Reghin
Encyclopedia
Reghin (ˈreɡin; , Hungarian pronunciation: ’ sz or ; ) is a city and municipality
in Mureş
county in Romania
, on the Mureş River
in Transylvania
. It is the place of origin of the Sasregen
Hasidic
Jewish dynasty. It had a population of approximately 35,700 in 2004.
. It was created by the 1926 union of the German-inhabited (formerly Szászrégen) and the Hungarian-inhabited (formerly Magyarrégen) city, and later joined with the two smaller communities of Apalina (Hungarian: Abafája; German: Bendorf) and Iernuţeni (Hungarian: Radnótfája; German: Etschdorf), added in 1956.
as Regun - however, evidence of its strategic location and defence system suggests that the town might have been considerably older, possibly founded during by Ladislaus I.
Despite the devastations of the city during the Mongol invasion
(1241) and during the Tatar
and Cuman
incursions (1285), the town developed rapidly: already in the second half of the 13th century the city was the residence and power centre of the families Tomaj and Kacsik, to whom the nearby lands were awarded by the Hungarian Crown. Reghin became a minor ecclesiastical centre in 1330, with the building of the Gothic
church (Roman Catholic
at the time, it now serves the Protestant
community) in the German part of the city; it is still the largest church in the area, and hosts the oldest Medieval Latin
inscription of any church in Transylvania. The Hungarian part of the city has an even older church, initially built in the Romanesque
style.
At the beginning of the 15th century the settlement gained city rights
, and, from 1427, the right to hold fairs. In the 16th and 17th century Reghin was devastated by Habsburg
and Ottoman
troops on several occasions. It burned to the ground in 1848. In 1910, the population of the city included 7,310 inhabitants, of which 2,994 were Germans (Transylvanian Saxons
), 2,947 Hungarians, and 1,311 Romanians
. http://www.talmamedia.com/php/district/district.php?county=Maros-Torda
In 1920 Reghin was assigned to Romania by the Treaty of Trianon
, together with the rest of Transylvania. In 1940, as a consequence of the Second Vienna Award
, the city became part of Hungary, together with the North of Transylvania. Almost 30% of the inhabitants were Jews at that time. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Reghin and on June 4, 1944 were deported to Auschwitz. In 1945, the city again became part of Romania.
After World War II
, Reghin lost some of its former Transylvanian Saxon character - as many Germans left for Western Germany
during the latter stages of Communist Romania
- and ethnic Romanians
were settled in their place. The data of the 1992 census showed a population of 24,601 Romanians, 12,471 Hungarian, 1,790 Roma, and 346 Germans.
Traditional Hungarian architectural heritage:
Traditional Romanian architectural heritage:
New landmarks:
with: Ungheni
, Republic of Moldova
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...
in Mureş
Mures County
Mureș is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania, with the administrative centre in Târgu Mureș.-Geography:The county has a total area of 6,714 km²....
county 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...
, on the Mureş River
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
in 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...
. It is the place of origin of the Sasregen
Sasregen (Hasidic dynasty)
Sasregen is a Hasidic dynasty from Reghin, Romania. Rabbi Mordechai Dovid Rubin is the present Sasregener Rebbe in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, New York...
Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
Jewish dynasty. It had a population of approximately 35,700 in 2004.
Location
Reghin lies 29 km north-northeast of Târgu Mureş, extending on both shores of the Mureş River, at the confluence with the Gurghiu RiverGurghiu River
The Gurghiu is a river in the Gurghiu Mountains, Mureş County, northern Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Mureş. It flows through the municipalities Ibăneşti, Hodac, Gurghiu and Solovăstru, and joins the Mureş in the town Reghin...
. It was created by the 1926 union of the German-inhabited (formerly Szászrégen) and the Hungarian-inhabited (formerly Magyarrégen) city, and later joined with the two smaller communities of Apalina (Hungarian: Abafája; German: Bendorf) and Iernuţeni (Hungarian: Radnótfája; German: Etschdorf), added in 1956.
History
Reghin was first mentioned in 1228 in a charter of Hungarian King Andrew IIAndrew 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...
as Regun - however, evidence of its strategic location and defence system suggests that the town might have been considerably older, possibly founded during by Ladislaus I.
