We continue the presentation of the series dedicated to the newspaper "Curierul Slănicului-Moldova" (from the collections of the "Mihai Eminescu" Central University Library in Iași and the "Lucian Blaga" Central University Library in Cluj-Napoca), the first in Romania to reflect the life of a spa resort and promote it brilliantly. In fact, a journal of the Slănic-Moldova resort, covering a historical period less known to the general public, that of the "La Belle Époque" period; a model over time of promoting the spa tourism of the "Pearl of Moldova", as the resort was first called, by this newspaper itself.
The series can also be watched on the website of the County Public Service for Tourism Promotion and Coordination of Mountain Rescue Activities in Bacău (SPJPTCAS), www.turism-bacau.ro.
Mention: Since the last six issues that close the 1916 season do not have much news, and some of the articles were also published in previous episodes (you will see why), in order not to become repetitive, I will present them in three episodes, that is, in episode no. 71 (published), no. 72 (the current one) and no. 73 (the last one of the 1916 season).
Cause: The current situation was very likely generated by the fact that editor M. Miereanu was constantly back and forth between Slănic-Moldova and Iași, increasingly thinking about the threats of war, which was getting closer and closer to Romania, so that in just two months the first offensive of the Romanian Army would take place in the 1916 Campaign of World War I.
We must be realistic and understand that the rumors of the impending war, which turned out to be true, no longer gave anyone the same certainty as before, the same overflowing enthusiasm in saying and doing. Their place was taken by worry and fear, and dark clouds began to appear on the horizon…
Hence the reduced and fully justified concern towards the Slănic publication, which, however, continues to appear, for the sake of Slănic and its readers...
In this episode, "Curierul Slănicului-Moldova", No. 5, Year XIII, Tuesday, July 19, 1916
Despite the criticisms that appeared in several newspapers of the time, regarding the fact that the pages of this newspaper too often praise the tenant of Slănic-Moldova, Alexandru Iliescu-Olt, vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, senator and head of the Olt National Liberal Party, industrialist, banker, landowner, the editor M. Miereanu also publishes in this issue, a text, albeit brief, about the contribution of Iliescu-Olt and his administration to the development of the resort.
I believe that the accusations are unfounded, since his merit is undeniable, even if he did not build any new hotels or make any other major investments. However, the expenses incurred from his own pocket for the maintenance, equipment and arrangement of the resort, as well as the salaries of the administrative and medical staff, were not insignificant at all…
I will not repeat the article "Mr. Alexandru Iliescu-Olt and the Slănic Administration", published in other issues of the newspaper and presented in the episodes of this series, but I will highlight another article, entitled "Queen Maria at Slatina" which focuses on the same Iliescu-Olt, this time, in his capacity as a philanthropist, one of the greatest and most appreciated, not only from that time, but from the entire history of Romania. With the subtitle "Mr. Al. Iliescu-Olt, Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, donates, into the hands of M. S., the amount of 10.000 lei, a donation made for the benefit of the `Friends of the Blind` Society, patronized by M. S.”, the article talks about his philanthropic acts, in particular, the last of these, the one that took place in Slatina, at the beginning of July 1916: “Our Sovereign, Queen Maria, was in Slatina on Monday, July 5, to distribute aid from the royal gift. On this occasion, the well-known philanthropist Al. Iliescu-Olt contributed to alleviating the suffering of the poor, with the sum of 10.000 lei, which he gave to the Sovereign. Pleasantly impressed by Mr. Al's admirable gesture. Iliescu, the Sovereign warmly congratulated him and, turning to the Marshal of the Royal Palace (position held by Henri Catargi between 1915-1920, jurist, director of the National Bank of Romania and plenipotentiary minister of Romania in Brussels between 1920-1929, b. a.), said to him: `Voilà une action de soulagement, vraiment prodigieuse!` – `Here is an action of relief (of thanksgiving, of comfort for the needy, n. a.), truly prodigious!