Tag: Royal History

The kitsch statue of King Carol I

Valentin Mandache

Debating the very expensive kitsch statue of King Carol I in Bucharest’s Revolution/ Royal Palace Square. The original statue by the renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, was erected in the late 1930s, and pulled down and destroyed by the newly installed communist government in 1948-49. A plaster copy of the original was kept all the time at the Mestrovic Museum in Split, Croatia, but never used by Bucharest’s authorities, who preferred to siphon the money (3 million Euro, according to newspaper reports) and order a kitsch interpretation of the original, manufactured by an overrated local “sculptor”.

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I endeavour through this series of periodic articles to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural history and heritage.

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If you plan acquiring or selling a historic property in Romania or start a renovation project, I would be delighted to advise you in sourcing and transacting the property, specialist research, etc. To discuss your particular plan please see my contact details in the Contact page of this weblog.

Conference invitation: the formative years of King Michael and Queen Marie – 15 Jan. ’14

Valentin Mandache

Diana and I would like to invite you to the new conference from the already traditional series inaugurated last year at the Liberal Cafe in Bucharest, on the royal and architectural history of Romania.

The subjects this year are the following:

Diana Mandache: “King Michael as a school pupil: curriculum, marks, fieldtrips”

Valentin Mandache: “Eastwell Manor: the birthplace of Queen Marie”

The event is organised by the National Liberal Party’s Bloggers’ Club, and is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 15 January, starting at 6.30 pm (The Liberal Cafe: 9, Doamnei Street, Lipscani quarter, just across the road from the National Bank).

Conference on the formative years of King Michael and Queen Marie
Conference: *King Michael as a school pupil, *Eastwell Manor: the brithplace of Queen Marie

There will be shown and discussed photographs and period newsreel footage about the school pupil Michael, from the Regency period and then as a Crown Prince, and architectural photographs of Eastwell Manor, images of Queen Marie during her childhood and as an adult visiting her birthplace, and how these formative years in such significant circumstances and environments influenced those two royal figures later in their life.

Conference on the formative years of King Michael and Queen Marie
Conference: *King Michael as a school pupil, *Eastwell Manor: the brithplace of Queen Marie

The Bloggers’ Club of the National Liberal Party and the presenters are looking forward to welcoming you at the conference!

King Michael’s forced abdication: lessons from a letter

Valentin Mandache

History and historical facts discussed over the envelope of a letter sent from Bucharest to Paris in February 1948, just a few weeks after the forced abdication of King Michael of Romania. The envelope contains a two sets of stamps, one from the just ended royal period and another form the newly installed communist regime, constituting a good material witness of a watershed event in Romania’s history.

Soon to be published… (via Jurnal de istoric)

Valentin Mandache

From the royal historian Diana Mandache- a new book soon to be printed in Sweden and distributed in many West European countries and on the North American continent- it contains the correspondence between Marie Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, Duchess of Edinburgh and of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and her daughter Marie, the Crown Princess of Romania.

In curand... … noua mea carte ‘Dearest Missy’ per aspera… … Read More

via Jurnal de istoric

“The Crown of Romania”, a documentary film produced by Sahia Studios

Valentin Mandache

This is a trailer from the documentary film entitled “Coroana Romaniei” (“The Crown of Romania”), directed by Marian Baciu from Sahia Studios in Bucharest, produced in 2010. The author of this blog  presents within the section dedicated to His Majesty King Michael, together with the historian Diana Mandache who also details the reigns of King Carol I and Carol II. King Ferdinand and his achievements are likewise surveyed.

King Michael of Romania’s radio message broadcast on 24 February 1997 (via Diana Mandache’s Weblog)

Valentin Mandache

I would like to invite you to listen to HM King Michael of Romania’s radio message to the nation, broadcast 14 years ago by Radio Free Europe, shortly before he was allowed to return to Romania by officially regaining the country’s citizenship, abusively withdrawn by the communist regime nearly five decades before, on 2 February 1948. It is a highly emotional instance to listen to such a remarkable personality that has suffered with such a high d … Read More

via Diana Mandache’s Weblog

King Michael of Romania’s Christmas 2010 Message (via Romania Altfel)

Valentin Mandache

 

King Michael of Romania’s Christmas 2010 message (via Romania Altfel. A blog by Prince Radu of Romania) – click the image above to access the article [in Romanian].

Visit by HRH Prince Nicholas of Romania to the National History Museum (via Diana Mandache’s Weblog)

Valentin Mandache

HRH Prince Nicholas and his girlfriend Rebecca visited today the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest, which is the foremost institution in the country holding the best and largest historic collections refering to the past of the Romanian communities. It is a must stopover for anyone actively interested in this country's history and identity. Valentin, my husband, and I have been honoured to act as museum guides and hope th … Read More

via Diana Mandache's Weblog