Alexandru I. Lapedatu (14 September 1876 – 30 August 1950) was Cults and Arts and State minister of
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
,
President of the Senate of Romania
The president of the Senate of Romania is the senator elected to preside over the Senate meetings. The president of the Senate is also the president of the Standing Bureau of the Senate of Romania, Standing Bureau of the Senate, and the first per ...
, member of the
Romanian Academy
The Romanian Academy ( ro, Academia Română ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life.
According to its byl ...
, its president and general secretary.
Family
Alexandru Lapedatu was the son of
Ioan Alexandru Lapedatu
Ioan Alexandru Lapedatu (; July 6, 1844 – March 28, 1878) was an ethnic Romanian Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian poet, prose writer and newspaper contributor.
Born in Porumbacu de Jos, Colun, Sibiu County, in the Transylvania region, his pare ...
, with a Ph.D. from the University of Brussels, Romanian poet, writer, journalist and professor for classical languages at the Higher Greek-Orthodox Romanian College in
Brașov
Brașov (, , ; german: Kronstadt; hu, Brassó; la, Corona; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the administrative centre of Brașov County.
According to the latest Romanian census (2011), Brașov has a popu ...
(today,
Andrei Şaguna National College).
Alexandru Lapedatu had a twin brother,
Ion Lapedatu
Ion Lapedatu (14 September 1876 – 24 March 1951) was finance minister of Romania (1926-1927), Governor of the National Bank of Romania (1944-1945), and honorary member of the Romanian Academy (since 1936).
Family
Ion Lapedatu was the son of Ioan ...
, economist, politician and Governor of the
National Bank of Romania
The National Bank of Romania ( ro, Banca Națională a României, BNR) is the central bank of Romania and was established in April 1880. Its headquarters are located in the capital city of Bucharest.
The National Bank of Romania is responsible ...
. The twins became orphans when they were one and a half years old. Their mother could only rely on a modest social help from the Brașov municipality and some support from her family.
Alexandru Lapedatu married Victoria Pană (1878–1965) on 1 June 1911; a widow with two children from her first marriage, Mircea and Maria Lipăneanu. They had a daughter, Ana Victoria, also known as Mica (1914–1999).
Education
Alexandru Lapedatu started 1883 the primary school in the village in which he was born, then he continued school in Brașov, moved from Austria-Hungary to the
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania ( ro, Regatul României) was a constitutional monarchy that existed in Romania from 13 March ( O.S.) / 25 March 1881 with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian ...
, in
Iași
Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...
, came back to Brașov to start his college, but then returned to Iași and received his bachelor's degree from the Central College in Iași. He studied at the Faculty of Philology and Philosophy of the
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest ( ro, Universitatea din București), commonly known after its abbreviation UB in Romania, is a public university founded in its current form on by a decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza to convert the former Princel ...
, graduating in 1904 and getting a Diploma in Geography and History in 1910.
Professional career
Alexandru Lapedatu sustained himself financially during his studies by giving private lessons or getting various jobs, like night corrector, then as columnist with the journal "România Jună (Young Romania)" (1899) and as a teacher for the Romanian language at the French College and the Lolliot College (1901–1903).
He started publishing national history studies already as a student, winning prizes set by University Foundation "Carol I" for his work on the Romanian princes
Radu cel Frumos
Radu III of Wallachia, commonly called Radu the Handsome or Radu the Fair ( ro, Radu cel Frumos; tr, Radu Bey; 1437/1439 — January 1475), was the younger brother of Vlad III and Prince of the principality of Wallachia. They were both sons of ...
and
Vlad-Vodă Călugărul, as well as being the university laureate and winner of the important "Hillel" price for his work "''Istoria breslelor la români''" ("The History of the Romanian Guilds").
Upon his graduation in 1903, Alexandru Lapedatu was offered an entry position as a clerk at the Library of the Romanian Academy, section for manuscripts, where he worked between 1903 and 1908; at the same time, he became a substitute professor at the
Saint Sava National College
The Saint Sava National College (Romanian language, Romanian: ''Colegiul Național Sfântul Sava''), Bucharest, named after Sabbas the Sanctified, is the oldest and one of the most prestigious high schools in Romania. It was founded in 1694, ...
in
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
.
He was appointed Secretary of the Historic Monuments Commission in 1904, becoming a member on 12 August 1919, being then nominated President of its Transylvania section (1921–1941) and elected President of the Historic Monuments Commission on 15 October 1941, performing this function until the commission has been disbanded by the communist regime in 1948.
Alexandru Lapedatu was active in a great number of commissions and associations. He was nominated secretary of the Romanian Historical Commission in 1909, and became member from 1911 to 1919, re-confirmed by royal decree in 1924.
He was the secretary of the Committee of the "Steaua" Association established by
Spiru Haret
Spiru C. Haret (; 15 February 1851 – 17 December 1912) was a Romanian mathematician, astronomer, and politician. He made a fundamental contribution to the ''n''-body problem in celestial mechanics by proving that using a third degree approx ...
, editing its last 27 monographs, from No. 20 to No. 47, mostly with historical content. He was elected in the Society "Arta Românească" in 1909, was an active member of the Romanian Royal Geographical Society (1915), was elected honorific member of the Romanian Numismatic Society (1920), held the Presidency of the Commission for Museum Reform in Transylvania (1921), was appointed by the Ministry of Public Education as President of the Commission for the Organization of the State Archives in Transylvania, was nominated in the Commission for Introducing National Toponyms in
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
,
Banat
Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...
and
Partium
Partium (from Latin ''partium'', the genitive of '' pars'' "part, portion") or ''Részek'' (in Hungarian) was a historical and geographical region in the Kingdom of Hungary during the early modern and modern periods. It consisted of the eastern a ...