` Mr. Iliescu's deed is, of course, a very noble one, which perfectly explains the surprise of the Sovereign, who toured the entire country, stood next to the richest people of Oltenia, Wallachia and Moldavia and, although he gave them an example of the most beautiful philanthropy, did not meet a single person who could prove the generosity of Iliescu-Olt. The Sovereign was right to be somewhat surprised, but also delighted by Al's gesture. Iliescu, because, in all of Wallachia, he is the only one who, from his own wealth, has so far sacrificed a quarter of a million lei for various charitable purposes and municipal improvements. (…) His deeds, especially the last gesture, which produced the admiration of the Sovereign, are meant to remain indelible in the souls of the needy, of those unfortunates, for whom, Al. Iliescu knew how to be a gentle and generous father. Boyars in the rest of the country could take note and learn from such philanthropic acts. The Sovereign communicated to Mr. Al. Iliescu-Olt that he will immediately convey the gift to those from the `Friends of the Blind` Association. And the laudatory words of M. Miereanu are not many nor too exaggerated, if we take into account the enormous donations that the landowner made throughout his life. As I pointed out in episode no. 60, entitled "Slănic Moldova, 1913: The resort is leased to a great landowner, industrialist, philanthropist and politician", for those who want to find out all the good things done and donated by Alexandru Iliescu-Olt, they can do so by reading the article "How a former vice president of the Chamber of Deputies divided his fabulous fortune." The unparalleled gesture towards the soldiers of World War I", material published by Alina Mitran, on 26. 11. 2018, on the website "adevarul.ro", at https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/slatina/cum-si-a-impartit-un-fost-vicepresedinte-al-1906900.html. And, in support of the arguments presented above, until you manage to read the article in "Adevărul", I have listed for you some of Iliescu-Olt's philanthropies from the aforementioned article: "Died in 1917 in Iaşi (I showed in episode 60 that I could not find the above-named's date of birth anywhere), the landowner's body was brought, according to his testamentary wishes, and reburied in Slatina, on September 30, 1924. The will left by the great philanthropist, whose name is nowhere to be found in Slatina, as a sign of respect – the only street that bore his name today being called `Tudor Vladimirescu` – spans 24 pages. He left most of his wealth to the community, although he did not forget his relatives, friends, or devoted servants. The landowner had 10 estates in Olt, Argeş, Vâlcea and Iaşi, totaling thousands of hectares of land, land and real estate in Slatina, Olt County, and in Govora, Vâlcea County, as well as shares in almost 20 banking companies, as well as mortgage receivables and cash in accounts.
Since, as he said, "through continuous work, economy and perfect honesty, with the help of God, (...) I have managed to amass quite a fortune", the provisions of his will, whose universal legatee over the entire estate was empowered Constantin IC Brătianu, "Director of the Rural Land Credit, with all the rights granted to him by law", included, in summary, without detailing the amounts and their recipients, the following: "Help for poor and toiling children and relief for villagers, without grazing tax, forever; Over 500 hectares distributed to soldiers and war widows; Sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, `in one of the counties: Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Olt or Argeş`; The houses in Slatina will return to `my relative, Armand Călinescu, a young man I love, with the obligation that after completing his studies he will move and live in these houses.' The important politician of later times, Armand Călinescu, sold the house, which was bought by the doctor Gheorghe Kitzulescu, another philanthropist of the city, to whose name the history of the County Emergency Hospital in Slatina is linked. The philanthropist also wanted that upon his death, the debts of all the peasants on his estates be permanently erased, because `among the peasants on my estates I have always lived in the fullest understanding and I have always supported their needs.' The philanthropist also wanted that at his funeral, `according to a table made by the city hall (here with the meaning of a table, no), 10.000 lei,' an immense sum at that time, be distributed to the poor of Slatina. Aware that he might meet his end far from the Slatina he loved, the politician decided that the legatee would be obliged that `after this terrible war is over`, the remains be brought, `according to all the religious customs of the city of Slatina, and the burial would be done in my tomb in the cemetery of the city of Slatina, where I want to be for eternity`. If the death were to occur in Iași, as, by the way, it happened, of the 10.000 lei that he had decided to give to the poor, 5.000 were destined `also to the poor of this capital of my country, leaving only 5.000 to be given for the burial in Slatina`". And let someone say something else...
