RCI USADec 21, 20201 minTHE HISTORY OF ROMANIA IN ONE OBJECT | Fall Season 2020After 12 evocative landmarks, covering thousands of years of history from Prehistoric times to yesterday’s achievements, the fall season of our online series "The History of Romania in One Object", developed in partnership with Moldavia's History Museum in Iași and The National Museum of Transylvanian History in Cluj-Napoca, comes to a temporary conclusion. The exploration of Romanian history through some of its most powerfully symbolical objects resumes in January 2021 with
RCI USADec 14, 20204 minColonel Cerchez's Campaign Trunk / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Colonel Cerchez's campaign trunk The Romanian principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia), located at the mouth of the Danube, united in 1859 forming a new state called "Romania" under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. After the unification the next goal of the young state was to gain its independence, which was accomplished at the end of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878. One of the heroes of this momentous event was Colonel Cerchez who defeated the feared and famo
RCI USADec 7, 20204 minThe Orders and Decorations of Alexandru Ioan Cuza / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza wearing his foreign decorations, official portrait by Carol Popp de Szathmari In the 18th century, the Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, located at the mouth of the Danube River, laid under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. After the Kuciuk-Kainargi Peace Treaty of 1774, Russia added its own protectorate on the two countries, which from then on would find themselves under a double patronage. Consequently, given this sit
RCI USANov 30, 20207 minThe Great Medal of the 1922 Coronation / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: The Great Medal of the Coronation of Ferdinand I and Marie of Romania, 1922 The greatest event in our history is, without a doubt, the unification of all the Romanian historical provinces, concluded in Alba Iulia on December the 1st, 1918. Made possible by the victory of the Entente (the alliance between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic and Great Britain), which Romania (comprised at that time only of Wallachia and Moldavia) joined in 1916 after two year
RCI USANov 23, 20206 minSplendor and Power in the Age of Migrations / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Gold ornaments discovered in a female aristocratic tomb, Florești 5th century A.D. The Romans abandoned the Province of Dacia towards the end of the 3rd century A.D and during the following seven centuries Transylvania became part of various political formations ruled by peoples of different origins, primarily Germanic but also of other Eastern provenances. Photo 2: Map of the migration of Huns and the displacement of populations The appearance of the Huns by the Vol
RCI USANov 16, 20204 minThe Zoomorphic Figurine in Luncani / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: The Wild Boar in Luncani (Late Iron Age) This amazing figurine represents a wild boar cast in solid bronze (produced in the á cire perdue technique). The silhouette of the animal is supple, and some of the anatomical elements are very carefully transposed (snout, teeth, ears, hooves). The orbits are deep, probably the eyes having been originally rendered from colored glass paste. Decorated with circles and triangles, the mane (crest) of the wild boar is oversized com
RCI USANov 9, 20204 minA Roman Amphora in "Barbaricum" / The History of Romania in One Object Photo 1: The Roman Amphora discovered on the Prut River, before and after restauration Many important archaeological discoveries are made serendipitously. This is precisely what happened on the hot and dry summer of 2015 when draught lowered the level of the Prut River (Eastern Romania, on the border with the Republic of Moldova). On a seemingly ordinary day it was luck and the astuteness of a Border Police that led to the discovery of a Roman amphora on the bottom of a meand
RCI USAOct 26, 20204 minDr. Ioan Rațiu's Desk Set / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Dr. Ioan Rațiu's Desk Set The 19th century is known as “the century of nations” because it was then that nationalism became the dominant ideology. This shift culminated in the liberal revolutions of 1848 which swept Europe in an effort to establish and secure freedom, national identity, and independent political life within the framework of the nation-state. Photo 2: The 1948 European wave of revolution (Italy) Photo 3: Map of Transylvania. Author Gerard Mercator, A
RCI USAOct 19, 20203 minThe Cup of Prince Bocskai / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Prince Stephen Bocskai’s Cup, detail, The National Museum of Transylvanian History (MNIT) On August 29, 1526, at the Battle of Mohács, the forces of the Ottoman Empire, led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, annihilated the Hungarian army. This major defeat was followed in 1541 by the fall of the city of Buda, which led to the division of Hungary into three parts. The Western part was placed under the rule of the Habsburg Empire, the Eastern part became an Ottoman p
RCI USAOct 12, 20207 minEmperor Caracalla's Statue in Porolissum / History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Fragment of a statue of Emperor Caracalla discovered during the archaeological works in the large fort of Porolissum (Moigrad, Sălaj County) Photo 2: Representations of Dacians on Trajan's Column The conquest of the Dacian Kingdom (today’s territory of Romania) by the armies of the Roman Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD) at the beginning of the second century AD meant the creation, after more than half a century, of a new and particular Roman province on the Lower Danube. T
