Neagu Djuvara
Encyclopedia
Neagu Djuvara (ˈne̯aɡu d͡ʒjuˈvara; born August 18, 1916) is a Romania
n historian, essayist, philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.
, he descended from an aristocratic Aromanian
family. His father, Marcel, a graduate of the Technical University of Berlin
and a Captain in the Romanian Army's Engineer Corps, died of Spanish flu
in 1918; his mother, Tinca, was the last descendant of the Gradişteanu family of boyar
origins (according to Djuvara, she was related to all boyar families in Wallachia
). Djuvara's uncles Trandafir and Alexandru Djuvara
were notable public figures. Djuvara was born during World War I
; as an infant, he was taken by his family into refuge in Iaşi
after the occupation of southern Romania
by the Central Powers
, and then, through Imperial Russia, into Belgium
(where Trandafir Djuvara was Minister Plenipotentiary).
He attended lycée
in Nice
, France
, and graduated in Letters (1937) and Law (1940) from the University of Paris
(his Law thesis dealt with the antisemitic legislation passed by the governments of King
Carol II
in Romania). Djuvara later stated that, at the time, his political sympathies veered towards the far right
: he became a supporter of the Romanian fascist
movement, the Iron Guard
, and took part in the February 1934 riot
against the French Radical-Socialist government of Édouard Daladier
.
During World War II
, he returned to Romania, where he married and fathered a child. He joined the Romanian Armed Forces
and was stationed in Ploieşti
under the Iron Guard's National Legionary government
.
Following the establishment of Ion Antonescu
's dictatorship and the start of Operation Barbarossa
(see Romania during World War II
), as an Officer Cadet
, he fought on the Eastern Front
, saw action in Bassarabia and Transnistria
, before being wounded in the arm during the Battle of Odessa
(1941). He stated that he gave up his interest in the far right after a 1943 dialog with fellow diplomat Victor Rădulescu-Pogoneanu, who convinced Djuvara to become "a supporter of parliamentary democracy
".
, won the competition, and was sent by Foreign Minister Mihai Antonescu
as a diplomatic courier
to Sweden
, on the very day Ion Antonescu was toppled by a coup d'état
and Romania pulled out of the Axis Powers
to join the Allies
(August 23, 1944). In this capacity, he was instructed to communicate to the Romanian Ambassador in Stockholm
, Frederic Nanu, that he was to ask the Soviet representative Alexandra Kollontai
whether earlier terms advanced by Joseph Stalin
in regard to peace with Romania were still valid (Nanu was also told not to inform the Western Allies
of these talks).
Speaking in retrospect, he argued against claims made by Nanu, according to which Ion Antonescu had thus indicated his willingness to step down and hand leadership of Romania to King
Mihai I
. According to Djuvara, the last Soviet offer for Antonescu made only minor concessions — the entire country was to be occupied by the Red Army
, with the exception of a random western county
(to function as a provisional administrative center), and 15 days were given to the Romanian government to reach an armistice
with Nazi Germany
(Djuvara considered this latter expectation particularly unrealistic, as it involved Germany consciously abandoning Romanian territory to its enemy). Furthermore, Djuvara indicated, "Neither I nor Nanu were mandated to sign any document, to launch into any peace process".
Appointed Legation
Secretary in Stockholm by the Constantin Sănătescu
executive, Djuvara was dismissed by the new Romanian Communist Party
officials upon Ana Pauker
's appointment as Foreign Minister (1947).
in the series of show trial
s inaugurated in the wake of Communist Romania
by the Tămădău Affair
, accused of being a spy, he decided to remain abroad. He left for Paris
and was subsequently involved in advocacy of anti-communist
political causes and the rallying of exiled intellectual
s. Briefly employed by the International Refugee Organization
, Djuvara became involved with the body of Romanian exiles, the Romanian National Committee
, and helped organize American
-assisted drops of voluntary paratrooper
s in support of the Romanian anti-communist resistance
(most of whom were captured by the Securitate
). He renounced his position by 1951, and subsequently worked for the exile magazine Casa Românească.