, in the Commission for the Verification of the Valuable Assets and Public Goods of the Previous Hungarian Monarchy and from the other territories united with the Romanian State (1922). On 9 November 1922 he was proclaimed honorific member of the Religious Historical-Archaeological Society in
Chișinău
Chișinău ( , , ), also known as Kishinev (russian: Кишинёв, r=Kishinjóv ), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial center, and is located in the ...
and he was a permanent delegate in the Committee of the Transylvanian Museum Society ( hu, Erdélyi Muzeum Egyesület) (1925).
In 1919, when the first Romanian University was established in Cluj by the Directory Council of Transylvania, Banat and Romanian Counties in Hungary (Romanian: Consiliul Dirigent al Transilvaniei, Banatului și ținuturilor românești din Ungaria), he was nominated professor for ancient history of Romanians on 23 August 1919, being confirmed by the King on 28 January 1920; he was a member of the faculty until 1940. He was elected dean (1921–1922) and vice-dean (1922–1923) of the Philology and Philosophy Faculty and was the co-founder, together with his colleague
Ioan Lupaș
Ioan Lupaș (9 August 1880 – 3 July 1967) was a Romanian historian, academic, politician, Orthodox theologian and priest. He was a member of the Romanian Academy.
Biography
Lupaș was born in Szelistye, now Săliște, Sibiu County (at the time ...
, of the Institute of National History from Cluj, today the Institute of History "Gheorghe Barițiu" of the Romanian Academy, becoming in 1920–1938 its co-director, respectively in 1943–1945 its honorary director.
Alexandru Lapedatu was the general director of the
State Archives of Romania (30 March 1923 – 24 March 1924).
In parallel with his academic activities, Alexandru Lapedatu gave history conferences in
Folk High School
Folk high schools (also ''Adult Education Center'', Danish: ''Folkehøjskole;'' Dutch: ''Volkshogeschool;'' Finnish: ''kansanopisto'' and ''työväenopisto'' or ''kansalaisopisto;'' German: ''Volkshochschule'' and (a few) ''Heimvolkshochschule;'' ...
s: in the Summer School in
Vălenii de Munte
Vălenii de Munte () is a town in Prahova County, southern Romania (the historical region of Muntenia), with a population of 11,707 as of 2011. It lies In the Teleajen river valley, north of the county seat of Ploiești.
The town's sister cities ...
, initiated in 1914 by
Nicolae Iorga
Nicolae Iorga (; sometimes Neculai Iorga, Nicolas Jorga, Nicolai Jorga or Nicola Jorga, born Nicu N. Iorga;Iova, p. xxvii. 17 January 1871 – 27 November 1940) was a Romanian historian, politician, literary critic, memoirist, Albanologist, poet ...
; in the University Extension in Cluj, 1925, where he was elected Honorary President; and in Free University or Folk University Association under director Sabina Cantacuzino.
In 1910 Alexandru Lapedatu was elected correspondent member, then in 1918 active member of the History Section of the Romanian Academy. He was elected vice-president (1934–1935, 1938–1939), then President of the Romanian Academy (3 June 1935 – 31 May 1938), and at the end of his mandate was elected its Secretary General (30 May 1939 – 12 August 1948). Alexandru Lapedatu has been among the
113 members purged from the Romanian Academy (Decree Nr. 76 from 8 June 1948 of the communist regime). The General Assembly of the Romanian Academy from 3 June 1990 reinstated his full membership.
The list of the scientific publications by Alexandru Lapedatu contains 424 titles.
Political activity
Descending from a family keeping "strong the awareness of the rights of the unbending man", remaining "tenacious in its aspirations", Alexandru Lapedatu participated already in his school years, as many of his generation, in Romanian protests and demonstrations like the ones in Iași, in solidarity with the authors of the
Memorandum
A memorandum ( : memoranda; abbr: memo; from the Latin ''memorandum'', "(that) which is to be remembered") is a written message that is typically used in a professional setting. Commonly abbreviated "memo," these messages are usually brief and ...
. During his University studies in Bucharest, he was an active member of the League for the Cultural Unity of All Romanians (Romanian: Liga pentru unitatea culturală a tuturor românilor, short: "Liga culturală").
At the beginning of the World War I, in Bucharest, he was nominated secretary of the Support Committee for the Refugees from Transylvania, Banat and
Bukovina
Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter BergerT ...
(1914–1916). In January 1918 he co-founded in
Odessa
Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...
the National Committee of the Romanian Refugees from Austria-Hungary that elected him as president, moved to Iași and became a political platform bringing substantive contributions in preparing Romania for the peace negotiations.
In 1920, Alexandru Lapedatu was nominated as member of the Coronation Commission to organize the festivities consecrating
Ferdinand I as the King of all Romanians, formally closing the political process of the
Union of Transylvania with Romania
The union of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia. The Great Union Day (also called ''Unification Day''), celebrated on 1 December, is a national holiday in Romani ...
. In 1927, upon King Ferdinand I's death, he was a member in the Senate delegation establishing the Regency and having it take the oath in front of the two Chambers of the Parliament.
He joined the
National Liberal Party in 1920, when he was elected a member of the Central Committee and of the Permanent Delegation, becoming the undeniable leader of the liberals in Transylvania.
