Anton Costache Bacalbașa (, commonly known as Toni or Tony Bacalbașa, pen names Rigolo, Wunderkind, , Paul D. Popescu
''Democrația Socială'' (II)"
in '' Ziarul Prahova'', 11 February 2012 Jus., Wus., Zig. etc.; Victor Durnea
"Enigmaticul I. Saint Pierre"
in ''Cultura'', Nr. 312, February 2011 21 February 1865 – 1 October 1899) was a

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 ...

n political journalist, humorist and politician, chiefly remembered for his antimilitaristic series '' Moș Teacă''. Together with his brothers

Ioan Ioan is a variation on the name John found in Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Welsh (), and Sardinian. It is usually masculine. The female equivalent in Romanian and Bulgarian is Ioana. In Russia, the name Ioann is usually reserved for the clergy ...

and

Constantin Constantin is an Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian and Romanian male given name. It can also be a surname. For a list of notable people called Constantin, see Constantine (name). See also * Constantine (name) * Konstantin The first name Konsta ...

, he entered public life as a republican and

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

militant. For a while, his career was intertwined with that of

Marxist Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...

doyen

Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea (born Solomon Katz; 1855, village of Slavyanka near Yekaterinoslav (modern Dnipro), then in Imperial Russia – 1920, Bucharest) was a Romanian Marxist theorist, politician, sociologist, literary critic, and jour ...

, who inspired in him the idea of a socialist art addressed to the masses. He was himself a popularizer of Marxist ideas, and one of the first Marxist intellectuals in Romanian political history. After 1893, Bacalbașa was at the center of Marxist politics, as an executive of the

Romanian Social Democratic Workers' Party The Social Democratic Workers' Party of Romania (, PSDMR), established in 1893, was the first modern socialist political party in Romania. A Marxist organization, the PSDMR was part of the Second International and sent its representatives to the ...

(PSDMR). While active within the socialist movement and making his essential contributions to

Romanian humor Romanian humour, like many other Romanian cultural aspects, has many affinities with four other groups: the Latins (namely the French and Italians), the Balkan people (Greeks, the Slavs, and Turks), the Germans and the Hungarians. Characters ...

, Toni joined Ion Luca Caragiale, his close friend, in editing the satirical magazine '' Moftul Român''. He helped Constantin Mille to turn ''

Adevărul ''Adevărul'' (; meaning "The Truth", formerly spelled ''Adevĕrul'') is a Romanian daily newspaper, based in Bucharest. Founded in Iași, in 1871, and reestablished in 1888, in Bucharest, it was the main left-wing press venue to be published dur ...

'' daily into a socialist tribune, serving as its editor and directing its short-lived literary supplement (''Adevărul Literar''). His choice of subjects and his perceived harshness were the subject of several controversies, and, in 1894, he defended the ''Adevărul'' office building from rioting anti-socialist students. Over the following years, Bacalbașa drifted away from both ''Adevărul'' and the PSDMR, switching his allegiance to the political club formed around

Nicolae Fleva Nicolae Fleva (; also known as Nicu Fleva, Correspondent"Scrisoare din București" in ''Românul (Arad)'', Nr. 14/1912, p.4 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library Francized ''Nicolas Fléva'';Assembly of Deputies as a representative of the

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

. Despite this change in politics, he is mainly credited for his early contributions to Romanian literature, most of which reflect his critique of the political mainstream in the monarchical era. He created the stereotype of the cruel, violent and incompetent officer, and brought to public attention the hazing of young recruits.

Biography

Early years

Bacalbașa was a native of

Brăila Brăila (, also , ) is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County. The ''Sud-Est'' Regional Development Agency is located in Brăila. According to the 2011 Romanian census there were 180,302 pe ...

, where his father Costache was serving as

Police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

chief. The family traced its origins to

Gorj County Gorj County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in Oltenia, with its capital city at Târgu Jiu. ''Gorj'' comes from the Slavic ''Gor(no)-'' Jiu (“upper Jiu”), in contrast with Dolj (“lower Jiu”). Demographics In 2011, the county had a ...

, changing their name from ''Telescu'' to ''Bacalbașa'' (literally, "head of the

grocer A grocery store (American English, AE), grocery shop (British English, BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food Product (business), products, which may be Fresh food, fresh or Food preservation, packaged ...

s") when one of them became leader of a

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

Galați Galați (, , ; also known by other alternative names) is the capital city of Galați County in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in eastern Romania. Galați is a port town on the Danube River. It has been the only port for the most par ...

. Costache had a military career in autonomous

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and so ...

, from 1834 to 1841, then settled in Brăila with his wife Aneta; they had thirteen children, seven of whom died before reaching maturity. According to literary historian

George Călinescu George Călinescu (; 19 June 1899, Bucharest – 12 March 1965, Otopeni) was a Romanian literary critic, historian, novelist, academician and journalist, and a writer of classicist and humanist tendencies. He is currently considered one of the mos ...

, the exact date of Anton's birth is a mystery, but, judging by one of Toni's poems, may be 21 February 1865.Călinescu, p.564 Authors note that Toni was a passionate and extrovert person, but with a generally weak constitution. Born prematurely, he was reputedly an epileptic. Ilie Ighel
"Salon. Din Bucureșci"
in '' Familia'', Nr. 25/1894, p.296 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
In one of his later poems, Bacalbașa describes himself as unattractive, uncouth, "wax-faced, dead-eyed", and pessimistic. The boy had difficulties completing his education. He attended school only up to the 8th grade, and, upon turning 17, volunteered for service in the

Romanian Land Forces The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Lan ...

, where he became a Sergeant.Felea, p.7 He preserved a bittersweet record of his army service, reflected in both ''Moș Teacă'' and some memoirs of military life. According to his own account, he was insulted by a senior officer for not reporting to him concerning the suicide of one recruit; he avenged himself by punching his superior in front of the entire company. Bacalbașa faced a

court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

but, since the recruits refused to report him, was merely demoted. After leaving the Land Forces, he moved to the capital,

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 ...

, where he began associating with the

left-liberal Social liberalism (german: Sozialliberalismus, es, socioliberalismo, nl, Sociaalliberalisme), also known as new liberalism in the United Kingdom, modern liberalism, or simply liberalism in the contemporary United States, left-liberalism ...

Radical Radical may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Radical politics, the political intent of fundamental societal change *Radicalism (historical), the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and ...

and socialist milieus. He was, by various accounts, a good public speaker, who knew how to address the workers, but who avoided issues of doctrine and made ample use of "mean gibes" against the politicians in power.Kirițescu, p.47 Bacalbașa and his brothers became interested in socialist politics at a time when the local socialist movement was taking its first steps. In 1879, Constantin established a leftist magazine, called ''Drepturile Omului'' ("Human Rights").

Z. Ornea Zigu Ornea (; born Zigu Orenstein Andrei Vasilescu"La ceas aniversar – Cornel Popa la 75 de ani: 'Am refuzat numeroase demnități pentru a rămâne credincios logicii și filosofiei analitice.' ", in Revista de Filosofie Analitică', Vol. II, N ...

