Verein zum Er- und Unterhalt der Casa Calfelor Sibiu - Gesellenherberge Hermannstadt - Maison des Compagnons Sibiu

Since long time ago in the year 2002 a first group of travelling journeymen visited Hermannstadt / Romania again. The search for a place to sleep conducted them to the evangelic town priest.

Shortly after that, for the first time since hundred of years travelling journeymen lived again in their historic hospice, Piata Huet 3 . The house which is considered above the „Coffinstair“, a long stone made set of stairs, to reach the low part of the city, has been a journeymen hospice in the past centuries. There are already lot of evidence, that there have been over 30 different kind of trade guilds in Sibiu.

From time to time in 2002 other journeymen travelled to Sibiu, the whole thing started to be refreshed again. The journeymen made working projects with the evangelic church, who is the owner of the house, Piata Huet 3. In the following time there also have been other working opportunities in the neighbourhood, with Romanian craftsmen or in Casa Calfelor. We reached acceptance again and this hospice is also an opportunity for the journeymen to relax, while they make or made long travels.

With the east EU expansion Romania has become an economical spot, for investors from all over the planet and the EU. In Romania and especially in Sibiu and its suburbs economy is increasing and it is a sign off belonging to the european continent, that Sibiu was the capital of culture in Europe last year. Money flows into the country.

The idea to found an association was born in the beginning of 2007, as some journeymen took the challenge, to have an eye on the hospice, a closer one, because the Casa Calfelor can be a foundation of culture exchange and for sharing craftsmenship. First of all we had to find an agreement with the evangelic church, about the conditions using the house. To get all those steps done, also on the bureaucratic level, to keep the hospice attractive and open for all different journeymen the association „Verein zum Er- und Unterhalt der Casa Calfelor Sibiu - Gesellenherberge Hermannstadt - Maison des Compagnons Sibiu“ was founded at the 29th of june 2007. The association was approved with its first meeting at the 23th of july 2007. Based on the ideas of the association it will be possible in the future, to have better opportunities in realising projects, or to get authorizations for any kind of renovation. The association takes care about conservation, renovation and subsistence of the journeymen hospice „Casa Calfelor“. It also keeps contact to local craftsmen, to engage the travelling journeymen in resident projects, to have a deeper platform of mental exchange.

As this is the first nowadays supported hospice outside the Swiss-, German- or French territory, the relations between all different kind of brotherhoods, Compagnons and types of journeymen have developed fast, no matter if French or German spoken. This is why we could realize the one month summer project in 2007, where 60 Gesellen and Compagnons were involved. We worked together renovating the Casa Calfelor and represented 14 different kind of trades, in the open air demonstration workshop.

First of all the association „Casa Calfelor Sibiu“ wants to invite all travelling and retired journeymen, as well as people who are interested in our project, to join the association. We recommend the travelling journeymen to come along and to work in Hermannstadt and suburbs. (It`s a big interest of the evangelic church, that there are always self-contained craftsmen from all different kind of trades around to realise projects.)

For interested people: don`t be shy to ask the journeymen questions when you meet them in town =)

With regards from the association

Evi, Blacksmith at Guild of Free Encountrance
Stefano, free traveled Metallroofer