View source for Freidorf

=== German colonization ===
[[File:Temeswarer District Josephinische Landaufnahme pg054.jpg|thumb|left|Freidorf in the [[Josephinian Land Survey|Josephinian map]] of [[Banat]], 1769–72]]
The current Freidorf was originally a German settlement, founded in 1723 and exempt from taxes, which gave it the name Freidorf ("free village" in German).<ref name="simu">{{cite book |url=https://dspace.bcucluj.ro/bitstream/123456789/149722/2/BCUCLUJ_FG_BAL235_1924.pdf |title=Colonizarea șvabilor în Banat |last=Simu |first=Traian |location=Timișoara |publisher=Banatul |date=1924 |page=29}}</ref> The first settlers came from [[Alsace]], from a village also called Freidorf. They built here a church (1735), a school and a windmill. Initially it was a rather small village, built on the estate of Count {{ill|Franz Paul von Wallis|de}},<ref name="simu" /> commander of the [[Timișoara Fortress]] (1716–1729) after the capitulation of the Ottomans following the [[Siege of Temeşvar (1716)|siege of 1716]], with about 500 inhabitants and little arable land. In 1730, Wallis was transferred to Transylvania, on which occasion the tax office bought back the count's estates and Freidorf was obliged to pay taxes.<ref name="simu" />
[[File:Casa Freidorf.JPG|thumb|150px|House in Freidorf built in 1929]]
Although the place was not attractive, being surrounded by swamps, and the living conditions were precarious, the authorities' plans for Freidorf were increasingly ambitious. Colonization continued in 1732, when silk craftsmen from Italy were brought here. A significant enlargement also took place in 1764, under the Temesvár district chief Knoll.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.arcanum.com/hu/online-kiadvanyok/Borovszky-borovszky-samu-magyarorszag-varmegyei-es-varosai-1/temes-varmegye-19AF7/temes-varmegye-kozsegei-irta-reiszig-ede-dr-a-kozponti-szerkesztobizottsag-tagja-kiegeszitette-vende-aladar-szerkeszto-19BE1/szabadfalu-19D43/ |chapter=Temes vármegye községei |last=Reiszig |first=Ede |title=Magyarország vármegyéi és városai |editor-last=Borovszky |editor-first=Samu |publisher=Országos Monografia Társaság |location=Budapest |date=}}</ref>