ABSTRACT
The myth surrounding the German ethnic group in Transylvania – and the unnuanced philo-Germanism it generated – has lingered in the literal/physical absence of Germans from the Romanian provinces. However, the cultural symbols associated with Germanness are currently instrumental in Transylvanian regional branding. Drawing on the well-documented history of German presence in Transylvania, the present chapter will pursue the German integration and brand creation in the Sibiu region, referring to its cultural and historical implications. The cultural level refers to the continuity of German culture in Transylvania – manifest in language, Saxon architecture, way of life, literature and theatre, and so on – enjoying the status of a class marker and aspiration. Second, the historical analysis will focus on the German ethnic component in Transylvania and discuss the paradoxes and contradictions of “good imperialism” in Transylvania while drawing on the relationship between the Romanian population and their former, more privileged co-nationals. Lastly, the chapter will focus on the different patterns of participation in heritage: for Romanians, acknowledging the German regional brand entails access to the higher fora of Transylvanian culture, whereas foreigners, especially Germans, experience the amazement of discovering a German-speaking, seemingly Europeanised island in the “Balkan” periphery.
