Iecea Mare

The first recorded mention of a settlement named Uche dates from 1317. This settlement existed throughout the Middle Ages, as shown by numerous medieval documents reminiscent of Wche (1417), Ewcze (1467), Eqche (1479).^[3] After the expulsion of the Turks from Banat, one cannot speak of a settlement, but there was the Jetsa estate, as shown by Count Mercy's map of 1723.^[3]

The present-day village was founded in 1767 by Councilor Johann Wilhelm Edler von Hildebrand [de], who brought German settlers from Lorraine, Luxembourg, Trier, Bavaria, etc., for whom he built 202 houses.^[4] The Germans named some areas of the village and the streets after their origin. Thus, there were Österreich ("Austria") and Haszrundel areas and Luxembourg, Trier, Bakowa, Kirchen, Nei, Periam, Lefelstadt, Yeger, Schwarzwald ("Black Forest") and Letzte ("last arrived") streets. In 1779 the name Gross Jetscha ("Great Iecea") also appears, and the locality is assigned to Torontál County.^[3] In 1836, there was a cholera epidemic that killed about 100 locals.

Iecea Mare had a population of 3,111 inhabitants at the 2021 census, up 39.44% from the 2011 census. Most inhabitants are Romanians (83.44%), with a minority of Roma (10.54%). For 4.69% of the population, ethnicity is unknown.^[5] By religion, most inhabitants are Orthodox (78.27%), but there are also minorities of Pentecostals (7.52%), Roman Catholics (4.88%), Greek Catholics (1.54%) and Adventists (1.15%). For 5.23% of the population, religious affiliation is unknown.^[6]

The commune of Iecea Mare is administered by a mayor and a local council composed of 11 councilors. The mayor, Liviu-Ștefan Tomulea, from the Social Democratic Party, has been in office since 2012. As from the 2024 local elections, the local council has the following composition by political parties:^[8]