Keywords: Vršac; Ér(d)somlyó; Banat; the Midlle Ages; Hungary; Serbia; Đurađ Branković; János Hunyadi; Peter Dóci; castle.
The castle of Ér(d)somlyó (Vršac) has gained on importance from the end of the 14th century, when started first Ottoman raids in the Danubian basin area. Hungarian king Sigismund (1387-1437) had donated Érsomlyó with his estate to Serbian despot before 1431, but king Wladislas I (1440-1444) temporary deprived despot Đurađ Branković (1427-1456) of Vršac in 1440. Despot Đurađ mortgaged Érsomlyó and some other estates in Hungary to János Hunyadi in 1444, as compensation for military help in the so–called „long campaign“ against the Ottomans (1443-1444). During the next decade, Vršac was an object of dispute between the Serbian ruler and János Hunyadi, changing its owner for several times. After the Ottoman occupation of Serbia in 1459, the Branković family lost all its estates in Hungary. Vršac became the property of king’s uncle Michael Szilágyi, who was executed in Constantinople in 1461. King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490) donated Érsomlyó to Peter Dóci, the count of Temes, in 1472, and at the beginning of the 16th century the castle was again a part of the royal domain. The second half of the 15th and the first half of the 16th century was a period of intensive Serbian migrations in Banat and other parts of southern Hungary. By the end of that period, Serbs constituted the majority of the population in southern Banat. Nevertheless, there is a very limited amount of information оn the urban and economic development and population of the Érsomlyó settlement, lying underneath the identically named fortification. The settlement was mentioned as a market place in 1330, and a status of town had gained at the end of the 14th or at the begining of the 15th century (it was mentioned as civitas in 1416). The archaeological findings from the castle on the hill Vršački breg suggest a certain level of trade and craftsman activity. The Ottomans captured Vršac in 1552.
More...Keywords: Romanian Principalities; legal status; public opinion; political interests
During the four decades of communist rule in Romania, the state policy towards ethnic minorities has undergone many stages of manifestation. In the first phase of the Romanian communism, the ethnic policy of the authorities fully followed the Soviet model. In our case studies of ethnic minorities in Romania during the ‘40s and early ‘50s there were observed positive effects of the legal provisions on the cancellation of the previous ideological restrictions regarding minorities. A new stage begins towards the end of 1956 and extends to mid-70s when the rapid process of urbanization also results in a rapid change of the ethnic structure of cities.
More...Keywords: novel correspondence; liberalism; traditionalism; etatism; interwar generation
In this article we publish the novel correspondence of Mircea Vulcănescu, undersecretary of state in Antonescu government, with his superior Alexandru Neagu, Minister of Finance. This correspondence is important because it brings out information on how the relations within and around the Gustiene School worked, during the Second World War, which were some of the economical practices of the state and/or of some interests groups during the Antonescu’s authoritarian government, which adjustment strategies to the rigors of a military regime were taken by the representatives of the „young interwar generation” from economy, and not least, details concerning the vision and political and personal plans of Vulcănescu.
More...Keywords: funerary feast; commemoration; silver hoard; Dacia; identity.
The article is analysing the practical and symbolic meanings of the silver hoard discovered at Sâncrăieni, in eastern Transylvania. The recovered inventory consists of one specific set of garment accessories, the assemblage of different drinking vessels, two silver coins and a ceramic vessel which was presumably used as a container. Previous analyses of the hoard suggested that the vessels belonged to a feasting assemblage amassed by one of the local chieftains, and the deposit might have been a particularly lavish offering. However, the comparative analysis of its context of discovery, the functional structure of the assemblage and the functional and structural relationships between this hoard and others from the north and the south of the Danube indicates that the hoard is more likely related to the social function, status and identity of a priestess, being similar with those used in rituals. Thus the interred assemblage is the result of a commemorative practice through which the material symbols related to the social self of a deceased priestess were buried in order to be transferred into another world. The silver drinking vessels might have been selected, brought over and offered by a number of individuals as part of a ritual of separation, which might have also contributed to the reiteration of the social connections between the participants.