"Capitala de odinioară"
in ''

România Literară ''România Literară'' is a cultural and literary magazine from Romania. In its original edition, it was founded on 1 January 1855 by Vasile Alecsandri and published in Iași until 3 December 1855, when it was suppressed. The new series appeared on ...

'', Nr. 13/2001 The Romanian socialist clubs, which first held congress during that year, were still undecided about which school of thought should inspire their agenda: Marxism,

Lassallism Lassallism is the strategy of the pursuit of socialism through the use of the state. This school of thought developed from German jurist and socialist activist Ferdinand Lassalle. This school of thought diverged from the route to socialism propo ...

Anarchism Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessa ...

and

Nihilism Nihilism (; ) is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, that rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence, such as objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or meaning. The term was popularized by Ivan ...

each had adherents in Romania. The proponents of a non-violent and liberal Marxism, as theorized political refugee Dobrogeanu-Gherea, eventually won the day, and the socialist clubs began constructing programs for a collectivist economy. Anton Bacalbașa had an essential contribution in this process. After 1881, he joined the Marxist group around ''

Contemporanul ''Contemporanul'' (The Contemporary) is a Romanian literary magazine published in Iaşi, Romania from 1881 to 1891. It was sponsored by the socialist circle of the city. A new magazine ''Contimporanul ''Contimporanul'' (antiquated spelling of ...

'' magazine. His 1883 brochure, ''Capitalul'', was the first ever introduction to, and summary of,

Karl Marx Karl Heinrich Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 ...

's ''

Das Kapital ''Das Kapital'', also known as ''Capital: A Critique of Political Economy'' or sometimes simply ''Capital'' (german: Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Ökonomie, link=no, ; 1867–1883), is a foundational theoretical text in Historical mater ...

''. Bacalbașa's literary ambitions were satisfied the same year. Some of his poems saw print in the magazine '' Literatorul'', which was put out in Bucharest by writer Alexandru Macedonski. Constantin Bacalbașa continued to take the initiative when it came to publicizing Gherea's cause. His 1883 magazine ''Emanciparea'' ("The Emancipation") made history for circulating portions of Jules Guesde's version of the "socialist catechism". As the years progressed, Anton himself joined in the effort: in 1887, he became the editorial director of ''Desrobirea'' (also translatable as "The Emancipation"), which advertised itself as a voice of the "working men party" (''partidul lucrătorilor'').

Democratic Radical, Sotir, ''Democrația Socială''

Anton Bacalbașa ran for a seat in the Assembly of Deputies ( Ilfov County, 3rd College), during the election of October 1888, picking up just 6 votes. By then, Dobrogeanu-Gherea and his pupils had caught negative attention from the governing

, and especially from the Conservatives' political-literary faction, ''

Junimea ''Junimea'' was a Romanian literary society founded in Iași in 1863, through the initiative of several foreign-educated personalities led by Titu Maiorescu, Petre P. Carp, Vasile Pogor, Theodor Rosetti and Iacob Negruzzi. The foremost personali ...

''. In 1889, by means of the socialist press, Bacalbașa popularized the rumor that a Conservative-''Junimist'' cabinet was working on expelling Gherea from the country. Gherea himself was alarmed by this, and requested an audience with ''Junimea'' leader and Education Minister

Titu Maiorescu Titu Liviu Maiorescu (; 15 February 1840 – 18 June 1917) was a Romanian literary critic and politician, founder of the ''Junimea'' Society. As a literary critic, he was instrumental in the development of Romanian culture in the second half of ...

. Maiorescu reassured Gherea that his followers had no intention of sabotaging the socialist clubs in this disputable manner. Around that time, Toni and his brothers became members of the Democratic Radical Party, a short-lived and eclectic liberal faction, whose founder and leader was the ex-''Junimist''

George Panu George Panu (March 9, 1848 – November 6, 1910) was a Moldavian, later Romanian memoirist, literary critic, journalist and politician. A native of Iași, educated there as well as in Paris and Brussels, he worked as a schoolteacher and lawyer, b ...

Ion Bulei An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

"Lumea românească la 1900. Traseismul în politică la sfârșitul secolului al XIX-lea. Cazul Gheorghe Panu"
in ''

Ziarul Financiar ''Ziarul Financiar'' is a daily financial newspaper published in Bucharest, Romania. Aside from business information, it features sections focusing on careers and properties, as well as a special Sunday newspaper. ''Ziarul Financiar'' also publish ...

'', 8 October 2009 Constantin was afterward the publisher of Panu's political newspaper, '' Lupta''. Panu and his men tried to negotiate an alliance against the National Liberal Party (PNL), which had for long been the nominal leftist side of Romania's

two-party system A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referre ...

. Their program included a promise that the outgoing PNL

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

, Ion Brătianu, would be made to face trial. The PNL's George D. Pallade reported with sarcasm that Panu's promise to fight corruption "with the Bacalbașas" could only bring his party votes from "the naive". Both Toni and Constantin were press delegates to the 1890 Congress of Students in

Botoșani Botoșani () is the capital city of Botoșani County, in the northern part of Western Moldavia, Moldavia, Romania. Today, it is best known as the birthplace of many celebrated Romanians, including Mihai Eminescu, Nicolae Iorga and Grigore Antipa. ...

, a major affair which involved both Conservatives and socialists. In June 1891, "Bacalbașa Anton" was also announced as one of the leading contributors to the literary magazine ''Ecoul Sĕptĕmânii'' ("The Weekly Echo"), alongside a gathering of journalists and social activists:

Traian Demetrescu Traian Rafael Radu Demetrescu (; also known under his pen name Tradem or, occasionally, as Traian Demetrescu-Tradem; December 5, 1866 – April 17, 1896) was a Romanian poet, novelist and literary critic, considered one of the first Symbolism (art ...

, Saniel Grossman, Gheorghe "din Moldova" Kernbach, Dumitru Teleor, Maica Smara, Berman Goldner-Giordano etc."Salon. Literatură și arte"
in '' Familia'', Nr. 22/1891, p.262 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
Also joining them were draftsmen Nicolae Vermont and

Constantin Jiquidi Constantin is an Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian and Romanian male given name. It can also be a surname. For a list of notable people called Constantin, see Constantine (name). See also * Constantine (name) * Konstantin The first name Konstant ...

