Etymology (naming) of Pankota)

Concerning to the name of Pankota there are different interpretations. One interpretation - and this one seems to be plausible – the name of Pankota bases on the Latin "pan cubitum" that means "mountain corner". This explanation cames from the monograph of Marki Sandor. "Mountain corner" could be correct, as Pankota was on the northwestern part of the mountain Drocea. Since it was a marshy area, this part of Pankota does not exist anymore, there are only fields on this place, the so-called "Ograzi". Either the old Pankota has gone under in the marsh or it was given up because of the marsh. Anyway, excavations have confirmed that this part of the town was populated once.

Historical aspects

Marki Sandor mentions in its monograph that 1216.a Benedictine cloister existed on the present territory of Pankota. We can assume, that the residents have settled around this cloister and in so doing, had founded the new Pankota.

In the 13th century Pankota belonged to the bishopric of Erlau, in the 18th century it belonged to the Tschanad bishopric. 1217 there was already an abbey in Pankota. It was consecrated to the blessed virgin. 1425 the abbey became a branch of the St. Laurentius church of Pankota. In the 16th century the abbey has been devastated. The stones of the diocese ruins have been used to build the actual catholic church at the beginning of the 19th century.

Population

7,468 persons live in Pankota (according to the national census 1992) at present. Accordingly, Pankota belongs to the small towns of Romania. The chronological development of the population looks as follows:

1892 Marki Sandor reports in its monograph on the Arad villages, that 1746 in Pankota lived 138 families.

1904 the Romanian encyclopaedia mentions that 1891 there were 4,896 residents. 1913 lived 5,607 residents in Pankota (before the I. World War). Furthermore the development looks as follows:

Years Residents

1948      6,815

1956      5,615

1966      5,786

1977      7,195

1992      7,468.

The Natiolality of the population in Pankota

1992 German population only represented 4.8% of the total population from Pankota.

The nationality of the other residents of Pankota looks as follows:

Romanians: 76.8%, Hungarians: 10.2%, gypsies: 6%, and other nationalities: (Ukrainian, Slovenes, a.o.): 1,8 %.

Historical buildings

Already in the 18th century the small trading town Pankota was well known in the whole Arad area because of its market. The following historical buildings from Pankota are also known:

The baroque Sukowsky castle which was built in 1840 . The main wing at the street side was decorated with baroque elements. These elements are partially maintained until now. The castle has a rich story. Originally it belonged to Losonczy family, thereafter it entered into the possession of the Gyulay and Rajna families. Later it owned to the prince Sukowsky. This building is the headquarters of the city hall of Pankota at the moment.

The Roman Catholic church.

The Roman Catholic church represents the oldest place of worship from Pankota. The construction of the church by the Camera Regia started 1806 and was completed in 1907. The consecration of the church took place by the bishop Ianos Sutti on October 29th, 1907. This is a building in the Roman style. The church is 31 m long, 11 m wide, 10 m high. The church steeple is 31 m high, had been destroyed in 1822 by a fire and was established in the original form in 1906 again, according to the Historia Domus. The mural paintings are the work of the painter Istvan Soos from Arad in 1930. A restauration of the church was carried out with support of the HOG Pankota in 1996. The inside restauration of the church had got possible with the help of Renovabis and the Roman Catholic municipality from Pankota in 1999. Today, the church is one of the neatest Roman Catholic churches not only in the Arad county, but also in the Banat.

The school

1782 is already reported on a Roman Catholic trivial school, as of 1787 on cameral Roman Catholic school.

Further historical building is

 the old post house. The building is a protected monument, but nevertheless, in a neglected condition. The old post house was made under Maria Theresia in the late 18th century and served originally as a prison. Later is has been used as post house (to 1890) and inn.

1842 Csiky Gergely was born in Pankota. Its birthplace is provided with a plaque, correspondingly. This house is a historical building too.

Geographical position

Pankota is located in the Arad county with the following geographical coordinates in the western part of Romania with the following position:

almost exactly in the centre: 21 o 40 '-21 o 42 eastern of Greenwich

46 19 – 46 20 ' northern breadth 

110 m over the Adriatic Sea

Pankota borders in the north on Zarand and Seleus in the east on Tarnova in the south and west on Siria.

