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 an ancestors old home place was like going home.  Special thanks to Roswitha & Adam Csonti,
for their hospitality & touring us through the museum. (Jody McKim, 2004)

Watch DVD made in 2004, starts with Mercydorf, then Mehala in Timisoara, but if you forward the movie to about 14:00, my visit in Billed begins, including a visit with Roswitha & Adam Csonti at the German Forum and to their house.