Despite the devastations of the city during the Mongol invasion
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
(1241) and during the Tatar
Tatar invasions
The Mongol invasion of Europe from the east took place over the course of three centuries, from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.The terms Tatars or Tartars are applied to nomadic Turkic peoples who, themselves, were conquered by Mongols and incorporated into their horde...
and Cuman
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
incursions (1285), the town developed rapidly: already in the second half of the 13th century the city was the residence and power centre of the families Tomaj and Kacsik, to whom the nearby lands were awarded by the Hungarian Crown. Reghin became a minor ecclesiastical centre in 1330, with the building of the 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....
church (Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
at the time, it now serves the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
community) in the German part of the city; it is still the largest church in the area, and hosts the oldest Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
inscription of any church in Transylvania. The Hungarian part of the city has an even older church, initially built in the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style.
At the beginning of the 15th century the settlement gained city rights
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
, and, from 1427, the right to hold fairs. In the 16th and 17th century Reghin was devastated by Habsburg
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
and Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
troops on several occasions. It burned to the ground in 1848. In 1910, the population of the city included 7,310 inhabitants, of which 2,994 were Germans (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...
), 2,947 Hungarians, and 1,311 Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
. http://www.talmamedia.com/php/district/district.php?county=Maros-Torda
In 1920 Reghin was assigned to Romania by the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
, together with the rest of Transylvania. In 1940, as a consequence of the Second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
, the city became part of Hungary, together with the North of Transylvania. Almost 30% of the inhabitants were Jews at that time. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Reghin and on June 4, 1944 were deported to Auschwitz. In 1945, the city again became part of Romania.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Reghin lost some of its former Transylvanian Saxon character - as many Germans left for Western Germany
Western Germany
The geographic term Western Germany is used to describe a region in the west of Germany. The exact area defined by the term is not constant, but it usually includes, but does not have the borders of, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse...
during the latter stages of Communist Romania
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
- and ethnic Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
were settled in their place. The data of the 1992 census showed a population of 24,601 Romanians, 12,471 Hungarian, 1,790 Roma, and 346 Germans.
Demographics
Ethnic groups (2002 census ):- RomaniansRomaniansThe Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
= 23,611 (65.35%) - Hungarians = 10,396 (28.77%)
- Gypsies = 1,831 (5.06%)
- GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
= 237 (0.65%) - others.
Landmarks
Traditional German architectural heritage:- the Protestant (LutheranLutheranismLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
) church, built in 1330 in honour of Saint Mary. Burnt down in 1708 and in 1848, after which it had been rebuilt. - the Roman Catholic church, which was consecrated in 1781.
Traditional Hungarian architectural heritage:
- the Protestant (Calvinist) church, 13th century, in 1910 completely rebuilt.
- a CalvinistReformed Church in HungaryThe Reformed Church in Hungary is a key representative of Christianity in Hungary, being numerically the second-largest denomination in Hungary after the Roman Catholic Church, and the biggest denomination among ethnic Hungarians in Romania...
church built in 1890.
Traditional Romanian architectural heritage:
- the Greek-Catholic church, built in 1744, nowadays Romanian Orthodox.
- the Greek-CatholicRomanian Church United with Rome, Greek-CatholicThe Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
church, built between 1811 and 1813, nowadays Romanian OrthodoxRomanian Orthodox ChurchThe Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...
.
New landmarks:
- a Romanian Orthodox Cathedral was built in the city in the 1990s.
- the renowned zoologicalZoologyZoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and folkloreFolkloreFolklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
collections.
People
- Josef Haltrich (1822–1886), ethnographer, historian.
- Ferenc Kós (b. 1828), writer
- Rudolf Wagner-RégenyRudolf Wagner-RégenyRudolf Wagner-Régeny was a composer, conductor, and pianist. Born in Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, since 1920 Romania, he became a German citizen in 1930, and then East Germany after 1945.From 1919–1920 he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory and then at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik from...
(1903–1969), composer - Georg Maurer (1907–1971), writer
- Jutta Pallos-Schönauer (b.1925), Painter
- Petru MaiorPetru MaiorPetru Maior was a Romanian writer who is considered one of the most influential personalities of the Age of Enlightenment in Transylvania...
(1756–1821), Writer and Educator - Vasile GligaVasile GligaVasile Gliga is a Romanian entrepreneur and a maker of violins, violas and cellos. He was elected to the Parliament of Romania in 2008.-Biography:...
, luthier and successful businessman - Viorel FrunzaViorel FrunzaViorel Frunză is a Moldovan football striker who is currently a free agent.-Honours: Zimbru Chişinău** Moldovan Cup: 2002–03-External links:...
, miniature luthier - Hugo Schwab (1887 - 1944), general of the Romanian army
Twin towns — Sister cities
Reghin is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Ungheni
Ungheni
----Ungheni is the seventh largest city in Moldova and, since 2003, the seat of Ungheni District.There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border town with the same name in Romania , on the other side of the Prut River.- History :The first historical...
, Republic of Moldova