More...Keywords: cultura Coţofeni; cultura Vučedol; ceramică; nord-vestul României
The Coţofeni culture settlement from Tăşad (Bihor county) remained unknown to the specialists, although there are some information about the materials found here, known for more than four decades. The finds presented in this study resulted from the research made by Nicolae Chidioşan, between 1971-1984 on Cetăţaua hill (363 m). They were found on the entire site, but rarely come from a distinct level, due to hill arrangements in Iron Age. Unfortunately, there were not notified Coţofeni contexts, although their existence should be considered. Findings consist solely of pottery. More ceramic forms can be reconstructed: mugs, cups, dish, bowls, jugs, amphorae, vases with flattened body, cookware, dishes, jars, cups and pots with foot. The decor was done by impression, incision, Furchenstich technique, by fake string, pseudoexcision, applications and slurry. A ceramic bobbin also was found (pl. 13/7). The ornamental motifs are extremely diverse, considering pottery function and technique used. We note the presence of vessels decorated with incised hatched network (pl. 1/7 = 17/2, 5/1, 7/3, 9/2, 12/7 = 17/1, 16/1), the shaded rhombs (pl . 5/9 = 17/3) the “fishbone” (pl. 2/2, 5/8 = 13/4, 13/6) and the pseudo-excision (pl. 5/9 = 17/3 ), all motifs being specific to the final stage of Coţofeni culture. We notice the presence of rare or unique vessels in Coţofeni culture repertory, like the cup with foot (pl. 12/7 = 17/1) and the pot without necks (pl. 16/1). The existing analogies for Coţofeni settlement from Tăşad indicates a dating of materials in Coţofeni IIIc stage, with very good analogies in the discoveries from Câmpanii de Sus-Măgura, Prihodişte-Peştera Prihodişte, Româneşti-Peştera cu Apă, Băile Herculane-Peştera Hoţilor caves, or at Dubova-Cuina Turcului rock shelter and open settlement from Clit-Grueţul Negrilor, but also in cremation necropolis from Medieşu Aurit. In this horizon contact elements with Vučedol culture and Ostrikovac group are present. The presence of this Coţofeni late community in Crişana is due to a south impulse from the area of contact with cultural entities above mentioned.
More...Keywords: Dacia; abandoned Roman forts; civilian reuse
Th rough its generally well located position – both geographically and for logistics –, through itsform and internal planning resembling that one of a city, and through its well made inner constructions, onedeserted fort could be attractive for reusing by civilians. Before showing the situation for the castra in Dacia, wepresented some historiographical approaches, some general aspects related to the issue and discussed the legalregime of the deserted forts.
More...Keywords: Lower Mureş Basin; history of archaeology; Egon Dörner; Late Bronze Age; pottery;
We believe that due to the rich documentation compiled by the team led by Egon Dörner and the way they approached a situation that was novel for that period, the archaeological researches performed in Zădăreni must see the light of print. In order to ease this initiative and to show the great professionalism of the archaeologists of that period, the present paper is accompanied by the reports written after each field trip, together with the detailed drawings and the plans made on-site. I have also included a brief abstract of the researches for a better understanding of the site and a short discussion of the Late Bronze Age artifacts discovered in Zădăreni, that I have also illustrated.
