The History of Romania in One Object / The Flag of Lupșa

In 1918, at the end of the bloodiest war history had ever known, Romanians fulfilled their most cherished political ideal: the unification of all historical provinces where they were in the majority – Transylvania, Banat, Crișana, Maramureș, Bessarabia, and Bukovina – with the Old Kingdom of Romania in one democratic state. A tricolor flag, made of wool woven in one night and one day by the women of Lupșa in central Transylvania, encapsulates in its apparently humble display the colossal victory in a century-old struggle for freedom and dignity. The flag of Lupșa is presented by historians Cristina Păiușan Nuică and Cornel Ilie. With a video presentation by Cornel Ilie.

Watch the video on our FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE and WEBSITE from Monday, June 8, 2 p.m. EDT (or anytime later).

Historian Cristina Păiușan-Nuică is currently a researcher at the National History Museum of Romania and throughout her career was the editor of numerous publications such as Historia (2005-2009), History and Civilization (2009-2013) and Historical Magazine (2013-2016). She has curated many national and international exhibitions such as in 2017 in Asgabat, (Turkmenistan); in 2018 in Toledo, (Spain) and London (UK);  Dr. Păiușan-Nuică is the editorial secretary of the National Museum Magazine and recently co-authored the following works: Orașele Unirii. Chișinău, Cernăuți, Alba Iulia, București / The cities of the Union. Chisinew, Chernivtsi, Alba Iulia, Bucharest (2018); Basarabia. 100 de ani de la unirea cu România / Bessarabia. 100 Years since the Union with Romania (2019); Epoca Ceaușescu în piesele Muzeului Național de Artă Contemporană / The Ceaușescu Era in the Works of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (2019).

Historian Cornel Ilie is currently Deputy Director of The National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest. Dr. Ilie published several books among which Între Bellu și Montparnasse. Români celebri în fața morții / Between Bellu and Montparnasse. Famous Romanians in Face of Death; Cealaltă față a comuniștilor / The Other Face of the Communists; Regimul comunist și muzeele de istorie din România / The Communist Regime and the History Museums in Romania. Throughout his career he curated many successful exhibitions such as The Romanians and the Great War, 1989. Thirty Years After… and Imagining the Balkans. Dr. Ilie coordinated the publication of over 30 exhibition catalogues.  

Our online series THE HISTORY OF ROMANIA IN ONE OBJECT, developed in partnership with the The National History Museum of Romania, evokes decisive epochs in Romanian past starting from an artifact or vestige with powerful symbolic, representative value. In the following weeks the history of Romania will be revealed object by object, from prehistoric figurines and ancient jewelry to Medieval battle flags, modern symbols of power and makeshift machines for printing anti-communist manifestos.