Sacel, Harghita
Encyclopedia
Săcel is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
.
region of the historical Transylvania
province. They belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within the Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
. After the Treaty of Trianon
of 1920, they became part of Romania
and fell within Odorhei County
during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award
granted the Northern Transylvania
to Hungary and the villages were held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the commune became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
) majority. According to the 2002 census it has a population of 1,320 of which 68.18% or 900 are Hungarian. The 2002 Census reported Protestantism being professed by the majority of the population, 34.24% of the total population being Reformed Protestants and 31.28% Unitarians
, while 29.77% of the respondents were Eastern Orthodox. In the villages of Săcel (Székelyandrásfalva) and Uilac (Újlak) there is an absolute Romanian majority. As to Vidăcut (Hidegkút), in the hamlet Vidacutul Român (Székelyhidegkút) Romanians, while in Vidacutul Unguresc (Magyarhidegkút) Hungarians form the majority. Şoimuşu Mic (Kissolymos) and Şoimuşu Mare (Nagysolymos) have an absolute Hungarian majority.
Harghita County
Harghita is a county in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea-Ciuc.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 326,222 and a population density of 52/km².*Hungarians- 85%...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It lies in the Székely Land
Székely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
.
Component villages
The commune is composed of five villages:| In Romanian Romanian language Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova... | In Hungarian Hungarian language Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe.... | Population(2002) | Ethnic majority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Săcel | Székelyandrásfalva | 144 | Romanians |
| Şoimuşu Mare | Nagysolymos | 346 | Hungarians |
| Şoimuşu Mic | Kissolymos | 451 | Hungarians |
| Uilac | Újlak | 27 | Romanians |
| Vidăcut | Hidegkút | 352 | Mixed |
History
The villages were part of the Székely LandSzékely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
region of the historical Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
province. They belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within the Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. After the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
of 1920, they became part of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and fell within Odorhei County
Odorhei County
Odorhei was a county in the Kingdom of Romania. The county seat was Odorheiu Secuiesc.-Geography:Odorhei County covered 2,977 km2 and was located in central part of Greater Romania, in Transylvania. Currently, the territory that comprised the greater part of Odorhei County is now part of Harghita...
during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
granted the Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania is a region of Transylvania, situated within the territory of Romania. The population is largely composed of both ethnic Romanians and Hungarians, and the region has been part of Romania since 1918 . During World War II, as a consequence of the territorial agreement known as...
to Hungary and the villages were held by Hungary until 1944. After Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned and the commune became officially part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureş-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the province was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.
Demographics
The commune has a Hungarian (SzékelySzékely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
) majority. According to the 2002 census it has a population of 1,320 of which 68.18% or 900 are Hungarian. The 2002 Census reported Protestantism being professed by the majority of the population, 34.24% of the total population being Reformed Protestants and 31.28% Unitarians
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, while 29.77% of the respondents were Eastern Orthodox. In the villages of Săcel (Székelyandrásfalva) and Uilac (Újlak) there is an absolute Romanian majority. As to Vidăcut (Hidegkút), in the hamlet Vidacutul Român (Székelyhidegkút) Romanians, while in Vidacutul Unguresc (Magyarhidegkút) Hungarians form the majority. Şoimuşu Mic (Kissolymos) and Şoimuşu Mare (Nagysolymos) have an absolute Hungarian majority.