Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
Encyclopedia
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
including the major city of Sibiu
, where the party has a majority in the city council. The party has an image as independent and politicians of the FDGR, including Sibiu mayor and party leader Klaus Johannis
, have earned respect as efficient and uncorrupt administrators. The party has often cooperated with the Liberal Party
.
" (Rumäniendeutsche) are included a wide variety of different regional German-speaking groups, including: Transylvanian Saxons
, Banat Swabians
, Sathmar Swabians, Bukovina Germans
, Transylvanian Landler
, Zipser Germans
, and Regat Germans
(the term Regat
refers to what was Romanian territory until World War I
). The history of the German minority in Romania, and more specifically, the historical region of Transylvania
, spans almost a millennium.
Since the year 2000, the DFDR has won offices on both the local and regional levels. In Sibiu
(Hermannstadt), the DFDR's Klaus Johannis
has held the office of mayor since 2000, and in 2004 the party gained 60.43% of the vote in elections for the Municipal Council
. The DFDR holds 16 out of the 23 seats in the Sibiu Municipal Council, which gives it an absolute majority. In the Sibiu County
(around 450,000 residents), the DFDR has 11 of the 33 seats in the County Council
, where it is the strongest faction.
The DFDR has also had mayors in office since 2004 in the cities of Mediaş
(Mediasch) and Cisnădie
(Heltau), as well as in a few villages in the Satu Mare
(Sathmar) county.
The DFDR is an associated member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities
.
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
representing the German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
minority in 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...
. 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
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
including the major city of Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
, where the party has a majority in the city council. The party has an image as independent and politicians of the FDGR, including Sibiu mayor and party leader Klaus Johannis
Klaus Johannis
Klaus Werner Iohannis is a Romanian politician of German origin. Since 2000 he has been the mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, representing the small centrist Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. He has been re-elected by landslide votes in 2004 and 2008...
, have earned respect as efficient and uncorrupt administrators. The party has often cooperated with the Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
.
Overview
Under the term "Romanian GermansGermans of Romania
The Germans of Romania or Rumäniendeutsche were 760,000 strong in 1930. They are not a single group; thus, to understand their language, culture, and history, one must view them as independent groups:...
" (Rumäniendeutsche) are included a wide variety of different regional German-speaking groups, including: 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...
, Banat Swabians
Banat Swabians
The Banat Swabians are an ethnic German population in Southeast Europe, part of the Danube Swabians. They emigrated in the 18th century to what was then the Austrian Banat province, which had been left sparsely populated by the wars with Turkey. This once strong and important ethnic Banat Swabian...
, Sathmar Swabians, Bukovina Germans
Bukovina Germans
The Bukovina Germans were a German ethnic group that mainly lived from about 1780 to the 1940s in Bukovina, part of present-day western Ukraine and northern Romania...
, Transylvanian Landler
Transylvanian Landler
The Landler or Transylvanian Landler were Protestants, who were deported from the Salzkammergut Region of Austria to Transylvania near Hermannstadt from 1734 to 1737 under Emperor Charles VI....
, Zipser Germans
Zipser Germans
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....
, and Regat Germans
Regat Germans
Regat Germans or Old Kingdom Germans are an ethnic German group of the eastern and southern parts of Romania. The Regat is land that was part of Romania before the First World War...
(the term Regat
Romanian Old Kingdom
The Romanian Old Kingdom is a colloquial term referring to the territory covered by the first independent Romanian nation state, which was composed of the Danubian Principalities—Wallachia and Moldavia...
refers to what was Romanian territory until World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
). The history of the German minority in Romania, and more specifically, the historical region of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, spans almost a millennium.
Since the year 2000, the DFDR has won offices on both the local and regional levels. In Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
(Hermannstadt), the DFDR's Klaus Johannis
Klaus Johannis
Klaus Werner Iohannis is a Romanian politician of German origin. Since 2000 he has been the mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, representing the small centrist Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. He has been re-elected by landslide votes in 2004 and 2008...
has held the office of mayor since 2000, and in 2004 the party gained 60.43% of the vote in elections for the Municipal Council
Municipalities of Romania
A municipiu is a level of administrative subdivision in Romania, roughly equivalent to city in some English-speaking countries. This status is given to towns that are quite large and urbanized...