. Toni was later inducted into the Marxist club formed by Constantin Mille at Sotir Hall, Bucharest, and lectured for the public on a weekly basis. Author Constantin Kirițescu, who joined the Sotir group as a 17-year-old, recalls that both men "carried the brunt" of organizing and educating the socialist sympathizers. According to journalist I. Felea, Toni, who "resembled

Ferdinand Lassalle Ferdinand Lassalle (; 11 April 1825 – 31 August 1864) was a Prussian-German jurist, philosopher, socialist and political activist best remembered as the initiator of the social democratic movement in Germany. "Lassalle was the first man in Ger ...

in looks and speech", was a favorite of the Bucharest workers, and made an impression on them by touching the issue of penniless senior citizens. Bacalbașa himself did not have a stable domicile, and slept on the tables at Sotir. By 1893, Kirițescu notes, the task of representing "Marxist orthodoxy" had fallen on a new arrival,

Ioan Nădejde Ioan is a variation on the name John found in Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Welsh (), and Sardinian. It is usually masculine. The female equivalent in Romanian and Bulgarian is Ioana. In Russia, the name Ioann is usually reserved for the clerg ...

; the "occult leader" Dobrogeanu-Gherea, already "an invalid", was rarely visiting the club, and was losing support among the rank and file. Two other figures, Alexandru Ionescu and Alexandru Georgescu, represented the working class on the Sotir presidium, but they were both in the process of becoming prosperous businessmen. Beginning in early 1892, Toni centered his activity on the industrial hub of

Ploiești Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest. The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Blejoi commu ...

, where he became managing editor of ''Democrația Socială'' ("

Social Democracy Social democracy is a Political philosophy, political, Social philosophy, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocati ...

"). The weekly paper was financed by a lawyer and entrepreneur, Alexandru Radovici, and was originally apolitical, but moved to the left once Bacalbașa took over. Paul D. Popescu
''Democrația Socială'' (I)"
in '' Ziarul Prahova'', 4 February 2012 He himself lived for a while in the city, and, like Radovici, sat on the Ploiești Workers' Club Executive Committee. ''Democrația Socială'' became a rather important voice for the socialist movement, receiving collaborations from Gherea, Demetrescu, Mille, I. Nădejde,

Sofia Nădejde Sofia Nădejde (born Sofia Băncilă; September 14, 1856 – June 11, 1946) was a Romanian novelist, playwright, translator, journalist, women's rights activist and socialist. Born in Botoșani, her parents were merchant Vasile Băncilă-Gheor ...

, O. Carp and George Diamandy. According to historian Paul D. Popescu, the editorial opinion was divisible into three factions: Gherea was the

evolutionary socialist Eduard Bernstein (; 6 January 1850 – 18 December 1932) was a German Social democracy, social democratic Marxist theorist and politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Bernstein had held close association to Karl ...

, Radovici the liberal democrat; Toni, who made a lasting impression among the readers, represented the far left, prophesying the dictatorship of the proletariat. Around that date, Anton Bacalbașa endorsed

didactic art Didacticism is a philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in literature, art, and design. In art, design, architecture, and landscape, didacticism is an emerging conceptual approach that is driven by the urgent need to ...

, as envisaged by Gherea. The socialists were unnerved by Conservative theorists, who countered with the principle of art for art's sake. Initially, this was a direct dispute with ''Junimea'' and Maiorescu. Cultural historian

thus notes that, while Dobrogeanu-Gherea kept silent, his young pupils launched "a veritable anti-''Junimist'' campaign"; among those he lists in this category are Bacalbașa, Demetrescu, S. Nădejde and Garabet Ibrăileanu, along with

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 ...

Emil Fagure Emil D. Fagure (born Samuel Honigman; April 7, 1873 – March 16, 1948) was a Romanian prose writer, translator, journalist and theatre and music critic. Life Born into a Jewish family in Iași, his father was a cantor and piano teacher; his brothe ...

Raicu Ionescu-Rion Raicu Ionescu-Rion (born Raicu Ionescu; August 24, 1872 – April 19, 1895) was a Romanian literary critic and socialist commentator. Born in Bălăbănești, Galați County, he came from a poor peasant family. He attended primary school in ...

Henric Sanielevici Henric Sanielevici (, first name also Henri, Henry or Enric, last name also Sanielevich; September 21, 1875 – February 19, 1951) was a Romanian journalist and literary critic, also remembered for his work in anthropology, ethnography, sociology ...

Constantin Stere Constantin G. Stere or Constantin Sterea (Romanian; russian: Константин Егорович Стере, ''Konstantin Yegorovich Stere'' or Константин Георгиевич Стере, ''Konstantin Georgiyevich Stere''; also known u ...

and

Avram Steuerman-Rodion Avram Steuerman-Rodion, born Adolf Steuerman or Steuermann and often referred to as just Rodion (November 30, 1872 – September 19, 1918), was a Romanian poet, anthologist, physician and socialist journalist. A member of Romania's Jewish communi ...

. At ''Democrația Socială'', Toni wrote in favor of a workers' art, inspired by the sheer realities of industrial life, and published, in addition to his own short prose, fragments from various socially minded authors— Mór Jókai,

Guy de Maupassant Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (, ; ; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, destin ...

Mircea Rosetti Mircea is a Romanian language, Romanian masculine given name, a form of the South Slavic name Mirče (Мирче) that derives from the Slavic word ''mir'', meaning 'peace'. It may refer to: People Princes of Wallachia * Mircea I of Wallachi ...

, Ivan Turgenev,

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...

etc.

''Moftul Român''

The busiest part of Toni Bacalbașa's short career covers the years 1893–1894. He had by then befriended the influential satirist Caragiale, and, with him, began work on the humorous gazette '' Moftul Român''. The two authors had different backgrounds: to Bacalbașa's socialism, Caragiale opposed a conservatism formed during his stay with ''Junimea''. Literary historian Tudor Vianu notes that, in a cheerful manner, ''Moftul'' reflected that ''Junimist'' agenda, skeptical toward all cultural innovation. According to philologist

Ștefan Cazimir Ștefan is the Romanian form of Stephen, used as both a given name and a surname. For the English version, see Stefan. Some better known people with the name Ștefan are listed below. For a comprehensive list see . Notable persons with that name ...

, the magazine was mainly a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

of the neoromantic and modern

kitsch Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...

, prevalent in the '' fin de siècle''. Its title translates into "The Romanian Trifle" or "The Romanian Nonsense", referencing one's uppity answer to things presented as new: ''moft!'' (in the same sense of "bollocks!"). ''Moftul'' editorials had it that ''moft!'' was a national characteristic, what "spleen" is to the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, "chauvinism" to the

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Urali ...

, and "Nihilism" to the

Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...

. Caragiale's paper was in large part poking fun at the nationalist and traditionalist current in Romanian literature, parodying stories about peasant life. A predilect victim was the nationalist scholar and Caragiale critic Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, his life's work of gathering etymological data ridiculed as "the ''Magnum Mophtologicum''". Also featured were Caragiale's first jibes against the

Symbolist movement Symbolism was a late 19th-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts seeking to represent absolute truths symbolically through language and metaphorical images, mainly as a reaction against naturalism and realis ...

, including lampoons of Bacalbașa's former patron, Alexandru Macedonski. Lastly, ''Moftul Român'' taunted some ''Junimist'' colleagues, including Maiorescu—whom it depicted as a libertine and a seducer of schoolgirls. According to one account, Caragiale himself visited Sotir, where he lectured about the causes and consequences of human stupidity. ''Moftul Român'' did host the occasional socialist article, including an unsigned tribute to May Day, most likely written by Bacalbașa himself.

