Stefan Baciu
Encyclopedia
Ştefan Baciu was a Romanian poet
, essayist, journalist
, translator, art critic
, diplomat
, and university
professor
who spent most of his life in exile, first in Latin America
, then in the U.S.
Born into an academic family, Baciu graduated in 1937 from Andrei Şaguna high school in Braşov, where his professors included Emil Cioran
for philosophy, Octav Şuluţiu for French
, and his own father, Ioan Baciu, for German
. After earning national recognition as a young poet
, he went on to study at the University of Bucharest
, where he completed a law degree in 1941, while serving as editor on several literary publications.
In 1945 he married Mira Simian (b. 16 May 1920, d. 2 July 1978), and they both moved to Bern, Switzerland in 1946, where Baciu served as press attaché to the Romanian embassy. In 1949 they fled to Rio de Janeiro
, where he traveled widely as a journalist and became a recognized authority on Latin American literature
, especially surrealism
.
In 1962 he was invited to become a professor of literature at the University of Seattle, then two years later settled in Honolulu in the same capacity at the University of Hawaii
, where Mira became a professor of French
. The Bacius were good friends of Jean Charlot
, who collected their works, many of which are included in the university library's Jean Charlot Collection.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, essayist, 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...
, translator, art critic
Art critic
An art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, and university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
who spent most of his life in exile, first in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, then in the U.S.
Born into an academic family, Baciu graduated in 1937 from Andrei Şaguna high school in Braşov, where his professors included Emil Cioran
Emil Cioran
-Early life:Emil M. Cioran was born in Răşinari, Sibiu County, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. His father, Emilian Cioran, was a Romanian Orthodox priest, while his mother, Elvira Cioran , was originally from Veneţia de Jos, a commune near Făgăraş.After studying humanities at the...
for philosophy, Octav Şuluţiu for French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and his own father, Ioan Baciu, for German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. After earning national recognition as a young poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, he went on to study 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:...
, where he completed a law degree in 1941, while serving as editor on several literary publications.
In 1945 he married Mira Simian (b. 16 May 1920, d. 2 July 1978), and they both moved to Bern, Switzerland in 1946, where Baciu served as press attaché to the Romanian embassy. In 1949 they fled to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, where he traveled widely as a journalist and became a recognized authority on Latin American literature
Latin American literature
Latin American literature consists of the oral and written literature of Latin America in several languages, particularly in Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages of the Americas. It rose to particular prominence globally during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to the...
, especially surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
.
In 1962 he was invited to become a professor of literature at the University of Seattle, then two years later settled in Honolulu in the same capacity at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
, where Mira became a professor of French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. The Bacius were good friends of Jean Charlot
Jean Charlot
Louis Henri Jean Charlot was a French painter and illustrator, active in Mexico and the United States. Charlot was born in Paris. His father, Henri, owned an import-export business and was a Russian-born émigré, albeit one who supported the Bolshevik cause. His mother Anna was herself an artist...
, who collected their works, many of which are included in the university library's Jean Charlot Collection.
Poetry
- Poemele poetului tânăr [The poems of the young poet], 1935 – Bucureşti
- Poeme de dragoste [Poems of love], 1936 – Oradea
- Micul dor [The small yearning], 1937 – Braşov
- Drumeţ în anotimpuri [Traveler in seasons], 1939 – Iaşi
- Cautătorul de comori [The treasure hunter], 1939 – Bucureşti
- Cetatea lui Bucur [The fortress of Bucur (= Happiness)], 1940 – Bucureşti
- Lanterna magică [The magic lantern] (with Traian LalescuTraian LalescuTraian Lalescu was a Romanian mathematician. His main focus was on integral equations and he contributed to work in the areas of functional equations, trigonometric series, mathematical physics, geometry, mechanics, algebra, and the history of mathematics....
), 1941 – Bucureşti - Analiza cuvântului dor [The analysis of the word yearning], 1951 – Sierras de Cordoba
- Poemele poetului pribeag [The poems of the wandering poet], 1963 – Mexico, Ukulele
- Îngerul malagambist în insula Oahu [The Malagan angel on the island of Oahu], 1967 – Madrid
- Poemele poetului singur [The poems of the solitary poet], 1979 – Honolulu
- Peste o mie de catrene ... [Over a thousand quatrains ...], 1980 – Honolulu, 1991 – Bucureşti, 1994 – Braşov
Memoirs
- Franctiror cu termen redus, 1968 – Honolulu
- Sub Tâmpa în Honolulu, 1973 – Honolulu
- Mira, 1979 – Honolulu
- Praful de pe tobă. Memorii 1918-1946, 1980 – Honolulu
External links
- Biography
- Collection of poems
- Stefan Baciu
- "Patria"
- English translations of Praful de pe tobă ('Dust from the drum'), Baciu's Memoirs, 1918-1946:
- English translation of Baciu's introduction to his "double autobiography" (of Mira)