Dej
Encyclopedia
Dej is a city in northwestern Romania
, 60 km north of Cluj-Napoca
, in Cluj County
. It lies where the Someşul Mic River
meets the river Someşul Mare River
. The city administers four villages: Ocna Dejului, Peştera, Pintic and Şomcutu Mic.
The city lies at the crossroads of important railroads and highways linking it to Cluj-Napoca
, Baia Mare
, Satu Mare, Deda, Bistriţa
, and Vatra Dornei
.
times. The Dej fortress was built sometime between 1214 and 1235.
King Andrew II of Hungary
raised Dés to the privileged status of a free royal town. In 1241 the city was invaded by Tatars
. The old mines were exhausted by 1717; the new mines are still in operation today. Some of the galleries of the salt mine are believed to be more than 15 kilometers long. The population of Dej used to consist mostly of Transylvanian Saxons
, who settled here from Germany; their number decreased over centuries.
In 1638, Dej was the site for the show trial staged against the members of the Sabbatarians , a sect formed during the Protestant movement; they were sentenced to death. The execution took place in Beszterce (Bistriţa
).
In 1717, an attack by the Tatars of Crimea
struck Dej.
From 1876 to 1920 Dej was capital of the Szolnok-Doboka
County in the Kingdom of Hungary
; from 1920 to 1940, capital of the Someş County in Romania.
from 2002 there were 38,437 people living within the city.
Of this population, 85.01% are ethnic Romanians
, while 14.13 % are ethnic Hungarians and 0.9% others.
, built in the second half of the 15th century. The church displays Gothic
elements carved in stone. The tower is 72 meters high, and the fortifying walls were erected in the 16th century, then torn down during a renovation in the 1880s. There is also a Franciscan
monastery in Dej, which also has a large synagogue near the Reformed Church.
In 1944, the Jews of Dej, along with the Jews from the surrounding areas, were marched to the nearby bungar forest. Some 8,000 Jews were left exposed to the elements for approximately one month. In June 1944, the Jews were deported by train to Auschwitz for extermination. In 1944, the Jewish population accounted for approximately 25% of the entire city. In 2008, there are five Jews living in Dej. In front of the synagogue there is a memorial to the Jewish victims.
Other sites of interest in Dej: "Dr. Teodor Mihaly" and "Dr. Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
" memorial houses and the Ocna Dej salt mine, said to be suited for the treatment of locomotor system
diseases, asthenia, debility, and rachitis
.
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...
, 60 km north of Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, in Cluj County
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
. It lies where the Someşul Mic River
Somesul Mic River
The Someșul Mic River is a river in north-western Romania . It is formed at the confluence of two rivers, Someșul Cald and Someșul Rece, that come from the Apuseni Mountains...
meets the river Someşul Mare River
Someşul Mare River
The Someșul Mare is a river in north-western Romania, originating in the Bistriţa-Năsăud County in the Rodna Mountains at the junction of two headwaters — the Preluci River/Pârâul Mariei) and the Zmeu River. The Someşul Mare flows west through Rodna, Năsăud and Beclean, until it meets the Someșul...
. The city administers four villages: Ocna Dejului, Peştera, Pintic and Şomcutu Mic.
The city lies at the crossroads of important railroads and highways linking it to Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, Baia Mare
Baia Mare
Baia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
, Satu Mare, Deda, Bistriţa
Bistrita
Bistrița is the capital city of Bistriţa-Năsăud County, Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistriţa River. The city has a population of approximately 80,000 inhabitants, and it administers six villages: Ghinda, Sărata, Sigmir, Slătiniţa, Unirea and Viişoara.-History:The earliest sign of...
, and Vatra Dornei
Vatra Dornei
Vatra Dornei is a city and a spa and ski resort in the north of Romania, in Suceava County. The city administers three villages: Argestru, Roşu and Todireni.Until the 1950s it had a mixed population of Romanians, Ukrainians, Jews and Germans...
.
Name
According to a legend, floating Hungarian tribes stopped for a rest at the place which would later be the location of the city. They were praying, and shouted "Deus" (God in Latin) three times. In fact, the name of the city is also the origin of the personal name, Des. The Romanian and German names of the city come from the Hungarian.History
Dej is an old salt mining town built on a hilly ground. The first documents attesting the existence of this city go back to 1061 and 1214. Massive salt reserves were found in the area in RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times. The Dej fortress was built sometime between 1214 and 1235.
King Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
raised Dés to the privileged status of a free royal town. In 1241 the city was invaded by Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
. The old mines were exhausted by 1717; the new mines are still in operation today. Some of the galleries of the salt mine are believed to be more than 15 kilometers long. The population of Dej used to consist mostly of Transylvanian Saxons
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
, who settled here from Germany; their number decreased over centuries.
In 1638, Dej was the site for the show trial staged against the members of the Sabbatarians , a sect formed during the Protestant movement; they were sentenced to death. The execution took place in Beszterce (Bistriţa
Bistrita
Bistrița is the capital city of Bistriţa-Năsăud County, Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistriţa River. The city has a population of approximately 80,000 inhabitants, and it administers six villages: Ghinda, Sărata, Sigmir, Slătiniţa, Unirea and Viişoara.-History:The earliest sign of...
).
In 1717, an attack by the Tatars of Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
struck Dej.
From 1876 to 1920 Dej was capital of the Szolnok-Doboka
Szolnok-Doboka
Szolnok-Doboka is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in northern Romania . The capital of the county was Dés .-Geography:...
County 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...
; from 1920 to 1940, capital of the Someş County in Romania.
Demographics
According to the last Romanian censusDemographics of Romania
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Romania, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
from 2002 there were 38,437 people living within the city.
Of this population, 85.01% are ethnic Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
, while 14.13 % are ethnic Hungarians and 0.9% others.
Points of interest
The city's landmark is the Hungarian Reformed ChurchReformed Church in Romania
The Reformed Church in Romania is the organization of the Calvinist church in Romania. The majority of its followers are of Hungarian ethnicity and Hungarian is the main church language...
, built in the second half of the 15th century. The church displays Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
elements carved in stone. The tower is 72 meters high, and the fortifying walls were erected in the 16th century, then torn down during a renovation in the 1880s. There is also a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery in Dej, which also has a large synagogue near the Reformed Church.
In 1944, the Jews of Dej, along with the Jews from the surrounding areas, were marched to the nearby bungar forest. Some 8,000 Jews were left exposed to the elements for approximately one month. In June 1944, the Jews were deported by train to Auschwitz for extermination. In 1944, the Jewish population accounted for approximately 25% of the entire city. In 2008, there are five Jews living in Dej. In front of the synagogue there is a memorial to the Jewish victims.
Other sites of interest in Dej: "Dr. Teodor Mihaly" and "Dr. Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
Alexandru Vaida-Voevod or Vaida-Voievod was a Romanian politician who was a supporter and promoter of the union of Transylvania with the Romanian Old Kingdom; he later served three terms as a Prime Minister of Greater Romania.-Transylvanian politics:He was born to a Greek-Catholic family in the...
" memorial houses and the Ocna Dej salt mine, said to be suited for the treatment of locomotor system
Locomotor system
Locomotor system may mean:* Animal locomotion system* Human musculoskeletal system, also known simply as "the locomotor system"...
diseases, asthenia, debility, and rachitis
Osteomalacia
Osteomalacia is the softening of the bones caused by defective bone mineralization secondary to inadequate amounts of available phosphorus and calcium, or because of overactive resorption of calcium from the bone as a result of hyperparathyroidism...
.