Al. Săndulescu AL, Al, Ål or al may stand for: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Al (''Aladdin'') or Aladdin, the main character in Disney's ''Aladdin'' media * Al (''EastEnders''), a minor character in the British soap opera * Al (''Fullmetal ...

"Procesul stalinist al 'tovarășului Camil' "
, in ''

'', Nr. 11/1999 The pieces were many times anonymous, and it is occasionally difficult for researchers to distinguish between Caragiale and Bacalbașa's articles. According to Caragiale expert

Șerban Cioculescu Șerban Cioculescu (; 7 September 1902 – 25 June 1988) was a Romanian literary critic, literary historian and columnist, who held teaching positions in Romanian literature at the University of Iași and the University of Bucharest, as well as m ...

, the differences are mostly in style and orthographic preference: Caragiale still used the antiquated Romanian letters ''ĕ'' and ''ê'', while Toni had updated his writing to the latest norms. In parallel, Toni completed the first collection of ''Moș Teacă'' stories, printed in Bucharest with the subtitle ''Din cazarmă'' ("From the Boot Camp").Călinescu, p.1006 Addressing an ethnic Romanian readership 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 ...

and other parts of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

, the cultural journal '' Familia'' introduced Bacalbașa as an active participant to "the discussion on art", and reported that the book "enjoyed an unusually great success" in a Romanian context."Salon. Literatură și arte"
in '' Familia'', Nr. 50/1894, pp.598–599 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library

PSDMR and ''Adevărul Literar'' campaigns

After prolonged debates and negotiations, the various socialist assemblies fused with each other, creating, in March 1893, the PSDMR. It has been described as Romania's "first nation-wide

working-class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

party", and called itself "the vanguard of socialism" in Romania. Toni Bacalbașa was not delegated by Bucharest to represent the Sotir circle at the original PSDMR Congress, and ''Moftul Român'' published a piece attacking Nădejde for having organized that meeting behind closed doors. He may still have been present at that reunion, representing another club.Iacoș, p.54 Toni was also a noted guest at the Sotir meeting acknowledging the party's establishment, addressing a packed hall. His political role was recognized by his peers, who nominated him for the Commission drafting the party program, then elected him on the party's governing body (the General Council).Durnea (2009), p.42 Bacalbașa was one of the six people elected by the congress into a ten-member delegation to the

Second International The Second International (1889–1916) was an organisation of socialist and labour parties, formed on 14 July 1889 at two simultaneous Paris meetings in which delegations from twenty countries participated. The Second International continued th ...

's Zurich Congress, but was replaced at the last minute. Meanwhile, superseded by the PSDMR's own press (''

Lumea Nouă Lumea Nouă is a middle Neolithic to Chalcolithic (possibly Early Bronze Age) archaeological site in Alba Iulia, Romania. The site is named after the Lumea Nouă district of the city. The site was first researched (and likely discovered) by Ion Be ...

'', '' Munca''), ''Democrația Socială'' closed down. Also in 1893, Constantin Mille took over leadership of the republican daily ''Adevărul'', making it the informal PSDMR platform. Toni was appointed as one of the paper's editors,Cosco, p.115 and authored what is probably the first-ever interview in Romanian media history. The other Bacalbașas were also enlisted by ''Adevărul'': Constantin was one of the main editors; Ioan was famous as the

gossip columnist A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine. Gossip columns are material written in a light, informal style, which relates the gossip columnist's opinions about the personal li ...

(and infamous for never using commas). Florentina Tone, "Povești din viața ''Adevĕrului''" in ''

'', 31 December 2008 As noted by journalist Ilie Ighel in ''Familia'', there was a swift transition from republicanism to socialism, effected when some of the old staff left ''Adevărul''. He wrote: " nstead,a sinister character emerges, in the person of Anton Bacalbașa, the graduate of two gymnasium classes, along with other unknown celebrities .. It is certain that such transitions from one stance to the other have disgusted the cultured public, giving birth to a deep resentment for this sheet that, once taken over by Anton Bacalbașa, did not embrace scientific socialism, ..but proceeded to insult with brutality all those things that are notable in industry, commerce, finance". In retrospect, Constantin Bacalbașa also admitted that the socialist takeover was made possible because

Alexandru Beldiman Alexandru is the Romanian language, Romanian form of the name Alexander. Common diminutives are Alecu, Alex (disambiguation), Alex, and Sandu (disambiguation), Sandu. Origin Etymology, Etymologically, the name is derived from the Greek language, ...

, the newspaper's owner, was "weak-willed". Dezrobirea Muncitorilor (Lumea Nouă 11, 1895) MI aug73

Toni was a noisy presence at ''Adevărul'', and for this reason did not get along with Beldiman. According to one account, he and Beldiman got into a war of nerves, interrupting each other's activities with the sound of bells—moving from standard handbells to heavy cowbells. Toni was later assigned to lead the ''Adevărul Literar'' cultural supplement, which gave him the opportunity to engage in major debates over literary theory. Călinescu describes enterprise as reflecting "the socialist spirit". When Caragiale lost his position as a civil servant and fell back on money earned with his restaurant, Toni attempted to stir an anti-government reaction among the general public. His publicity stunt, taken up by ''Adevărul Literar'', was a faux

obituary An obituary ( obit for short) is an article about a recently deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on positive aspects of the subject's life, this is not always the case. Ac ...

, announcing that, if stripped of a salary, Caragiale was (as good as) dead. Several sources note that Bacalbașa was a harsh reviewer of literary works, who made sure to point out the flaws of literary debutantes.Cosco, p.114"George Ranetti despre debutul său literar"; "Note biografice"
in ''

Universul Literar ''Universul'' was a mass-circulation newspaper in Romania. It existed from 1884 to 1953, and was run by Stelian Popescu from 1914 to 1943 (with a two-year break during World War I). Newspapers published in Bucharest Newspapers established in 188 ...

'', Nr. 21/1928, p.335 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
Florentina Tone

in ''

'', 30 December 2008 In the end, ''Adevărul Literar'' received contributions from, among others, Demetrescu, Constantin Stere (with the pen name ''Un observator ipohondru'', "A Hypochondriac Observer"), H. Sanielevici, Simion Sanielevici, Ion Gorun and

Artur Stavri Artur Stavri (November 10, 1869 – May 10, 1928) was a Romanian poet. Born in Botoșani, he studied at the National College in Iași and, from 1888, at the law faculty of Iași University. Active within the National Liberal Party, he serve ...