RCI USAOct 5, 20205 minMihail Kogălniceanu's Masonic Insignias / History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: Mihai Kogălniceanu's Masonic apron During most of the 19th century – also known as "the century of nations" - the Romanian Principalities Moldavia and Walachia, located at the mouth of the Danube river, endeavored to shake off the tutelage of the Ottoman Empire, their suzerain power, and get in step with the modern European civilization by adopting social, institutional and cultural models, as well as values, of Western Europe. Photo 2: Mihail Kogălniceanu, portrai
RCI USASep 28, 20204 minThe Sword of Prince Ipsilanti / The History of Romania in One ObjectPhoto 1: The Sword of Prince Ipsilanti Where the Danube meets the Black Sea, there existed for centuries two countries named Moldavia and Wallachia or, collectively, the Romanian Principalities. In 1859 they united, and a new state was born, "Romania". Moldavia and Wallachia were located on the border of three empires: The Ottoman Empire, The Austrian Empire and The Russian Empire. This special position on the Eastern European map was a place where many political interests in
RCI USASep 14, 20204 minThe History of Romania in One Object / Cucuteni Painted Vessel Today’s story takes us back to the prehistoric times, more precisely to the Copper Age when on what is today Romania (southeastern Transylvania and Moldavia), the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine (up to the Dnieper River), evolved the Cucuteni-Trypillia civilization, one of the most brilliant civilizations of prehistoric Europe. The name comes from the discoveries made in 1884 and 1893 in the localities of Cucuteni (near Iași, Romania) and Trypillia (near Kiev, Ukraine). In on
RCI USAJul 28, 20201 minThe History of Romania in the First 12 ObjectsThe 12-episode first season of THE HISTORY OF ROMANIA IN ONE OBJECT, our online series that evokes decisive epochs in the Romanian past starting from objects with powerful symbolic and representative value, developed in partnership with The National History Museum of Romania, has come to a temporary conclusion. As we are now working to extend this highly successful program in partnership with other important museums in different regions of the country, we invite you to revisi
RCI USAJul 20, 20203 minThe History of Romania in One Object / Romania a Member of the EU Stamp IssueThe first season of the History of Romania in One Object concludes with the epoch-making event of our integration into the European Union, the most consequential, transformative political arrangement Romania has ever been part of. The symbolical object that illustrates this crucial historical turn, which has impacted all facets of Romanian life, is the Romania and Bulgaria Together in the EU stamp issue, which is part of the National History Museum of Romania collection. Almo
RCI USAJul 13, 20203 minThe History of Romania in One Object: The Flag of the 1989 RevolutionPhoto 1: Image from the Revolution in Bucharest This object, the tricolor flag with a hole in the middle, which was flown by the revolutionaries of 1989, is an object loaded with memories and emotions. Photo 2: Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu in 1989 1989 began as the year of complete desperation and ended as a time of great expectations. It was the year when Ceaușescu’s cult of personality, the glorification “of the Comrade and his wife”, had reached epic levels, when the two da
RCI USAJul 6, 20205 minThe History of Romania in One Object: Valentin Hurduc's Clandestine Printing MachinePhoto 1: Nicolae Ceauşescu receives a scepter to mark his election by the Romanian Communist Party as President of Romania (1974). The scepter is handed out by the Chairman of the Great National Assembly, Ştefan Voitec. From the Romanian Communism Online Photo Collection Nicolae Ceaușescu became General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party having succeeded Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, its first leader after the establishment of the communist dictatorship in 1947. The first y
RCI USAJun 29, 20204 minThe History of Romania in One Object: Ceaușescu's Personality Cult in PaintingsPhoto 1: "Nicolae Ceaușescu and Scenes from the History of the People". Offered to Ceaușescu by Natalia and Nicolae Gadonschi-Ţepeş on the occasion of his 54th birthday (January 1972) Photo 2: Nicolae Ceaușescu takes the oath as President of the Socialist Republic of Romania (1974) Nicolae Ceauşescu (1918-1989), for decades the absolute leader of communist Romania, enjoyed a cult of personality of an unparalleled dimension, at least in Europe. The mass adulation surrounding
RCI USAJun 22, 20204 minThe History of Romania in One Object / The Lunar Gifts of President Nixon The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and our nearest celestial body. Known from prehistoric times, it is the second brightest object in the sky after he Sun. The beauty of the Moon became a source of fascination, inspired curiosity and gave birth to a plethora of cultural traditions. The first Moon landing (July 20, 1969) made a great impression on Romanians. The public television acknowledged the importance of this historical moment and broadcast live the Apollo 11 mis
RCI USAJun 15, 20203 minThe History of Romania in One Object / Petru Groza's Desk PhonePetru Groza's desk telephone is an artifact closely linked to a moment with dramatic consequences in the history of Romania after the Second World War: the establishment of the communist regime. The phone was used by the first communist leader of Romania, Petru Groza, between 1952 and 1958 when he was President of the Grand National Assembly which, according to the Constitution, was "the supreme body of state power of the Romanian People's Republic." This phone was the "witne
14 hours ago 2 min Cosmin Perța / Life Anew. Writers Imagine the World after the Pandemic II In June 2020 we launched our first online literary program with a series of bilingual readings performed by some of the most important...