Glancing at the "List of visitors to the resort who arrived between July 2 and 11, 1916", I came across the names of other great personalities:
– Doctor Grigoriu M. Cristea, accommodated at the "Pandrea" Villa, where he also had his consulting room, according to the announcement on the third page of the newspaper: "Dr. Grigoriu M. Cristea, former internist of the Vienna Clinics, assistant at the First Surgical Clinic at the "Colțea" Hospital, University Professor, Surgeon and Mother (gynecologist, nn). Consultations: 2.00 – 4.00 pm, at the "Pandrea" Villa. For Bucharest, phone 22/42, Cantacuzino Street, No. 90".
Prof. Dr. Docent Grigoriu M. Cristea (b. 1 Aug. 1883, Târgu-Ocna, Bacău County – d. 2 Jan. 1951?) was the first professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the Faculty of Medicine in Cluj. Organizer of the scientific activity and of the School of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Cluj, he attended primary school and high school in Onești, then the Faculty of Medicine in Vienna. After graduating (1907), he worked there until 1910, under the guidance of professors Schanta and Eiselberg, specialists in obstetrics and gynecology, with the teaching rank of assistant. Returning to the country, he worked between 1910 and 1913 as a substitute assistant at the Institute of Operative Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest, under the direction of professor Demostene, then as a full assistant at the First Surgical Clinic, under the direction of professor Toma Ionescu. He was awarded the title of docent by the Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest in 1913 for his work "Hand Sterilization Procedures". In October 1919 he was appointed full professor at the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Faculty of Medicine in Cluj. Within the clinic, he carried out extensive organizational activity, separating the obstetrics department from the gynecology department, which he divided into "Operative and Conservative Gynecology" and established the Septic Section, the Ambulance Service with an inpatient unit. Within the Obstetrics Department, he established the Newborn Section, the Physiotherapy Service, the Clinic Laboratory, the Biobase with Experimental Animals and the Library. The doctor also founded a School of Midwives, a School for the Care of Young Children and a Center for the Placement of Nurses. He was general director of the clinics and director of the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics in Cluj. He served as dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1931-1932) and vice-dean between 1932-1935. In 1920, he founded the Obstetrics and Gynecology Meeting, which in 1923 became the Society of Endocrinology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, with the journal "Endocrinology and Obstetrics". In 1946, he was transferred to Bucharest, to Clinic II at "Colțea" Hospital, where he worked until 1950, then to Clinic III at "Giulesti" Hospital.
He was the author of several improvements to the technique of extended hysterectomy and vaginal plasty after Shubert-Kraske (the "Schubert-Grigoriu" method), initiated the treatment of uterine prolapse by interposing the uterus in the rectus sheath (the "Cristea Grigoriu" method). As a surgical technician, he invented surgical procedures that bear his name. He was awarded the Labor Reward medal, class I. Published works (selectively): "Assistance to labor and the newborn (The Midwives' Book)"; "Obstetrical Therapeutics; Elements of Gynecology"; "Anatomy Course". (Source: summary text, adapted and corrected from the article "Memory and local knowledge: Grigoriu, Cristea, Cluj County Library Site, "bjc.ro", at https://www.bjc.ro/wiki/index.php/Grigoriu%2C_Cristea);