In 1961, he settled in Niger
, serving as an adviser for the country's Foreign Ministry
(extending a two-year contract until 1984), and was a Professor of International law
and Economic history
at the University of Niamey. Djuvara was an acquaintance of President
Hamani Diori
, and notably accompanied him on official duty to Addis Ababa
, attending the opening session of the Organisation of African Unity (1963). Having already begun to further his studies of Philosophy in Paris, he received a Sorbonne
doctorat d'État
in the Philosophy of history
(with the thesis Civilisations et lois historiques, guided by Raymond Aron
). He was later awarded a diploma in Philology from INALCO
.
After 1984, he returned to Europe, resuming his activities with Casa Românească and other Romanian cultural institutions in exile. Djuvara was an active contributor to Radio Free Europe
, and divided his time between Paris and Munich
(occasionally traveling to Canada
and the United States
).
. Between 1991 and 1998, he was an Associate Professor at the University of Bucharest
. During the early 1990s, he was a noted critic of Romanian political developments, and especially of the Mineriad
and the National Salvation Front government.
He has since joined the National Liberal Party
, and expressed his concern that President
Traian Băsescu
was unable to complete planned reforms in the wake of Romania's accession to the European Union
, as well as his belief that the former Securitate
was still in a position of power. He has also taken a conservative
stance on European affairs, being a vocal critic of Europe's multiculturalism
.
He received a number of honours including the Grand Cross of the Romanian National Order "Faithful Service" (Ordinul naţional "Serviciul Credincios").
Most of his works in Romanian
have been published by Humanitas
.
, although he has published significant works pertaining to the philosophy of history
, particularly questioning the existence of what he calles "truthful history".
Regarding Romanian history, Djuvara advocates continued and extensive research into what he believes is still unexplored territory. His views are often seen as undermining a Romanian national identity, mainly because of his expressing doubts on the scientific accuracy of most historic research done in Romania since the unification of 1918, and putting forward controversial hypotheses concerning the origin of the Romanians, such as advancing the theory that the vast majority of the nobility in the medieval states that made up the territory of modern-day Romania
was of Cuman
origin.
He has also published extensively regarding the relationship between his native Romania and Europe, placing the country politically and culturally "between East and West", citing it as the "last to enter what is commonly called the European concert", referring not to Romania's 2007 accession to the European Union
, but to the country's change of orientation towards adopting a Western
political and cultural model. He has voiced his concern regarding multiculturalism
in Europe, a policy which he views as detrimental to stability within the EU
.
He is a critic of what he perceives to be an excessively pro-Western attitude in Romanian politics
, suggesting that Romanian society and culture
cannot be classified as Western, citing Orthodoxy as the predominant religion, the presence of many non-Latin elements in the modern Romanian language
and the country's history in the past centuries as arguments.
He has also written about what he called the "American hegemony
" and its premises, analysing the influence which the United States of America and its foreign policy have had on the World and, more specifically, on Europe. He characterises the efforts of the United States to establish what resembles a hegemony in Europe and other parts of the World as a "Seventy-Seven Years' War" waged throughout most of the 20th century.
Neagu Djuvara can be seen as a populariser and "de-mystifier" of history, having published books aimed a younger audience as well as books seeking to explain the historical basis for mythical figures such as Dracula
or Negru Vodă
. He has also published memories from his exile, recounting his life and work in Paris
, France
and Niamey
, Niger
.
He has also encountered resistance in putting forward his theories by fellow historians who, by his own account, regard him as an "amateur". Djuvara's credentials are, however, verified, and his works have seen increased support in recent years, largely due to his popularity in Romania.
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 historian, essayist, philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.
Early life
A native of BucharestBucharest
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....
, he descended from an aristocratic Aromanian
Aromanians
Aromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
family. His father, Marcel, a graduate of the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
and a Captain in the Romanian Army's Engineer Corps, died of Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
in 1918; his mother, Tinca, was the last descendant of the Gradişteanu family of boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
origins (according to Djuvara, she was related to all boyar families in Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
). Djuvara's uncles Trandafir and Alexandru Djuvara
Alexandru Djuvara
-Early years:Djuvara was born in Bucharest on December 20, 1858. He was the uncle of prominent Romanian historian Neagu Djuvara.After graduation from Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris, he went on to study Law in the School of History and Political Science...
were notable public figures. Djuvara was born during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; as an infant, he was taken by his family into refuge in Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
after the occupation of southern Romania
Romanian Campaign (World War I)
The Romanian Campaign was part of the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central Powers. Fighting took place from August 1916 to December 1917, across most of present-day Romania, including Transylvania, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian...
by the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
, and then, through Imperial Russia, into Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(where Trandafir Djuvara was Minister Plenipotentiary).
