Reference Type: Journal Article
Author: Badrus, Nadia
Year: 2003
Title: Date privind începuturile şi evoluţia comunităţii evreieşti din oraşul Sibiu
Translated Title: [Data concerning the Beginnings and the Evolution of the Jewish community in the Town of Sibiu]
Journal: Urban History
Volume: 11
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 119-131
Language: Romanian
Keywords: Jewish minority, history, Transylvania, synagogues, religion, interethnic relationships, settlement, dwelling, modern period, urbanization
Abstract: (En) The first part of the study deals with the matter of the Jewish population in the town of Sibiu. In the beginning, a text drawn up in the 16th century is presented, telling the story of the (imaginary) founding of the Talmaciu fortress (in the immediate vicinity of Sibiu) by the Jews far back in ancient times. The main argument in favor of this (unfounded) theory was the resemblance between the Latin name of the locality, Thalmus, and Talmud. Based on far more reliable data further on, the study presents the demographic evolution of the Jewish population in Sibiu from the middle of the l9th century to the present. Some problems related to the current interpretation of any census in Transilvania between l880- l9l8 are emphasized as well, when "nationality" was identified according to the respective mother tongue (which determined great distortion in the case of the Jews).
The second part refers to the prayer houses of the Jews, especially the synagogue inaugurated in l899, which is currently on the list of historical monuments.