– Radu D. Rosetti, staying at the Hotel "Cerbu" (1874–1964), poet, playwright, epigrammatist, memoirist, translator and publicist, son of Eftalia (Natalia) (née Gheorghiu) and the publicist and playwright, Dimitrie R. Rosetti. The marriage of the two soon broke up, the child being entrusted to his maternal grandmother. In order to enroll in the University, he obtained a baccalaureate diploma in Brussels, where he also studied philosophy. He entered the Faculty of Law in Bucharest in 1897 and received his degree in 1900, with the thesis "Press Offenses in Our Legislation". He had also graduated, as a laureate, from the Bucharest Conservatory (1895). He worked for 6 years in the magistracy, as a porter at the Ilfov Tribunal (here with the meaning of an official in charge of executing a judge's sentence, cf. Dex, na), substitute in Brăila, substitute in Constanța, prosecutor and syndic judge in Ploiești. From 1900 he was, for a period of 10 years, a member of the Disciplinary Council and vice-dean of the Ilfov Bar, and between 933-1934, dean. He participated in the First World War, advancing to the rank of captain, in a mounted artillery regiment, and was also an editor at the newspaper "România" in Iași of the Great Headquarters. He made his debut in the magazine "Duminica" (1890), with verses written on the death of his grandmother. His first book, "Poesii" (1890), is prefaced by Constantin Miile, who had hired him as a proofreader at "Adevărul". Shortly after, he published a collection of verses and prose, "Autumn Leaves" (1892). He published poems, prose and translations in "Vieaţa" (1894), supported by Al. Vlahuţă; through him he met IL Caragiale, Barbu Delavrancea, Nicolae Grigorescu. At the beginning of his literary career, Rosetti's propensity for gallant poetry and the anecdotal genre of the epigram is evident, competing with Cincinat Pavelescu: "Epigrams" (1894), "Din inimă" (1895), "Prăză și epigrams" (1896), "Sincere" (1897), "Duioase" (1897). As a playwright, he had written the three-act drama "O lecţie" (1899), which entered the repertoire of the Bucharest National Theater (season 1898-1899), the comedy "Păcate" (1901) and, quite unexpectedly, the religious play in verse "Isus", a fragment of which appears in "Noua revistă română" (1910). However, the most enduring part of D. Rosetti's work, which, moreover, ensured his popularity from the very beginning, was his travel prose: "Venice" (1893), "From the Wide World" (1903), "Beyond the Borders" (1908), "From Egypt" (1909), "At the End of the Earth" (1910), "Hai-hui" (1924), "Tourist Snapshots" (1939), all subtitled "Travel Notes". He collaborated on several publications, to which he also signed Ivan, Vladimir, Wladimir, Laura, Max-Junior. A founding member of the Romanian Writers' Society, he held various positions, from censor to member of the management committee. D. Rosetti also translated verses from numerous foreign authors and transposed fragments from the prose of Guy de Maupassant, from the novels "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe and "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift.
(Source: summary text, adapted and corrected from the website "Jurnalul de Drajna", at https://jurnaluldedrajna.ro/radu-d-rosetti-poet-prozator-traducator-si-dramaturg/);
– Dr. Ion C. Moscu, staying at the Hotel "Racoviță" (1875-1937), one of the leading personalities of the era was the first Romanian doctor specialized in Paris, the doctor of the Patriarch of Romania and the Royal House. He built a sumptuous villa in Bucharest, on land purchased from the Catargi family, on CA Rosetti Street no. 19 in Bucharest. Built in 1920, the building has 20 rooms and 15 bathrooms. The architectural plans of the villa were made by the architect Gh. Simotta, who sketched a superb building, in neo-Romanian style, with Art Deco, Balkan or Byzantine decorative art influences. Doctor Moscu's building was transformed into the "Scala Boutique Hotel", opened in 2010, following an extensive rehabilitation, modernization and restoration process, which lasted approximately three years.
