Târnava-Mare County is one of the historical counties of the

Kingdom of Romania The Kingdom of Romania () was a constitutional monarchy that existed from with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King of Romania, King Carol I of Romania, Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian royal family), until 1947 wit ...

, in the historical region of

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

. The county seat was

Sighișoara Sighișoara (; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Schäsbrich'', ''Šesburχ'', or ''Scheeßprich''; ; or ) is a Municipiu, city on the Târnava Mare, Târnava Mare River in Mureș County, central Romania. Located in the ...

. Yet the biggest city in 1930 was Mediaș

Geography

The county covered 2836 km² and was located in the central part of

Greater Romania Greater Romania () is the Kingdom of Romania in the interwar period, achieved after the Great Union or the related pan-nationalist ideal of a nation-state which would incorporate all Romanian speakers.Irina LivezeanuCultural Politics in Greate ...

, in the south of

. Its territory currently belongs to the counties of

Sibiu Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles th ...

, Mureș and

Brașov Brașov (, , ; , also ''Brasau''; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the county seat (i.e. administrative centre) of Brașov County. According to the 2021 Romanian census, ...

. It was bordered to the north by the counties of Odorhei and Târnava-Mică, to the south by the counties of

and

Făgăraș Făgăraș (; , ) is a municipiu, city in central Romania, located in Brașov County. It lies on the Olt (river), Olt River and has a population of 26,284 as of 2021. It is situated in the historical region of Transylvania, and is the main city of ...

, and to the east by

Brașov County Brașov County () is a county (județ) of Transylvania, Romania. Its capital city is Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" (''țări'') Burzenland and Făgăraș. Name In Hungarian language, Hungari ...

. The county was disbanded with the administrative reform of 6 September 1950.

History

Prior to World War I, the territory of the county belonged to

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

and was identical with the

Nagy-Küküllő County Nagy-Küküllő () was an administrative county (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary), comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now in central Romania (central Transylvania). Nagy-Küküllő is the Hungarian language, Hungarian name for ...

of Hungary. The territory of Târnava-Mare County was transferred to Romania from the

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

as successor state to

in 1920 under the

Treaty of Trianon The Treaty of Trianon (; ; ; ), often referred to in Hungary as the Peace Dictate of Trianon or Dictate of Trianon, was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace Conference. It was signed on the one side by Hungary ...

. After the administrative unification law in 1925, the name of the county remained as it was, but the territory was reorganized. In 1940, a portion of the county was transferred back to Hungary with the rest of

Northern Transylvania Northern Transylvania (, ) was the region of the Kingdom of Romania that during World War II, as a consequence of the August 1940 territorial agreement known as the Second Vienna Award, became part of the Kingdom of Hungary (1920-1946), Kingdom ...

under the

Second Vienna Award The Second Vienna Award was the second of two territorial disputes that were arbitrated by Nazi Germany and the Kingdom of Italy. On 30 August 1940, they assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania, including all of Maramureș and part of Cri ...

. Beginning in 1944, Romanian forces with Soviet assistance recaptured the ceded territory and annexed it to the rump county. Romanian jurisdiction over the entire county per the Treaty of Trianon was reaffirmed in the

Paris Peace Treaties, 1947 The Paris Peace Treaties () were signed on 10 February 1947 following the end of World War II in 1945. The Paris Peace Conference lasted from 29 July until 15 October 1946. The victorious wartime Allied powers (principally the United Kingdom, ...

. The county was finally disestablished by the communist government of Romania in 1950.

Administrative organization

1938 map of interwar county Tarnava Mare

Administratively, Târnava-Mare County was divided originally into four districts ('' plăși''):Portretul României Interbelice – Județul Târnava Mare
/ref> #Plasa Agnita, headquartered at Agnita #Plasa Mediaș, headquartered at

Mediaș Mediaș (; , , Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Medwesch''/''Medveš''/''Medwisch'', ) is the second largest municipiu, town and municipality in Sibiu County, Transylvania, central Romania. Geography Mediaș is located in ...

#Plasa Rupea, headquartered at Rupea #Plasa Sighișoara, headquartered at

Later, a fifth district was added:

Plasa Șeica Mare, headquartered at Șeica Mare

Târnava Mare County contained two urban municipalities (cities):

(county capital) and

Population

According to the 1930 census, the county counted 147,994 inhabitants, of which 44.8% were Romanians, 39.7% Germans, 11.8% Hungarians, 2.6% Romanies, and other smaller minorities.Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 438-441 From a religious point of view, the population was divided as follows: Lutheran (39.2%), followed by Eastern Orthodox (36.6%), Greek Catholic (10.4%), Reformed (6.2%), Roman Catholic (4.5%), and other smaller minorities.Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 740-741

Urban population

The urban population consisted of Germans (39.3%), Romanians (30.0%), Hungarians (23.7%), and other smaller minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was made up of Lutheran (36.2%), Eastern Orthodox (23.2%), Roman Catholic (15.2%), Reformed (10.4%), Greek Catholic (7.8%), and other smaller denominations.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarnava-Mare County Former counties of Romania Geography of Transylvania 1925 establishments in Romania 1938 disestablishments in Romania 1940 establishments in Romania 1950 disestablishments in Romania States and territories established in 1925 States and territories disestablished in 1938 States and territories established in 1940 States and territories disestablished in 1950