Faktum und Fiktion in klimarelevanten literarischen Quellen aus Siebenbürgen im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert. Ein Beitrag zum Interferenzgefüge Literatur - Landeskunde - Naturwissenschaft
Fact and Fiction in Transylvanian Literary Sources from the 17th and 18th c. on Climatological Relevant Data. A Contribution to the Interference Structure of Literature, Geography and Natural Science

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with the philological and historical aspects of Transylvaniangeography. Sources from the 17th and 18th centuries are examined regarding actualand imagined weather phenomena. Several difficulties are described that must beconsidered for extracting climatological relevant data. It shall not to be taken forgranted that any such event would have been unique for it is well known that humanmemory is deceptive. Obvious exaggerations, as reflected in unrealisticexaggerations of events, must be identified as such in the creation of databases. Inorder to be able to critically weigh the data, proven calibration procedures areneeded, as they have been used in historical climatology for about half a century.In addition to the purely descriptive information regarding the weather ofTransylvania, there are indirect data that can be used to obtain further statementsconcerning the climate. This includes written records of crop yields, notably those ofthe grain and also the quality of the wine. Through consequences for the society(inflation, famine, impairment of goods traffic, etc.) additional knowledge fromhistorical material can be gained. Weather catastrophes were repeatedly expressedin calls for more piety and penance, as well as in superstition and consequent blame,discrimination and persecution. Likewise, the occurrence of pests (such as the locustinfestations, once so common in Transylvania) and epidemics may, to some extent,indicate specific weather conditions.Sources range from handwritten papers and entries (in calendars) to chronicles,so-called cosmographies (such as the one published by Honterus in 1541) andsecond-hand compilations in which the underlying original sources are often nolonger available today.

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