At the foundation of the new
University of Cluj, Alexandru Lapedatu was elected as the first professor to represent it in the Romanian Senate from 1919 to 1920.
His first elected office as a member of the National Liberal Party was in 1922 as a member of the
Assembly of Deputies from
Ceica
Ceica ( hu, Magyarcséke) is a commune in Bihor County, Crișana, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. I ...
(
Bihor). After this, he has been elected either in the Assembly of Deputies or in the Senate in all terms until 1940; he became
Senator for life
A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. , six Italian senators out of 206, two out of the 41 Burundian senators, one Congolese senator out of 109, and all members of the Bri ...
in 1936 and was elected President of the Romanian Senate (16 November 1936 – 20 March 1937). He lost his seat in the Senat when the Parliament has been dismantled by the military dictatorship, but after the war he was elected for the last time in the Chamber of Deputies in 1946–1947.
Alexandru Lapedatu was Arts and Cults Minister in the six Governments and State Minister in four Governments; from 9 June 1934, while State Minister in the Tătărescu (1) Government, he was also in charge of the Cults and Arts Department and the Minority Under-Secretariat; in addition to his mandate, he also was as ad-interim Minister of Labour, Cooperation and Social Assurance in the Barbu Știrbei Government (4-6 June 1927). As State Minister for Transylvania in the
Ion G. Duca
Ion Gheorghe Duca (; 20 December 1879 – 29 December 1933) was Romanian politician and the Prime Minister of Romania from 14 November to 29 December 1933, when he was assassinated for his efforts to suppress the fascist Iron Guard movement.
...
Government, he co-signed the Journal of the Council of Ministers from 9 December 1927 that outlawed the fascist
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard ( ro, Garda de Fier) was a Romanian militant revolutionary fascist movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel Michael () or the Legionnaire Movement (). It was strongly ...
; as revenge, members of the Iron Guard assassinated Ion G. Duca on 30 December 1933. His functions are listed in detail in the following table.
Alexandru Lapedatu joined the
National Renaissance Front
The National Renaissance Front ( ro, Frontul Renașterii Naționale, FRN; also translated as ''Front of National Regeneration'', ''Front of National Rebirth'', ''Front of National Resurrection'', or ''Front of National Renaissance'') was a Romani ...
established by
King Carol II of Romania
Carol II (4 April 1953) was King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until his forced abdication on 6 September 1940. The eldest son of Ferdinand I, he became crown prince upon the death of his grand-uncle, King Carol I in 1914. He was the first of t ...
(Royal Decree Nr. 4321 from 15 December 1938) as the only political organization legally allowed in the country; Carol II transformed the Front into the Party of the Nation (Royal Decree Nr. 2056 from 22 June 1940) that was disbanded by the prime minister
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu (; ; – 1 June 1946) was a Romanian military officer and marshal who presided over two successive wartime dictatorships as Prime Minister and ''Conducător'' during most of World War II.
A Romanian Army career officer who made ...
(Decree of 9 September 1940) three days after Carol's abdication.
After
King Michael's Coup d'état from 23 August 1944 that removed Ion Antonescu from power, the political parties prepared to re-enter the political life and Alexandru Lapedatu assumed leadership for the effort to rebuild the
National Liberal Party-Brătianu
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
in Transylvania (a
parallel effort with the same objective was led by
Gheorghe Tătărăscu Gheorghe is a Romanian given name and surname. It is a variant of George, also a name in Romanian but with soft Gs. It may refer to:
Given name
* Gheorghe Adamescu
* Gheorghe Albu
* Gheorghe Alexandrescu
* Gheorghe Andriev
* Gheorghe Apostol
* ...
). Alexandru Lapedatu entered in some circumscriptions in Transylvania in an electoral cartel with the
Peasants' Party obtaining a modest and ephemeral electoral success in the
elections from 19 November 1946, when two candidates were elected: Lapedatu in Cluj and Vasile Netea in
Satu Mare
Satu Mare (; hu, Szatmárnémeti ; german: Sathmar; yi, סאטמאר or ) is a city with a population of 102,400 (2011). It is the capital of Satu Mare County, Romania, as well as the centre of the Satu Mare metropolitan area. It lies in the ...
, in spite of the tremendous pressure and falsifications perpetrated by the so-called Bloc of Democratic Parties dominated by the Communists. He soon recognized that the communist repression would prevail, but did not give up hope: on 30 September 1949, it was reported to the
Securitate
The Securitate (, Romanian for ''security'') was the popular term for the Departamentul Securității Statului (Department of State Security), the secret police agency of the Socialist Republic of Romania. Previously, before the communist regime ...
that Alexandru Lapedatu "believes in the future of the nation and in the capitulation of Russia and of communism". His vision has been confirmed more than 50 years later, with the fall of the
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...
.
International missions
In 1917, the
Central Powers
The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
armies occupied Bucharest and were advancing towards Iași. The Romanian Government decided to move the
State Treasury
A treasury is either
*A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry.
*A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be state or royal property, church treasure or in p ...
to Russia in two transports, delegating Alexandru Lapedatu to accompany the second one that included cultural goods. He left Iași for
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
on 28 July 1917, and stayed there until 19 December 1917, experiencing the arrival of the
Bolshevik revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolsheviks, Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was ...
.
Alexandru Lapedatu was a member of the Romanian delegation to the
Paris Peace Conference (1919)
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, participating in the negotiations on three instances: December 1918 – June 1919, taking part in the signature ceremony of the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...