More...Keywords: Romanian Society of Veterinary Medicine; First Congress of Veterinary Medicine; Journal of Veterinary Medicine; Animal Husbandry; Hygiene and Rural Economy; College of Romanian Veterinarians;
The “Statute of the Romanian Society of Veterinary Medicine” drawn in the first meeting of May 15, 1871, wasvoted in the General Assembly of August 14–16, 1871, chaired by Mauriciu Colben. Therefore, in 1879, Alexandru Locusteanu, Mihai Măgureanu, Gheorghe Perşu and Panait Constantinescu, published “The Veterinary Surgeon”. Succeeding to overcome certain difficulties, 33 veterinary surgeons met on May 10–12, 1882 in Bucharest for the First Congress of Veterinary Medicine, the first of this kind in Romania. During these meetings, participants debated on important issues in veterinary pathology at the time: the foot-and-mouth disease, of equine glanders, tuberculosis, the bovine gastro-entero-nephritis (babesiosis) etc. The topics of the Congress, set in 1881, included the followingsubjects: sanitary police, animal husbandry, public hygiene, pathology, miscellanea. Once the Society of Veterinary Medicine was relaunched, „The Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Husbandry, Hygiene and Rural Economy” also appeared. It was established in 1888 too, by I. Şt. Furtună, and had an Annex, the Bulletin of the Society of Veterinary Medicine. The Society existed until July 21, 1949, when, after this last meeting, it was discontinued abusively by the communist regime. Because the centenary of the Romanian Society of Veterinary Medicine wasclosing, a group of teaching staff members from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest started in the spring of 1970, the activities necessary to resume the activities of the Romanian Society of Veterinary Medicine: it was re-established on May 15, 1971, 22 years after its discontinuation and one hundred years after its foundation.At first, a Commission was appointed to draw up draft statutes of the Association; afterwards, on June 29, 1914, it held its constituent meeting of the General Association of Veterinarians in Romania, chaired by Prof. Al. Locusteanu. During this meeting, at which 138 veterinarians sent solidarity messages, voted to elect the first committee status and then intervening the First World War until August 19, 1919, by decree-law, the association was recognized as a legal and moral person. Even before getting official recognition, it had a “Bulletin” published from January 1, 1919, in the first issue of Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, which was none other than the former Veterinary Magazine, founded in 1888 by I. Şt. Furtună, and which, under the new title, was offered to the Association as property. Enthusiastically created by an initiative group, the Association, through art. 4 ofthe Statute, mentions the goal of its existance, namely: “to cultivate the sense of esteem, fraternity and peer support, defend members’ rights and general professional interests, to create an economic background, to set up a bulletin and to build their own local library, conference room and so on”. All the goals set have been performed for over 30 years because in 1949, the association ceased to exist, similarly to the Society for Veterinary Medicine to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1871. After 1989, the General Association of Veterinarians in Romania was reestablished and took over the duties of the Romanian Society of Veterinary Medicine. On May 8–11, 2011, in Bucharest, the prestigious national event “The XIth Congress of the General Association of Veterinarians in Romania” was held under the title „2011 – World Year of Veterinary Medicine”. As an expression of professional solidarity, between 1929 and 1932, the Association built an imposing building by means of the voluntary contributions of its members, a building lying in front of the Cișmigiu Garden, which wrongly hosts the Ministry of Justice today. The building of the General Association of Veterinarianswas taken unjustly by the Ministry of Justice and today it hosts the National Institute of Magistracy. An extremely important achievement of the Association wasthe Law for regulating the exercise of veterinary profession and the establishment of the College of Veterinarians, on November 26, 1938. “The College of Romanian Veterinarians – as stipulated by law – is the professional organization of veterinarians whose goal is to monitor and ensure the prestige preservation of the College of Veterinarians, taking the necessary measures to prevent or punish the acts of professional misconduct and veterinaryethics”.
More...Keywords: anti-Hungarian xenophobia; irredentism; citizenship; Dan Dungaciu; Victor Orban; Ioan-Aurel Pop; Trianon;
I analyzed the article "The two Hungaries, Transylvania and the Trianon", emphasizing the general aspects of its themes and theses, but also noting the relationship between the author, Dan Dungaciu, and relevant, important institutions, such as the Romanian Academy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I followed the arguments made by the author in support of his position that the Hungary of today and the leaders of the Hungarian communities in Transylvania have irredentistic goals and therefore pose a danger to the Romanian control over Transylvania. Although he starts from natural grievances regarding the policies of Victor Orban and FIDESZ, Dungaciu goes beyond such issues to discuss the fundamentals of the Romanian-Hungarian relationship. I discussed at length the concept of the cultural nation, which plays an important role in the political culture of Hungarians. I compared the effects of granting citizenship to the Hungarian inhabitants of countries neighboring Hungary to the effects of the Romanian policy in the same area. I presented the elements that determine the faithfulness of individuals towards the political community to which they believe they belong. In the Appendix I highlighted the manner in which Ioan-Aurel Pop, the president of the Romanian Academy, has manipulated the text of the declaration of Alba Iulia.
