Post by Ken Mullins

“In the summer of this year we made a journey to Transylvania, and went over the old ground which was, and is, to us so full of vivid and terrible memories.” ― Bram Stoker, Dracula ===================================================== (in the north of Romania's Sibiu County) Rising above a huddle of Saxon-style structures, the town of Biertan’s fortified church is quite a poetic sight. Medieval-themed inns and pastel-colored houses surround it, enticing many Romanians to make day-trips here from the nearby cities of Sighişoara and Sibiu. In a long valley surrounded by hills and vineyards, Biertan is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993. The Biertan fortified church was the see of the Lutheran Evangelical Bishop in Transylvania from 1572 to 1867. During World War II many local men were conscripted into the Romanian army and later the Waffen-SS. After the war many Transylvanian Saxons were expelled from the region. Following the collapse of Communism in 1990 many more left for Germany. Biertan is now one of the most visited villages in Transylvania, due to its historical importance as the site of the annual reunion of Transylvanian Saxons, many of whom now live in Germany.