THE HUNGARIANS FROM THE SOUTH OF BUCOVINA
1. Settlement, demographic situation and organization in the territory
The history of the Bucovina Hungarians (a good part of them were Szeklers) is quite atypical. They were brought from both Transylvania and Moldova by the Austrian imperial authorities since the end of the 18th century, founding five colonies.
In 1776 the colony of Istensegíts (“God help us!”) Was founded, today Ţibeni, the following year Fogadjisten (“God willing!”) was founded, today Iacobeşti.
In 1785 were founded Hadikfalva (“the village of Hadik”), today Dorneşti) and Józseffalva, today Vornicenii Mari. Andrásfalva (“the village of András), now Măneuţi was founded in 1786.
The main occupation of these Hungarians was agriculture (including animal husbandry) and vegetable growing. The testimonies of the time show that in Istensegíts (Țibeni), they had many apple orchards.
In 1791, the total population of these 5 colonies was 1950 inhabitants. In 1842, in the 5 colonies lived 5968 people, of which 4618 Roman Catholics and 384 Calvinists.
We continue to reproduce a picture of the 1910 situation of the Hungarian population in Bucovina, who lived in compact colonies.
| Denumirealocalității | Populațiatotală | Maghiari | % |
| Istensegíts | 2981 | 2835 | 95,1% |
| Andrásfalva | 2425 | 2247 | 92,7% |
| Hadikfalva | 4636 | 4213 | 90,9% |
| Józseffalva | 1129 | 605 | 53,6% |
| Fogadjisten | 758 | 165 | 21,8% |
| Satu Mare –românesc | 1649 | 135 | 8,2% |
| Frătăuții Noi – românesc | 4060 | 82 | 2,2% |
| Total | 17628 | 10282 | 1,3% |
The 1930 census recorded the existence in Bucovina of 11867 Hungarians.
Starting with 1941, most of the Hungarians from Bucovina emigrated to Hungary, leaving by train from Dornești station. After the war and a brief settlement in the Bacska region of Serbian Vojvodina, they established the Bukovina Székelyek Országos Szövetsége National Association of Bukovina Szeklers, based in Bonyhád, the district of the same name in Tolna County.
The 2002 census registered 368 Hungarians for Suceava County, while the 2011 census registered only 183 Hungarians here, most of them living in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Suceava and Vatra Dornei.
The central organization of Hungarians in Romania, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, has branches in 26 counties in Romania. The president of the Suceava county branch is Adriana Hapenciuc, Ștefan Csukat being the executive president.
The religious and cultural traditions of the Bucovina Hungarians are cultivated and perpetuated by the Hadik Andras Ethnocultural Association from Bucovina – HABET.
2. Hungarian personalities from Istensegíts (Țibeni). Cooperation with the descendants of the Bucovina Hungarians
The most important Hungarian personalities in this locality are the writers László János (1878-1955) and Sántha Alajos (1914 -?), The author of the famous book Hungarians from Bucovina, awarded on August 18, 2007 with the order “Sebestyén Ádám”, the writer and folklorist Gáspar Simon Antal (1895-1978), painter and writer Nyisztor-Lőrincz Gergely (1932 -), painter Lőrincz Vitus (1933-1995).
In 2013, the Foundation for the Protection of Cemeteries in the Five Szekler Villages of Bucovina was established in Hungary (President Selyem Márton, Vice President Vasile Ionesi). With the funds of this Foundation, a monument was built in the cemetery of Andrásfalva (Măneuți) that honors the memory of the Hungarian inhabitants of the village, two similar monuments being inaugurated on June 9, 1914 in the villages of Țibeni and Dorneși (former Hadikfalva). The descendants of Hungarians displaced from Bucovina in 1941 often visit the birthplaces of their parents and grandparents, an important role in organizing these visits being played by the parish priest (Orthodox) from Țibeni, Valentin Pușcașu, excellent connoisseur of the “Hungarian” history of Țibeni.
3. Customs (traditions)
The most important religious traditions of the Bucovina Hungarians are the Easter, Pentecost and Christmas.
The most representative Hungarian secular holidays, also observed by the Bucovina Hungarians, are occasioned by the commemoration of some key events in Hungarian history, which occurred on March 15, August 20, October 6 and October 23.
3.1. Religious traditions
3.1.1. Easter traditions. They are celebrated both by Roman Catholic Hungarians and by Protestants. For Catholics, services and processions are organized around the churches on Good Friday, and food, cakes and decorated eggs are consecrated for Easter.
A typical Hungarian custom, taken over by Romanians, takes place on Easter Monday. Then the boys and men sprinkle perfume on the ladies and young ladies, wishing them to stay as fresh and young as spring. In return, they receive a poached egg (boys) or a glass of wine and cakes (men).
