Ioan A. Bassarabescu
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Ioan Alecu Bassarabescu (commonly rendered I. A. Bassarabescu; December 17, 1870 - March 27, 1952) was a Romanian comedic writer, civil servant and politician, who served one term (1926–1927) in the
Senate of Romania ) is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 136 seats (before the 2016 Romanian legislative election the total number of elected representatives was 176), to which members are elected by direct popular vote using party-l ...
. His work, mainly in prose form, is remembered as an accomplished and noteworthy contribution to
Romanian literature Romanian literature () is literature written by Romanian authors, although the term may also be used to refer to all literature written in the Romanian language. History The development of the Romanian literature took place in parallel with tha ...
, capturing the dreary life of provincial clerks in the early 20th century. Not interested in producing a singular novel, like his mentor
Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...
, he concentrated instead on the
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 ...
genre. In his debut stage, Bassarabescu belonged to ''
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 ...
'', the mainly literary and politically conservative club. He was friends with
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 ...
, ''Junimea'' leader, and with the ''Junimist'' author
Ioan Alexandru Brătescu-Voinești Ioan Alexandru Brătescu-Voinești (January 1, 1868 – December 14, 1946) was a Romanian short story writer and politician. The scion of a minor aristocratic family from Târgoviște, he studied law and, as a young man, drew close to the ''Junim ...
(with whom he is often compared). Married into a political family, Bassarabescu had joined 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 ...
by 1906, and, although still mainly active as a teacher, received high appointments in the bureaucracy. During
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 ...
, Bassarabescu he supported 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 ...
and was even appointed
Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...
of
Prahova County Prahova County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploiești. Demographics In 2011, it had a population of 762,886 and the population density was 161/km². It is Romania's third mos ...
under a
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
-led occupation. This put his political career on hold until 1925, when he joined the People's Party. Moving into
right-wing populism Right-wing populism, also called national populism and right-wing nationalism, is a political ideology that combines right-wing politics and populist rhetoric and themes. Its rhetoric employs anti-elitist sentiments, opposition to the Establi ...
in the 1930s, Bassarabescu had stints in the
National Agrarian Party The National Agrarian Party ( ro, Partidul Național-Agrar or ''Partidul Național-Agrarian'', PNA) was a right-wing agrarian party active in Romania during the early 1930s. Established and led by poet Octavian Goga, it was originally a schism fro ...
and the
National Christian Party The National Christian Party ( ro, Partidul Național Creștin) was a radical-right authoritarian and strongly antisemitic political party in Romania active between 1935 and 1938. It was formed by a merger of Octavian Goga's National Agrarian Part ...
, and joined the official
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 ...
in 1939. His last years were spent in seclusion: losing his fortune to Allied carpet bombing, stripped of his
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 ...
membership by the
communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism–Leninism. Marxism–Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Cominte ...
, he died suddenly in a road accident.


