Sauwerkeit muss sin!
(Banater Post 5. Oktober 2007) 

Gleich newer jedem Haus, Zaun, Tierel un Tor, war’s Plaschter – mit Brennziggle geplaschtert un a Meter breet (anerthalb Meter in dr Hauptgass un im Rundell). Vum Plaschter bis zu der erschti Reih Beem war de Biziklwech. Vun der erschti Reih Beem bis zu der zweiti Reih Beem war was mer „Zwische de Reih Beem“ genennt hat. Dann war die „Mittegass“, zwischen der zweite Reih Beem uff eener Seit un der zweite Reih Beem uff der anri Seit. Die Gasse ware 20 Klofter breet, des sin so ungefähr 38 Meter. Die meischte Beem ware Maulbiere Beem, weil mer jo ihre Bätter for die Seiderauwe gebraucht hat. 

De Vettr Sepp un die Bässl Liss han in der Gass geger Uihel gwohnt, net weit vun der Miehl. Ihre ganzi Gerechtichkeit war immer so sauwer als ob se erscht gekehrt war gin: do war ke Blatt, ke Grasshalm, ke Steen un ke Klumpe Erd wu hätt kenne steere. De Vettr Sepp had jede Taa gekehrt, manchmol sogar mehr wie eenmol, un net nor des Plaschter un de Biziklwech, sogar zwische de Reih Beem . Un wann jemand mit ’ner Kuh vorbei gang is, dann war de Vetter Sepp, un manchmol aach die Bässl Liss, gleich drauss mit der Schipp un mit’m Bese, um jedi Gschpure zu vertilche. Wie de Vetter Sepp schun gsaat hat: „Sauwerkeit muß sin!“ 

Wie ich mol mit meiner Oma uff de Kerchhof gang sin, sin mer aach bei’m  Vettr Sepp un der Bässl Liss ihrem Haus langscht gang. Die Bässl Liss hat uns rinn geruf, um uns ihre guti Stubb zu zeiche. Im Gang han mer unsre Schuh, Sandale un Schlappe ausgezoh un sin in die Kuchel nin gang. Die Kuchel war scheen ingericht un is net benutzt gin. In die Stubb sin mer net gang; mir han bloß in der Tihr gstan und die Bässl Liss hat uns alles erklärt. Vum Kaschte bis zum Diwan, vun de Teppiche bis zu de Bettdecke, un vum Tischtuch bis zur Hängelamp iwr dem Tisch, ware des alles funklnagelneie Sache. 

Hinne angebaut ans Haus war so an Anhänger, wu irgendwann mol a Stall war. Dort han de Vettr Sepp un die Bässl Liss ihre eigentlichi Kuchel ghat, dort han se gekocht un gewohnt. For mich war des etwas Neies, weil bei uns ’s Zimmer un die Kammer bewohnt ware un weil mer also a Paradistubb garnet ghat han. 

Dann is der Kriech aach in unser Dorf kumm, un natierlich hann aach de Vettr Sepp un die Bässl Liss Koloniste ins Haus ’griet. Die Koloniste han Pheerd un Waan ghat, un han sich irgendwu ufm Hottar Kukruz breche kenne. Dann sin se mit dem Waan uff de Biziklwech un uff’s Plaschter gfahr un han de Kukruz ganz eenfach dorch die uffene Finschtre in die Stubb abgelad. Was des for de Vettr Sepp un die Bässl Liss bedeit hat kann mer sich vorstelle. Awer mer hat jo damals so Villes mitmache misse, um zu iwerlewe. De Vettr Sepp un die Bässl Liss han noch so dreizehn-verzehn Johr iwerlebt, awer a sauweri Gerechtichkeit zu halle war nimmer meeglich un des hat ’ne sicher Weh getun.

Cleanliness must be kept!
Translated by Nick Tullius,

Adjacent to each House, fence, door and gate, was the paved sidewalk. It was made of burned bricks and was one meter (1 1/4 feet) wide (one and a half meters in the main street and in the Rondell). From the pavement to the first row of trees, there was de bicycle path. From the first row of  trees to the second row of trees there was a space that we called the "between-the-rows-of-trees". Then there was the "middle-of-the-street", between the second row of  trees on one side of the street and the similar row of  trees on the other side of the street. The street was 20 Klafter (fathoms) wide, about 38 meter (about 125 feet). Most of the trees were mulberry trees, because in the past their leaves were used for growing silkworms. 

Vetter Sepp and Bässl Liss lived in the street toward Uihel, not far from the mill. The street in front of their house was always so clean as if it had just been sweeped with a broom: there was not a leaf, not a blade of grass, no stone and no clump of earth that could spoil the perfection. Vetter Sepp was out with broom every day, sometimes even more than once, and he sweeped not only the sidewalk and the bike path, but even between the rows of trees. And if someone passed in front of their house with a cow, then Vetter Sepp, and sometimes also Bässl Liss, was right out there with a shovel and with a broom, to get rid of every disturbing trace. As Vetter Sepp used to say: "Cleanliness must be kept!" 

Once when I went  with my Grandma to the churchyard, we passed the house of Vetter Sepp and Bässl Liss. Bässl Liss invited us in, to show us their living room. We took off our shoes, sandals or slippers in thecorridor and went into the kitchen. The kitchen was nicely decorated, and had obviously not been used. We didn't go into the living room; we just stood in the door as Bässl Liss explained everything to us. From the cupboard to the sofa, from the carpets to the bed spreads and table cloth, to the lamp hanging above the table, all things were brand new. 

Attached to the rear of the house was a construction with a sloping roof, which was once a barn. There is where Vettr Sepp and Bässl Liss had their real kitchen, where they cooked and lived. For me, this was something new, because both of our bedrooms and the kitchen were always inhabited and used, and therefore we did not have a decorated spare room. 

Then  the war passed through our village, and  Vetter Sepp un Bässl Liss were forced to share their house with colonists, like everybody else. The colonists had a horse and carriage, and were free to collect the corn cultivated by the Swabians from anywhere in the village fields. Then they drove the car over the bike path on the sidewalk and simply dumped the corn cobs through the open window into the main room. One can only imagine what that did to Vetter Sepp un Bässl Liss. But one had to take so much at that time, just to survive. Vetter Sepp and Bässl Liss lived on for another thirteen or  fourteen years, but they could no longer keep clean premises and that must have hurt them a lot.