More...Keywords: discourse; ceremony; ethnic solidarity; landscape; daily life; values; societies; awareness of heritage values;
Articolul de față evocă o epocă în care a călători însemna să confirmi, simbolic, o hartă, iar a comemora să revendici, indirect, nişte teritorii. El evocă, din punctul de vedere al istoriei culturale, câteva exemple extrase din ceremonialul regal, din reperele turismului patriotic şi din imaginarul cartografic al românilor din a doua jumătate a secolului XIX şi din prima parte a secolului XX. Adunarea ideilor subsumate acestui univers într-o povestire cât de cât coerentă ne pune la curent nu doar cu dinamica identităților individuale şi colective, ci ne obligă să remarcăm dezvoltarea culturilor istorice la intersecția climatului mental, a gusturilor unei epoci cu progresele anumitor ştiințe: lingvistica, biologia, geografia, dreptul, estetica. Demersul nu e unul la îndemână din cauză că istoria conştiinței patrimoniale nu are foarte multe etape care să fie cu adevărat ale sale. Din contră, unele segmente aparțin pasiunii de a călători şi colecționa cărți poştale ori timbre comemorative, altele intersectându-se cu evoluția tehnicilor de reproducere a cuvântului şi desenului, a sărbătorilor şi, de ce nu, a frontierelor culturale sau de stat. Obligatoria interdisciplinaritate dovedeşte atât complexitatea subiectului cât şi o cultură istorică, cea modernă îndeosebi, care se subîntinde mai multor registre de existență şi trebuie abordată cu ajutorul unor noțiuni străine istoriei empirice: metafora şi metonimia dacă ne interesăm de limbajul care vehiculează faptul patrimonial; pitorescul şi perspectiva când căutăm urmele trecutului în fundalul unui peisaj; cotidianul atunci când subliniem rostul granițelor în construcția obişnuințelor, a solidarităților etnice şi a filiațiilor genealogice; geografiile simbolice dacă ne interesează cumva rolul hărților în anticiparea sau luarea ideatică în posesie a unor moşteniri teritoriale etc, etc. Se adaugă în mod decisiv câteva subcategorii ale temporalității: originarul, antichitatea, vechimea, continuitatea, precedența, autenticitatea nu în ultimul rând. Ele ne dau indicii nu numai despre geneza ideii de patrimoniu, ci şi despre sistemele de valori ale feluritelor societăți, despre istoria ideii de probitate de-a lungul vremii.
More...Keywords: Mărginimea Sibiului; bibliography; primary sources; periodicals; secondary sources;
The bibliography of Mărginimea Sibiului presented here is structured in three sections, indicating: 1) the primary sources (including manuscripts preserved in archives, libraries, museums, as well as unpublished document collections); 2) the periodicals (from and about Mărginimea Sibiului from the 19th -21st centuries) and 3) the secondary sources (made up of the actual documentary, bibliographical and critical references) regarding Mărginimea Sibiului.