Biography


Early life and debut

Bassarabescu descended from ''
boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Russian nobility, Russia, Boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia, Wallachia and ...
'' families that occupied court positions in
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 ...
: his father, Alecu, was a '' pitar''; his mother, Elisa, was the daughter of a '' staroste'', relatives with General Romulus Boteanu.Călinescu, p. 581 Alecu had received a
progressive education Progressive education, or protractivism, is a pedagogical movement that began in the late 19th century and has persisted in various forms to the present. In Europe, progressive education took the form of the New Education Movement. The term ''pro ...
at the
Saint Sava Academy Saint Sava College was one of the earliest academic institutions in Wallachia, Romania. It was the predecessor to both Saint Sava National College and the University of Bucharest. History It was the continuator of the Princely Academy from Buchare ...
; his colleagues there later instigated the 1848 Revolution in Wallachia. Although he had settled in the
Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
port of
Giurgiu Giurgiu (; bg, Гюргево) is a city in southern Romania. The seat of Giurgiu County, it lies in the historical region of Muntenia. It is situated amongst mud-flats and marshes on the left bank of the Danube facing the Bulgarian city ...
, his own family was more closely associated with
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 ...
, the national capital. Noted members of this branch include Nicolae "Nae" Bassarabescu, who worked as a journalist in the liberal-radical press, later setting up the first newsstand chain in town, and composer George Bassarabescu. One of the couple's seven children, Ioan Alecu was born in Giurgiu, an ethnic Romanian baptized into the
Romanian Orthodox Church The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; ro, Biserica Ortodoxă Română, ), or Patriarchate of Romania, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches, and one of ...
. Vasile Pop-Luca
"Arhiva ''Revistei Române''. Fondul N. I. Herescu"
in ''Revista Română'' ( ASTRA), Nr. 4/2003
In 1877, the family left the city because of Ottoman bombardments during the
Romanian War of Independence The Romanian War of Independence is the name used in Romanian historiography to refer to the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78), following which Romania, fighting on the Russian side, gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. On , Romania and the R ...
, settling in Bucharest. Bogdan Vladu
"Giurgiu și masoneria"
in ''
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 ...
'' Giurgiu edition, November 7, 2013
The eight-year-old Bassarabescu was first enlisted at school in Bucharest's Yellow Ward, and later in the Green Ward. Enrolled at
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, ...
, Bassarabescu was classmates with various intellectual luminaries and political figures of his generation, among them
Constantin Banu Constantin Gheorghe Banu (March 20, 1873 – September 8, 1940) was a Romanian writer, journalist and politician, who served as Arts and Religious Affairs Minister in 1922–1923. He is remembered in literary history as the founder of ''Flacăra'' ...
, Ion Livescu and Scarlat Orăscu. Influenced by their teacher, classical scholar
Anghel Demetriescu Anghel Demetriescu (October 5, 1847 - July 18, 1903) was a Romanian history, Romanian historian, writer and literary critic, who became a list of members of the Romanian Academy, member of the Romanian Academy in 1902. Childhood and studies Angh ...
, they formed their own literary club, which held its meetings in the Saint Sava basement. Together, they put out the makeshift literary review ''Armonia'', described by an aging Bassarabescu as polygraphed "with the faintest and least readable violet letters to have ever been used for writing in this world." It was soon replaced by a less makeshift periodical, the bi-monthly ''Studentul Român''. Bassarabescu published his first short stories in that paper, and then in the youth review ''Generația Viitoare'', before being hosted (with words of praise and encouragement) by the literary supplement of ''
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 ...
'' newspaper. ''Studentul Român'' only put out three issues, closing down due to a "lack of funds", but not, as Bassarabescu quipped, to a "lack of scientific and literary contributions". By this time, the Saint Sava pupils began attending literary- and social-themed conferences at the