Based on this geographical position, Pankota has developed becoming a trading center and wine-growing region too. This situation is maintained until today. Pankota is widely known by its furniture, by leather articles and by its good wines.

Climate

Moderate continental climate with oceanic influences, hot summer, the temperature average in the year: 10.8 C. The coldest month is January, temperature average of January: 0. 3 - 1, 5 C, the warmest month: July: Temperature average of July: 28 -31 C.

Wind directions: In winter from southeast, in spring from northwest in summer from southeast, and in autumn from southwest.

The most frequent precipitations: At the end of the spring and beginning of summer.

The settlement of Germans in Pankota

46 German families set up 1776 from Bohemia, Baden-Wurttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and from the Alsace in Pankota (first Swabia movement (Erster Schwabenzug).

According to Dr. A. Petri (Herkunftsorte der Pankotaer Kolonisten, 1991) the following families settled during the first Swabia Movement to New Pakota (he mentioned only the name of 45 families):

No.       First and second name / Number of persons

1         Susanne Schmidt  /  4

2         Johann Kajser  /  2

3         Peter Pom  /  3

4         Karl Kratz  /  3

5         Hieronymus Winter  /  8

6         Michael Fauncke  /  3

7         Johann Pfau  /  5

8         Georg Gillemann  /  5

9         Johann Bernharding  /  6

10        Peter Pfeifer  /  5

11        Johann König  /  4

12        Johann Duplessy  /  7

13        Katharina Walter  /  3

14        Matthias Schmidt  /  7

15        Matthias Langenfeld  /  2

16        Johann Schmidt  /  3

17        Anna Neumarin  /  4

18        Johann Jergel  /  2

19        Johann Staat  /  3

20        Peter Jakobb  /  3

21        Margareta Staat  /  6

22        Johann P. Petich  /  4

23        Peter Neumann  /  9

24        Simon Hesz  /  2

25        Michael Linth  /  2

26        Johann Petich  /  3

27        Sebastian Kilian  / 3

28        Christian Flickinger  /  6

29        Johann Thitz  /  1

30        Georg Gaszer  /  3

31        Johann Jakobb  /  3

32        Nikolaus Griser  /  2

33        Johann Vinisdorfer  /  3

34        Anton Hamburger  /  5

35        Bernhard Jakobb  /  5

36        Franz Peck  /  3

37        Nikolaus Lacz  /  2

38        Wendel Ernst  /  2

39        Johann Klein  /  3

40        Ladislaus Junker  /  5

41        Friedrich Schvitz  /  4

42        Maria Varich  /  6

43        Christoph Prost  /  8

44        Johann Geiger  /  2

45        Johann Steinkompf  / 4

The chronic of Gosheim proves that the following families have taken the way to Hungary (78 members of the family) under the leadership of the teacher Andreas Brunner on August 11th, 1817, 5.00 a.m. (second Swabia movement (Zweiter Schwabenzug).  

1. Andreas Brunner with his wife Helena and 5 children

2. Johann Brunner with his wife Johanna and 3 children

3. Heinrich Hermlin with his wife Johanna and 8 children

4. Kassian Hermlin with his wife Colleta and 6 children 

5. Johann Hörmilch with his wife Cäcilie and 5 children

6. Franz Weber with his wife Hildegard and 4 children

7. Heinrich Weber with his wife Christina and 6 children

8. Josef Weber with his wife Agnes and 5 children

9. Josef Weber, no family members are mentioned.

10. Valentin Weber with his wife Katharina and 8 children

11.Kanisius Weiß with his wife Sofia and 5 children

12.Norbert Zisterer with his wife Gertrud and children

HOG Pankota

Our HOG was founded 1995. Since then we met every second year. Our l8th meeting was held October 10th 2009 in Frankenthal (see our report).

Members of the executive committee:

Helga Pless: chairman

Walter Muth: 1. Representative

Peter Reck: 2. Representative

Walter Muth: Cashier

Walter Hettmann: Board member

Franz Luttmann: Family book leader

Melinde Martitsch: Secretary