Hello Nick -- thanks for the information. I have a question. What would Richter or biro translate as -- something like Mayor? Susan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nick Tullius" <ntullius@sympatico.ca> To: "'Banat List'" <banat@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2010 8:03 PM Subject: Re: [BANAT-L] Local Governments Information on this topic is scarce, so I will try to summarize what I knew or could find out. Please consider it preliminary, subject to corrections that, incidentally, are hereby invited from all. The Richter (German) or biró (Hungarian) was a local farmer (Bauer), elected by the villagers, and doing the job part-time, in addition to his work in his fields. An indication that he is elected by the villagers is given in the book "Hungary and Transylvania" by John Paget (London 1839): "... the Biro replied that he neither could nor would act against the law and his conscience, and said that if he was a rogue, he could be no fit person to execute any longer the duties of Biro, and he therefore begged to lay down his stick of office. The next day the prefect sent orders to the peasants to elect a new Biro, but the peasants re-chose their former one, declaring that they would obey no other; and so at present the affair stands, no one knowing how it will terminate. ..." [the English is John Paget's, not mine] The larger segment from the book is at http://www.dvhh.org/alexanderhausen/literature/englishman.htm The Notär was a full-time employee appointed by the higher authorities (prefect?). He usually had some educational background and was the final authority in the village. His signature on official documents was essential. Sometimes he was assisted by a Vize-Notär (mostly in larger localities?). The Geschworene ("the sworn-in ones") formed a kind of village council, to advise and support the Richter in his duties. I am trying to find out more about the election or appointment of these men (to my knowledge, they were always men). The Kleinrichter (Schwowisch sometimes called "Klerchter") was an employee of the village administration, who performed much of the day-to-day work. Notably, he communicated news and orders from that administration r its higher-ups, by walking around the village with a little drum around his neck, stopping at every street corner to make his announcements to the villagers from the surrounding houses in a loud voice. In our village he was called "the Trommelmann" (the man with the drum). In late 1944 and early 1945, the Klerchter in at least one village prepared (or helped prepare) the list of all German men and women to be deported to forced labour in the Soviet Union. I am hoping to add, delete or modify the above, if I can get additional information. Kind regards, Nick Tullius -----Original Message----- From: banat-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:banat-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Susan Clarkson Sent: 25-Jul-10 13:37 To: Amy Nichols Cc: Banat List Subject: Re: [BANAT-L] Local Governments This is a very interesting question, and I hope that someone knowledgable can reply. I, too, have heard some of these titles, but don't know how the offices came to be. Susan Clarkson --- On Sat, 7/24/10, Amy Nichols <anichols@att.net> wrote: From: Amy Nichols <anichols@att.net> Subject: [BANAT-L] Local Governments To: BANAT-L@rootsweb.com Date: Saturday, July 24, 2010, 1:58 PM Hello All, I was wondering if anyone know of any sites that describe the local government of the Banat villages? I have searched and have not come up with anything. I know the villages had a mayor, but cannot find any information on what other offices were held to support that position, or information on how those people came to office? Were they elected? Appointed? And if so, by who? I know there was a notary in the villages, but I'm not sure exactly what role this person played in the village? And I'm imagining there must have been some sort of justice of the peace in order for civil marriages to occur. I was just wondering if there was anything written on the actual governance of the villages that anyone may be aware of? Thanks so much! Amy ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BANAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BANAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BANAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message