. Also featured, on his debut, was the aspiring humorist

George Ranetti George or Gheorghe Ranetti, born George Ranete
entry in the

Bacalbașa's efforts were again mainly dedicated to the promotion of didactic art. The main cultural battle was no longer carried between the PSDMR and ''Junimea'', but between the socialist and non-socialist advocates of didacticism. ''Adevărul Literar'' directed its passion against author Alexandru Vlahuță and his journal '' Vieața'', whose pro-didactic agenda was more

right-wing Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authorit ...

than Mille's. Vlahuță was already outraged by Caragiale's unsigned parodies in ''Moftul'', calling them the work of "some stupid parvenu". His conflict with the Gherea socialists was, according to Călinescu, rather pointless, since Bacalbașa is "only apparently an adversary of Vlahuță's". The debate nevertheless grew into a mutual animosity. In one of his letters, Vlahuță feigns shock at the discovery that Toni has judged him to be "talentless". The dispute over such issues grew more heated as others joined in. According to Kirițescu, Toni's debate with Doctor

Alceu Urechia Alceu may refer to: Given name * Alceu Amoroso Lima (1893–1983), Brazilian * Alceu Ribeiro (1919–2013), Uruguayan painter and sculptor * Alceu Collares (born 1927), Brazilian politician and lawyer * Alceu Valença (born 1946), Brazilian sin ...

, an anti-didacticist, degenerated into "a suburbanite airing of dirty laundry";Kirițescu, p.46 while Cosco writes that their quarrel was "a waste of humor". When Gherea was challenged from the left by a pseudonymous author, ''I. Saint Pierre'', Bacalbașa and his journal reacted with vehemence, debating over this issue with Steuerman-Rodion, a more moderate socialist chronicler. Yet another target for Toni's criticism was the old historian and novelist Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, who, still grieving for his daughter Iulia, allowed himself to be entirely absorbed into the polemic. Bacalbașa was widely credited as the winner of this collateral dispute, and even Hasdeu was pleasantly surprised by his talents, recommending him as Romania's only genuine journalist. Toni's socialist disciples prolonged the scandal, publishing an offshoot of ''Moftul'', entirely dedicated to satirizing the anti-PSDMR coalition, and titled ''Putregaiul Român'' ("The Romanian Rot"). Bacalbașa's political and artistic preoccupations formed the basis for three new books, all printed in 1894. One was dedicated to, and named after, his conference on the topic of "art for art's sake" (''Artă pentru artă''). Another one was a social pamphlet, ''Bătaia în armată'' ("Beatings in the Army"). The third was a selection of

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...

s, ''Din viața militară'' ("From the Military Life"). Also in 1894, Toni and Radovici made new visits to Ploiești, where they recruited members for the socialist movement.

1894 scandals

Together with Mille and other ''Adevărul'' socialists, Toni was openly courting the much larger PNL. In early 1894, he wrote an ''Adevărul'' piece, calling on the PNL to move further to the left, by "openly embracing the democratic ideals."Durnea (2009), p.32 The offer of a liberal-socialist alliance was announced by the PSDMR's own program, but ignored by the PNL; as a result of this attitude, the PSDMR's Diamandy even suggested an alliance with the governing Conservatives. Bacalbașa, Mille and Beldiman were all present at a January 1894 conference, which aimed to coalesce the left into a pressure group for

universal suffrage Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stanc ...

. It reached out to the Radicals and liberal democrats at ''

Românul ''Românul'' (, meaning "The Romanian"; originally spelled ''Romanulu'' or ''Românulŭ'', also known as ''Romînul'', ''Concordia'', ''Libertatea'' and ''Consciinti'a Nationala''), was a political and literary newspaper published in Bucharest, Ro ...

'' and '' Evenimentul'' newspapers, and then to independent agrarian activists ( Vasile Kogǎlniceanu,

Constantin Dobrescu-Argeș Constantin I. Dobrescu, better known as Dobrescu-Argeș (June 28, 1856 – December 10, 1903), was a Romanian peasant activist and politician, also noted as a teacher, journalist, and jurist. Active from his native Mușătești, in Argeș County ...

), but, a few months later, broke down into competing factions. On 24 January, Toni published in ''Adevărul'' a fairy-tale-like lampoon directed at the Romanian King Carol I of Romania and at his designated successor Ferdinand, caricatured as the "avaricious" emperor and the repulsive ''Urechilă'' ("Floppy Ears"). A serious scandal erupted in June 1894, when the socialists found themselves targeted by nationalist students mobs, who objected to the PSDMR's alleged snubbing of the Romanians of Transylvania. The demonstrations soon degenerated into an attack on private institutions, including the ''Adevărul'' headquarters. According to the hostile account of Ilie Ighel, this was the public's way of punishing Bacalbașa's

proletarian internationalism Proletarian internationalism, sometimes referred to as international socialism, is the perception of all communist revolutions as being part of a single global class struggle rather than separate localized events. It is based on the theory that ...

. ''Familia'' also reported that the students had originally asked Bacalbașa to tone down his agenda, to which he allegedly replied: "Get out, you dastards!""Ce e nou? Studenții și ''Adevĕrul''"
in '' Familia'', Nr. 21/1894, p.251 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
Reportedly, the rioters were violently dispersed by the ''Adevărul'' typographers. The Police intervened in the squabble, and placed the ''Adevărul'' building under armed guard. Arrest warrants were issued for the ''Adevărul'' staff: Mille and Alexandru Ionescu were taken into custody and released a short while after, whereas Bacalbașa absconded. Mille's group found a friend in Constantin Stere, by then a maverick member of the PNL, who began maneuvering against the PNL's right-wing from the inside. Managing a literary sheet put out by the pro-PNL ''Evenimentul'', Stere supported ''Adevărul'' in its campaign for literary didacticism, and organized rallies of solidarity with the Bucharest socialists. This happened just as Toni was publishing satirical pieces targeting ''Evenimentul'' owner George A. Scorțescu, which left Stere in an awkward position. Stere was consequently accused by ''Evenimentul'' of being a spy and a tool for the Conservatives. The incidents were reviewed with caution by ''Adevărul'', whose panelists feared that a Conservative conspiracy was in the making, but Toni also criticized the PNL papers for suggesting the same. When Stere challenged Scorțescu to a duel, Bacalbașa covered the affair for ''Adevărul''. Although he condemned Scorțescu's editorial policy, Toni advised Stere to withdraw his demand for satisfaction, or else "all the crooks and vermin will only have to learn how to duel and that's how the press will be banned from taking a stand." In his column of 1 October, when he discussed the Conservatives' decision to expel all "trouble-making" students, he admitted that the complications of the affair surpassed his power of understanding: "I could not say ho is rightanymore, there's a sort of black confusion in my mind". The friendship between Bacalbașa and Mille had soured over those months, and Toni soon left ''Adevărul'' for good. It is possible that this rift occurred because of Beldiman, who ceded his stock to Mille without even considering Bacalbașa for a successor. Florentina Tone
"Părintele ziaristicii române moderne"
in ''

'', 21 December 2008 The issue was of interest to the entire socialist movement, since ''Adevărul'' vied for attention with the same niche of the working public.''110 ani...'', p.12 One of Stere's colleagues, the socialist N. Quinezu, denounced Anton Bacalbașa for being in a conflict of interest, for holding a PSDMR office while still working at ''Adevărul'', and for vetoing funds for the PSDMR sheet ''Lumea Nouă''. On 25 September 1894, Bacalbașa presented his resignation from the PSDMR Council. He also reconciled with ''Familia'', where he published his

sketch story A sketch story, literary sketch or simply sketch, is a piece of writing that is generally shorter than a short story, and contains very little, if any, plot. The genre was invented after the 16th century in England, as a result of increasing publi ...

