Pișchia
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Pișchia ( or ''Piski''; ) is a commune in
Timiș County Timiș () is a county (''județ'') of western Romania on the border with Hungary and Serbia, in the historical regions of Romania, historical region of Banat, with the county seat at Timișoara. It is the westernmost and the largest county in Ro ...
,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. It is composed of five villages: Bencecu de Jos, Bencecu de Sus, Murani, Pișchia (commune seat) and Sălciua Nouă.


Name


Geography

Pișchia is located in the north of
Timiș County Timiș () is a county (''județ'') of western Romania on the border with Hungary and Serbia, in the historical regions of Romania, historical region of Banat, with the county seat at Timișoara. It is the westernmost and the largest county in Ro ...
, north of
Timișoara Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
, in the contact area between Lipova Hills and Timis Plain. It covers an area of .


History

The first mentions of Pișchia appear in the papal tithe records of 1333, in which it is said that the Catholic priest Johannes of Pisky paid 18 kreutzers to the Catholic church. The old village was further south of today's Pișchia, between the
Beregsău River The Bega Veche (also: ''Beregsău'', – ''Stari Begej'') is a left tributary of the river Bega (Tisza), Bega in Romania and Serbia. It discharges into the canalized part of the Bega near Zrenjanin. In Romania, its length is and its basin size i ...
and the Roman walls. During the Turkish rule of
Banat Banat ( , ; ; ; ) is a geographical and Historical regions of Central Europe, historical region located in the Pannonian Basin that straddles Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. It is divided among three countries: the eastern part lie ...
, the locality decays, because in
Marsigli Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (or Marsigli, ; 10 July 1658 – 1 November 1730) was an Italian scholar and natural scientist, who also served as an emissary and soldier. Biography Born in Bologna, he was a member of an ancient patrician fa ...
's notes from 1690–1700 he does not mention it. At the census made by the Austrians in 1717, immediately after their conquest of Banat, the locality called ''Peschkan'' had only eight houses left. Shortly after the installation of the Austrian administration, under the leadership of Count Mercy, in 1724, the first colonization of Pișchia with Germans took place. It is the beginning of the colonizations of Banat and Pișchia enters the plan of Germanization of the chain of villages between Lipova and
Timișoara Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
, with strategic-military purpose. The colonization of 1724 took place under the guidance of Francis John Falk of
Worms The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...
. Through Agent Bruckentheys, 121 German families from
Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
,
Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...
and
Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
were brought here. The Germans settled near the old village, on the current hearth of Pișchia, and in time, the Romanians from the old village joined the German village, the old hearth being abandoned. The new village was named ''Bruckenau'', in honor of the agent who intermediated the arrival of the Germans here. In 1764, 92 families of German settlers from
Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...
,
Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...
,
Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...
,
Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
,
Saarland Saarland (, ; ) is a state of Germany in the southwest of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and the smallest in ...
, Palatinate and
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, bondsmen of the bishop of Trier, settled in Pișchia. The following year, 31 more families came from
Saarland Saarland (, ; ) is a state of Germany in the southwest of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and the smallest in ...
. The settlers were given a place to live, arable land and household tools, which they would redeem within three years and at low rates. In 1771 there was an epidemic of plague that killed 188 people. By the end of the 18th century, the settlement developed more and more, the Roman Catholic church was built and education was organized. ' ''Topographisches Post-Lexikon'' (1804) speaks of the locality, saying "Bruckenau which is also called Piskia, near Timișoara, not far from Giarmata, with hills and many vineyards, with mineral waters. It is a commune with a German parish". In 1896 a private company built the Timișoara–Radna railway, which also passes through Pișchia, and the station was built in 1910. The forests within the village belonged to the royal estates and thus Pișchia was often visited by high dignitaries and even by kings. During the interwar period, especially between 1922–1924, many poor German families from Pișchia emigrated to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
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,
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and
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. In 1945–1948, many Germans from Pișchia were deported to
USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, most of them returned, and some died there. In 1944–1945, about 70 Aromanian families from
Southern Dobruja Southern Dobruja or South Dobruja ( or simply , ; or , ), also the Quadrilateral (), is an area of north-eastern Bulgaria comprising Dobrich and Silistra provinces, part of the historical region of Dobruja. It has an area of 7,412 square km an ...
occupied by
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
were settled in Pișchia. These families were placed in the nationalized homes of Germans who fought in the German army, were deported or were taken prisoner. At the agrarian reform of 1945, they received of land each. But in 1951–1952, when the Bărăgan deportations took place, the Aromanians left Pișchia. Besides Aromanians, after the end of the war, the first families of Bessarabian refugees arrived in Pișchia, as well as the first families of Oltenians. Gradually, the number of Romanians increased. Between 1951–1952, 70 Romanian families from the village of Nadăș moved here. In the mid-1960s, the number of Romanians came to equal that of the Germans. But they gradually leave the village, and in 1990, after the opening of the borders, they leave in one last massive wave to
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
.


Demographics

Pișchia had a population of 3,051 inhabitants at the 2011 census, up 2% from the 2002 census. Most inhabitants are
Romanians Romanians (, ; dated Endonym and exonym, exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group and nation native to Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. Sharing a Culture of Romania, ...
(90.72%), larger minorities being represented by
Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
(3.47%) and
Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...
(1.28%). For 3.41% of the population, ethnicity is unknown. By religion, most inhabitants are
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
(89.87%), but there are also minorities of
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
s (3.24%) and
Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
s (2.13%). For 3.47% of the population, religious affiliation is unknown.


Notable people

* (1920–2005), poet * (1940–2020), poet, prose writer and publicist


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pischia Communes in Timiș County Localities in Romanian Banat Former Danube Swabian communities in Romania