The following translation by Henry Fischer regarding the village of Offsenitza is taken from http://hyperbyte.net/Ofsenitza/index.htm
Familienbuch
der katholischen Pfarrgemeinde
Ofsenitza
im Banat
Filialen: Banlok, Dolatz, Gier, Partos, Szoka, Tolwadia
Teil 1
von 1807 bis 1848 * 1854 oo 1853 +
von Dipl.-Ing. Helene Schuch
Unseren Ahnen zum Gedenken
FAMILY BOOK
Of the Catholic Parish
of
Ofsenitza in the Banat
And Affiliates in Banlok, Dolatz, Gier, Partos, Szoka and Tolwadia
Part One
From 1807 to 1848 * 1854 oo 1853 +
[Editor’s note: * = births; oo = marriages; + = deaths]
By
Helene Schuch, Certified Engineer
To Commemorate Our Ancestors
Ofsenitz
An internally established settlement in the Romanian Banat
Today our fellow countrymen are scattered throughout the world. Only a few Germans now live in Hopsenitz (the Swabian name of the community that finds its source in the village spring).
In order to retain the data in the parish register for future generations and make the names easier to find, Part One provides the surnames of the families in alphabetical order. During this time frame, Banlok, Dolatz, Gier, Partos, Szoka and Tolwadia were affiliates of the parish.
Since no Family Book for Ofsentiz currently exists some basic background is provided.
The name of the village of Ofsenitz is derived from Serbian and means “sheep pen.” The parish records were maintained using the designation Offsenitza. The Hungarian term was Karatsonyifalva and today’s Romanian name is Ofsenita.
The German, Roman Catholic village of Ofsentiz was settled in 1807 as part of an inner migration from neighbouring communities in response to Count Karatonyi’s need for tradesmen and workers. The settlement took place in three phases. The settlers came from various villages in the Banat. There are entries related to the families in Hopsenitz in the parish registers of Setschan and Detta.
Unfortunately, there is little knowledge or documentation about the origins and history of the community. Data has been assembled through research, personal stories and tales of residents of Hopsenitz that hopefully will be included in a local history to be published as well as this Family Book.
The village is located in proximity to the District capital of Detta, south of Timisoara (42 kilometres) in the Romanian portion of the Banat. As is common place in our villages in the Banat there are wayside crosses in all four directions, south on the way to Banlok (3 kilometres), north to Gilad (6 kilometres) with the inscription: “Dedicated by Peter Jung on behalf of the Ghilad Committee 1891,” to the east to Detta (7 kilometres) and Dolatz to the west (7 kilometres). The railway station in Banlok is 2 kilometres in distance and Morawitz (at the Serbian border) is 22 kilometres distant to the south.
Prior to the founding of the German village there had previously been a Serbian village in the vicinity. The Serbian name is unknown. This village was originally located on the later established major route to Jebel-Banlok-Gier. At this site stones and ruins of previous buildings have been found. The Serbian church (that was torn down in about 1963 due to dilapidation and was mentioned in the newspapers as a cultural memorial that was over 515 to 520 years old) once stood behind the Catholic church. It can therefore be assumed that the village had expanded as far as the Serbian church.
The German cemetery is located along the way in the direction of Detta. Adjacent to the cemetery there were several houses, the so-called Gypsy houses. Behind the graves of the Germans their Romanian neighbours lay buried, most of whom were of the Orthodox faith. There is also a cemetery chapel built in 1887.
The cemetery of the Serbian inhabitants lies to the left of the dirt road to Detta.
The church was built from 1880-1882 (and has the House Number 207) and is dedicated to Saint Wendelin. His saint’s day is October 20th. The Kirchweih was celebrated on the weekend following that date. There is a crypt under the altar.
The German population on the basis of the official census:
1910 728 1930 704 1940 809 1942 872
Within the boundaries of Ofsenitz there were 1,850 Joch of arable land of which 660 Joch belonged to the castle in Banlok. Many inhabitants of Detta owned land within the boundaries of Ofsentiz. A portion of the inhabitants of Ofsentiz had land in Banlok and Gilad.
The last house numbering was carried out 1899/1901. Every lot and house had a number assigned to it. There were 256 house numbers. Of this number, 26 house lots remained undeveloped. Fifteen numbers were awarded to the church, local government offices, schools, shops and other businesses that had not been intended for housing.
Two monuments surrounded by flower beds and a wall with an iron fence and gate are located in front of the church. Looking towards the entrance to the church, the war memorial stands to the right of it. The Imperial Eagle adorns the second one. It was knocked down and destroyed in 1944/1945. The War memorial fell off of its pedestal as a result of an earthquake. But it was not damaged. The monument to the left was only slightly jolted by the earthquake. In 1992 at the initiative of some of he Romanian villagers the monument was put back on its pedestal and secured.
The War Memorial was dedicated on October 20, 1929 on Kirchweih Sunday.
The Inscription on the War Memorial:
May your memory be blessed.
World War
1914-1918
The names of the war dead are then listed.
World War
1941-1944
The war dead in the Second World War are then listed.
Russia 1948-1949
The names of those who met their deaths in the deportation to forced labour follow.
Inscription on the Second Memorial
Erected by
the Community of
Offszenitza
1886
Victims of the 1st World War: 28 killed and missing in action
Victims of the 2nd World War: 21 killed and missing in action
On January 14, 1945 there were 95 inhabitants of Hopsenitz who were rounded up and transported to forced labour in Russia. Twenty of them perished there. Three children were born during the time the others were in Russia.
On June 17, 1951 the deportation to the Baragan Steppe took place involving 62 persons including eight Romanians and they were all resettled there. Two children were born and one person died there. Between January and April of 1956 individuals were allowed to return to their families back home.
Until 1969 the community of Ofsenitz had their own rectory (House Number 206). Following the departure of the priest, Mausz, the Roman Catholic community was assigned to the parish of Dolatz.
It should also be noted that the castle of the Counts of Karatsonyi (a Hungarian nobleman during the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy) located in Banlok was later the summer residence of the Queen Mother Elena mother of the last King of Romania, Michael and she often attended services in the church in Ofsenitz.
This short documentation is an excerpt from the data assembled for “Hopsenitz”.
Chairman of the HOG Ofsenitz Georg Then
Addendum:
Mr. George Then is to be highly commended for all of his efforts on behalf of this community in the Banat in light of the fact that he has no forebears in the Banat (his wife whose maiden name was Stoll was born in Hopsenitz). This book aims at retaining the lineage and origins of our families.
Helene Schuch