''La garda pieții'' ("Guarding the Marketplace", December 1894). Anton Bacalbașa
"La garda pieții"
in '' Familia'', Nr. 51/1894, pp.601–603 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
''Adevărul Literar'' went out of business on 13 February 1895, and Mille found himself expelled from the PSDMR after the Third Party Congress of April. During that year, Toni was still active in the party, writing for ''Lumea Nouă'' and upholding Gherea's political line. His articles touched a sensitive subject: the Law on Mining, passed by the ''Junimist'' Prime Minister

Petre P. Carp Petre P. Carp (; also Petrache Carp, Francized ''Pierre Carp'', Ioana Pârvulescu"O adresă high-life", in ''România Literară'', Nr. 25/2010 occasionally ''Comte Carpe''; 28 Mircea Dumitriu"Petre P. Carp – un suflet, un caracter, o idee", in ...

, which did away with the PNL's

protectionism Protectionism, sometimes referred to as trade protectionism, is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import quotas, and a variety of other government regulations. ...

and greatly increased foreign investment in the Romanian economy.Ornea (1998, I), pp.329–330 The PSDMR, committed to the Marxist theory on the

relations of production Relations of production (german: Produktionsverhältnisse, links=no) is a concept frequently used by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in their theory of historical materialism and in ''Das Kapital''. It is first explicitly used in Marx's publish ...

, supported the law as a step forward into

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for Profit (economics), profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, pric ...

, but also criticized it for not allowing a state monopoly on mines. Also that year, Bacalbașa dueled with a certain Bogdanovici, having Caragiale as his witness. The event is remembered in literature because Caragiale, using his trademark

black humor Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...

, called on the duelers to fire their pistols from a distance of ten paces.

Conservative politics and death

Eventually, Bacalbașa formalized his split with the socialist party. From 1896, both he and his rival Scorțescu were members of a PNL splinter group, presided upon by lawyer

Ghenadie Petrescu Ghenadie Petrescu (; March 1836 – August 31, 1918) was a Wallachian, later Romanian priest of the national Orthodox church, who served as Metropolitan-Primate of Romania from 1893 to 1896. Ghenadie was a monk and hieromonk steadily progressing ...

as Metropolitan-Primate. All three Bacalbașas, together with Fleva and the ''Lumea Nouă'' socialists (represented by A. Ionescu), also protested when PNL Prime Minister

Dimitrie Sturdza Dimitrie Sturdza (, in full Dimitrie Alexandru Sturdza-Miclăușanu; 10 March 183321 October 1914) was a Romanian statesman and author of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884. Biography Born in Iași, ...

expelled Aromanian refugees for having questioned his

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

policy. Soon, Toni embarked on an additional venture, creating a satirical magazine named after (and featuring stories with) ''Moș Teacă''. In its first series, the periodical hosted a lampoon piece by the young leftist writer Gala Galaction and Toni's own satirical portrait of Caragiale as a political opportunist, gravitating between the ''Junimists'' and

's Radicals. The journalist settled down to a family life, marrying Alexandrina Scărișoreanu (who was ten years his younger). He also accepted an offer from Transylvania's '' Vatra'' magazine (co-edited by Caragiale) to set up its satirical supplement ''Hazul'' ("Fun"), but the venture failed to interest the public and was abandoned. On 22 March 1898, Bacalbașa began reissuing ''Moș Teacă'', introduced as ''Jurnal Țivil și Cazon'' ("Civilian and Military Newspaper"). One of its preferred targets was Mille, referred to in the paper as ''Millu Crocodilu'' ("Mill the Crocodile"). The co-author of such material was Ranetti-Namuna, who arrived there after a stint at ''Lupta''. During 1899, Bacalbașa followed Fleva's group as it merged into the Conservative Party. His presence alongside Maiorescu was recorded with displeasure by the ''Junimist'' Ioan Slavici, as one of the reasons why Conservative politics had become ineffectual. A Conservative cabinet was called to power, with Fleva as the

Agriculture Minister An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

, and Bacalbașa ran in the general election of 1899, earning an Ilfov County seat in the Assembly of Deputies. Toni still pursued his literary interests: together with "Constantin Ivan" (the common pseudonym of his two brothers), he wrote the 3-act political revue ''Pardon!''. This was to be his last known endeavor: on 1 October 1899, having contracted bacterial pneumonia, Bacalbașa died, and was buried at Bellu cemetery. Public mourning was taken up by both Fleva and Caragiale. According to the former: "Through every sort of trouble, through every storm I ever had to cross into, I felt strong knowing that Anton Bacalbașa was with me. It is to his talent, his heart and his friendship that I owe the best years of my public life." The same year, the PSDMR itself disappeared from the scene:

and his "generous ones" faction denounced socialist politics as too feeble for the Romanian context, and joined the PNL, leaving a minority, under C. Z. Buzdugan,

I. C. Frimu Ion Costache Frimu ( – ) was a Romanian socialist militant and politician, a leading member of the Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSDR) and labor activist. He died after being beaten and contracting an illness in prison, where he was b ...

and

Christian Rakovsky Christian Georgievich Rakovsky (russian: Христиа́н Гео́ргиевич Рако́вский; bg, Кръстьо Георги́ев Рако́вски; – September 11, 1941) was a Bulgarian-born socialist revolutionary, a Bolshevi ...

, to establish a more radical workers' party (embryo of the post-1910

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties For ...

Literary work

Constantin Jiquidi - Valorosul Căpitan Moș Teacă citește regulat organul nostru 11 feb 1896

During his 1890s polemics, Anton Bacalbașa explained at length what his vision of didacticism meant. His stated belief was that: "In all of our works, that which is alive first and foremost is ourselves."Călinescu, p.565 Nevertheless, George Călinescu writes, Toni "was far from pouring socialism over everything", and believed that poetry in particular should be apolitical. As early as 1894,

noted that the ''Adevărul Literar'' editor had been straying away from Dobrogeanu-Gherea's didactic path. ''Moș Teacă'', which endures as Bacalbașa's best liked series, is a tragicomic account of military life. The eponymous hero is a grotesque Army Captain, who is comically illiterate but savage in his treatment of the recruits. The reader never learns his actual name, but only his nickname, literally "Old Man Scabbard", but also rendered as "Captain Scabbard"Anton Bacalbașa, "Captain Scabbard (excerpts)", in ''Plural Magazine'', Nr. 10/2001 (Bacalbașa hints that derogatory nicknames were commonly used by the recruits when referring to their unpopular superiors).

