Interferenzen und Überschreitungen von Literatur und Welterbediskurs am Beispiel von Judith Schalanskys ,,Verzeichnis einiger Verluste'' (2018)

Author(s): Maria Irod / Language(s): German Issue: 6/2024

The present article looks at how the contemporary discourses concerning cultural and natural heritage are literarily reworked in Judith Schalansky’s book ''An Inventory of Losses'' (Verzeichnis einiger Verluste, 2018). Schalansky’s hybrid book which consists of twelve micronarratives around natural and art objects that have been destroyed or lost over the course of time partakes in the cultural discourse on preservation, memory and intergenerational dialogue, contributing its own views on the practices of valuation of old artefacts and knowledge. The present paper focuses on the common aspects – first of all the intertwining of nature and culture – and the key differences – such as the critique on the essentialist concept of sustainability – between Schalansky’s book and the preservation discourse as it is articulated in collective texts such as the World Heritage Convention.

Ferencz József püspök nyilatkozata az unitárius egyház román megszállás alatti helyzetéről

Author(s): János Pál / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 4/2022

A few weeks ago—I cannot specify the exact date—I was summoned, along with several others, to the Romanian military command in Cluj. There, a Romanian officer stated that we were being accused of Bolshevism, anarchism, and of acting against the annexation of Transylvania to Romania. As a result, we were required to report to the Romanian military command every other day and sign our names in a register as proof that we remained in the city. When we asked who had made such baseless accusations against us, the officer replied that it was not his concern.

Ľudovít Orješek: O opatrnosti

Author(s): Marta Dobrotková,Erika Juríková / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 1/2025

The undated document comes from the file of Ľudovít Orješek (1917 – 1974) from the Archive of Security Forces in Prague, which was kept against him by the State Security. The text dates back into the period of persecution of the Church in the 1950s. At the same time, it is proof that its author, Father Ludovít Orješek, was involved in the formation and education of candidates for entry into the Daughters of Christian Charity – Vincentians. These were prepared in secret at a time when the religious orders were already dissolved and the nuns were under the supervision of the state. Orješek urges them to be careful not to talk about their decision to join the religious order anywhere and not to confide even in those closest to them.

Горадзень, Gardinas, Гародня, Grodno, Гродна...

Author(s): Kaciaryna Kancheuskaya / Language(s): Belarusian Issue: 1/2017

The article considers the past and present ofthe city of Grodna which is the administrativecentre of Grodna oblast’. At different periodsof history it was ruled by Russian dukes, itwas the second capital of The Grand Dutchy ofLithuania and the third capital of The PolishLithuanian Commonwealth. Nowadays Grodnais a Belarusian city where you can fi nd manyhistorical buildings in a good state of repair.The article gives a short overview of the city’smost important monuments. The requirementsfor visa-free entry to Belarus and the Augustów Canal are explained.

Рубриката „Хоризонти“ през годините

Author(s): Bulgarica Editorial Board / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 49/2024

Ян Рихлик на 70 години

Author(s): Vladimir Penchev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 49/2024

Grebenaţ – sat păstrător al tradițiilor românilor din Banatul Sârbesc

Author(s): Adriana Petroi / Language(s): Romanian Issue: XXIX/2024

One of the most specific localities in the Serbian Banat, with an ancient autochthonous population, is the village of Grebenaț, found near the town of Biserica Albă (Bela Crkva). In the Middle Ages, this settlement, together with the surrounding settlements, belonged to the Wallachian Haram district, proof of the antiquity of the Romanian population in this geographical space. In the 18th century, the number of inhabitants increased through colonization, Grebenațul preserving its specificity among Romanians from the Serbian Banat in speech, customs and port. In this locality there is the oldest Romanian church building in the Serbian Banat and one of the oldest in general in this geographical area, dating back to 1722. The most specific traditional custom, which continues to this day, is the, during which the ancient dance of the gaggles takes place.

Izabela Czartoryska i jej (fikcyjne) toruńskie peregrynacje

Author(s): Joanna Miętki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2024

The topic of the article is Krzysztof P. Czyżewski’s book – Izabela. Świat w płomieniach [Izabela. The World in Flames]. The author tries to show how the writer used the figures of memory (protagonist’s name and fictional breastpin) to create a historical novel with literary regionalism themes. The object of reflection is the main character’s creation and its influence on the perception of an Enlightenment Era and regionalist motives. Considerations are summed up by referring to cultural memory theory.