3.1.2. Pentecost. The Bucovina Hungarians from Dornești, Iacobești, Măneuți, Vornicenii Mari and Țibeni followed the tradition of Pentecost pilgrimages since the Austrian period of Bucovine. The most important pilgrimages were organized then to the Roman Catholic churches in Cacica, Chernivtsi, Suceava and Radauti. At present, on Pentecost, the Bucovina Hungarians participate in the pilgrimage from Șumuleu-Ciuc, the largest pilgrimage in south-eastern Europe, organized since the 16th century.
3.1.3. Christmas is a great holiday for Hungarians everywhere, and those in Bucovina are no exception. Typical for them is the presentation of the Nativity in the form of a show, betlehemezés or viflaim. Until the interwar period, these performances took place on December 24 in the churches in the above-mentioned colonies of the Bucovina Hungarians, the main characters being the angel, the shepherds, the Virgin Mary, the Right Joseph, King Herod and his servant. Currently, the Bucovina Hungarians also go with the carol.
3.2. Lay traditions
3.2.1. 15th March. Hungarians everywhere are celebrating the outbreak of the 1848 revolution, which sought to gain Hungary’s independence from Austrian rule.
3.2.2. August 20. The sanctification of István / Ștefan I (997-1038), the first Christian king of Hungary, representative of the Arpadian dynasty, is celebrated. He was canonized on August 20, 1083 by Pope Gregory VII. In 2000, this canonization was also recognized by Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople, Stephen I becoming a saint for the Orthodox Church.
3.2.3. October 6. The execution by hanging, in Arad, of 13 Hungarian generals, participants in the revolution of 1848, is commemorated. The popular tradition relates that, during the execution, the Austrian soldiers clashed their beer mugs, celebrating the defeat of the Hungarian revolutionary troops. To curb this behavior, the Hungarians vowed not to clash their mugs for 150 years. After 2000, this tradition is preserved only by members of patriotic organizations.
3.2.4. October 23. Commemoration of the outbreak of the Hungarian anti-Soviet revolution from October 23 to November 4, 1956, which killed about 2,500 Hungarian citizens and 700 Soviet soldiers.
4. Proverbs and stories
Specialists in the history of Bucovina Hungarians show that they brought to Bucovina from their motherland the proverbs, legends and stories from Hungary. We still reproduce some representative samples.
1. Children, drunks and fools tell the truth.
2. Better a falcon than a crow’s day.
3. The bird after feathers, the man after friends knows himself.
4. Anger is a bad counselor.
5. Misfortune comes on horseback and goes on foot.
The bear king
There was once a tailor who had three daughters.
One morning, as the tailor was leaving for the fair, he asked his girls what to bring them as a gift. The big one asked for an apron, half a pair of embroidered slippers, and the little one a rose.
The tailor bought the embroidered apron and slippers at the fair, but he could not find a thread of rose anywhere. But he thought he would find a garden on the way home, from which he could ask his master for a rose.
On the way back, he saw an iron fence house and a rose garden.
The tailor reached in, broke a rosebush, and was about to pull his hand back when he heard a voice:
“Wait, tailor, it’s not exactly what you think!”
The tailor was frightened, for he had a bear in front of him.
“You can take the rose,” said the bear, “but only if in a year’s time you bring me the one you broke it for!” For only the virgin who will love me can free me from the curse.
Frightened, the tailor promised everything but thought that in a year many things could happen!
The girls enjoyed the gifts — especially the little one, who smelled of rose all night.
As the year draws to a close, the bear climbs into the velvet carriage, stops in front of the tailor’s house, and scratches the window with its claw:
“It’s me, the bear king!” I came to get your face for which you brought the rose.
The girl did not understand anything, but her father kept telling her that she had nothing to fear: that she would be well, that, after all, she would marry an emperor’s son!
Willy-nilly, the little girl has to leave. And the bear king was happier than he had ever been.
The girl was not afraid of the jivines in the bear’s yard: they were all as gentle as lambs and walked at will; even the lions growled more softly, so as not to frighten her.
Well, she was a little scared – and how! – he turned the key in the lock twice at night: see God, so that no one can enter the cell.
Eventually, however, he had to open the door, for a wild cat would arrive at dawn the next day, bringing the news that the bear king was very ill and wanted to eat meringues with honey. The girl said:
“Make meringues for him, if he wants to!”
– But he wants to eat them from your hand; otherwise it does not become healthy.
Then came the centurion who said, “The bear king is so sick that he doesn’t even know what to say; maybe not even this afternoon.”
The girl then said:
– I don’t want him to die because of me. Guard the marshmallows but let them not burn in the oven!
After the bear king ate the third meringue from the little girl’s hand, he pretended to be a beautiful lad. At the same time, all the animals in his yard turned into humans.
The wedding feast followed, at which all the animals of the forest were invited.