Doctor Moscu published numerous specialized scientific works, including: "Contributions to the surgical treatment of uterine retrodeviations (suspension through the round ligaments). Thesis for a doctorate in medicine and surgery. Presented and defended on June 12, 1903 by IC Moscu, Intern of the Brancovenesc Hospital, Inst. of Graphic Arts "Eminescu"), 1903, Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest"; "Diuretic treatment with Căciulata in some diseases of the urinary tract, by Doctor Ion Moscu, physician of the genitourinary consultations of the Brancovenesc Hospital", Bucharest, Type. Moderna "Culture"), 1911); "A rational treatment of acute gonococcal urethritis. By Doctor Ion Moscu, physician of the genito-urinary consultations of the Brancovenesc Hospital. Presented at the Paris Urology Association 1910 and at the Genito-Urinary Studies Circle of Bucharest", Moderna "Culture", Collective Society, 1911; "A rational treatment of acute gonococcal urethritis. By Doctor Ion Moscu, physician of the genito-urinary consultations of the Brancovenesc Hospital. Presented at the Paris Urology Association 1910 and at the Genito-Urinary Studies Circle of Bucharest", Moderna "Culture", Collective Society, 1911". (Source: "Scala Boutique Hotel" website at https://scalaboutiquehotel.ro/ro/about-us/history/; National Retrospective Bibliography website of the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics ICI Bucharest and the Romanian Academy, at https://old.biblacad.ro/bnr/brmautori.php?aut=m&page=1820&&limit=20)
– Dr. Victor Anastasiu, staying at the Hotel "Puff" (1886-1972), the first military pilot doctor in the world, pioneer of Romanian psychophysiology, member of several international aeronautical societies in Paris and Geneva, technical expert within the League of Nations, in 1929. Currently, the National Institute of Aeronautical and Space Medicine in Bucharest, bears the name "General doctor aviator Victor Anastasiu". He founded the Aeronautical Medicine Center in 1920, among the first such centers in the world. The studies carried out here allowed Anastasiu to contribute significantly to the development of aeronautical medicine. He experimented with the behavior of aviators both on the ground and during flights. Studying the behavior of pilots during flights was a world premiere, an aspect recognized at the International Congress of Air Navigation in Paris, in 1921, by Ch. Richet. Among the published works are: "The Flying Man. Medical-aeronautical research” (1921); “Blood pressure in aviators – Communication given at the International Aeronautical Congress held in Brussels” (1925); “Contributions to the study of blood pressure in aviators – Communication given at the International Aeronautical Congress held in Rome” (1927).
(Source: The website "enciclopediaromaniei.ro", at https://enciclopediaromaniei.ro/wiki/Victor_Anastasiu);
– Prof. Constantin Climescu, lodged at the Epitropy Villa "St. Spiridon" (1844-1926), born in Bacău, who at the time of the newspaper's publication, was the epitrope of the "St. Spiridon" Hospital House in Iași, "one of the most energetic, skilled and beloved epitropes that the `St. Spiridon' House has ever had, as the Slănicean newspaper shows. Studies: Mihăileană Academy in Iași; Faculty of Sciences of the University of Iași; École Normale Supérieure in Paris (studying physics and mathematics); Sorbonne (degree in special mathematics, in 1870). Upon his return to the country, on September 22, 1871, he was appointed professor at the Department of Analytical Geometry and Spherical Trigonometry of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Iași. He would work in this position until his retirement on April 1, 1909. He held several administrative positions within the University: dean of the Faculty of Sciences, rector for several terms (1901-1907). In parallel, between 1884-1898, he was a professor at the Higher Normal School in Iași. In his 38 years of teaching activity, he gave the Moldavian region hundreds of mathematics teachers, who taught using textbooks developed by their master. In 1883, he founded, together with the mathematician Nicolae Culianu, the scientific popularization and mathematical culture magazine "Recreatii știenție", in which he published numerous articles. The magazine appeared monthly until December 1888. He was also a member of the editorial board of the "Mathematical Newspaper", in which he published articles on the history of mathematics. Following an archival research, he discovered a Greek arithmetic manuscript in Iași, dating from the beginning of the 1921th century. In 31 he published the work "An Old Manuscript of Mathematics". On March 1892, XNUMX, he was elected a corresponding member of the Romanian Academy, being the first personality from Bacău with an academic title, as well as the last elected member of the high scientific forum during the XNUMXth century.
He was also involved in political life, being elected deputy in 1876 and senator in 1884, 1888, 1895 and 1901. Many of his proposals voted in the senate remained in force until World War II. He also served as mayor of Iași in 1921.