; again July – August 1919 participating in the incipient phase of the negotiations concerning
Bessarabia
Bessarabia (; Gagauz: ''Besarabiya''; Romanian: ''Basarabia''; Ukrainian: ''Бессара́бія'') is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Be ...
; and finally December 1919 – March 1920, contributing to the negotiations with
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
that will be concluded by the
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon (french: Traité de Trianon, hu, Trianoni békeszerződés, it, Trattato del Trianon) was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace Conference and was signed in the Grand Trianon château in ...
.
On 31 March 1922, he was nominated as a delegate and technical adviser in the Romanian Delegation to the
Genoa Economic and Financial Conference (10 April – 19 May 1922) in which representatives from 34 nations addressed the
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
restoration in the aftermath of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Alexandru Lapedatu was the head of the Romanian delegation to the
Inter-Parliamentary Conferences in Rome (1936) and in Paris (1937), and also participated in the XXXV Conference in Oslo (15–19 August 1939), one of the last efforts to secure peace just a few days before the beginning of the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Romanian Participation in the Paris Peace Conference (1919)
Alexandru Lapedatu engaged politically in working for the Romanian unity in 1918, as President of the National Committee of the Romanian Refugees from Austria-Hungary, established in Odessa on 21 January 1918, then moved to Iași. It pursued the political unity of all Romanians and intended to represent them in
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Tomáš () is a Czech and Slovak given name, equivalent to the name Thomas.
It may refer to:
* Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850–1937), first President of Czechoslovakia
* Tomáš Baťa (1876–1932), Czech footwear entrepreneur
* Tomáš Berdych ( ...
's Nationality Association in
Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
. Through this committee, Lapedatu connected with key political personalities in Romania and, thanks to the support from the French Ambassador, the Count of Saint-Aulaire, established contacts the
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente (from French '' entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well a ...
's representatives. On 6 / 19 October the Committee issued a Declaration, distributed to all political actors including
King Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I ( es, Fernando I; 10 March 1503 – 25 July 1564) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1556, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1526, and Archduke of Austria from 1521 until his death in 1564.Milan Kruhek: Cetin, grad izbornog sabo ...
, contesting the manifesto of
Charles I of Austria
Charles I or Karl I (german: Karl Franz Josef Ludwig Hubert Georg Otto Maria, hu, Károly Ferenc József Lajos Hubert György Ottó Mária; 17 August 18871 April 1922) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (as Charles IV, ), King of Croatia, ...
proclaiming the federalization of the Empire and demanding that all territories inhabited by Romanians be united with Romania. Experiencing the depressing installation of a German Mission in Iași as a consequence of the
Treaty of Bucharest (1918)
The Treaty of Bucharest (1918) was a peace treaty between Romania and the opposing Central Powers following the stalemate reached after the campaign of 1917. This left Romania isolated after Russia's unilateral exit from World War I (see the Arm ...
, Alexandru Lapedatu published the paper "''Chestiunea transilvană''" ("The Transylvanian Issue") in ''Neamul Românesc'', stating that the solution will be found when the situation of all nationalities will be addressed in the peace negotiations at the end of the war, expected to happen soon.
In his letter from 28 June 1918 to the President of the National Liberal Party,
Ion I. C. Brătianu, Alexandru Lapedatu, convinced that the war was going to be ended soon, expressed the urgent need for a document summarizing the Romanian position in the upcoming peace negotiations, specifically addressing: 1) the geographical, ethnical, social, cultural and political situation of the Romanians in relationship with the other nationalities; 2) the historical and political evolution between Romanians and Hungarians; 3) the denationalization policies in Transylvania and Bukovina; and 4) the impossibility to implement autonomy, federalization and the unavoidable dismantling of the Danube monarchy to create new national states. In recognition to his competence, Alexandru Lapedatu was nominated between 1919 and 1922 as an expert in the Romanian delegation to the Paris Peace Conference (1918); the documents he authored were submitted by Romania to the Conference and were used by the Romanian Delegation as basis for the negotiations.
The Cultural Policy in the United Romania
Alexandru Lapedatu had cultural activities in various associations and foundations, such as in the
Asociația Transilvană pentru Literatura Română și Cultura Poporului Român (ASTRA) (Transylvanian Association for the Romanian Literature and the Culture of the Romanian People) that proclaimed him honorific member (8/9 November 1924), then elected him member of the "demographic and ethnology-politic section" (14/15 September 1935). For ASTRA he provided funding, held conferences, supported the publication of the ASTRA library, and donated the Fund "Al. I. Lapedatu".
Alexandru Lapedatu expressed his conviction that promoting the cultural development is an essential mission of the State and the nation, and proposed and implemented policies pursuing the enhancement of the cultural and artistic prestige of all cities, and of the country as a whole. Alexandru Lapedatu formulated the principles of the monument preservation and restoration already in 1911. Under his leadership, the Transylvania Section of the Historical Monuments Commission executed in 1929–1948 more than 240 conservation and restoration projects, addressing Romanian heritage such as antiques
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
and
Dacia
Dacia (, ; ) was the land inhabited by the Dacians, its core in Transylvania, stretching to the Danube in the south, the Black Sea in the east, and the Tisza in the west. The Carpathian Mountains were located in the middle of Dacia. It thus r ...
n vestiges, medieval stone churches and monasteries, wooden architecture, rear glass painted icons, the
Hunedoara
Hunedoara (; german: Eisenmarkt; hu, Vajdahunyad ) is a municipiu, city in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in southwestern Transylvania near the Poiana Ruscă Mountains, and administers five villages: Boș (''Bós''), Groș ...
and
Bran
Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the hard outer layers of Cereal, cereal grain. It consists of the combined aleurone and pericarp. Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel (tip cap). Along with cereal germ, germ, it is an integral pa ...
