Maramureş
. Those who did not escape from the Red Army were mostly expelled from Czechoslovakia.
The name Zipser is applied to immigrants who originally came from Zips
(then in the Kingdom of Hungary
, now Spiš
in Slovakia
). The name stems from the Hungarian Szepesség. Especially during the reign of the Hungarian king Béla III, many Germans were invited into this area. This happened in the 1180s. They were engaged in mining and built towns. The leaders of the Zipsers were usually assimilated into the Hungarian nobility. In conflicts with Austria they always were loyal to their Hungarian masters. Today in Romania they still make up the main part of later immigrants from Upper German
dialect-speaking areas. Traditionally, most of them have been employed in forestry. Their folk tales revolve around the spirits that inhabit the woods.
The Zipsers and other German-speaking groups in Romania are currently represented by the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
(DFDR).
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, now in Slovakia and in the northwest area of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
called Maramureş
Maramures
Maramureș may refer to the following:*Maramureș, a geographical, historical, and ethno-cultural region in present-day Romania and Ukraine, that occupies the Maramureș Depression and Maramureș Mountains, a mountain range in North East Carpathians...
. Those who did not escape from the Red Army were mostly expelled from Czechoslovakia.
The name Zipser is applied to immigrants who originally came from Zips
Spiš
Spiš is a region in north-eastern Slovakia, with a very small area in south-eastern Poland. Spiš is an informal designation of the territory , but it is also the name of one the 21 official tourism regions of Slovakia...
(then in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, now Spiš
Spiš
Spiš is a region in north-eastern Slovakia, with a very small area in south-eastern Poland. Spiš is an informal designation of the territory , but it is also the name of one the 21 official tourism regions of Slovakia...
in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
). The name stems from the Hungarian Szepesség. Especially during the reign of the Hungarian king Béla III, many Germans were invited into this area. This happened in the 1180s. They were engaged in mining and built towns. The leaders of the Zipsers were usually assimilated into the Hungarian nobility. In conflicts with Austria they always were loyal to their Hungarian masters. Today in Romania they still make up the main part of later immigrants from Upper German
Upper German
Upper German is a family of High German dialects spoken primarily in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Italy.-Family tree:Upper German can be generally classified as Alemannic or Austro-Bavarian...
dialect-speaking areas. Traditionally, most of them have been employed in forestry. Their folk tales revolve around the spirits that inhabit the woods.
The Zipsers and other German-speaking groups in Romania are currently represented by the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
The Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania is a centrist political party representing the German minority in Romania. It was founded at the end of 1989. Despite originally being a German minority party, the party is popular also with many ethnic Romanians, notably in parts of Transylvania...
(DFDR).