Romanian Atheneum The Romanian Athenaeum ( ro, Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania, and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's most prestigious concert hall and ...
. It was there that Bassarabescu met the successful writer
Alexandru Vlahuță Alexandru Vlahuță (; 5 September 1858 – 19 November 1919) was a Romanian writer. His best known work is '' România pitorească'', an overview of Romania's landscape in the form of a travelogue. He was also the main editor of ''Sămănătorul ...
, who gave him some of his first literary pointers. Petre Haneș, "Fapte și comentarii. I. A. Bassarabescu despre Al. Vlahuță", in ''Preocupări Literare'', Nr. 5/1942, p. 270 Soon, Bassarabescu's pieces were hosted by ''Revista Nouă'', a literary journal managed by
Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu ( 26 February 1838 – ) was a Romanian writer and philologist, who pioneered many branches of Romanian philology and history. Life He was born Tadeu Hâjdeu in Cristineștii Hotinului (now Kerstentsi in Chernivtsi ...
(1893). This was an impressive feat, to judge by Bassarabescu's own words: "imposingly grand" and "too expensive" venture, ''Revista Nouă'' had fascinated him and his Saint Sava colleagues. He also dabbled in
parodic 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 ...
poetry, some of which was published by the
Symbolist 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 ...
review, '' Literatorul''. By 1896, after such permutations, Bassarabescu was firmly affiliated with ''Junimea'', contributing to the ''Junimist'' tribune, ''
Convorbiri Literare ''Convorbiri Literare'' ( Romanian: ''Literary Talks'') is a Romanian literary magazine published in Romania. It is among the most important journals of the nineteenth-century Romania. History and profile ''Convorbiri Literare'' was founded by ...
'', and cultivating a friendship with its founder,
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 ...
.Boia (2010), p. 165 Like his generational colleague
Ioan Alexandru Brătescu-Voinești Ioan Alexandru Brătescu-Voinești (January 1, 1868 – December 14, 1946) was a Romanian short story writer and politician. The scion of a minor aristocratic family from Târgoviște, he studied law and, as a young man, drew close to the ''Junim ...
, Bassarabescu joined in just as the ''Convorbiri Literare'', for long disregarded by Maiorescu, was entering its decline stage. As noted by literary historian
Zigu 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 ...
, the stories of Bassarabescu and Brătescu-Voinești were a rare diversion, the magazine having grown "monotonous", "suffocated by bulky specialized studies". Bassarabescu was not dissuaded by such problems: he would contribute to the magazine throughout most of his life. He managed to impress a wide range of professionals, from the ''Junimist'' novelist
Duiliu Zamfirescu Duiliu Zamfirescu (30 October 1858 – 3 June 1922) was a Romanian novelist, poet, short story writer, lawyer, Nationalism, nationalist politician, journalist, diplomat and memoirist. In 1909, he was elected a list of members of the Romanian Acade ...
(who guessed in him a future "great writer") to the independent
Ilarie Chendi Ilarie Chendi (November 14, 1871 – June 23, 1913) was a Romanian literary critic. Born in Darlac, Kis-Küküllő County, now Dârlos, Sibiu County, in Transylvania, his father Vasile was a Romanian Orthodox priest, while his mother Eliza ( ...
. Between his move from ''Revista Nouă'' to ''Junimea'', Bassarabescu had enlisted at the Literature and Philosophy Faculty 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 ...
(graduated 1897), while also working as a
Finance Ministry A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
clerk. At around that time, he had moved to
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 ...
city, Prahova, where he would live for most of his life, and became a teacher of geography and French. Various sources have it that his relocation occurred in 1896 or 1897, but, 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 ...
, Bassarabescu had spent 1898 working as a substitute teacher in
Focșani Focșani (; yi, פֿאָקשאַן, Fokshan) is the capital city of Vrancea County in Romania on the banks the river Milcov, in the historical region of Moldavia. It has a population () of 79,315. Geography Focșani lies at the foot of the Curv ...
. Around that moment, his work appeared in the review ''Noutatea'', put out 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 ...
by Berman Goldner-Giordano. Victor Durnea
"Pseudonimele lui G. Ibrăileanu. Colaborator la ''Noutatea'' (Iași, 1897)"
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. 11/2008