He attended lycée
Secondary education in France
In France, secondary education is in two stages:* collèges cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 14...
in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and graduated in Letters (1937) and Law (1940) from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
(his Law thesis dealt with the antisemitic legislation passed by the governments of King
King of Romania
King of the Romanians , rather than King of Romania , was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when Romania was proclaimed a republic....
Carol II
Carol II of Romania
Carol II reigned as King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until 6 September 1940. Eldest son of Ferdinand, King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Marie, a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria...
in Romania). Djuvara later stated that, at the time, his political sympathies veered towards the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
: he became a supporter of the Romanian fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
movement, the Iron Guard
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard is the name most commonly given to a far-right movement and political party in Romania in the period from 1927 into the early part of World War II. The Iron Guard was ultra-nationalist, fascist, anti-communist, and promoted the Orthodox Christian faith...
, and took part in the February 1934 riot
6 February 1934 crisis
The 6 February 1934 crisis refers to an anti-parliamentarist street demonstration in Paris organized by far-right leagues that culminated in a riot on the Place de la Concorde, near the seat of the French National Assembly...
against the French Radical-Socialist government of Édouard Daladier
Édouard Daladier
Édouard Daladier was a French Radical politician and the Prime Minister of France at the start of the Second World War.-Career:Daladier was born in Carpentras, Vaucluse. Later, he would become known to many as "the bull of Vaucluse" because of his thick neck and large shoulders and determined...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he returned to Romania, where he married and fathered a child. He joined the Romanian Armed Forces
Romanian Armed Forces
The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces...
and was stationed in Ploieşti
Ploiesti
Ploiești is the county seat of Prahova County and lies in the historical region of Wallachia in Romania. The city is located north of Bucharest....
under the Iron Guard's National Legionary government
National Legionary State
The National Legionary State was the Romanian government from September 6, 1940 to January 23, 1941. It was a single-party regime dictatorship dominated by the overtly fascist Iron Guard in uneasy conjunction with the head of government and Conducător Ion Antonescu, the leader of the Romanian...
.
Following the establishment of Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu
Ion Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
's dictatorship and the start of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
(see Romania during World War II
Romania during World War II
Following the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, the Kingdom of Romania officially adopted a position of neutrality. However, the rapidly changing situation in Europe during 1940, as well as domestic political upheaval, undermined this stance. Fascist political forces such as the Iron...
), as an Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
, he fought on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, saw action in Bassarabia and Transnistria
Transnistria (World War II)
Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian administered territory, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and occupied from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 1944...
, before being wounded in the arm during the Battle of Odessa
Battle of Odessa (1941)
The Siege of Odessa was part of the Eastern Front area of operations in 1941, it was primarily conducted by Romanian forces and elements of the German Army's 11th Army...
(1941). He stated that he gave up his interest in the far right after a 1943 dialog with fellow diplomat Victor Rădulescu-Pogoneanu, who convinced Djuvara to become "a supporter of parliamentary democracy
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
".
Diplomat
Subsequently, Djuvara decided to apply for office in the diplomatic corpsDiplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
, won the competition, and was sent by Foreign Minister Mihai Antonescu
Mihai Antonescu
Mihai Antonescu was a Romanian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during World War II.-Early career:...
as a diplomatic courier
Diplomatic courier
A diplomatic courier is an official who transports diplomatic bags as sanctioned under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Couriers are granted diplomatic immunity and are thereby protected by the receiving state from arrest and detention when performing their work...
to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, on the very day Ion Antonescu was toppled by a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and Romania pulled out of the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
to join the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
(August 23, 1944). In this capacity, he was instructed to communicate to the Romanian Ambassador in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Frederic Nanu, that he was to ask the Soviet representative Alexandra Kollontai
Alexandra Kollontai
Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai was a Russian Communist revolutionary, first as a member of the Mensheviks, then from 1914 on as a Bolshevik. In 1919 she became the first female government minister in Europe...
whether earlier terms advanced by 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...
in regard to peace with Romania were still valid (Nanu was also told not to inform the Western Allies
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
of these talks).