More...Keywords: The Ruling Council; The Romanian University of Cluj; the university commission; Onisifor Ghibu;
L’aspiration à la mise en place de l’enseignement universitaire a été formulée avant 1918. Les autorités politiques ont rejeté tous les mémoires roumains sur cette question, admettant uniquement le fonctionnement d’une Académie juridique allemande à Sibiu, à laquelle ils ont appris un nombre important de jeunes roumains puis, en 1872 , d’une université hongroise de Cluj. Cette université de Cluj, marquée par une politique nationaliste explicite et insistante, avait une chaire de langue et littérature roumaines dirigée, entre 1872-1886, par Grigore Silași, remplacée par Grigore Moldovan. Le début de la Première Guerre mondiale en 1914 a été dramatique pour l’Université hongroise de Cluj. Le 1er décembre 1918, à l’Assemblée nationale d’Aba Iulia, il a exprimé l’enthousiasme de la jeunesse, qui a exprimé son souhait d’établir une éducation universitaire roumaine. Dès le moment de la proclamation de l’Union de Transylvanie avec le Royaume de Roumanie et jusqu’à la prise de contrôle de l’Université de Cluj par le Conseil Dirigeant, le 12 mai 1919, les avis sur le sort de l’Université ont créé de vives controverses entre la partie hongroise et la partie roumaine. Situées dans des positions hostiles pendant la Grande Guerre, la Roumanie et la Hongrie ont apporté leurs propres arguments juridiques et politiques pour maîtriser la situation, si compliquée et dramatique, en Transylvanie. Au sein du Conseil Dirigeant, les opinions divergeaient quant aux moyens de prendre le contrôle de l’Université de Cluj, certains dirigeants nationaux étant cohérents pour ne pas porter atteinte à la dignité des Hongrois, par des mesures hostiles. L’idée de créer une université roumaine à Cluj a également été prononcée lors du congrès des médecins roumains, qui s’est tenu à Sibiu le 28 janvier 1919. Ils ont soutenu, tout d’abord, la création d’une faculté de médecine de Cluj, invoquant les besoins médicaux de la Transylvanie. Le 9 mai 1919, la Station des cultes et de l’instruction publique, dirigée par Valeriu Braniște, a demandé catégoriquement aux enseignants hongrois de déclarer, dans les 48 heures, sur la question du serment à l’Etat roumain. Par L’Ordre 4336/1919, le Conseil Dirigeant a nommé Onisifor Ghibu exécuteur de l’opération de prise de contrôle de l’Université de Cluj, ainsi que l’ensemble de son inventaire et toutes les institutions qui lui sont liées. La prise de contrôle de l’Université de Cluj le 12 mai 1919 imposa à l’autorité de l’État le difficile problème de son organisation sur de nouvelles bases, correspondant à la fois aux exigences scientifiques, nationales et étatiques. Une commission universitaire avait pour tâche de sélectionner des professeurs prestigieux, d’ici et d’ailleurs.
More...Keywords: Barbaricum; North–Western Transylvania; pottery kilns; ceramic production;
În cadrul acestei lucrări am încercat să aducem în discuţie cuptoarele de ars ceramica din secolele II–IV p. Chr. din zona limitrofă Imperiului Roman de la nordul şi nord–vestul provinciei Dacia. Cuptoarele pentru ars ceramica reprezintă instalaţia centrală a unui atelier de olar, indiferent de perioada la care facem referire sau de populaţia care producea ceramica. Analogii pentru cuptoarele din nord–vestul Transilvaniei se găsesc în toate regiunile Daciei, inclusiv la sud de Carpaţi. Şi în celelalte zone locuite de comunităţi de daci liberi de la est de provincia Dacia sau din Muntenia se întâlnesc o mulţime de analogii pentru cuptoarele de ars ceramică. În nord–vestul Transilvaniei au fost descoperite 24 de cuptoare de ars ceramică, dintre care, din nefericire, doar 14 au fost publicate, în timp ce săpăturile de la Lazuri aşteaptă de aproape trei decenii publicarea. Aceste cuptoare se împart, la rândul lor, în trei tipuri diferite, după modul în care au fost construite, tipuri de cuptoare întâlnite şi în alte regiuni de pe teritoriul României, atât în Imperiu cât şi în Barbaricum. În concluzie se poate afirma faptul că atât apropierea geografică, cât şi cea etnico–culturală a celor două populaţii, daco–romană în interiorul graniţelor provinciei Dacia şi barbară în zonele limitrofe acesteia, au generat un intens schimb, nu numai de mărfuri, dar şi de tehnici sau procedee de producere ale acestora. Acelaşi fenomen s–a manifestat şi în cazul produselor ceramice, dar şi pentru modalităţile de construcţie a atelierelor şi a instalaţiilor folosite în cadrul acestei producţii.