Political and literary rise

In January 1900, with the start of a new ''Convorbiri Literare'' series, Bassarabescu was co-opted onto the journal's editorial committee, overseen by geographer
Grigore Antipa Grigore Antipa (; 27 November 1867 in Botoșani – 9 March 1944 in Bucharest) was a Romanian naturalist, zoologist, ichthyologist, ecologist, oceanologist, Darwinist biologist who studied the fauna of the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. Be ...
. According to Ornea, the panel membership evidenced in itself that political ''Junimism'' had mutated into eclecticism: Antipa was a
National Liberal National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal policies and issues with elements of nationalism. Historically, national liberalism has also been used in the same meaning as conservative liberalism (right-liberalism). A seri ...
, and one regular member, Dimitrie Voinov, a
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 ...
. Like other ''Convorbiri Literare'' contributors, Bassarabescu saw his work published in the more radical right-wing ''
Sămănătorul ''Sămănătorul'' or ''Semănătorul'' (, Romanian for "The Sower") was a literary and political magazine published in Romania between 1901 and 1910. Founded by poets Alexandru Vlahuță and George Coșbuc, it is primarily remembered as a tribune ...
'' magazine, but he did not necessarily identify with the ''Sămănătorul'' agenda. He was invited to publish there by his mentor Vlahuță, who rewarded his contribution with an original canvas by painter
Nicolae Grigorescu Nicolae Grigorescu (; 15 May 1838 – 21 July 1907) was one of the founders of modern Romanian painting. There is a metro station named after Grigorescu in Bucharest. It was given his name in 1990, before which it was named after Communist army ...
. In 1903, he answered a similar call from Livescu, publishing in the new magazine ''Revista Teatrelor''. Politically, he leaned toward the mainstream
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 ...
, which had Maiorescu as chief doctrinaire. It is probable that Bassarabescu began frequenting the Ploiești Conservative chapter in or around 1901, making friends with political boss Temelie Dinescu, and courting his intellectual daughter, Ecaterina Dinescu. From about 1906, he registered formally with the Conservative Party. In April 1904, Bassarabescu married Ecaterina Dinescu. The modest ceremony was compensated by a sizable dowry (including a family home on R. Stanian Street) and a honeymoon in
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
. Paul D. Popescu
"Femei prahovene de azi, de ieri și mai de demult – Ecaterina Bassarabescu (II)"
in ''Ziarul Prahova'', December 21, 2010
Temelie Dinescu died just four months after the event, leaving them ownership of another home, located on a street that was named in his honor. Some time after, Ecaterina gave birth to a daughter, Maria-Elisabeta (whom both parents nicknamed ''Cireșica'', "Little Cherry"). The first bound collection of Bassarabescu's
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 and stories was released (as ''Nuvele'') in 1903, with Editura Socec. In 1907,
Editura Minerva Editura Minerva is one of the largest publishing houses in Romania. Located in Bucharest, it is known, among other things, for publishing classic Romanian literature, children's books, and scientific books. The company was founded in Bucharest in ...
and ''Biblioteca pentru toți'' published two other selections, ''Vulturii'' ("The Eagles") and ''Norocul'' ("Luck").Călinescu, p. 1007 With
Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; November 5, 1880 – October 19, 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting head of state for the communis ...
,
A. de Herz Adolf Edmund George de Herz, commonly shortened to A. de Herz, also rendered as Hertz and Herț (December 15, 1887 – March 9, 1936), was a Romanian playwright and literary journalist, also active as a poet, short story author, and stage actor. He ...
,
Emil Gârleanu Emil Gârleanu ( 4/5 January 1878 – 2 July 1914) was a Romanian prose writer. Born in Iași, his parents were Emanoil Gârleanu, a colonel in the Romanian Army, and his wife Pulcheria (''née'' Antipa). He began high school in his native c ...
,
George Ranetti George or Gheorghe Ranetti, born George Ranete
entry in the
National Theater Bucharest The National Theatre Bucharest ( ro, Teatrul Naţional "Ion Luca Caragiale" București) is one of the national theatres of Romania, located in the capital city of Bucharest. Founding It was founded as the ''Teatrul cel Mare din București'' ("Gra ...
to work on professional translations of comedy and drama. As Livescu recounts, this was a project heralded by manager
Pompiliu Eliade Pompiliu Eliade (April 13, 1869 – May 24, 1914) was a Romanian literary critic and historian. Life Born in Bucharest, he attended primary and high school in his native city, followed by the University of Bucharest, where he obtained a liter ...
, who had recently been "appalled" by the poor-quality translations already in circulation. Bassarabescu was assigned to work on comedies by
Georges Courteline Georges Courteline born Georges Victor Marcel Moinaux (25 June 1858 – 25 June 1929) was a French dramatist and novelist, a satirist notable for his sharp wit and cynical humor. Biography His family moved from Tours in Indre-et-Loire to Pari ...
, and, Livescu argues, did an "excellent" job. In 1908, Socec published his adaptation of a 15th-century
farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...
, '' Master Pierre Pathelin'' (as ''Ovidiu Șicană''). His wife also wrote poetry and prose, published in reviews such as '' Luceafărul'', '' Convorbiri Critice'' or '' Epoca'', usually under the pen name of ''Irena Mohor''. During those years, the Bassarabescu family played host to a long succession of writers visiting Ploiești. Bassarabescu became rather close friends with two senior figures on the cultural scene: the Ploiești literary theorist
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 ...
and satirist
Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale (; commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179-184 – 9 June 1912) was a Romanian playw ...
.Eftimiu, p. 464 In March 1908, Bassarabescu affiliated with the prototype
Romanian Writers' Society The Romanian Writers' Society ( ro, Societatea Scriitorilor Români) was a professional association based in Bucharest, Romania, that aided the country's writers and promoted their interests. Founded in 1909, it operated for forty years before the e ...
, and was elected a member of its steering committee. As such, he had a say in the scandal during which the Society, which was Christian-only, moved to reprimand a
Jewish Romanian The history of the Jews in Romania concerns the Jews both of Romania and of Romanian origins, from their first mention on what is present-day Romanian territory. Minimal until the 18th century, the size of the Jewish population increased after ...
writer, Eugen Porn, and was in turn accused of
antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
. Bassarabescu took a partisan position, acknowledging that some of Porn's concerns were valid, but concluding that Porn was rather the
anti-Romanian Anti-Romanian sentiment, also known as Romanophobia ( ro, antiromânism, ''românofobie'') is hostility, hatred towards, or prejudice against Romanians as an ethnic, linguistic, religious, or perceived ethnic group, and it can range from persona ...
. A
Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, he was proposed for membership in 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 ...
by Duiliu Zamfirescu and seconded by Maiorescu, themselves Freemasons. He was elected a corresponding member on March 25, 1909. Also in 1909, Socec published another selection of his writings, ''Noi și vechi'' ("New Ones and Old Ones"). Some two years later, Bassarabescu received high appointment in the
Education Ministry An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
, as Inspector for the Arts for Minister Constantin C. Arion. In 1912, he was commissioned as Inspector-General for Education.