Speaking in retrospect, he argued against claims made by Nanu, according to which Ion Antonescu had thus indicated his willingness to step down and hand leadership of Romania to King
King of Romania
King of the Romanians , rather than King of Romania , was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when Romania was proclaimed a republic....
Mihai I
Michael I of Romania
Michael was the last King of Romania. He reigned from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930, and again from 6 September 1940 until 30 December 1947 when he was forced, by the Communist Party of Romania , to abdicate to the Soviet armies of occupation...
. According to Djuvara, the last Soviet offer for Antonescu made only minor concessions — the entire country was to be occupied by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, with the exception of a random western county
Counties of Romania
The 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
(to function as a provisional administrative center), and 15 days were given to the Romanian government to reach an armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
(Djuvara considered this latter expectation particularly unrealistic, as it involved Germany consciously abandoning Romanian territory to its enemy). Furthermore, Djuvara indicated, "Neither I nor Nanu were mandated to sign any document, to launch into any peace process".
Appointed Legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
Secretary in Stockholm by the Constantin Sănătescu
Constantin Sanatescu
Constantin Sănătescu was a Romanian statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of Romania after the August 23, 1944 coup, through which Romania left the Axis Powers and joined the Allies....
executive, Djuvara was dismissed by the new Romanian Communist Party
Romanian 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...
officials upon Ana Pauker
Ana Pauker
Ana Pauker was a Romanian communist leader and served as the country's foreign minister in the late 1940s and early 1950s...
's appointment as Foreign Minister (1947).
Exile
Having been implicated in absentiaIn absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
in the series of show trial
Show trial
The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly public trial in which there is a strong connotation that the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the defendant. The actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as...
s inaugurated in the wake of 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...
by the Tămădău Affair
Tamadau Affair
The Tămădău Affair was an incident that took place in Romania in the summer of 1947, the source of a political scandal and show trial.It was provoked when an important number of National Peasants' Party leaders, including party vice president Ion Mihalache, had been offered a chance to flee...
, accused of being a spy, he decided to remain abroad. He left for Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and was subsequently involved in advocacy of anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
political causes and the rallying of exiled intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s. Briefly employed by the International Refugee Organization
International Refugee Organization
The International Refugee Organization was founded on April 20, 1946 to deal with the massive refugee problem created by World War II. A Preparatory Commission began operations fourteen months previously. It was a United Nations specialized agency and took over many of the functions of the earlier...
, Djuvara became involved with the body of Romanian exiles, the Romanian National Committee
Romanian National Committee
Romanian National Committee was an anti-communist organization of Romanian post-World War II exilés in the West. It claimed to represent a government in exile.-History:...
, and helped organize American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-assisted drops of voluntary paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s in support of the Romanian anti-communist resistance
Romanian anti-communist resistance movement
An armed resistance movement against the communist regime in Romania was active from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, with isolated individual fighters remaining at large until the early 1960s. Armed resistance was the first and most structured form of resistance against the communist regime...
(most of whom were captured by the Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
). He renounced his position by 1951, and subsequently worked for the exile magazine Casa Românească.
In 1961, he settled in Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, serving as an adviser for the country's Foreign Ministry
Foreign relations of Niger
Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with both East and West. It belongs to the United Nations. Niger maintains a special relationship with France and enjoys close relations with its West African neighbours....
(extending a two-year contract until 1984), and was a Professor of International law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
and Economic history
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
at the University of Niamey. Djuvara was an acquaintance of President
Heads of state of Niger
-List of Heads of State of Niger:-Affiliations:-See also:*Niger*List of colonial heads of Niger*Heads of Government of Niger*Lists of Incumbents-References:*...
Hamani Diori
Hamani Diori
Hamani Diori was the first President of the Republic of Niger. He was appointed to that office in 1960, when Niger gained independence.- Youth :...