More...Keywords: research; dacian‑roman pilgrim;
This communication approaches the spiritual travels, pilgrim‑ ages to the Holy Land and Mount Athos. This research led us through time, from the first dacian‑roman pilgrim of the fifth century, Saint Ioan Casian, to another great pilgrim of the twentieth century, Saint Ioan Iacob Românul (Hozevitul). The novelty part of this communication consists in bringing into the forefront of today’s pilgrims, native of the Trotuș Valley. Archimandrite priest Emilian, a monk of Mount Athos and archimandrite priest Teofil, senior of the Romanian Settlements from Holy Land, former students of Colegiul Tehnic „Dimitrie Ghika” Comănești, were willing to share their spiritual experiences at Holy Sites.
More...Keywords: Iuliu-Marius Morariu; Emanuel Cășvean; Mircea Gheorghe Abrudan, Flavius Cristian Mărcău; Mihai-Octavian Groza;
This section contains the book reviews published in the number.
More...Keywords: border; Bolsheviks; bands; military convention; councils; alignment;
The end of the First World War did not mean the total cessation of military operations for defending the Greater Romania. The opposition to the unification with Bassarabia Bukovina and Transylvania disturbed the neighbours from the East and West, including Hungary, which lost one of the most important provinces, Transylvania. Soviet Russia had begun to take action against Romania using Ukrainian Bolsheviks who made a plan to annihilate the Romanian army. In order to carry out the plans for the dismemberment of Greater Romania, they made connections with the Bolsheviks from the Republic of Hungarian Councils led by Béla Kun, who had taken over the power in Budapest.The adjournments of the Great Powers of establishing a border line between Romania and Hungary, offered the opportunity to be taken actions to repress the Romanians who remained behind the demarcation successive border lines between the two countries. In the spring of 1919 took place the first actions of the Hungarian troops which wanted to recover the lost Transylvania, by their advancing to the last demarcation border line.Together with the Romanian army and even within it, also operated a part of the groups of Romanian volunteers which operated on the fronts of the First World War. In Zarand, the “Horia” Regiment (Fig. 4-5, 7) was organized, composed of inhabitants from the Land of Zarand and the Apuseni Mountains was covered themselves with glory in the summer campaign of 1919, together with the brave Romanian Army. By occupying Budapest, on 4th of August 1919, were stopped for the moment the aggressive tendencies of Hungary and the instauration of the Bolsheviks in central and south-east Europe.
More...Keywords: Religion; science; dialogue; apologetic issues; Saint Luke of Crimea
Our research is dedicated firstly to an apologetic analysis about the dialogue between “religion and science”. In this manner, we tried to underline the starting point and the background of the Russian dialectical materialism, as a short historical and conceptual presentation of the most important ideas. The second part of our research is dedicated to Saint Luke of Crimea, an emblematic orthodox hierarch who served the Russian Orthodox Church in the first part of the communist period. He was in the same time a great man of science, dedicated to the medical experience. Saint Luke is presented as an apologist of the Church because of his courageous disputes with the dialectical materialism. In his works we can find many logical answers in the dialogue between religions and science.
More...Keywords: Wallachia; Slav-Romanian papers; 16th century;
There are still unpublished papers written in the Slav language within the National Archives of Hungary in Budapest, concerning the history of Wallachia and Moldavia. Some time ago dr. Adrian Magina (Museum of the Mountainous Banat) discovered three Slav papers in Sólyom Fekete Ferenc Collection in the Magyar National Archives (Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár Oszágos Levéltára), and kindly put them at my disposal. All my gratitude here inserted too. Two of those papers belong to the 16th century (May 26, 1571, and June 4, 1592), and the other one to the 17th century (May 31, 1620), emitted in Bucharest and Târgoviște: all of them cast light both upon the history of some localities in Wallachia, still existing (Bujoreni, Vâlcea County), or lost (Orbi, Gorj County) and the history of some families of boyards (Olănescu), and the general history of Wallachia through completing and improving our knowledge on some of the 16th century’s voievodes (Alexandru II Mircea, Ștefan Surdul) and the 17th (Gavril Movilă).
More...