. The DFDR holds 16 out of the 23 seats in the Sibiu Municipal Council, which gives it an absolute majority. In the Sibiu County
Sibiu County
Sibiu is a county of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Sibiu.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 421,724 and the population density was 78/km²....
(around 450,000 residents), the DFDR has 11 of the 33 seats in the County Council
Counties of Romania
The 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
, where it is the strongest faction.
The DFDR has also had mayors in office since 2004 in the cities of Mediaş
Medias
Mediaș is the second largest city in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania.-Geographic location:Mediaș is located in the middle basin of Târnava Mare River, at 39 km from Sighișoara and 41 km from Blaj. The health resort Bazna, officially recognized for the first time in 1302, is...
(Mediasch) and Cisnădie
Cisnadie
Cisnădie is a town in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania located approximately 10 km from Sibiu. As of 2002, it has a population of about 17,871...
(Heltau), as well as in a few villages in the Satu Mare
Satu Mare County
Satu Mare County is a county of Romania. The capital city is Satu Mare. Besides Romanians , Satu Mare features a significant ethnic minority of Hungarians .-Demographics:...
(Sathmar) county.
The DFDR is an associated member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities
Federal Union of European Nationalities
The Federal Union of European Nationalities is an international nongovernmental organization established in 1949 in conjunction with the formation of the Council of Europe. As of 2007, there were 84 member organizations representing ethnic, linguistic and national minorities within Europe...
.
Presidents
- 1990-1992: Thomas Nägler
- 1992-1998: Paul Philippi
- 1998-2001: Wolfgang Wittstock
- Since 2001: Klaus JohannisKlaus JohannisKlaus Werner Iohannis is a Romanian politician of German origin. Since 2000 he has been the mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, representing the small centrist Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. He has been re-elected by landslide votes in 2004 and 2008...
Localities with DFDR mayors
Since 2004:- CiumeştiCiumestiCiumeşti is a commune located in Satu Mare County, Romania.- Component villages :The commune is composed of three villages:- History :Before the Treaty of Trianon in 1920, the villages belonged to Szatmár County of the Kingdom of Hungary. Until 2004, they belonged to Sanislău Commune, when they...
(Schamagosch) - CisnădieCisnadieCisnădie is a town in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania located approximately 10 km from Sibiu. As of 2002, it has a population of about 17,871...
(Heltau) - FoieniFoieniFoieni is a commune of 1,951 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Foieni.-Demographics:Ethnic groups :*Hungarians: 55.52%*Germans: 41.60%*Romanians: 2.81%...
(Fienen) - PetreştiPetresti, Satu MarePetrești is a commune of 1,638 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Dindeștiu Mic and Petrești.-Demographics:Ethnic groups :*Hungarians: 47.17%*Romanians: 11.82%*Germans: 31.49%...
(Petrifeld) - SibiuSibiuSibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
(Hermannstadt) - TireamTireamTiream is a commune of 2,375 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Portiţa , Tiream and Vezendiu .-Demographics:Ethnic groups :*Romanians: 48.3%*Hungarians: 29.2%...
(Terem)
DFDR politicians
- Martin Bottesch (President of the Sibiu County Council)
- Ovidiu GanţOvidiu GantOvidiu Victor Ganţ is a Romanian politician and former Member of the European Parliament. A member of the Chamber of Deputies since 2004, he was the sole representative in the European Parliament of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania , part of the European People's Party–European...
(Member of Parliament and MEP for Romania, 2007-2009) - Klaus JohannisKlaus JohannisKlaus Werner Iohannis is a Romanian politician of German origin. Since 2000 he has been the mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, representing the small centrist Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. He has been re-elected by landslide votes in 2004 and 2008...
(Mayor of Sibiu) - Paul Philippi (Theologian and President of DFDR)
- Wolfgang Wittstock (Journalist and former DFDR Member of Parliament)
- Astrid FodorAstrid FodorAstrid Fodor is a Romanian politician of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. Since 2008, she has been one of two Deputy Mayors of Sibiu, serving under Mayor Klaus Johannis from her own party and alongside Virgil Popa from the Liberal Party. She is the first woman who has served in this...
(Deputy Mayor of Sibiu)