May 1 2 min Easter Screening: A Living Lesson in Faith In memory of Cardinal Iuliu Hossu (1885-1970) In anticipation of Easter Sunday, we pay homage to the memory of one of the most revered...
Apr 29 3 min "Fragments of City" on the RCI Digital Stage A dance performance by Cosmin Manolescu for International Dance Day 2021 Still kept away from the performance spaces by the pandemic, we...
Apr 28 13 min Easter Traditions on Both Sides of the Atlantic Geographies of Tradition Easter for Romanians and Americans, reflected in beliefs and customs What is sacred differs radically from what...
Apr 27 2 min Elena Secota / Romanian Women Voices in North America II Readings full of passion, truth and skill to match a time of tumult and reinvention Our showcase of boundless feminine creativity...
Apr 25 1 min "Decomposed Theatre" by Matei Vișniec at Trafika Europe Radio Illustration: "Homme Poubelle" / "Human Trashcan" by Andra Vișniec A new radio adaptation of one of the best plays by internationally...
Apr 23 2 min Art Fridays: Studio Conversations with Aurora Király Architectural Reflections Aurora Király ( b. 1970), who is teaching at the Department of Photography and Dynamic Image of the National...
Apr 22 2 min Fabulous Gabriela Istoc is All About the Romanian Songbook Enescu Soirees Online / Special Edition One of Romania's most accomplished lyric artists, award-winning soprano Gabriela Istoc,...
Apr 20 1 min Cristina Chevereșan: Dreaming and Teaching the Americana Feraru Conferences Online One of the innovative leaders of Romanian academic life, researcher and professor Cristina Chevereșan, the Vice...
Apr 16 2 min Art Fridays: DADA the Super-Contemporary Still playing the game 125 years after the birth of Tristan Tzara Tristan Tzara (Photo Source: https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/tristan-...
RCI USA 14 hours ago 2 min Cosmin Perța / Life Anew. Writers Imagine the World after the Pandemic II In June 2020 we launched our first online literary program with a series of bilingual readings performed by some of the most important...
RCI USA May 1 2 min Easter Screening: A Living Lesson in Faith In memory of Cardinal Iuliu Hossu (1885-1970) In anticipation of Easter Sunday, we pay homage to the memory of one of the most revered...
RCI USA Apr 29 3 min "Fragments of City" on the RCI Digital Stage A dance performance by Cosmin Manolescu for International Dance Day 2021 Still kept away from the performance spaces by the pandemic, we...
RCI USA Apr 28 13 min Easter Traditions on Both Sides of the Atlantic Geographies of Tradition Easter for Romanians and Americans, reflected in beliefs and customs What is sacred differs radically from what...
RCI USA Apr 27 2 min Elena Secota / Romanian Women Voices in North America II Readings full of passion, truth and skill to match a time of tumult and reinvention Our showcase of boundless feminine creativity...
RCI USA Apr 25 1 min "Decomposed Theatre" by Matei Vișniec at Trafika Europe Radio Illustration: "Homme Poubelle" / "Human Trashcan" by Andra Vișniec A new radio adaptation of one of the best plays by internationally...
RCI USA Apr 23 2 min Art Fridays: Studio Conversations with Aurora Király Architectural Reflections Aurora Király ( b. 1970), who is teaching at the Department of Photography and Dynamic Image of the National...
RCI USA Apr 22 2 min Fabulous Gabriela Istoc is All About the Romanian Songbook Enescu Soirees Online / Special Edition One of Romania's most accomplished lyric artists, award-winning soprano Gabriela Istoc,...
RCI USA Apr 20 1 min Cristina Chevereșan: Dreaming and Teaching the Americana Feraru Conferences Online One of the innovative leaders of Romanian academic life, researcher and professor Cristina Chevereșan, the Vice...
RCI USA Apr 16 2 min Art Fridays: DADA the Super-Contemporary Still playing the game 125 years after the birth of Tristan Tzara Tristan Tzara (Photo Source: https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/tristan-...
