Romania, icons of nationalism/ 'racism'

[Lisa Rogers <eqwq.lrogers@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bryan Alexander wrote:
"Which leads to another cult for the list: the cult of nation
iconography.  The fascists need to create a vibrant history-image to
be  workshipped -and recalled.  Think of Mussolini and Rome, Hitler
and  Frederick the Great."

Lisa:  This reminds me of my brief visit to the city of Bucharest,
Romania.  I had been told by one of my Hungarian-ethnic Transylvanian
friends, who had been to college in Bucharest, that much of the
beautiful city had been destroyed and uglified under the 'communist'
regime of Ceaucescu.  From some other cities of East Europe I have a
clue what it might have looked like, and the major government
building was indeed a contrast.  They have built the thing to look
like the Roman Coliseum!!  Including the broken profile across the
top.

Romania, at least for Romanian ethnics, has built up a nationalistic
fervor related to their modern construction of their Roman-ness!

Yes, it is true that old Romania, lower Romania was a major Roman
colony.  It's not very far up the Black Sea coast from Istanbul and
the Bosporus, with it's sea-trade connection from the Black Sea to
the Aegean and thence the Mediterranean.  By land, lower Romania is a
passageway around the east end of the Black Sea, between the seacoast
on one side and the formidable Carpathian mountains and Transylvanian
Alps on the other side.

And it's true that there was a large Roman colony there, which stayed
there after Rome fell, and it was invaded and conquered by Turks and
everybody else in turn, till the Romanian people dropped out of
history for 600 years, taking to the mountains to herd sheep and keep
out of the way.

So an originally blended people [who was there before the Romans?
and the "Romans" came from all over] became a newly created single
ethnicity, defined largely by a shared language, which is latinized
like those of west europe.  But during the thousand years after the
fall of Rome, surely they were illiterate, I doubt they had any
awareness of continuity with Rome, probably lost memory of that
altogether.

Romanianism is largely a modern construction, based on some real
history, and it is used in nationalist/racist ways.  Because of the
ancient Roman city, they claim their ethnicity is responsible for
"culture" and civilization in Romania, as opposed to the Hungarian
ethnics who have been inhabiting all Transylvania for over 1000
years.

There has been and still is serious tension there, where quarreling
over who will do an archeol. dig is symptomatic.  Neither side wants
the other to do it, because each thinks the other will twist things
to claim to show that some particular prince or city or something was
ethnically Rom. or Hung. at some period of time, which is part of the
current discourse about "who's country is it anyway" and whose rights
should include what.

See, in Transylvania, it was Romania that was trying to keep people
in, and it was mostly Hung-ethnics that were trying to get out,
across the border into Hungary.  Some were shot and killed in the
late 80's.  Not leaving because they were anti-communist! as I
understand it.  But because of Romanian domination of all power and
methodical discrimination against Hung-ethnics.  This is what the
Hungarian [actually I should say Magyar, it's what they call
themselves, and it's shorter to type, too] such oppression is what
the Magyar minority there sees as in most immediate need of social
change.

And don't insult either Romanian or Magyar by calling them Slavs!!
No, both populations are descended from invaders who pierced into the
pan-slavic area that still includes Bulgaria to the south and Ukraine
to the north.  Well, the Jews are gone now, but they all still have
the Gypsies to kick around.

This is why I had to laugh a little, when they would question,
condemn or commiserate with the "race problem" in the US.

{This is not to call Romania fascist, as national iconography and
such is not limited only to fascists, I expect.}

Lisa



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