Notes on the Administrative Regulations in Eighteenth-Century Transylvania

Author(s): Mihai Vasile Olaru / Language(s): English Issue: 61/2024

The paper explores the role of administrative ordinances as both a source of law and a method of governance in 18th-century Transylvania. The study is based on printed regulations from the 18th century, focusing on their impact on the governance of Habsburg Transylvania. During the age of principality (mid-16th to late 17th century), laws adopted by the Diet were issued in the form of decrees bearing the seal of the prince. Upon taking control over Transylvania at the end of the 17th century, the Habsburgs recognized all previous legal arrangements but began to issue decrees with an unprecedented frequency and relied on them to bypass the Diet and impose their absolutist policies. The paper discusses the interesting situation where ordinances formally invoked and reiterated older legislation, whereas, in fact, they significantly amended it to suit the objectives of the Absolutist rule. For example, a regulation issued in 1772 regarding the wastage of ancestral property pretended to reiterate provisions of the Decretum Tripartitum from 1517. However, a close examination revealed that the regulation significantly departed from the Decretum Tripartitum and altered its provisions. The paper also suggests alternative ways of exploring administrative regulations.

Hungarian Images of the Romanians in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century

Author(s): Sorin Mitu / Language(s): English Issue: 61/2024

This article analyzes the image of the Romanians, as it appears in several important Hungarian texts in the second half of the nineteenth century. The Revolution of 1848 gave the Hungarians an ambivalent lesson about the Romanians. On the one hand, the latter behaved like enemies. This generated a negative imagological reaction from the Hungarians. On the other hand by the crushing combined force of Austria and Russia, opened up the possibility of collaborating with Romanians, as well as with the other oppressed peoples in eastern and Danubian Europe. But in the age of dualism, the image of the Romanians in Hungary, closely entwined with that of their conationals across the mountains, received a new political label, which had first been used during the revolution: Daco-Romanianism. Irredentism, which was coined by the Italians later, in the last decades of the nineteenth century, was an equivalent term. The Romanians were, therefore, seen to be characterized by “Daco-Romanian irredentism.” This phrase gained traction as Bucharest was becoming the capital of a more consolidated Romanian state and the Romanians in Transylvania were making ever more aggravating claims, which could be associated with this national dream. The Hungarians’ image of the Romanians during this period always stood between official nationalism and the utopia of fraternity.

Sabrina P. RAMET, East Central Europe and Communism. Politics, Culture and Society, 1943–1991, Routledge Open History, Taylor & Francis Group, London–New York, 2023

Author(s): Sabina Cojocaru / Language(s): English Issue: 61/2024

The Beiuş estate under Bishop Ignatie Darabant of Oradea 1789-1805. Administrative organisation, expenses, and salary obligations

Author(s): Tiberiu Alexandru Ciorba / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2024

For many years, the Beiuș estate was a focal point in the economic landscape of Bihor region. In the second half of the 18th century, the Viennese Court decided to give it to the newly formed Greek-Catholic Diocese of Oradea so that the fragile administration could have a steady source of income. This decision drastically changed the destiny of the bishopric and helped it improve and evolve in time. The main purpose of this article is to illustrate, in a comprehensive manner, the fiscal fluctuations that happened during the episcopate of Ignatie Darabant (1789-1805), focusing mostly on the numerous expenditures that were needed to maintain the possession, salaries that were paid to various employees and other budget problems. Until now, most historians concentrated their efforts only around emphasizing the yearly profits. By studying the other half of the problem, the internal maintenance, we can correctly give a clear picture of what the estate truly represented in a certain period of time. The centralized reports that were made by the people working there tell an exciting, diverse and interesting story about the local dynamic.