Germanophile and Prefect

The onset 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 ...
marked a turn in Bassarabescu's life. During Romania's neutrality years (1914–1916), he adapted himself to the
Germanophile A Germanophile, Teutonophile, or Teutophile is a person who is fond of German culture, German people and Germany in general, or who exhibits German patriotism in spite of not being either an ethnic German or a German citizen. The love of the ''Ge ...
sentiments of his ''Junimist'' and Conservative peers. He gave lectures at the Bucharest Conservative Club, on topics such as ''
Realpolitik ''Realpolitik'' (; ) refers to enacting or engaging in diplomatic or political policies based primarily on considerations of given circumstances and factors, rather than strictly binding itself to explicit ideological notions or moral and ethical ...
'' and the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
. He also joined ''Junimea'' geographer
Simion Mehedinți Simion Mehedinți (; October 19, 1868 – December 14, 1962) was a Romanian geographer, the founding father of modern Romanian geography, and a titular member of the Romanian Academy. A figure of importance in the ''Junimea'' literary club, ...
in putting out ''Dumineca Poporului'' review, but contributed his trademark satirical pieces, rather than political articles. Such works were grouped in the 1916 volume ''Nenea'' ("Old Chap"), published with Alcaly. Eventually,
Ferdinand I of Romania Ferdinand (Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad; 24 August 1865 – 20 July 1927), nicknamed ''Întregitorul'' ("the Unifier"), was King of Romania from 1914 until his death in 1927. Ferdinand was the second son of Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern and ...
declared war on
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
German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
and the other
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 ...
. It came as a shock for the Germanophiles. Although subject to the
Romanian Army 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 ...
draft, Bassarabescu managed to avoid being called into
active duty Active duty, in contrast to reserve duty, is a full-time occupation as part of a military force. In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, the equivalent term is active service. India The Indian Armed Forces are considered to be one ...
, and was instead appointed captain of a
military reserve A military reserve, active reserve, reserve formation, or simply reserve, is a group of military personnel or units that is initially not committed to a battle by its commander, so that it remains available to address unforeseen situations or ex ...
in
Mogoșoaia Mogoșoaia is a commune in the west of Ilfov County, Muntenia, Romania, composed of a single village, Mogoșoaia. In late 17th century, Constantin Brâncoveanu bought land here, and, between 1698 and 1702, he built the Mogoșoaia Palace Mogo ...
train station. Through their personal contacts, both Mehedinți and Maiorescu tried to get Bassarabescu appointed to an even safer position, at a
postal censorship Postal censorship is the inspection or examination of mail, most often by governments. It can include opening, reading and total or selective obliteration of letters and their contents, as well as covers, postcards, parcels and other postal pa ...
bureau. In the second half of 1916, the Central Powers broke through Romania's line of defenses, forcing the government and the Army to withdraw northeast, into
Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...
; Bucharest was abandoned. In these circumstances, Bassarabescu checked himself into a Bucharest hospital, claiming that he suffered from a "severe cold". This allowed him to stay in German-occupied territory, and, in the Romanian loyalist ranks, labeled him a probable
deserter Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ...
.Boia (2010), p. 166 As historian
Lucian Boia Lucian Boia (born 1 February 1944 in Bucharest) is a Romanian historian. He is mostly known for his debunking of historical myths about Romania, for purging mainstream Romanian history from the deformations due to ideological propaganda. I.e. as ...
notes, the suspicion is still standing: an entry in Maiorescu's diary shows that Bassarabescu had left the hospital on at least one occasion during the interval of his supposed illness. In the wake of the
Battle of Bucharest The Battle of Bucharest, also known as the '' Argeş–Neajlov Defensive Operation'' in Romania, was the last battle of the Romanian Campaign of 1916 in World War I, in which the Central Powers' combatants, led by General Erich von Falkenhayn, ...
, Bassarabescu was held in captivity and processed by the
German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
.
Alexandru Tzigara-Samurcaș Alexandru Tzigara-Samurcaș (; also known as Al. Tzigara, Tzigara-Sumurcaș, Tzigara-Samurcash, Tzigara-Samurkasch or Țigara-Samurcaș; April 4, 1872 – April 1, 1952) was a Romanian art historian, Ethnography, ethnographer, Museology, museologi ...
, a ''Junimist'' in the German ranks, intervened for his release, and then employed him at the Bucharest Police Prefecture — Bassarabescu served there as Divisional Chief from February to April 1917. The Germans then forced Bassarabescu back to his adoptive Ploiești and to his schoolteacher's career. According to writer
Victor Eftimiu Victor Eftimiu (; 24 January 1889 – 27 November 1972) was a Romanian poet and playwright. He was a contributor to ''Sburătorul'', a Romanian literary magazine. His works have been performed in the State Jewish Theater of Romania. Eftim ...
, who knew and befriended Bassarabescu, this assignment suited him perfectly: "Himself a shy man ike his characters,he was content with sticking to his provincial schoolteacher's job." A year later, with
peace negotiations A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a surre ...
under way between the Central Powers and Romania, Bassarabescu was reintegrated into the civil service by the emergency cabinet of
Alexandru Marghiloman Alexandru Marghiloman (4 July 1854 – 10 May 1925) was a Romanian conservative Diplomat, statesman who served for a short time in 1918 (March–October) as Prime Minister of Romania, and had a decisive role during World War I. Early career Bo ...
, a Germanophile Conservative. On May 7, 1918, he was made
Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...
of
Prahova County Prahova County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploiești. Demographics In 2011, it had a population of 762,886 and the population density was 161/km². It is Romania's third mos ...
. He lasted there for a full nine months, earning respect from the populace and defending its interests in disputes with the German occupiers. The
Armistice with Germany The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
on the Western Front revolutionized Romania's positioning and brought Marghiloman's administration to a standstill. On the very day of the Armistice, Bassarabescu handed in his resignation. The loyalist regime which took over suspended Bassarabescu from his teaching post, and subjected him to a military inquiry. He was eventually cleared, even praised for his efforts as Prefect, and allowed to resume his work in education. He also resumed his literary activity, which resulted in the 1919 volume ''Un dor împlinit'' ("A Satisfied Longing", Steinberg Publishers), followed in 1923 by another Socec edition of ''Nuvele'' and ''Moș Stan'' ("Old Man Stan", Editura Cultura Națională). In 1923, he joined the Writers' Society literary tour of
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 ...
, sharing the stage with Eugeniu Botez,
Al. T. Stamatiad Al. T. Stamatiad (common rendition of Alexandru Teodor Maria Stamatiad, or Stamatiade; May 9, 1885 – December 1955) was a Romanian Symbolist poet, short story writer, and dramatist. A late arrival on the local Symbolist scene, he was primarily ...
,
Ion Minulescu Ion Minulescu (; 6 January 1881 – 11 April 1944) was a Romanian avant-garde poet, novelist, short story writer, journalist, literary critic, and playwright. Often publishing his works under the pseudonyms I. M. Nirvan and Koh-i-Noor (the latte ...
and others.