Castles, the Suțu Palace and the Filipescu House in Bucharest etc. After 1918, the Commission for Historic Monuments also undertook large restoration works on monuments belonging to Hungarian or
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
minorities including Roman Catholic or Evangelical churches in Cluj-Napoca,
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , german: link=no, Hermannstadt , la, Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'', hu, Nagyszeben ) is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Ci ...
, Brașov,
Alba Iulia
Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...
,
Sighișoara
Sighișoara (; hu, Segesvár ; german: Schäßburg ; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Schäsbrich''; yi, שעסבורג, Shesburg; la, Castrum Sex) is a city on the Târnava Mare River in Mureș County, Romania. Located in the historic region of Transy ...
etc.
As Cults and Arts Minister for almost seven years, he pursued a wide the areas of activities:
* He initiated and/or supported the establishment of museums in Bucharest (National Pinacoteca, "
Theodor Aman
Theodor Aman (20 March 1831 – 19 August 1891) was a Romanian painter, engraver and art professor. He mostly produced genre and history scenes.
Biography
His father was a cavalry commander from Craiova but he was born in Câmpulung, where his f ...
", "
Kalinderu", "
Simu"); in Cluj-Napoca (
Ethnographic Museum Ethnographic museums conserve, display and contextualize items relevant to the field of ethnography, the systematic study of people and cultures. Such museums include:
List by country/region Albania
* Ethnographic Museum of Kavajë,
* Gjirokast ...
, Museum of the Romanian Language, the
National History Museum); in
Vidra ("
Avram Iancu
Avram Iancu (; hu, Janku Ábrahám; 1824 – September 10, 1872) was a Transylvanian Romanian lawyer who played an important role in the local chapter of the Austrian Empire Revolutions of 1848–1849. He was especially active in the Țara Mo ...
" Museum); in
Turnu Severin
Drobeta-Turnu Severin (), colloquially Severin, is a city in Mehedinți County, Oltenia, Romania, on the northern bank of the Danube, close to the Iron Gates. "Drobeta" is the name of the ancient Dacian and Roman towns at the site, and the modern ...
(remains of the
Trajan
Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...
's bridge across the Danube built by
Apollodorus
Apollodorus (Ancient Greek, Greek: Ἀπολλόδωρος ''Apollodoros'') was a popular name in ancient Greece. It is the masculine gender of a noun compounded from Apollo, the deity, and doron, "gift"; that is, "Gift of Apollo." It may refer to: ...
); in Alba Iulia (Museum of the Union), in
Constanța
Constanța (, ; ; rup, Custantsa; bg, Кюстенджа, Kyustendzha, or bg, Констанца, Konstantsa, label=none; el, Κωνστάντζα, Kōnstántza, or el, Κωνστάντια, Kōnstántia, label=none; tr, Köstence), histo ...
(Dobrogea Museum); as well as in many other cities among which
Turda
Turda (; hu, Torda, ; german: link=no, Thorenburg; la, Potaissa) is a city in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, from the county seat, Cluj-Napoca, to which it is connected by the Europe ...
,
Sighișoara
Sighișoara (; hu, Segesvár ; german: Schäßburg ; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Schäsbrich''; yi, שעסבורג, Shesburg; la, Castrum Sex) is a city on the Târnava Mare River in Mureș County, Romania. Located in the historic region of Transy ...
,
Oradea
Oradea (, , ; german: Großwardein ; hu, Nagyvárad ) is a city in Romania, located in Crișana, a sub-region of Transylvania. The county seat, seat of Bihor County, Oradea is one of the most important economic, social and cultural centers in the ...
,
Arad,
Sighetu Marmației
Sighetu Marmației (, also spelled ''Sighetul Marmației''; german: Marmaroschsiget or ''Siget''; hu, Máramarossziget, ; uk, Сигіт, Syhit; yi, סיגעט, Siget), until 1960 Sighet, is a city (Municipalities of Romania, municipality) in ...
,
Timișoara
), City of Roses ( ro, Orașul florilor), City of Parks ( ro, Orașul parcurilor)
, image_map = Timisoara jud Timis.svg
, map_caption = Location in Timiș County
, pushpin_map = Romania#Europe
, pushpin_ ...
,
Dej
Dej (; hu, Dés; german: Desch, Burglos; yi, דעעש ''Desh'') is a municipality in Transylvania, Romania, north of Cluj-Napoca, in Cluj County. It lies where the river Someșul Mic meets the river Someșul Mare. The city administers four vill ...
,
Băile Herculane
Băile Herculane ( la, Aqua Herculis; german: Herkulesbad; hu, Herkulesfürdő; cz, Herkulovy Lázně, tr, Lazarethane) is a spa town in Romanian Banat, in Caraș-Severin County, situated in the valley of the Cerna River, between the Mehedinț ...
,
Caransebeș
Caransebeș (; german: Karansebesch; hu, Karánsebes, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a municipiu, city in Caraș-Severin County, part of the Banat region in southwestern Romania. It is located at the confluence of the Timiș (river), River Timiș ...
