Alexandru Sahia
Encyclopedia
Alexandru Sahia was a Romania
n communist journalist
and short story
author.
military college, which he deemed "oppressive". Sahia finished his secondary education
in the Saint Sava National College
in Bucharest
, and started law
studies at the University of Bucharest
. He suffered from depression
and, although he probably was already an atheist, became a novice
in the Cernica
Monastery in 1929. Surprisingly, he used this period of relative isolation to become acquainted with Marxism
, which he found to be
In 1930, Sahia left the Monastery and took a trip through the Middle East
, adopting his new name - stemming from the Arabic
sahiya for "truth".
. As the Party adopted Joseph Stalin
's Popular Front
ideology at its 5th Congress - in 1934 - Sahia was in demand as one who could reach out to the public. A member of Amicii URSS
, he was also given charge of the Party-initiated magazine
s Veac nou and Bluze albastre. This was also the period of his first politically-charged, Socialist-Realist
short stories: Revolta în port ("Revolt in the harbour"), Uzina vie ("The living factory"), Întoarcerea tatii din război ("Father's return from the war"), Execuţia din primăvară ("The execution during springtime"), Şomaj fără rasă ("Unemployment regardless of race"), Înghiţitorul de săbii ("The sword swallower"). Some of these were later filmed.
In 1934, Sahia went on a tour of the Soviet Union
. Although he apparently noticed first-hand the rising wave of terror (he is even claimed to have been arrested for a while after asking some troubling questions), Sahia did not hesitate to write what constituted the quintessential praise for the Soviet system in Romanian literature, entitled URSS azi ("The USSR of today").
He died of tuberculosis
.
The documentary
film studio in Communist Romania
were named after him, and, in 1948, he was elected posthumously to the Romanian Academy
.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n communist journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
author.
Early life
Born in Mănăstirea, Călărasi, as the son of a small landowner, he was enrolled in the CraiovaCraiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
military college, which he deemed "oppressive". Sahia finished his secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
in the Saint Sava National College
Saint Sava National College
The Saint Sava National College is the oldest and one of the most prestigious high schools in Bucharest, Romania....
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, and started law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
studies at the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
. He suffered from depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and, although he probably was already an atheist, became a novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
in the Cernica
Cernica
Cernica is a commune in the southeast part of Ilfov County, Romania, with a population of 9,425 as of 2002. It is composed of five villages: Bălăceanca, Căldăraru, Cernica, Poşta and Tânganu, several villages on the bank of lake Cernica...
Monastery in 1929. Surprisingly, he used this period of relative isolation to become acquainted with Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
, which he found to be
- the righteous sense of a great life.
In 1930, Sahia left the Monastery and took a trip through the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, adopting his new name - stemming from the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
sahiya for "truth".
With the Communist Party
The following year, Sahia started his lifetime collaboration with the Romanian Communist PartyRomanian Communist Party
The Romanian Communist Party was a communist political party in Romania. Successor to the Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to communist revolution and the disestablishment of Greater Romania. The PCR was a minor and illegal grouping for much of the...
. As the Party adopted Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's Popular Front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
ideology at its 5th Congress - in 1934 - Sahia was in demand as one who could reach out to the public. A member of Amicii URSS
Amicii URSS
Amicii URSS was a cultural association in interwar Romania, uniting left-wing and anti-fascist intellectuals who advocated a détente between their country and Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union Amicii URSS (Romanian for "[The] Friends of the Soviet Union"; , occasionally known as Prietenii URSS , which...
, he was also given charge of the Party-initiated magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s Veac nou and Bluze albastre. This was also the period of his first politically-charged, Socialist-Realist
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
short stories: Revolta în port ("Revolt in the harbour"), Uzina vie ("The living factory"), Întoarcerea tatii din război ("Father's return from the war"), Execuţia din primăvară ("The execution during springtime"), Şomaj fără rasă ("Unemployment regardless of race"), Înghiţitorul de săbii ("The sword swallower"). Some of these were later filmed.
In 1934, Sahia went on a tour of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Although he apparently noticed first-hand the rising wave of terror (he is even claimed to have been arrested for a while after asking some troubling questions), Sahia did not hesitate to write what constituted the quintessential praise for the Soviet system in Romanian literature, entitled URSS azi ("The USSR of today").
He died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
The documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
film studio in Communist Romania
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
were named after him, and, in 1948, he was elected posthumously to the Romanian Academy
Romanian Academy
The Romanian Academy is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 acting members who are elected for life....
.