Conservative decline and 1925 return

Throughout the war and down to Marghiloman's death, Bassarabescu held on to the presidency of a declining Prahova Conservative chapter. The whole party, now redesigned into a Conservative-Progressive group, was becoming numerically insignificant. According to Bassarabescu's own claim, this was because, in post-war
Greater Romania The term Greater Romania ( ro, România Mare) usually refers to the borders of the Kingdom of Romania in the interwar period, achieved after the Great Union. It also refers to a pan-nationalist idea. As a concept, its main goal is the creation ...
, "mediocrity", "obscurantism" and "fishing in murky waters" had become the standard of political life. Marghiloman, he argued, was a "sailor" in an age that preferred "corsairs". Historian Dorin Stănescu places blame for the party's decline on Bassarabescu himself, noting that his investigation for treason contributed to its dismal results in the election of November 1919. In the mid 1920s, Bassarabescu himself abandoned the Conservative-Progressives, and made a successful return to national politics. He joined the People's Party (PP) of
Alexandru Averescu Alexandru Averescu (; 9 March 1859 – 2 October 1938) was a Romanian marshal, diplomat and populist politician. A Romanian Armed Forces Commander during World War I, he served as Prime Minister of three separate cabinets (as well as being ''inter ...
. In exchange, he was made Vice President of the PP section in Prahova and, following the June 1926 election, a
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
for that county. In office only until the 1927 recall, he worked on the short story selections ''Un om în toată firea'' ("A Fully Grown Man"), published that year with Socec, and ''Domnu Dincă'' ("Mister Dincă"), which came out, in 1928, at Casa Școalelor. Two more small volumes of his works were published in the
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 ...
digest: ''Spre Slatina'' ("Onwards to Slatina"), then ''Pe drezină'' ("On the
Draisine A draisine () is a light auxiliary rail vehicle, driven by service personnel, equipped to transport crew and material necessary for the maintenance of railway infrastructure. The eponymous term is derived from the German inventor Baron Karl Dr ...
"). In 1930, the Grand Orient of Romania elected Bassarabescu one of its
Masonic Lodge Officers In Craft Freemasonry, sometimes known as Blue Lodge Freemasonry, every Masonic lodge elects or appoints Masonic lodge officers to execute the necessary functions of the lodge's life and work. The precise list of such offices may vary between the j ...
—demoted to honorary member in 1933, and affiliated with the regional ''Libertatea'' Lodge in 1937. There was also a proposal to make him a full member of the Romanian Academy, where, in 1928, he was giving a formal speech narrating "two epochs in Romanian literature". According to his own recollections, although he passed one round of voting, he was eventually sidelined and another candidate took the seat (1931). In 1932, the PP split between a conservative group, headed by Averescu, and a radical one, led by
Octavian Goga Octavian Goga (; 1 April 1881 – 7 May 1938) was a Romanian politician, poet, playwright, journalist, and translator. Life and politics Goga was born in Rășinari, near Sibiu. Goga was an active member in the Romanian nationalisti ...
. Bassarabescu sided with the latter, leaving the PP to join Goga's
National Agrarian Party The National Agrarian Party ( ro, Partidul Național-Agrar or ''Partidul Național-Agrarian'', PNA) was a right-wing agrarian party active in Romania during the early 1930s. Established and led by poet Octavian Goga, it was originally a schism fro ...
(PNA). This was a problematic political move: the PNA was firmly planted on the antisemitic right-wing, albeit its prejudice was mild enough to even allow some Jews into party ranks. At the time, his more virulently antisemitic colleague, Brătescu-Voinești, was gathering support for purging the literary world of what he called "abject" Jewish influences. Bassarabescu occasionally joined in, such as when he cosigned Brătescu's letter to novelist
Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; November 5, 1880 – October 19, 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting head of state for the communis ...
, an ambiguous document which implied that Sadoveanu had given in to such Jewish influences. Three years later, Bassarabescu followed the National Agrarians into their merger with the
National-Christian Defense League The National-Christian Defense League ( ro, Liga Apărării Național Creștine, LANC) was a Far-right politics, far-right political party of Romania formed by A. C. Cuza. Origins The LANC had its roots in the National Christian Union, formed in ...
, and became a member of the resulting
National Christian Party The National Christian Party ( ro, Partidul Național Creștin) was a radical-right authoritarian and strongly antisemitic political party in Romania active between 1935 and 1938. It was formed by a merger of Octavian Goga's National Agrarian Part ...
(PNC). This was a more evidently antisemitic organization, unwelcoming of all Jewish PNA members, and publishing open statements against "the kikes". As noted by Bassarabescu himself, he was still a PNC member in May 1938, "upon the chief's oga'sdeath". His literary work at the time was an
anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
of Romanian literature, edited in collaboration with Petre Haneș (published 1937). In 1935, ''Convorbiri Literare'', in the process of recovering unknown writings by the late Maiorescu, also published four letters that Maiorescu had sent to Bassarabescu decades before.


Final years

Bassarabescu benefited from the rise of an
authoritarian Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic votin ...
single-party regime during the early month of
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 ...
. He made a publicized bid to join 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 ...
, and was accepted into its ranks on Christmas Day, 1939. In 1940, Casa Școalelor put out his ''Opere complete'' ("Complete Works"). As a guest of the
Romanian Atheneum The Romanian Athenaeum ( ro, Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania, and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's most prestigious concert hall and ...
, Bassarabescu introduced the public to the largely forgotten work of a 19th-century female writer, Sofia Cocea. He was by then a highly decorated member of the establishment: a recipient of the Order of the Crown (commander), the
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 ...
(officer) and the Cultural Merit Order (officer). His work focused on recollections from an earlier age, such as a 1942 piece about his youthful encounters with Vlahuță, in ''Gazeta Cărților'', a literary newspaper. In 1943, Editura Cugetarea put on sale his definitive collection of ''Proză'' ("Prose"), which included some of his memoirs. As Eftimiu notes, they are self-deriding pieces, acknowledging "a mediocre destiny". The Bassarabescu family fortunes turned during the carpet bombing campaign of 1944. While the Bassarabescus fled for their safety to nearby
Slănic Slănic () is one of the 12 towns of Prahova County, Muntenia, Romania, historically and currently known as a salt extraction center, as well as a spa town, with salt lakes. Two villages, Groșani and Prăjani, are administered by the town. E ...
, their Stanian Street lodging was destroyed; they moved to their Dinescu Street residence. Upon war's end, Bassarabescu was also targeted for political retaliation. In 1948, the new
communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism–Leninism. Marxism–Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Cominte ...
stripped Bassarabescu and 112 others of their Academy membership. The same year, Ecaterina Bassarabescu died, leaving Ioan Alecu to be cared for by daughter Maria-Elisabeta. The latter was a career woman, who had graduated law school and was among the first Romanian female judges. On March 27, 1952, Bassarabescu himself died, the result of a car accident in Ploiești. Although Călinescu and Eftimiu simply note this is a fact, later sources describe the circumstances of this accident as generally suspicious. In death, Bassarabescu was recoverable. According to Eftimiu, communism allowed Bassarabescu's work to be published "in tens of thousands of copies", "a circulation that they have never had before." The
Giurgiu County Giurgiu () is a county (''județ'') of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Giurgiu. Demographics In 2011, it had a population of 265,494 and the population density was . * Romanians – over 96% * Roman ...
library in his native city bears his name since 1991.