,
Târgu Mureș
Târgu Mureș (, ; hu, Marosvásárhely ) is the seat of Mureș County in the historical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is the List of cities and towns in Romania, 16th largest Romanian city, with 134,290 inhabitants as of the 2011 Romania ...
,
Sarmizegetusa,
Năsăud
Năsăud (; german: Nassod, ''Nußdorf''; hu, Naszód) is a town in Bistrița-Năsăud County in Romania located in the historical region of Transylvania. The town administers two villages, Liviu Rebreanu (until 1958 ''Prislop''; ''Priszlop'') a ...
,
Bistrița
(; german: link=no, Bistritz, archaic , Transylvanian Saxon: , hu, Beszterce) is the capital city of Bistrița-Năsăud County, in northern Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistrița River. The city has a population of approxima ...
, Brașov,
Făgăraș
Făgăraș (; german: Fogarasch, Fugreschmarkt, hu, Fogaras) is a municipiu, city in central Romania, located in Brașov County. It lies on the Olt (river), Olt River and has a population of 28,330 as of 2011. It is situated in the historical regi ...
,
Blaj
Blaj (; archaically spelled as ''Blaș''; hu, Balázsfalva; german: Blasendorf; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Blußendref'') is a municipiu, city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. It has a population of 20,630 inhabita ...
,
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , german: link=no, Hermannstadt , la, Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'', hu, Nagyszeben ) is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Ci ...
,
Zalău
Zalău (, unofficial and former official name: ro, Zălau (; german: Zillenmarkt or , hu, Zilah, tr, Zile) is the seat of Sălaj County, Romania. In 2011, its estimated population was 56,202.
History
Ancient times
Zalău is situated in the a ...
, Satu Mare,
Deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
,
Piatra Neamț
Piatra Neamț (; german: Kreuzburg an der Bistrița (Siret), Bistritz; hu, Karácsonkő) is the capital city of Neamț County, in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in northeastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Easter ...
etc.
* He supported financially and participated in the unveiling of public monuments dedicated to Romanian historic and cultural personalities among which
Gheorghe Lazăr
Gheorghe Lazăr (5 June 1779 – 17 September 1823), born and died in Avrig, Sibiu County, was a Transylvanian, later Romanian scholar, the founder of the first Romanian language school in Bucharest, 1817.
Biography
A Habsburg Empire subject, ...
(Cluj, 1924); Avram Iancu (
Baia de Criș
Baia de Criș (german: Altenburg; hu, Körösbánya) is a commune in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania, close to the small town of Brad. It is composed of nine villages: Baia de Criș, Baldovin (''Báldovin''), Căraci (''Karács''), Cărăs ...
, 1924);
Ion Creangă
Ion Creangă (; also known as Nică al lui Ștefan a Petrei, Ion Torcălău and Ioan Ștefănescu; March 1, 1837 – December 31, 1889) was a Moldavian, later Romanian writer, raconteur and schoolteacher. A main figure in 19th-century Romania ...
,
Nicolae N. Beldiceanu,
Dimitrie Anghel
Dimitrie Anghel (; July 16, 1872 – November 13, 1914) was a Romanian poet.
Anghel was of Aromanian descent from his father. His first poem was published in ''Contemporanul'' (1890). His debut editorial ''Traduceri din Paul Verlaine'' was publi ...
,
Nicolae Gane
Nicolae Gane (February 1, 1838 – April 16, 1916) was a Moldavian, later Romanian prose writer, poet and politician.
Born in Fălticeni, his family were '' boyars'' of small and medium importance; his parents were ''postelnic'' Matei Gane and his ...
and
Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea
Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea ; pen name of Barbu Ștefan; April 11, 1858 in Bucharest – April 29, 1918 in Iași) was a Romanian writer and poet, considered one of the greatest figures in the National awakening of Romania.
Early life and ...
(Iași, 1924);
Ioan Mihaly of Apșa (Sighetu Marmatiei, 1925);
Stephen The Great
Stephen III of Moldavia, most commonly known as Stephen the Great ( ro, Ștefan cel Mare; ; died on 2 July 1504), was Voivode (or Prince) of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II, who was murdered in 1451 ...
(
Chișinău
Chișinău ( , , ), also known as Kishinev (russian: Кишинёв, r=Kishinjóv ), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial center, and is located in the ...
, 1925);
Michael the Brave
Michael the Brave ( ro, Mihai Viteazul or ; 1558 – 9 August 1601), born as Mihai Pătrașcu, was the Prince of Wallachia (as Michael II, 1593 – 1601), Prince of Moldavia (1600) and ''de facto'' ruler of Transylvania (1599 – 1600). ...
(1926,
Guruslău, dismantled in 1940 by the Hungarian authorities);
B.P. Hasdeu (1927);
D. Onciul (1927);
Vasile Alecsandri
Vasile Alecsandri (; 21 July 182122 August 1890) was a Romanian patriot, poet, dramatist, politician and diplomat. He was one of the key figures during the 1848 revolutions in Moldavia and Wallachia. He fought for the unification of the Romani ...
(mausoleum in
Mircești
Mircești is a commune in Iași County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders ...
, 1928);
Horia, Cloșca and Crișan (
Alba Iulia
Alba Iulia (; german: Karlsburg or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; hu, Gyulafehérvár; la, Apulum) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the Mureș River in the historical ...
1929);
Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea
Barbu Ștefănescu Delavrancea ; pen name of Barbu Ștefan; April 11, 1858 in Bucharest – April 29, 1918 in Iași) was a Romanian writer and poet, considered one of the greatest figures in the National awakening of Romania.
