In the historic region of Transylvania, now part of Romania, there has been a unique practice for centuries to try to save marriages in crisis. In the village of Biertan, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, couples with marital problems were locked in a small room for weeks, known as a ‘marriage prison’, with the aim of resolving their conflicts before resorting to divorce. While this approach may seem extreme, records indicate surprising effectiveness. Learn more about this unusual practice in this article.
According to Ulf Ziegler, current priest of the town, “Thanks to this blessed construction, in the 300 years in which Biertan was the seat of the diocese we only had one divorce.” Biertan still preserves its medieval charm today, with quiet streets and a simple daily life where carts continue to be part of the routine and inhabitants exchange goods in the central square. Perched on a hill, an impressive 15th century fortified church dominates the landscape, surrounded by robust towers.
Within these walls is the so-called “marriage prison”, a modest space that, for three centuries, served as a last resort for couples in crisis, says . The small room, currently converted into a museum, has thick walls and a low ceiling, containing only the essentials: a table, a chair, a trunk and a Saxon bed so narrow that it barely seems suitable for an adult. The forced coexistence in this space was designed to force the couple to reflect on their differences and find an understanding.
Transylvanian Saxon society, of Lutheran faith, was governed by strict principles and divorce was permitted only in specific circumstances, such as adultery. However, separation was discouraged as marriage was believed to be the basis of social stability and a protection for women and children. If the divorce went through, the husband was obliged to divide his assets with his ex-wife. However, in a second broken union, the new wife would no longer have the same rights, which reinforced the pressure to maintain the marriage.
Biertan’s origins date back to the 12th century, when Saxon settlers were invited by King Géza II of Hungary to settle in Transylvania. Coming from regions such as France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, they came not only to develop the local economy, but also to protect the territory from Tatar and Ottoman invaders. At its peak in 1510, Biertan was a thriving commercial center with a population of around 5,000. The fortified church, with its nine towers, played a central role both as a place of worship and as a refuge in times of threat.
Today, the village retains its serene rhythm, with farmers hauling hay in carts and shepherds tending their flocks on the green hills. The landscape appears little changed over the centuries. The church, illuminated at dusk, continues to stand out in the landscape, recalling its protective role from other times.
The rigorous methods of the past, such as this ‘marriage prison’, may no longer apply, but Father Ziegler believes that the concept of forced reconciliation still has value in the modern world. “The reason for staying together was probably not love, but rather the need to work and survive. In modern families, there is less and less time for each of us, we are more selfish than our ancestors. We suffer from loneliness, and that’s why today we need to talk more, so we can discover what’s important to us and what connects us.”
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