INSTITUTUL DE ISTORIE ORALĂ DIN CLUJ.NAPOCA. ACTUALITATE ŞI PERSPECTIVÃ
Oral History Institute form Cluj Napoca. Present and Future

Summary/Abstract: The concernings for Oral History at Babe-Bolyai University (at the Faculty of History) began in 1993-1994 academic year when, having the direct support of professor Doru Radosav, Gabriela Otescu prepared her BA thesis, The Movement of Resistance Against Communism in Banat Mountains, using the interview as a research method. The success of this new method of historical research opened new ways to other students for their BA or MA thesis: Crina Bodea, The Attitude and Behaviour of Catholic Priests During the Communisy System ( Concerning Oral research method), (BA 1995); Dorin Daraban, The Attitude of Deported "$vabi" From Satu Mare County in the Ex-Soviet Union Camps (from Oral History perspective), (BA 1995); Ottilia Brezovski, The Hungarian Elite in Romania During the Communist Regime (BA 1997); Florin Cioan, The Collectivization of Agriculture. A Method of Communist Oppression. An Oral History Point a/ View (MA 1997). According to these preoccupations, in March 1997, took place in Cluj an International Oral History Debate, The Communist Regime in Romania in The Memory of Witnesses, with the participations of professors and students from History Department of Babe-Bolyai University and professor Albert Goudoower from Utrecht University. This meeting underlined the importance of the correct using of Oral History methodology. In fact, this was the first debate in Oral History in Romania, so in June 1997, having the great support of the Rector, professor Andrei Marga, The Oral History Institute was founded within the History Department of Babe-Bolyai University. Immediately after this success began a fruitful cooperation to Bloomingthon University (Indiana). On this occassion professors David Runssel, Barbara Truesdell, Maria Bucur i Timothy Borden came in Romania. At the seminar were also invited professors Marsha Siefert and Alfred Rieber from Central - European University Budapest. All of them lectured on Oral History methodology, disscusing on the method of interview. This seminar was a very precious one because books on Oral History methodology were very few in Cluj. The same year a researching project was financed by National Training Department, which had to be carried on three years. The aims of this project called The Movement of Resistance Against Communism in Romania (1945-1989). As an Oral History Research were to reveal all the sizes of the communist phenomenon: its spread from temporal and spacial point of view, participants, consequences, oppression etc...

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