Transylvania and the Pied Piper
By Rebecca E, 24th Jan 2011 | Follow this author
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Is Transylvania a part of The Pied Piper legend? A few theories and reasons for this stroy and the palce in Tranyslvania.
Vlad and Other Ledgends of Transylvania
Lands hold many legends. Like most historic lands, Transylvania holds many of them. There is Vlad the Impaler. There are also many stories about how the German Saxon people of Transylvania came there. Some have a fairytale like quality to them. Some are rooted in historical fact, and some have a bit of both. For the German Saxons where they came from is as important as where they were living. Even the Pied Piper has a bit of the history of Transylvania in it.
The flute of the Pied Piper still calls us to follow him to Transylvania. At least this is what some versions say. The Robert Browning poem, based on this story, ends with the verse that the children went to Transylvania from the German town of Hamelin. Even the folk storytellers the Brothers Grimm have their own version of what happened. As with Vlad the Impaler, this makes for a great story.
The Story... and the Theories.
The village of Hamelin is where the story of the Pied Piper starts. From there, the Pied piper was a person who took the children away from their parents. Because what happened to the children remains a mystery, many people have their own theories.
According to some, the Pied Piper led the children out of the village into the hills to kill them. According to others, children left on a crusade. According to the last group, the children left their parents for Eastern Europe. Robert Browning refers to this in this legendary poem "the Pied Piper of Hamelin."
The story starts in Hamelin where there is a rat infestation. A man comes and offers his services in exchange for payment. The man does this but the townspeople do not follow their part of the bargain. The man then returned later and then played is pipe to lure the children of the townspeople into a cave.
The Pied Pieper and the children were never seen again. Later there was a rumour that bones of small children were found in the nearby forest. Then there is another theory, the Black Death claimed the lives of the children.
The last theory is that the Pied Piper took teh children to Transylvania, and these children became the "German Saxons" of the area. This would be the ending alluded to in the Browning poem. The newer or shorter versions of Browning do not have this ending, but if you look for the lnger version you can read this ending.
Like many legends there is some truth to this story, and in Hamelin there is a place where many people stop and remember. In this case, for some they beleive that there is a link to Transylvania there, since of the childrens crusade which happened during this time.
The Pied Piper might not be far off.
Germans and Transylvania
Yes, these theories are interesting, but there is some truth to the people of the area being from Germany (or the provinces and city-states which would become Germany in 1871.)
There are people of German origin who lived in Transylvania after the 11th Century. Vlad Tepes (also known as Vald Dracul) dealt with them and these people eventually became known as the Saxons. Not much is written of these people, but they for the most part left Transylvania after the Second World War.
This does make for some internesting writing. If you want to write for wikinut join now, and share your stories here as well. You never know what you can write, like these stories that will interest others.
Comments
25th Jan 2011 (#)
This is my favourite childrens fairytale and one day I hope to visit Hamelin. This new information was great to read. thanks for sharing
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25th Jan 2011 (#)
I enjoy your stories, articles and blog. Excellent
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25th Jan 2011 (#)
interesting! interesting!
:)
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25th Jan 2011 (#)
Lovely, many thanks
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25th Jan 2011 (#)
Very interesting! Thanks, from an old cultural anthropologist!
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25th Jan 2011 (#)
I am gald you've enjoyed this, for me this is really my frist dive into culture and peoples and I think it's a great way to learn abotu my family's past.
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26th Jan 2011 (#)
Fascinating article Rebecca, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Well worth the star :)
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27th Jan 2011 (#)
What a really great read.
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12th Feb 2011 (#)
Interesting and nice share!
thaknu!
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