Vlad le père, Vlad le fils et Stoker l’écrivain

Author(s): Peter Mario Kreuter / Language(s): French Issue: 1-2/2024

One of the seemingly ineradicable false claims surrounding the writing of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula is the assertion that the Wallachian prince Vlad III the Impaler, also known as “Drăculea”, is the historical model for the vampire count. In fact, Stoker knew close to nothing about the man or his actions. The only work that provided him details about the 15th-century ruler of Wallachia, that of William Wilkinson, inextricably mixes father and son, Vlad II “Dracul” and Vlad III “Drăculea”, thus forming one invented person out of the two rulers of Wallachia. The nickname for the son, based on that of the father, becomes, in the eyes of Wilkinson, a sort of honorary title. The few details that Stoker was able to obtain about that very “Dracula” were nothing more than a collection of very general information about this invented person. This little information became the basis for the historical background of the character of Count Dracula, which Stoker then developed from many sources. In the end, only one single element of Wallachian history was included in the novel, but it had to be central: the name “Dracula” itself.

Cosmin Mihuţ, Politică şi discurs naţional în vremea domniei lui Alexandru D. Ghica (1834-1842)

Author(s): Mădălin ANGHEL / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2024

Book review. The volume Politics and National Discourse during the Reign of Alexandru D. Ghica (1834-1842) represents a significant contribution to the transition to modernity and the struggle for national emancipation in Wallachia. The 283 pages of text provide a fresh perspective on the politics during the reign of Alexandru D. Ghica, aiming to explain the “transition” towards “modern politics” in Wallachia, in connection with the formation of the discourse for national emancipation. Cosmin Mihuț, the author of this volume, is a lecturer at the Faculty of History, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, and obtained his PhD from the same faculty in 2015. His research focuses on the history of politics from the perspective of discursive practices, representations, forms of power legitimation in the first half of the 19th century, national discourse, and national emancipation in the Romanian Principalities, as well as the history of international relations, particularly regarding the Great Powers’ policies towards the Romanian Principalities within the context of the “Eastern Question”.

Remus Tanasă, “Apostolul naţiunii”: Mazzini şi naşterea României moderne

Author(s): Gheorghe Negustor / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2024

Book review. The book of Remus Tanasă, the young historian from Iași, is based on his doctoral thesis The Influence of Mazzinian Ideas in the Romanian Space. It appears in this form at the prestigious Humanitas publishing house seven years after the public defence of the doctoral thesis. Reduced in size, due to the specifics and conditions imposed by the publishing house, the work is appealing to the general public due to the pleasant style and accessible language even to non-specialists. Specialists and professional historians probably would have been satisfied with a more scientific, rigorous version of the research on this subject that still arouses a special interest. Bringing back to the forefront a remarkable personality – Giuseppe Mazzini – through his actions and positions in the 19th century towards the problem of small nations, his connections and attitude towards the "Romanian cause", represents a commendable action, first and foremost for the author.

Incredulity toward Heroism: Ackroyd as a Gallant Storyteller against the Heroic Tradition

Author(s): Nazan Yıldız / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

Heroism as an unremitting subject conquers and even haunts literature as well as history. Historical and fictitious heroes are guiding spirits of human beings regardless of time and geography. Historians and writers have so sternly adhered to the ideals of heroism that this fascination has been transformed into hero worship dating back to antiquity, bringing heroism to the forefront as a metanarrative in history and literature. Particularly contributing to the undying predicament of literature caught between the ideal and the real, causes of heroism have been largely left unquestioned putting heroes in the shoes of a messiah. Peter Ackroyd (1949-), renowned for his historiographic metafictions fashioned within postmodernism, dares to challenge this unimpeached -ism in The Fall of Troy (2006). In the novel, Ackroyd rewrites the history of Troy and introduces an eccentric half-real hero, Heinrich Obermann, against celebrated heroes of history and literature. Accordingly, this paper reads heroism as a metanarrative and delineates how Ackroyd sketches an atypical hero by acting contrary to traditional heroism and heroic literary tradition in his vibrant postmodern parody, The Fall of Troy.

Muslime und Juden in Südosteuropa: Eine Verflechtungsgeschichte der Exklusion

Author(s): Christian Voss / Language(s): German Issue: 6/2024

The article examines the entangled history of Jews and Muslims in Southeast Europe, particularly in the context of religious intolerance and the exclusion processes that both groups experienced over the last two centuries. While Jews and Muslims were part of the urban elite during the Ottoman period, the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire led to their drastic marginalization. The Holocaust and ethnic cleansing in the 20th century resulted in a significant decline of both communities, when the vast majority of Balkan Jews had been killed. The author argues that despite shared experiences of exclusion, there were no conflicts over victim competition between Jews and Muslims, as the culminations of exclusion did not occur simultaneously. The study also highlights the role of solidarity and interreligious dialogue, as exemplified by the activities and narratives of the Sephardic NGO “La Benevolencija” in Sarajevo. Through a critical analysis of Balkan discourses, Voß refutes stereotypical notions and demonstrates that the region has exhibited remarkable religious coexistence over centuries, which has been threatened only by processes of nation-building and modernization.