Published works, selected: "Algebra, for the use of students aspiring to the Baccalaureate and of students from Gymnasiums and High Schools, edited by Constantin Climescu, former student of the Superior Normal School in Paris"; "Licensed in Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Professor at the University of Iasi", Typ. Romanian Workers' Association, 1872; "Course of Reasoned Arithmetic, for the use of students from secondary schools, by Constantin Climescu, Former student of the Superior Normal School in Paris, Licensed in Mathematical and Physical Sciences from the Faculty of Sciences in Paris, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences in Iasi", Bucharest (Stab. Grafic IV Socecu), 1890; "Raised Arithmetic, by Constantin Climescu. Corresponding Member of the Romanian Academy", 1896nd corrected Ed. Iasi, Publishing and typ. "H. Goldner" 1898; "Course of mathematical sciences for secondary schools"; "Course of analytical geometry taught at the Faculty of Sciences in Iaşi by Constantin Climescu, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences in Iaşi. Corresponding Member of the Romanian Academy, Part I. Conic sections", Iaşi (Tip. "H. Goldner"), 1890; "Elementary geometry for the use of secondary school students and candidates for the baccalaureate exam by Constantin Climescu", Bucharest (Stab. graphic IV Socecu), 1895; Idem, for secondary school students, Ed. II. Iaşi, Edit. Tipo-Litografiei "H. Goldner", XNUMX.
(Source: Adapted and updated text, website of the "Costache Sturdza" County Library in Bacău, at https://www.bjbacau.ro/2020/11/30/constantin-climescu/)
Photo 1: Radu D Rosetti: The website "galeriaportretelor.ro", at https://galeriaportretelor.ro/item/radu-d-rosetti/. Image date: 1933, Photographer / Artist:
Workshop / Publishing House: -, Photo source: Photo Library of the National Museum of History of Romania (MNIR), Owner: MNIR
Photo 2: Radu D. Rosetti, the poem "Only One": The "World of Famous Poems" website, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/LumeaPoeziilorCelebre/posts/3069303859917605/
Photo 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: "Scala Boutique Hotel" website at https://scalaboutiquehotel.ro/ro/
Photo 8: Victor Anastasiu, the website of the Romanian Air Force magazine "Cer Senin", at https://www.facebook.com/roafcersenin/photos/victor-anastasiu-un-medic-genial-devotat-meseriei-de-pilotmartie-1916-a-fost-bre/490637887798172/?_rdr
Photo 9: Constantin Climescu: Wikipedia.ro website, at https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_Climescu#/media/Fi%C8%99ier:Constantin_Climescu1.jpg, taken from the volume Gh. Platon, V. Cristian (ed. coord.), "History of the University of Iași", Ed. "Junimea", Iași, 1985, annexes.
Photo 10: Slănic-Moldova, old images, from the collection of engineer Mihai Ceucă, Bacău
Project initiated and carried out by the County Public Service for Tourism Promotion and Coordination of Mountain Rescue Activity Bacău (SPJPTCAS), with the support of the "Mihai Eminescu" Central University Library in Iași (BCU Iași), the "Lucian Blaga" Central University Library in Cluj (BCU Cluj) and the newspaper "Dețeptarea".
Source: BCU Iasi, BCU Cluj
Photo Old images Slănic-Moldova: Collection of Eng. Mihai Ceucă, Bacău. Thanks to his reign, a large part of the vintage photographs published in the issues of this publication are also found in the episodes presented, to which are added others..
CLAIMS: The copyright for the publication of these texts is held by SPJPTCAS Bacău, through Romulus-Dan Busnea, with the consent of BCU Iași and BCU Cluj. In accordance with the "Law on Copyright and Related Rights", no material contained in this series may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written consent; The adaptation, annotations and additions to all issues in the collection of this unique and original newspaper are intended to complete and clarify many information and aspects of the daily life of the resort, as well as of the personalities of the time, which were not fully presented in the pages of the newspaper, precisely because they were known to the world at that time, in particular by those from the Moldova area, where most of the resort's visitors came from.
(Will follow)