Early life and ...
(Oradea, 1934);
Ecaterina Teodoroiu
Ecaterina Teodoroiu (; born Cătălina Toderoiu; 15 January 1894 – 3 September 1917) was a Romanian woman who fought on the front and died in World War I, and is regarded as a heroine of Romania.
A Romanian Scouts member, she had initially wor ...
(
Târgu Jiu
Târgu Jiu () is the capital of Gorj County in the Oltenia region of Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu. Eight localities are administered by the city: Bârsești, Drăgoieni, Iezureni, Polata, ...
, 1935);
Vasile Lucaciu
Vasile Lucaciu (January 21, 1852 – November 29, 1922) was a Romanian Greek-Catholic priest and an advocate of equal rights of Romanians with the Hungarians in Transylvania.
Biogeaphy
He was born in Apa, Szatmár County, the son of Mihai Luc ...
(Satu Mare, 1935);
Spiru Haret
Spiru C. Haret (; 15 February 1851 – 17 December 1912) was a Romanian mathematician, astronomer, and politician. He made a fundamental contribution to the ''n''-body problem in celestial mechanics by proving that using a third degree approx ...
(1940) etc.
* To stimulate the development of the national culture, Alexandru Lapedatu as Minister of Cults and Arts institutes in 1925 the National Awards for Culture and Arts. Considering that establishing theatrical institutions in the national language is a moral duty in the new provinces, a direct contribution to the cultural unification, he collaborates with the dramatic authors, actors, directors and producers, submits to the Parliament for adoption and signs the Law Regarding the Organization and Administration of the National Theaters and the Performances Control in Romania adopted by the Parliament on 21 March 1926, establishing a safety net for the artists, with payment, retirement, litigation and other rights, and the obligation to also show original plays in Romanian language besides the international repertoire.
The General Regime of the Cults in Romania (1928–1948)
The first challenging task of Alexandru Lapedatu as a minister has been to establish a legal frame for the cults in the unified Romania.
He presented the statement of reasons for the law clarifying that in the united Romania, besides the Orthodox Church, the State recognized the following cults: Romanian Greek-Catholic (united), Catholic (of Latin, Greek and Armenian ritual), reformed (Calvin), evangelic-Lutheran, Unitarian, Mosaic, Muslim and finally Baptist (recognized only in Transylvania), each governed by a different legislation in the regions coming from Russia,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, Hungary,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
respectively the Kingdom of Romania.
The framework was set by the Constitution from 1923 that guaranteed absolute freedom of consciousness and equal treatment for all cults, except that it stipulated that the Orthodox Church was dominant, and the Greek-catholic cult has priority.
While acknowledging the historical merits of the two cults highlighted by the Constitution, Alexandru Lapedatu worked towards a legislation reinforcing State sovereignty and secularism.
* First, he proposed a law to elevate the status of the head of Romanian Orthodox Church to the rank of a Patriarch; it was adopted by the Parliament on 25 February 1925, with his signature as the responsible minister;
* Second, he worked with the Orthodox Church to define its Statute unifying the regional specificities; upon his proposal, the Parliament adopted the Statute by the law from 6 May 1925, with his signature as the responsible minister;
* Third, he collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to restart the negotiations on a Concordat with the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
and concluded them on 15 January 1926 when an official text was agreed upon by both parties; the Concordat was signed by his follower on 10 May 1927 and ratified on 12 June 1929.
Since the two exceptions mentioned in the Constitution were no more in the position to challenge State prerogatives, it was now possible for Alexandru Lapedatu to submit to the Parliament, after animated consultations and debates, a project that obtained almost the unanimity of votes both in the Chamber of Deputy and in the Senate; it was adopted on 22 April 1928 and remained in power until 1948. It was an essential achievement toward the unification of the young Romanian State.
Death
In 1950, the communist regime cancelled the pension of Alexandru Lapedatu, leaving him without any revenue. He was arrested in the night of 5/6 May 1950 in the so-called "group of dignitaries". He died on 30 August 1950 in the
Sighet Prison
The Sighet prison, located in the city of Sighetu Marmației, Maramureș County, Romania, was used by Romania to hold criminals, prisoners of war, and political prisoners. It is now the site of the Sighet Memorial Museum, part of the Memorial ...
and was buried in an unmarked common grave. His cenotaph is in the "Groaveri" cemetery in Brașov.
Distinctions
![Double Monument Lapedatu v2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Double_Monument_Lapedatu_v2.jpg)
Alexandru Lapedatu received national and foreign distinctions:
National distinctions:
* Jubilee medal Carol I, Royal decree Nr. 5384/28, December 1905. Official Journal Nr. 218 / 1 January 1906 – 10 May 1906
* Order of Bene Merenti of the Royal House, Grade: Officer or 2nd Class, Royal Decree Nr. 885/24 March 1909
*
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the defunct Order of Michael the Brave. It is awarded by the President of Romania. It has five r ...
, Grade: Commander, Royal Decree from 21 October 1922
*
Order of the Crown (Romania)
The Order of the Crown of Romania is a chivalric order set up on 14 March 1881 by King Carol I of Romania to commemorate the establishment of the Kingdom of Romania. It was awarded as a state order until the end of the Romanian monarchy in 1947. ...