, and notably accompanied him on official duty to Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, attending the opening session of the Organisation of African Unity (1963). Having already begun to further his studies of Philosophy in Paris, he received a Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
doctorat d'État
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
in the Philosophy of history
Philosophy of history
The term philosophy of history refers to the theoretical aspect of history, in two senses. It is customary to distinguish critical philosophy of history from speculative philosophy of history...
(with the thesis Civilisations et lois historiques, guided by Raymond Aron
Raymond Aron
Raymond-Claude-Ferdinand Aron was a French philosopher, sociologist, journalist and political scientist.He is best known for his 1955 book The Opium of the Intellectuals, the title of which inverts Karl Marx's claim that religion was the opium of the people -- in contrast, Aron argued that in...
). He was later awarded a diploma in Philology from INALCO
Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales
The Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales is located in Paris, France. It was founded in 1795 after the French Revolution and is now one of the country's Grands établissements with a specialization in African, Asian, East European, Oceanian languages and civilisations...
.
After 1984, he returned to Europe, resuming his activities with Casa Românească and other Romanian cultural institutions in exile. Djuvara was an active contributor to Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
, and divided his time between Paris and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(occasionally traveling to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
).
Post-1989
Djuvara returned to his native country soon after the Romanian Revolution of 1989Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
. Between 1991 and 1998, he was an Associate Professor 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:...
. During the early 1990s, he was a noted critic of Romanian political developments, and especially of the Mineriad
Mineriad
See also The 1990s: the rise and decline of miners' unionsA Mineriad is the term used to name any of the successive violent interventions of miners in Bucharest. These interventions were generally seen as aimed at wrestling policy changes or simply material advantages from the current political...
and the National Salvation Front government.
He has since joined the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
, and expressed his concern that President
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
was unable to complete planned reforms in the wake of Romania's accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, as well as his belief that the former Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
was still in a position of power. He has also taken a conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
stance on European affairs, being a vocal critic of Europe's multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
.
He received a number of honours including the Grand Cross of the Romanian National Order "Faithful Service" (Ordinul naţional "Serviciul Credincios").
Most of his works in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
have been published by Humanitas
Humanitas publishing house
Humanitas is an independent Romanian publishing house, founded on February 1, 1990 in Bucharest by the philosopher Gabriel Liiceanu...
.
Work as a Historian
Most of Djuvara's work concerns the history of Romania and that of the Romanian peopleRomanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
, although he has published significant works pertaining to the philosophy of history
Philosophy of history
The term philosophy of history refers to the theoretical aspect of history, in two senses. It is customary to distinguish critical philosophy of history from speculative philosophy of history...
, particularly questioning the existence of what he calles "truthful history".
Regarding Romanian history, Djuvara advocates continued and extensive research into what he believes is still unexplored territory. His views are often seen as undermining a Romanian national identity, mainly because of his expressing doubts on the scientific accuracy of most historic research done in Romania since the unification of 1918, and putting forward controversial hypotheses concerning the origin of the Romanians, such as advancing the theory that the vast majority of the nobility in the medieval states that made up the territory of modern-day Romania
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...
was of Cuman
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
origin.
He has also published extensively regarding the relationship between his native Romania and Europe, placing the country politically and culturally "between East and West", citing it as the "last to enter what is commonly called the European concert", referring not to Romania's 2007 accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, but to the country's change of orientation towards adopting a Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
political and cultural model. He has voiced his concern regarding multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
in Europe, a policy which he views as detrimental to stability within the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
He is a critic of what he perceives to be an excessively pro-Western attitude in Romanian politics
Politics of Romania
Politics of Romania take place in a framework of a semi-presidential parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Romania is the head of government and the President of Romania exercises the functions of head of state. Romania has a multi-party system. Executive...
, suggesting that Romanian society and culture
Culture of Romania
Romania has a unique culture, which is the product of its geography and of its distinct historical evolution. Like Romanians themselves, it is defined as the meeting point of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, but cannot be truly included in any of them...
cannot be classified as Western, citing Orthodoxy as the predominant religion, the presence of many non-Latin elements in the modern Romanian language
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
and the country's history in the past centuries as arguments.