Horia Gârbea Horia-Răzvan Gârbea or Gîrbea (; born August 10, 1962) is a Romanian playwright, poet, essayist, novelist and critic, also known as an academic, engineer and journalist. Known for his work in experimental theater and his Postmodernist contribut ...

"Personajele. Porecle și diminutive"
, in ''

'', Nr. 7/2012 It is generally held that Toni's anti-hero is in large part inspired by a standard of French literature, in particular by Charles Leroy's ''Col. Ramollot'' and

Henry Monnier Henry-Bonaventure Monnier (7 June 1799 in Paris – 3 January 1877) was a French playwright, caricaturist and actor. Life After studying at the Lycée Bonaparte, he frequented the workshops of Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson and Antoine-Jean Gr ...

's '' Joseph Prudhomme''. This interpretation is nuanced by researcher Constantin Ciopraga, who argues: "As a former army volunteer, the future journalist Bacalbașa did not need the French model proposed by Charles Leroy in ''Le Colonel Ramollot''; he was directly familiarized with the Prussian spirit of yesteryear." Moș Teacă has lived all his life in the army, having been a drummer boy by vocation. His obtuse nature greatly disturbs his understanding of civilian affairs: when he is informed that the Dâmbovița River has swelled, he asks, "Who gave the order for this?" He provides his men with incomprehensible advice on how to march, instructs them how to make a polite retreat if the enemy catches them without a weapon, and, while on maneuvers on the

Prut River The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , uk, Прут) is a long river in Eastern Europe. It is a left tributary of the Danube. In part of its course it forms Romania's border with Moldova and Ukraine. Characteristics The Prut originates ...

, orders them to combat the epizootic with a verbal inspection of the cattle. Teacă and the other infantry officers are especially violent toward the recruits, and use a wide inventory of corporal punishments, on an advancing scale. In addition to hitting the young soldiers (with their bare knuckles, with sword belts, or with sticks), they force some to run around for hours with a "bitch" (the regimental

Maxim gun The Maxim gun is a recoil-operated machine gun invented in 1884 by Hiram Stevens Maxim. It was the first fully automatic machine gun in the world. The Maxim gun has been called "the weapon most associated with imperial conquest" by historian M ...

) on their back, or to hold aim while staring directly into the sun. In ''La garda pieții'', the soldiers react badly to injustice and stage a protest, but their effort is ultimately wasted by intrigues. Other categories of servicemen are also touched by Bacalbașa's wit. His stories show military medicine as a grim spectacle: the physicians are either criminally incompetent or sadistic, driving recruits to the brink of suicide. The elite cavalry (''Roșiori'') show particular restraint in public, but are merciless in dealing with their young subordinates. Army men were generally irritated by Bacalbașa's comedy. Some ten years after the author's death, General Brătianu commented that Moș Teacă was the stuff of imagination, and propaganda "for the naive". Toni himself probably intended to make Teacă reach beyond the topic of

antimilitarism Antimilitarism (also spelt anti-militarism) is a doctrine that opposes war, relying heavily on a critical theory of imperialism and was an explicit goal of the First and Second International. Whereas pacifism is the doctrine that disputes (especia ...

. As he explained, Teacă might just as well be active in environments other than the boot camp, from the marketplace to the Senate of Romania. In order to ridicule his colleagues in the media, Bacalbașa created an alternative character, the self-seeking newspaperman ''Spanachidi'' (said to have been based on a real-life model). Bacalbașa's other humorous works are scattered. Călinescu describes him as a restless "buffoon" and "an unpretentious journalist", but acknowledges that his French wit and verve have raised the level of Romania's media. Toni's parodies of Symbolism, published in ''Moftul Român'', are described by Cioculescu as even better than those signed by Caragiale, since they hit closer to "the mark". Many of his other written contributions are

homograph A homograph (from the el, ὁμός, ''homós'', "same" and γράφω, ''gráphō'', "write") is a word that shares the same written form as another word but has a different meaning. However, some dictionaries insist that the words must also ...

ic one-line jokes, or samples of

absurd humor Surreal humour (also called surreal comedy, absurdist humour, or absurdist comedy) is a form of humour predicated on deliberate violations of causal reasoning, thus producing events and behaviours that are obviously illogical. Portrayals of surrea ...

in the '' épater la bourgeoisie'' tradition, while his memoirs record the involuntarily humorous rhyming of a poet-soldier. Călinescu finds them amusing but, in large part, copied from the French prankster

Alfred Jarry Alfred Jarry (; 8 September 1873 – 1 November 1907) was a French symbolist writer who is best known for his play ''Ubu Roi'' (1896). He also coined the term and philosophical concept of 'pataphysics. Jarry was born in Laval, Mayenne, France, ...

("the technique of '' Ubuesque'' humorists"). Both Anton and Constantin Bacalbașa were also early pioneers of the Romanian

epigram An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, and sometimes surprising or satirical statement. The word is derived from the Greek "inscription" from "to write on, to inscribe", and the literary device has been employed for over two mille ...

genre, which the former helped popularize at ''Moftul''. Some of Bacalbașa's writings are of a more restrained nature, and even include somber pieces. A younger colleague, C. Cosco, recalled: "We ournalistsknew that, under his ferocious sarcasm, under his biting wit, he was hiding the sentimentality of a German maiden." In his more serious poems, Toni follows the model set by ''Junimea''s

Mihai Eminescu Mihai Eminescu (; born Mihail Eminovici; 15 January 1850 – 15 June 1889) was a Romanian Romantic poet from Moldavia, novelist, and journalist, generally regarded as the most famous and influential Romanian poet. Eminescu was an active membe ...

. In a controversial article he wrote in 1890, Toni asserted that Eminescu was a unique genius, who did not fit in with any school of literature.

Legacy

Following Toni's death, Alexandrina Bacalbașa remarried, to the Transylvanian literato

Nerva Hodoș Nerva (; originally Marcus Cocceius Nerva; 8 November 30 – 27 January 98) was Roman emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became emperor when aged almost 66, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the succeeding rulers of the Flavian dy ...

. She survived her second husband by several decades. When she died, in 1954, she was buried next to her first husband. A final ''Moș Teacă'' almanac was put out in 1900, featuring the sketch ''Ion prostul'' ("Stupid Ion"), which, although believed by the publisher to be Bacalbașa's work, may in fact be a forgotten contribution by Caragiale. At around that time,

George Ranetti George or Gheorghe Ranetti, born George Ranete
entry in the

Romanian literature, and in particular on comedy-writing. ''Moș Teacă'' proved influential for the work of other Romanian writers, who were active in the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...

Gheorghe Brăescu Gheorghe Brăescu (30 January 1871, Iaşi - 15 March 1949) was a Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the n ...

, then

Neagu Rădulescu Neagu Rădulescu (December 26, 1912 – February 3, 1972) was a Romanian prose writer and caricaturist. Early years Born in Bucharest, his parents were Petru Rădulescu, a clerk, and his wife Ecaterina, a ballerina. He attended Sfântul Iosif pr ...

