Archives

(Photo source) Today is the twenty-third anniversary of the 13-15 June 1990 coal miners' massacre ('mineriada') when an estimated 10,000 miners from the Jiu Valley invaded Bucharest at the behest of Ion Iliescu (to help 'suppress' student protests) and rampaged their way through the capital indiscriminately killing, maiming, beating up innocent people, vandalising both the Liberal Party and the National Peasant Party HQs, newspaper offices and private houses as they went. Carnage. Pure and gratuitous carnage. Only a few weeks after... [Lire la suite]

(Image source) Today, June 11th, marks the anniversary of an appallingly tragic stain on the page of Romania's history. In short, it was the decapitation of Romanian industry in order to ultimately liquidate the bourgeoisie. It was the day of nationalisation, 1948 - a page that brought with it 65 years of suffrance, loss, pain and grief for hundreds of thousands of Romanians. Wikipedia explains: "The early years of Communist rule in Romania were marked by repeated changes of course and by numerous arrests and imprisonments as... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) "Have you ever heard of Nicolae Kirculescu?" a friend asked me this weekend. "Um... no. Who is he?" Who is he indeed. Shame on me. My friend promptly sent me a youtube link for a beautiful piece unknown to me but familiar, certainly, to all Romanians for it is the theme tune for "TeleEnciclopedia", an educational TV programme that has been running every Saturday evening on TVR1 at 18h45 since 1965. 'Moment muzical' is a lovely, rich piece for piano and orchestra, part of 'Four studies for piano and orchestra' and... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) How lovely it is to have some good news to report for a change. Some months ago, I wrote a post HERE on the appalling neglect and frighteningly imminent destruction of George Enescu's mother's house in Mihaileni, Moldova where he spent time during childhood, youth and adulthood (and later owned). Pianist and President of the International George Enescu Society in Vienna, Raluca Stirbat, made it her hell-bent raison d'être to see the house saved and registered on the list of Romania's Historic Monuments, and, after... [Lire la suite]

Romania celebrates International Children's Day today - a special event to honour and protect children around the world, but particularly at home. The International Day for the Protection of Children has been observed in many countries as Children’s Day since 1950. It was established by the Women’s International Democratic Federation during a congress in Moscow. The day also has its origins at the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva dating back to 1925. It was established universally in 1954 to protect children... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) BREAKING NEWS: More from Romania's culture scene that has left me so outraged I am not sure to be coherent... Well, here it is: The first Romanian contemporary art museum in the country, The Visual Art Museum in Galati, IS DEFINITIVELY CLOSING ITS DOORS. Why? Because the Archbishopric of the Lower Danube has repossessed the Bishopric Palace which housed the museum, and has had them evicted. That's why. The museum’s heritage section exhibited Romanian art from the second half of the 19th century (Theodor Aman,... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) If you care about Romanian culture, are concerned by the happenings we have recently seen at the Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu - an example of the damage these cuts can do, but just ONE among many - and would like to add your voice to a chorus of others demanding a public debate defining a course of necessary reform within the culture sector, please read the petition below and sign it HERE (texts in Romanian, German and French). Perhaps, together, we can make a difference. Petition for the Brukenthal Museum and for... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) It is inconceivable (to me, anyway) that there can be such resounding silence in the press today concerning the threatened Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu, partially closed as I type due to lack of funding. Perhaps Daniel Morar's resignation from DNA is more important? But Romania's oldest (and probably finest) museum under the axe should have caused a massive public outcry, not to mention a loud surge of indignance. Sadly, however, only a handful of people seem concerned. Where are the petitions? Where are the protests?... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Very distressing (and pretty darn shameful) news today from Sibiu: The lovely Brukenthal Palace (a complex of six museums) has had to partially close its doors to the public due to lack of funds through budget cuts - according to THIS article in today's Bucharest Herald (slightly edited below), the gas has been cut off, there's one light bulb per office and the heating was switched off four days ago... 'A dramatic situation at the National Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu: The museum will be partially closed due to financial... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) April 1st 2013 marks 72 years since the Fantana Alba massacre in Northern Bucovina near the village of Fantana Alba, today in the Ukraine. Between 200 and 2,000 civilians were killed when their attempt to cross the border from the Soviet Union to Romania was met with open fire by Soviet border troops. Although according to some data no more than 48 civilians were killed, local witnesses assert a much higher toll of 2-3,000, claiming that survivors were tortured, killed, or buried in mass graves. Other survivors were... [Lire la suite]