Village of Billed   Around Town   Democratic Forum for the Germans of Billed   Adam & Roswitha Csonti of Billed   Old Marmon Homeplace in Billed Special thanks to Roswitha & Adam Csonti,  for their hospitality & touring us through the museum.   DVHH Village of Billed Coordinator: Alex Leeb

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Around town

As insignificant as it may seem, the storks are by far one of my most memorable impressions.  The first time I had ever seen a stork was in Mercydorf in 1999, nesting upon a chimney.  I was happy to get a good picture of the one shown above, here in Billed.  Storks are all over the town, this one sits atop a telephone pole. local transportation School yard Upon starting our walking tour in Billed, we approached the local pub, with cafe tables along the sidewalk.  The local drunks were happy and talkative and there were many of them.  I wondered why they were not working.  And not far from where they sat, were young children playing on the sidewalks and in the school yard nearby.   Billed was one of the more busier villages we visited.  More roads were paved and there were many large trucks traveling up and down the main street.   Across the street from the pub was the Political building.  I have all this on video and thought I took more photos, if I did they are lost.

 

This young German lady showed us to the German Forum in Billed.  Her name is Anna Frauhoffer married to Mr. Rugel. I may have misspelled the last name, could be Frauenhofer.

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Democratic Forum for the Germans of Billed 
[Directors Adam & Roswitha Csonti]

The Democratic Forum in the homeland community of Billed was formed after the political turn in March of 1990, for the protection of interests of the Germans in Billed. The house was reconditioned and furnished as a meeting house, for cultural events and celebrations such as birthdays, holiday festivities, anniversaries, and Kirchweihfest.  There is also a social service building, since 1994.  Funding for the German Forum in Billed comes from the Adam Müller Guttenbrunn House in Timisoara, who receives their funding from the State of Germany.  Billed is a satellite office for the Adam Müller Guttenbrunn House. The young people meet on Friday and Saturday nights for socializing, in the Culture Center.  The facilities are very nice and updated, but still holds a traditional warm feeling of the Donauschwaben.  There is a huge map of Germany hanging on one of the walls.  They have a computer, maybe for games but it is not internet accessible.  We were told, to have internet, they would have to install a phone to hook it up to.  Phones are so rare in the villages, if word got out they had a phone, it may present a problem. The older people gather at the culture center on Sundays to play cards, shoot pool and talk.  The elderly who have no family to care for them, live there and are housed and fed. The modernized kitchen is large and bright.  The dining room is very large with a huge muriel on one wall.  In former days when this building was a owned by a family, this room was an animal shelter and upstairs slept the animal keeper.   Today, the upstairs is being transformed into a Museum for Donauschwaben relicts such as tools, household items, dolls, furniture, personal items, linens and more.  Below are photos of their interesting antiques that remind us of days gone by.    My impression of the museum was a walk back in time. Seeing the Donauschwaben culture being kept alive was an inspiration.  The visit with Roswitha and Adam was a warming experience.  The visit to a relatives old homeplace was like going home.

spinning wheel old dress maker form sewing machine wash tub & scrub board old iron heated by wood - old lamps old boot and boot form wooden bread making bowl old light fixture old heater

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Adam & Roswitha Csonti of Billed
Contact: Nr. 79/A, Sc.  Etaj , Apart. Biled, 360, 307060 Romania | Phone: 256.377148

Roswitha and Adam were very welcoming and hospitable.  As we sat in their pleasant and beautiful yard, we were served delicious pastries and coffee.  Besides the tour of the forum, they showed us the new Billed Ortssippenbuch 1765-2000 by Hans Wikete, of which I found a listing for one of my relatives and Adam kindly escorted me to the house for a visit.  On the way back Adam asked if I would like to see his and Roswitha's home for a grand tour.  It appeared to be the nicest home in Billed, the house and yard was immaculate.  Their home is tastefully furnished and although it is modernized, it still dazzled the charm of our ancestors. Adam & Roswitha's home, there are plenty of grapevines gardens are plentiful Csonti swine Csonti swine Csonti's barn Csonti hambar Csonti hambar and sheds On the way back to the forum, I had my camcorder rolling scanning the houses and was able to capture the bringing in of the cows.  This is a site to see.  We witnessed this also in Mercydorf.  The typical homeowner has one or two cows.  Everyday a cattle herder takes all the cows out to graze.  In the afternoon they are all herded back into the village where they returned to their prospective yards.  The owners are waiting with their gates open and the cows know where to go.  It was a site to see, for a city gal!  I wish I had take a photo of it, in addition to the video.

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Old Marmon Homeplace in Billed

Former location of Marmon house Under & behind the trees..it says Engelmann Family 1962. I could not position myself to take a shot of the entire name.   New residents, were kind to let us look around and take photos.

 

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