About us

The Regional Forum of Old Romania was founded in the first days after the political change, in December 1989.

The founding members included:

• Günter Ambrosi, parish priest of the Evangelical Church in Bucharest
• Dr Klaus Fabritius, biologist and researcher
• Herbert Greger, curator of the Evangelical Church in Bucharest
• Hans Herbert Grünwald, editor of the journal Neue Literatur
• Rudolf Herbert, editor of the newspaper Neuer Weg
• Klaus Kessler, music critic and writer
• Nikolaus Kleininger, Inspector General at the Ministry of Education
• Gerhard Müller, student
• Robert Schwartz, teacher at the German School in Bucharest

The first Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Slănic Moldova in 2000. It began the series of regular regional gatherings of the German communities and Local Forums of Old Romania.

Representatives of the Local Forums and guests take part in the gatherings. Alongside the Assembly of Representatives, cultural and community programmes are a regular part of them.

The second Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Sinaia in 2002.

The gatherings bring together the German communities of Old Romania, facilitate dialogue among the Local Forums and support the shared cultivation of language, culture and tradition.

The Regional Forum of Old Romania was registered as a legal entity with the competent court in March 2003.

In the same year, the Regional Forum established its headquarters in Bucharest.

The founding members of the Regional Forum registered as a legal entity were:

• Dr. Klaus Fabritius
• Leopold Minkiewicz
• Rohtraut Maria Wittstock
• Hugo Prager
• Walter Francisc Rastätter

The third Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Olimp on the Black Sea coast in 2004.

Changing the venue enables participants to discover different parts of Old Romania while strengthening the ties among German communities across regional boundaries.

The fourth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania was held in Snagov near Bucharest in 2006.

These interregional gatherings thus became an established part of the work of the Regional Forum of Old Romania.

Following the death of Leopold Minkiewicz in 2006, Prof Dr Adelheid Dăneț took the vacant seat on the Board.

Carmen Luminița Cobliș was appointed Executive Director. Maria Oprică was the Regional Forum’s accountant.

The fifth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Tulcea in 2008.

The gathering once again brought together representatives of the German Forums of Old Romania for a joint Assembly of Representatives and a cultural and community programme.

The sixth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania was held in Piatra Neamț in 2010.

The regular gatherings strengthened dialogue among the Local Forums and provided a setting for shared cultural activities, consultations and the Assembly of Representatives.

The seventh Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Constanța in 2012.

This continued the tradition of biennial gatherings of the German communities of Old Romania.

The eighth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania was again held in Piatra Neamț in 2014.

Representatives and members of the German Local Forums came together for consultations, meetings and a shared cultural programme.

In 2015, the Regional Board comprised:

• Chair: Klaus Fabritius
• Christiane Gertrud Cosmatu
• Rohtraut Maria Wittstock
• Ziegrid Christina Popescu
• Dan Rudy Matzner
• Marinel Mihai Todasca
• Adelheid Dăneț

The ninth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Tulcea in 2016.

The gathering continued the long-standing tradition of regional meetings and once again brought together the German communities of Old Romania.

The tenth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania was held in Târgoviște in 2018.

By its tenth edition, the series had become an established tradition of the German communities of Old Romania.

The eleventh Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Iași in 2022.

The gatherings provide an important framework for dialogue among the Local Forums and for jointly preserving German cultural heritage in the regions outside Transylvania and the Banat.

In 2022, the Regional Board comprised:

• Chair: Klaus Fabritius
• Christiane-Gertrud Cosmatu
• Annemarie Marina-Czernak
• Rudy-Dan Matzner
• Ziegrid-Cristina Popescu
• Richard Wagner
• Christian Töpfer

The twelfth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place in Moinești in 2024.

Representatives of the German Local Forums and their cultural groups once again gathered for a joint meeting and Assembly of Representatives.

The thirteenth Meeting of the Germans of Old Romania took place on 12 June 2026 in Saturn near Mangalia.

At the joint Assembly of Representatives, delegates from the Local Forums of Old Romania and Bukovina came together.

The three remaining Local Forums in Bukovina decided to join the Regional Forum of Old Romania. The Assembly of Representatives unanimously approved their applications for admission.

This created the Regional Forum of Old Romania & Bukovina. At the same Assembly of Representatives, the new Regional Board of the united region was elected.