He has also written about what he called the "American hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
" and its premises, analysing the influence which the United States of America and its foreign policy have had on the World and, more specifically, on Europe. He characterises the efforts of the United States to establish what resembles a hegemony in Europe and other parts of the World as a "Seventy-Seven Years' War" waged throughout most of the 20th century.
Neagu Djuvara can be seen as a populariser and "de-mystifier" of history, having published books aimed a younger audience as well as books seeking to explain the historical basis for mythical figures such as Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
or Negru Vodă
Negru Voda
Negru Vodă is a town in Constanţa County, Dobruja, south-eastern Romania.The name is probably derived from the legendary Radu Negru , founder and ruler of Wallachia.It has an area of .-Villages:...
. He has also published memories from his exile, recounting his life and work in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
.
Criticism
Though his diverse theories have been rejected by some mainstream historians, Neagu Djuvara remains one of the most influential Romanian historians of the 20th century, encouraging a critical approach to researching Romanian history and history in general. His work has been dismissed as "anti-Romanian" and he has been accused by prominent nationalist political figures of being a negative influence on Romanian self-perception and the perception of Romanians outside of Romania.He has also encountered resistance in putting forward his theories by fellow historians who, by his own account, regard him as an "amateur". Djuvara's credentials are, however, verified, and his works have seen increased support in recent years, largely due to his popularity in Romania.
Notable Works
- Civilisations et lois historiques. Essai d’étude comparée des civilisations ("Civilizations and Historical Laws. Essay of Comparative Studies on Civilizations"), Mouton, 1975
- Les Aroumains ("The Aromanians"), INALCO, 1989; published in Romanian as Aromânii: istorie, limbă, destin ("The Aromanians: History, Language, Destiny"), Editura Fundaţiei Culturale Române, 1996
- Les pays roumains entre Orient et Occident. Les Principautés danubiennes au début du XIXe siecle ("The Romanian Lands between Orient and Occident. The Danubian PrincipalitiesDanubian PrincipalitiesDanubian Principalities was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg Monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in order to designate an area on the lower Danube with a common...
at the Beginning of the 19th Century"), Publications Orientalistes de France, 1989 - Între Orient şi Occident. Ţările române la începutul epocii moderne ("Between East and West. The Romanian Lands at the Beginning of the Modern Era"), Humanitas, 1995
- Cum s-a născut poporul român? ("How Was the Romanian People Born?"), Humanitas, 2001
- Mircea cel Bătrân şi luptele cu turcii ("Mircea the ElderMircea I of WallachiaMircea the Elder was ruler of Wallachia from 1386 until his death. The byname "elder" was given to him after his death in order to distinguish him from his grandson Mircea II...
and Battles with the TurksOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
"), Humanits, 2001 - O scurtă istorie a românilor povestită celor tineri ("A Short History of the Romanians Narrated for the Youth"), Humanitas, 2001
- De la Vlad Ţepeş la Dracula Vampirul ("From Vlad the ImpalerVlad III the ImpalerVlad III, Prince of Wallachia , also known by his patronymic Dracula , and posthumously dubbed Vlad the Impaler , was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462, the period of the incipient Ottoman conquest of the Balkans...
to Dracula the VampireDraculaDracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
"), Humanitas, 2003 - Bucarest-Paris-Niamey et retour ou Souvenirs de 42 ans d'exil (1948–1990) ("BucharestBucharestBucharest 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....
-ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-NiameyNiamey-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
and Back or Recollections from 42 Years of Exile"), L'Harmattan, 2004 - Există istorie adevarată? ("Is There a Truthful History?"), Humanitas, 2004
- Însemnările lui Gheorghe Milescu ("Gheorghe Milescu's Notes"), Humanitas, 2004
- Amintiri din pribegie ("Recollections from Exile"), Humanitas, 2005
- Thocomerius - Negru Vodă. Un voivod de origine cumană la începuturile Ţării Româneşti, Humanitas, 2007
- Războiul de şaptezeci şi şapte de ani (1914–1991) şi premisele hegemoniei americane, Humanitas, 2009
- Biserici din Moldova, Editorial Artec, 2009