Literary work

The chief sources of inspiration behind Bassarabescu's comedic and realistic style were two ''Junimist'' figures: the Romanian classic
Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale (; commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179-184 – 9 June 1912) was a Romanian playw ...
, and his own friend, Brătescu-Voinești. In their immediate temporal setting, Brătescu-Voinești and Bassarabescu were both influential on other noted, non-''Junimist'', authors of short prose:
Emil Gârleanu Emil Gârleanu ( 4/5 January 1878 – 2 July 1914) was a Romanian prose writer. Born in Iași, his parents were Emanoil Gârleanu, a colonel in the Romanian Army, and his wife Pulcheria (''née'' Antipa). He began high school in his native c ...
and (for a while)
Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; November 5, 1880 – October 19, 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting head of state for the communis ...
. Beyond this generation, they also influenced the novels or novellas of
Lucia Mantu Lucia Mantu (pen name of Camelia Nădejde; September 22, 1888 – November 1971) was a Romanian prose writer. Born in Iași, her parents were Gheorghe Nădejde and his wife Ecaterina (''née'' Băncilă); she was a niece of Ioan and Sofia Nădej ...
, Marius "G. M. Vlădescu" Mircu and
Cezar Petrescu Cezar Petrescu (; December 1, 1892–March 9, 1961) was a Romanian journalist, novelist, and children's writer. He was born in Hodora, Iași County, the son of Dimitrie Petrescu, an engineer and a teacher. After attending elementary school ...
. The eye of such writers is firmly focused on a class of individuals, described for instance in Călinescu: "the isolated folk of provincial boroughs, small-time functionaries of the
Romanian Railways Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
, minuscule bourgeois women grinding the great passions of life." Contrary to Brătescu-Voinești, he did not depict such men and women as existential losers or "misfits", but as entirely content with their mediocrity, their "terrestrial ideal": "these people", Călinescu writes, "do not suffer, because they do not aim for, or better said they do not foresee, any existence that would be better than theirs." The
telegraphist A telegraphist (British English), telegrapher (American English), or telegraph operator is an operator who uses a telegraph key to send and receive the Morse code in order to communicate by land lines or radio. During the Great War the Royal ...
Domițian, protagonist of ''Vulturi'', identifies perfection with a hefty state pension; Mister Guță, of the eponymous story, will only accept the company of women who share his obsession for
oleander ''Nerium oleander'' ( ), most commonly known as oleander or nerium, is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the ge ...
flowers. As another distinguishing feature, Bassarabescu replaces Caragiale's sarcasm with a "lyrical", "tenderly grotesque", layer, while offering "the surprise of a humane bedding" within the provincial soul. His smile, Victor Eftimiu notes, was one "of compassion", his gaze "filtered by tears", like that of a Romanian
Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...
. Literary critic
Eugen Lovinescu Eugen Lovinescu (; 31 October 1881 – 16 July 1943) was a Romanian modernist literary historian, literary critic, academic, and novelist, who in 1919 established the ''Sburătorul'' literary club. He was the father of Monica Lovinescu, and the u ...
finds, in most of Bassarabescu's writings, "the same family atmosphere with its links of solidarity, with all the hardships of finding their daughters husbands, with sisters that will devour each other out of love, with brothers that will carry on their shoulders the maintenance of their entire household". This, Lovinescu believes, was the quintessential "Romanian family" of the urban milieu, with only a lack of "fantasy" and failure at pacing preventing Bassarabescu from producing the great Romanian urban novel. (According to Eftimiu, there is in fact an unpublished Bassarabescu novel, as well as a screenplay.) Bassarabescu's most lyrical pieces may be characterologic studies of sheer timidity, or other debilitating emotions. In writing ''Un om în toată firea'', Bassarabescu shared his own experience as a schoolteacher. He found it impossible to fail a grown man trying to pass his primary school exam, even after discovering that he steals notes from his own daughter. Elsewhere, a luncheon among family and friends end in collective weeping: people at the table morn their very victim, a long-suffering turkey "with a memorable past". This "tenderly grotesque" particularity came through another major influence on Bassarabescu, which distinguishes him among Caragiale's followers:
Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...
, whose ironic-but-sympathetic accounts of provincial life are at the source of Bassarabescu's " Bovaryistic literature". Such a melange, Călinescu writes, allowed Bassarabescu to cut "his own profile, with just a minimal literary activity."Călinescu, p. 582 In ''Pe drezină'', possibly his most Bovaryistic story, the female protagonist dreams of escaping her drab marriage (to an obese
station master The station master (or stationmaster) is the person in charge of a railway station, particularly in the United Kingdom and many other countries outside North America. In the United Kingdom, where the term originated, it is now largely historical ...
), for just a taste of life in the capital. Her ideal of what that life is largely shaped by her one-time visit to Bucharest's
Gara de Nord Bucharest North railway station ( ro, Gara București Nord; officially Bucharest North Group A) is the main railway station in Bucharest and the largest railway station in Romania. The vast majority of mainline trains to and from Bucharest origin ...
. Several of Bassarabescu's
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 ...
works as recognized as tiny masterpieces of the "
still-life A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, boo ...
" variety.Călinescu, p. 582; Lovinescu, pp. 201, 202 This means that they suggest a deep layer of meaning just by describing the assortments of a room, or an object apart, without any actual human presence. ''Acasă'' ("Home") is a careful inventory of a room seemingly rented by a partying and womanizing officer, including the half-pleading, half-threatening, letter he receives from his desperate supplier of "colonial goods". According to Călinescu, such works may even be paralleled to
modern art Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the tradi ...
in their studied depiction of "urban dreariness". For a relevant case, he cites the sketch story fragment: "At once, through the
beer garden A beer garden (German: ''Biergarten'') is an outdoor area in which beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees. Beer gardens originated in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital city, in the 19th century, and remain co ...
gates, a man showed up carrying with him a giant plank resting on a pole. On this plank, a poster. On the poster, in large handwriting and red paint: 'Gentlemen, today our
buffet A buffet can be either a sideboard (a flat-topped piece of furniture with cupboards and drawers, used for storing crockery, glasses, and table linen) or a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners serve ...
is serving you vanilla ice cream'."