. The name itself was virtually turned into a common noun (''un moș teacă''), applied to army men who are thought to display the same characteristics as Bacalbașa's anti-hero. In

Romanian cuisine Romanian cuisine () is a diverse blend of different dishes from several traditions with which it has come into contact, but it also maintains its own character. It has been mainly influenced by Turkish and a series of European cuisines in partic ...

, the writer's name was given to a ''

delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...

'' variety of

smoked ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term "ham" ...

. In addition to Kirițescu and Cosco's notes, Toni was the subject of a 1924 monograph by socialist critic

Barbu Lăzăreanu Barbu Lăzăreanu (born Avram Lazarovici,Valentin Chifor, "Lăzăreanu Barbu", in Aurel Sasu (ed.), ''Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române'', Vol. I, pp. 839–840. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004. or Bercu Leizerovici,Constantin Io ...

, and of a 1938 memoir by his ''Adevărul'' acquaintance

Izabela Sadoveanu-Evan Izabela Sadoveanu-Evan (, last name also Sadoveanu-Andrei, first name also Isabella or Izabella; born Izabela Morțun, pen names I.Z.S.D. and Iz. Sd.;

. In the 1930s, the aged

wrote his deceased friend into the autobiographical novel ''În preajma revoluției'', as ''Toni Baclava''. After 1948, Bacalbașa's republicanism made him a favorite of the communist regime. In the 1950s, his anti-monarchic work was central to the Romanian curriculum, alongside selected pieces by other hand-picked republicans-socialists (

N. D. Cocea N. D. Cocea (common rendition of Nicolae Dumitru Cocea, , also known as Niculae, Niculici or Nicu Cocea; November 29, 1880 – February 1, 1949) was a Romanian journalist, novelist, critic and left-wing political activist, known as a major but co ...

Dumitru Theodor Neculuță Dumitru Theodor Neculuță (also known as Neculiță and Dumitru a Ciubotăriții; – October 17, 1904) was a Romanian poet, socialist activist, and artisan shoemaker. Born to a poor family in Western Moldavia, he was not allowed to pursue his pa ...

Alexandru Toma Alexandru Toma (occasionally known as A. Toma, born Solomon Moscovici; February 11, 1875 – August 15, 1954) was a Romanian poet, journalist and translator, known for his communist views and his role in introducing Socialist Realism to Romanian li ...

). Andrei Grigor, Simona Marin
"Literatura română în școala anilor cincizeci"
in ''Transilvania'', Nr. 1/2011, p.31 However, the anonymous ''Moftul Român'' articles which were evidently pro-socialist, and which are most likely Toni's contributions, were attributed to Caragiale by official authors such as Camil Petrescu. This was a counter-factual effort of transforming the ''Junimist'' writer into a champion of the left.

Notes

References

''110 ani de social-democrație în România''

& Ovidiu Șincai Social Democratic Institute, Bucharest, 2003
"Le parti social-démocrate de Roumanie"
in ''La Revue Socialiste'', Nr. 115-120 (1894), pp. 589–596 (digitized by the

Bibliothèque nationale de France The Bibliothèque nationale de France (, 'National Library of France'; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository ...

br>''Gallica'' digital library
*

Constantin Bacalbașa Constantin is an Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian and Romanian male given name. It can also be a surname. For a list of notable people called Constantin, see Constantine (name). See also * Constantine (name) * Konstantin The first name Konsta ...

, ''Bucureștii de altădată. Vol. II: 1885 — 1901'', Editura Ziarului ''Universul'', Bucharest, 1928 *Gheorghe G. Bezviconi, ''Necropola Capitalei'', Nicolae Iorga Institute of History, Bucharest, 1972 *

, ''Istoria literaturii române de la origini pînă în prezent'', Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1986 *

, ''Caragiale față cu kitschul'',

Cartea Românească Cartea Românească ("The Romanian Book") is a publishing house in Bucharest, Romania, founded in 1919. Disestablished by the Communist Romania, communist regime in 1948, it was restored under later communism, in 1970, when it functioned as the off ...

, Bucharest, 1988. *

, ''Caragialiana'', Editura Eminescu, Bucharest, 1974. * C. Cosco
"Ctitorii. Anton Bacalbașa"; "Note biografice"
in ''

'', Nr. 8/1930, pp. 114–115 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library
* Victor Durnea

in ''Transilvania'', Nr. 2/2009, pp. 30–46 *I. Felea, "Din vremea cînd socialismul făcea primii pași la 'Sotir' ", in '' Magazin Istoric'', March 1968, pp. 4–8 *

Keith Hitchins Keith Arnold Hitchins (April 2, 1931 – November 1, 2020) was an American historian and a professor of Eastern European history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in Romania and its history. He was born in Schenect ...

, "Rumania", in Marcel van der Linden, Jürgen Rojahn, ''The Formation of Labour Movements, 1870–1914: An International Perspective'',

Brill Publishers Brill Academic Publishers (known as E. J. Brill, Koninklijke Brill, Brill ()) is a Dutch international academic publisher founded in 1683 in Leiden, Netherlands. With offices in Leiden, Boston, Paderborn and Singapore, Brill today publishes 27 ...

, Leiden, 1990, pp. 369–392. *Ion Iacoș, "Primul Congres Socialist din România", in ''Magazin Istoric'', April 1973, pp. 54–59 *

, ''Junimea și junimismul'', Vol. I-II, Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1998. * Constantin Kirițescu, "Trapanaua prietenului Pițurcă", in ''

Viața Românească ''Viața Românească'' (, "The Romanian Life") is a monthly literary magazine published in Romania. Formerly the platform of the left-wing traditionalist trend known as poporanism, it is now one of the Writers' Union of Romania's main venues. Th ...

'', Nr. 4/1928, pp. 43–58 *

, ''Probleme sociale și psihologice'', Editura Socec, Bucharest, 1920 * Tudor Vianu, ''Scriitori români'', Vol. II, Editura Minerva, Bucharest, 1971.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacalbasa, Anton 1865 births 1899 deaths Romanian humorists 19th-century essayists Romanian essayists Male essayists Romanian literary critics 19th-century memoirists Romanian memoirists Romanian male poets Romanian-language poets 19th-century Romanian poets Romanian male short story writers Romanian short story writers 19th-century short story writers Romanian dramatists and playwrights 19th-century Romanian dramatists and playwrights Male dramatists and playwrights Romanian columnists Romanian epigrammatists Romanian magazine founders Romanian magazine editors Romanian newspaper founders Romanian newspaper editors 19th-century journalists Male journalists Adevărul columnists Adevărul editors Romanian human rights activists Romanian pacifists Romanian Marxists Romanian revolutionaries Romanian Marxist journalists Marxist poets Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918) politicians Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Romania) Republicanism in the Kingdom of Romania People from Brăila Romanian Land Forces personnel Romanian duellists Deaths from pneumonia in Romania