Mașloc

Mașloc
Commune
Location in Timiș County
Mașloc Location in Romania
Coordinates: 46°0′N 21°27′E
Country	Romania
County	Timiș
Government
• Mayor (2020–2024)	Ionel Lupu[1] (PNL)
Area [2]	72.06 km^2 (27.82 sq mi)
Population  (2021-12-01)[3]	2,236
• Density	31/km^2 (80/sq mi)
Time zone	EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code	307270–307273
Vehicle reg.	TM
Website	www.comunamasloc.ro

Mașloc (German: Blumenthal; Hungarian: Máslak) is a commune in Timiș County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Alioș, Mașloc (commune seat) and Remetea Mică. It also included Fibiș until 2004, when it was split off to form a separate commune.

Name

The German name of the village, Blumenthal, means "village of flowers". The German colony was built in a wildflower meadow, hence the name. This is also illustrated by the old stamp of the village, depicting a valley and a flower vase with a lush bouquet of flowers.[4] The Romanian population had great difficulties pronouncing the German name. Therefore they named the village Maslog, as shown in a map from 1864–1865. Maslog was written with "s" and not with the Romanian "ș" (s-comma). Maslog was changed to Mașloc, apparently taking over the ending "-loc" from the Hungarian "-lak" (Máslak). The Hungarian lak – just like the Romanian loc – means "place".[4]

History

Mașloc was first mentioned as Machalaka in 1326.[5] Most of its inhabitants fled after the Turkish conquest of Banat (1552).[4] From this time on, the houses were only temporarily inhabited by people of different nationalities. After the Austrians conquered Banat from the Turks, the village was called Maschlok and had 14 houses.[4]

Mașloc was colonized by Germans from Schwarzwald between 1770–1771, who named it Blumenthal.[6] By 1773, the colony had 93 houses, a school and a pub.[4]

Demographics

Ethnic composition (2011)[7]

  Romanians (77.68%)

  Ukrainians (10.9%)

  Roma (2.8%)

  Hungarians (1.58%)

  Unknown (6.08%)

  Others (0.96%)

Religious composition (2011)[8]

  Orthodox (86%)

  Pentecostals (2.67%)

  Old Believers (2.23%)

  Roman Catholics (1.75%)

  Unknown (6.13%)

  Others (1.22%)

Mașloc had a population of 2,285 inhabitants at the 2011 census, down 1% from the 2002 census. Most inhabitants are Romanians (77.68%), larger minorities being represented by Ukrainians (10.9%), Roma (2.8%) and Hungarians (1.58%). For 6.08% of the population, ethnicity is unknown.[7] By religion, most inhabitants are Orthodox (86%), but there are also minorities of Pentecostals (2.67%), Old Believers (2.23%) and Roman Catholics (1.75%). For 6.13% of the population, religious affiliation is unknown.[8]

Census[9]		Ethnic composition
Year	Population	Romanians	Hungarians	Germans	Roma	Ukrainians
1880	3,871	1,766	147	1,951	–	–
1890	4,175	1,781	162	2,195	–	–
1900	4,340	1,911	188	2,224	–	–
1910	4,007	1,575	127	2,303	–	–
1920	3,878	1,479	89	2,294	–	–
1930	3,714	1,467	63	2,157	13	–
1941	3,564	1,367	44	2,127	–	–
1956	3,277	–	–	–	–	–
1966	3,064	1,638	38	1,386	–	–
1977	2,899	1,593	31	1,066	14	190
1992	2,283	1,800	50	70	20	334
2002	2,307	1,886	38	21	83	271
2011	2,285	1,775	36	13	64	249

References

1. "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
2. "Primăria Mașloc". Ghidul Primăriilor.
3. "Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
4. Mildenberger, Peter. "Zeittafel zur Blumenthaler Ortsgeschichte". Heimatortsgemeinschaft Blumenthal-Fibisch.
5. Szabó, M. Attila (2003). Erdély, Bánság és Partium történeti és közigazgatási helységnévtára. Miercurea Ciuc: Pro-Print Kiadó.
6. "Fișa Primăriei comunei Mașloc". Consiliul Județean Timiș.
7. "Tab8. Populația stabilă după etnie – județe, municipii, orașe, comune". Institutul Național de Statistică.
8. "Tab13. Populația stabilă după religie – județe, municipii, orașe, comune". Institutul Național de Statistică.
9. Varga, E. Árpád. "Temes megye településeinek etnikai (anyanyelvi/nemzetiségi) adatai 1880-2002" (PDF).