Notes


References

*
Lucian Boia Lucian Boia (born 1 February 1944 in Bucharest) is a Romanian historian. He is mostly known for his debunking of historical myths about Romania, for purging mainstream Romanian history from the deformations due to ideological propaganda. I.e. as ...
, **''"Germanofilii". Elita intelectuală românească în anii Primului Război Mondial''. Bucharest:
Humanitas ''Humanitas'' is a Latin noun meaning human nature, civilization, and kindness. It has uses in the Enlightenment, which are discussed below. Classical origins of term The Latin word ''humanitas'' corresponded to the Greek concepts of '' philanthr ...
, 2010. **''Capcanele istoriei. Elita intelectuală românească între 1930 și 1950''. Bucharest: Humanitas, 2012. *
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 ...
, ''Istoria literaturii române de la origini pînă în prezent''. Bucharest:
Editura Minerva Editura Minerva is one of the largest publishing houses in Romania. Located in Bucharest, it is known, among other things, for publishing classic Romanian literature, children's books, and scientific books. The company was founded in Bucharest in ...
, 1986 * Ovid Crohmălniceanu, ''Literatura română între cele două războaie mondiale'', Vol. I. Bucharest: Editura Minerva, 1972. *
Victor Eftimiu Victor Eftimiu (; 24 January 1889 – 27 November 1972) was a Romanian poet and playwright. He was a contributor to ''Sburătorul'', a Romanian literary magazine. His works have been performed in the State Jewish Theater of Romania. Eftim ...
, ''Portrete și amintiri''. Bucharest: Editura pentru literatură, 1965 * Ion Livescu, ''Amintiri și scrieri despre teatru''. Bucharest: Editura pentru literatură, 1967 *
Eugen Lovinescu Eugen Lovinescu (; 31 October 1881 – 16 July 1943) was a Romanian modernist literary historian, literary critic, academic, and novelist, who in 1919 established the ''Sburătorul'' literary club. He was the father of Monica Lovinescu, and the u ...
, ''Istoria literaturii române contemporane''. Bucharest: Editura Minerva, 1989. *Constantin Mohanu, ''Jean Bart (Eugeniu Botez). Viața și opera''. Bucharest: Editura Biblioteca Bucureștilor, 2001. *
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 ...
, ''Junimea și junimismul'', Vol. I. Bucharest: Editura Minerva, 1998. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bassarabescu, Ioan 1870 births 1952 deaths Romanian humorists 19th-century male writers 20th-century Romanian male writers 19th-century Romanian novelists 20th-century Romanian novelists Romanian male novelists 19th-century short story writers 20th-century short story writers Romanian male short story writers Romanian short story writers 19th-century Romanian poets 20th-century Romanian poets Romanian male poets Romanian anthologists 20th-century Romanian dramatists and playwrights Male dramatists and playwrights Romanian magazine founders Romanian magazine editors Romanian memoirists 19th-century translators 20th-century translators French–Romanian translators Romanian translators Romanian schoolteachers Members of the Senate of Romania Prefects of Romania Junimists Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918) politicians People's Party (interwar Romania) politicians National Agrarian Party politicians Corresponding members of the Romanian Academy Commanders of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Officers of the Order of the Star of Romania People from Giurgiu Romanian nobility Members of the Romanian Orthodox Church Romanian Freemasons Saint Sava National College alumni University of Bucharest alumni Romanian Land Forces officers Romanian military personnel of World War I World War I prisoners of war held by Germany Romanian prisoners of war Romanian people of World War II Road incident deaths in Romania