, Grade: Grand Cross, Royal Decree from 22 January 1926
* Order of Bene Merenti of the Royal House, Grade: Commander or 1st Class, Royal Decree Nr. 2749/ 3 November 1928 for achievements in the fields of "history, literature and education"
* Medal "The Reward for the Work in Education", First Class, Royal Decree Nr. 4102 / 17 November 1930 "for services in the field of education"
* Honorific Sign "The Reward for the Work in the Public Service" for 25 years, Royal Decree Nr. 3994 / 10 December 1931
* The Order "The Cultural Merit" for literature, Grade: Officer or First Class, Royal Decree from 22 September 1931 "for services brought to education and religion, as well as contributions in the field of literature, arts, sciences and social endeavours"
* The "Peleș" Medal, established by Royal Decree Nr. 2305 / 16 August 1933; awarded: Decree Nr. 224 / 25 September 1933
* Honorific Sign "
Eagle of Romania
The Honorific Sign "Eagle of Romania" (''Semnul Onorific "Vulturul României"'') is a special decoration, part of the National Decorations System, awarded to Romanian Parliamentarians, members of the Senate or of the Chamber of Deputies. It also ...
", Grade: Commander of Second Class, Royal Decree Nr. 2762 / 11 November 1933
* Order of Ferdinand I, Grade: Knight, Royal Decree from 15 March 1934
* Medal for the Centenary of King Carol I / Medalia Centenarul Regelui Carol I, Royal Decree Nr. 1915, 2036 / 1939 and Nr. 372 / 1940
* "For contributions to the army supply", Brevet issued by the Ministry of Supply / Ministerul inzestrarii armatei, Nr. 6272 / p March 1940
* "Cultural Merit" Order and Medal, Grade: Commander, Royal Decree Nr. 248 / 1 February 1943 "for literature"
Foreign :
* The Cross of Merit of the
Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hy, Սուրբ Հարության տաճար, la, Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri, am, የቅዱስ መቃብር ቤተክርስቲያን, he, כנסיית הקבר, ar, كنيسة القيامة is a church i ...
with Collar, Jerusalem, decree Nr. 68 / 26 Jan. 1924
* Order of
Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievement ...
, class: Grand Cross, 1925
* Medal of the National Order of the
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
, grade: Commander, Paris, decree Nr. 56608 / 19 Dec 1927
*
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy ( it, Ordine della Corona d'Italia, italic=no or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civi ...
, grade: Great Cross, Chancellery of Orders nr. 1067 / 8 June. 1928
*
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope.
The order is one of ...
, Grade: Great Cross (civilian), Pontifical Decree of Pius XI / 10 September 1929
*
Order of the White Lion
The Order of the White Lion ( cs, Řád Bílého lva) is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia had no civilian decoration for its ...
, Grade: Great Cross, Decree of the Czechoslovakia President, 1937
*
Order of the Yugoslav Crown
The Royal Order of the Yugoslav Crown was instituted by King Alexander I of Yugoslavia on 5 April 1930, to commemorate his changing of the name of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
It continues as a dynas ...
, Grade: Great Cross, Decree Nr. 1116 / 20 Feb. 1937
Legacy
Streets in Romania named after Alexandru Lapedatu:
* Alexandru Lapedatu Alley,
Cluj-Napoca
; hu, kincses város)
, official_name=Cluj-Napoca
, native_name=
, image_skyline=
, subdivision_type1 = Counties of Romania, County
, subdivision_name1 = Cluj County
, subdivision_type2 = Subdivisions of Romania, Status
, subdivision_name2 ...
* Alexandru Ion Lapedatu Street,
Brașov
Brașov (, , ; german: Kronstadt; hu, Brassó; la, Corona; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the administrative centre of Brașov County.
According to the latest Romanian census (2011), Brașov has a popu ...
* Alexandru Ion Lapedatu Street,
Săcele
Săcele (; German: ''Siebendörfer''; Hungarian: ''Négyfalu'', between 1950 and 2001 ''Szecseleváros'') is a city in Brașov County, Romania, in the Burzenland area of southeastern Transylvania, with a population of 30,798 inhabitants in 2011 ...
Alexandru Lapedatu donated his library to the
Central University Library of Cluj-Napoca
The Lucian Blaga Central University Library of Cluj-Napoca ( ro, Biblioteca Centrală Universitară "Lucian Blaga" din Cluj-Napoca) serves Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania.
History
The library was founded in 1872, at the same time as Franz Jo ...
; he is listed in the Golden Book of donors and the Professors' Reading Hall is named after him.
His bust is placed in front of the house he built in Cluj-Napoca, where today functions the "Alexandru Lapedatu" Cultural Establishment and the European College Foundation.
His name is on plaques on his native house in Săcele, in the National College Andrei Șaguna and in the National College Saint Sava. In 2019, a double monument dedicated to the Lapedatu brothers was unveiled under the aegis of the Romanian Academy, the National Bank of Romania and the City of Brașov.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lapedatu, Alexandru
1876 births
1950 deaths
20th-century Romanian politicians
Commanders of the Order of the Star of Romania
Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Romania)
Grand Crosses of the Order of Polonia Restituta
Grand Crosses of the Order of the White Lion
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Gregory the Great
Recipients of the Order of the Yugoslav Crown
Presidents of the Romanian Academy
People from Săcele
Presidents of the Senate of Romania
Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Italy)
Romanian Ministers of Culture
Romanian Ministers of Labor
Inmates of Sighet prison
Romanian people who died in prison custody
Prisoners who died in Romanian detention
Romanian twins
Burials at Groaveri cemetery