Native American History as Counter-Discourse in James Welch’s Narratives: The Examples of “Fools Crow” and “Killing Custer”

Author(s): Issa Omotosho Garuba / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

A peculiar dimension in the Native American writing is the documentation of the history of the Native Americans’ traditional lives before, during and after their encounter with the white settlers. It is a development that is essentially explicable within the purview of postcolonial discourse, given that, in some contexts, historical distortions from the perspective of the ‘other’ have been asserted as the rationale for such creative explorations on the part of the Native writers. In the context of this study, such a dimension, with particular reference to James Welch’s novels, is considered as, indeed, counter-discursive. Two of his novels, Fools Crow and Killing Custer, are selected with a view to assessing how the historical documentations in the texts translate to counter-discourses in the context of the Native Americans’ historical evolution. The study reveals that, while the Native American histories in the texts dovetail into each other, they are largely inspired by the Native Americans’ colonial experience vis-à-vis the need to represent their history from the perspective of ‘us’ as opposed to ‘other’. It concludes that the narratives have, in a significant way, performed the allegorical configuration function, as a counter-discourse strategy described by Slemon (1987). This holds in that they have conceivably assumed ‘readings’ and ‘contestations’ of the previously textualised colonial experience of the Native Americans from the perspective of the ‘other’.

Un ierarh muntean din secolul al XVIII-lea, Filaret al II-lea. Despre familia şi dispoziţiile sale testamentare

Author(s): Gheorghe Lazăr / Language(s): Romanian Issue: XLII/2024

In a study published more than a century ago, N. Iorga claimed that, in early modern Moldavia, one could speak of a real “aristocracy in cassocks” given the presence in the church hierarchy of numerous high clerics from great boyar families. Surprisingly this did not seem to be the case in Wallachia. The research of the late Violeta Barbu on the monastic vocation of the Wallachian elite in the 17th century confirmed Iorga’s intuition. However, the situation changed in the 18th century. In the Wallachian church, in addition to hierarchs from rather modest social backgrounds, high clerics from aristocratic families, both high and low, from boyar families and from other socio economic categories undergoing a process of social advancement, such as the merchant class, started to appear.A rare example of a Wallachian hierarch of merchant origin is Bishop Filaret of Râmnic (1780 1792), honorary titular of Myra (“al Mirelor”) and for a short period of time Metropolitan of Wallachia (1792 1793, the second to bear this name). This article reconstructs the beginnings of the family from which this Metropolitan descended, the presence of its earliest members north of the Danube, and Filaret’s main testamentary dispositions. The main corpus of sources consists of a series of contemporary documents largely unknown in the literature, as well as the testament of this Metropolitan, edited now for the first time. It should also be emphasised that Filaret, along with Bishop Chesarie Halepliul, was one of the few Wallachian hierarchs to come from a family with clear merchant origins. Moreover, it can be said without reservation that the “similarities” in the cursus honorum of the two hierarchs are not limited to their shared social background or to their rise to the episcopal see of Râmnic. These “coincidences” were not the only ones, as the present study argues. Their “parallel lives” can also provide valuable insights for future research into the strategies of ascension, the various forms of solidarity and familiarity, as well as into the intellectual and moral qualities of 18th century Wallachian high clerics.

Positions and Interests in the 1856 Treaty of Paris Negotiations

Author(s): Ștefan Gheorghe,Țuțu Pișleag / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

For almost a century, until the middle of the 19th century, the Romanian Principalities are periodically subjected to "several categories of social misfortunes: wars; military invasions; robbery operations; scales; extreme natural events (drought, floods, earthquakes, locust invasions), epidemics as well as fires, quite numerous in the urban environment". Both in Wallachia and in Moldova, an "antagonism between the great and the small nobility, of identical origin, but with unequal privileges, existed since the 17th century...".