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Thede Kahl, Peter Mario Kreuter & Christina Vogel (eds), Vergessen, verdrängt, verschwunden. Aufgegebene Kulturen, Beziehungen und Orientierungen in der Balkanromania, Frank & Timme, , 2018, 360 p.

Dinu Moscal‹ “A. Philippide” Institute of Romanian Philology, Str. Th. Codrescu 2, 700481 Iași,

This volume of the series “Forum: Rumänien” brings one. Some groups of băieși regard themselves as together the Balkan Romance Studies conference’s belonging to the Roma ethnicity (most probably by works with the same title, held in Münster between the ethnonym țigani “gypsies”, as those who live in 29 and 31 of May 2014 (p. 11). The Balkan Ro- traditional communities identify themselves, unaf- manian identity has been under the constant pressure fected by the “so-called political correctness”), yet of other cultures, a phenomenon reflected by almost they speak româneșće or țigăneșće; however, there are all Romance communities’ precarious identity status, caravlahi, who identify themselves as băieși (p. 23). including the Romanian ones outside the Romanian The topic is further developed by discussing the borders. The contributions included in this volume ethnic awareness in the Republic of Moldova, where depict the Balkan and cultures the ethnic identity of “Moldavian”,namely the mem- that run the risk of either disappearing altogether or bership to one of the three Romanian historical being assimilated by other cultures and the efforts provinces (the Romanians in the Republic of Mol- to revive their identities within the dynamics of the dova, including the Moldavian Region in Eastern cultural and linguistic influences in the area. The Romania) is assumed as a different ethnic identity studies are organized into three sections, according from “Romanians”, and by analogy, the Romanian to the debated issue: culture, literature, language. language is called “Moldavian”. Using statistical data and considering the factors that can influence › linguistic self-identification, of which a significant Rudolf Windisch, a well-known specialist in Ro- one is the political propaganda, the author provides manian studies and a disciple of Eugenio Coseriu, a brief analysis of the linguistic criterion as a factor of opens the first section, Kulturwissenschaft (p. 15– ethnic identity in the Republic of Moldova. 173). In Aufgegebene Kulturen, Beziehungen und Orientierungen in der Balkanromania (p. 15–34), In the next study, Erforschung und Dokumenta- the author focuses on the self-determination of the tion schwindender Sprachen und Kulturen. Roman- băieși (țiganii aurari “the goldsmith gypsies”, also isches Feldmaterial aus Südosteuropa in den Projekten known as rudari, described by Dimitrie Cantemir in vlach und lazar (p. 35–58), Thede Kahl, an ex- Descriptio Moldaviæ) and the caravlahi (the “North- pert in Romanian minorities (and not only) in the ern Wallachians” in relation to those from Greece) Balkans, uses the direct investigation to provide a in Bosnia and Herzegovina. From the very begin- brief presentation of the stages leading to the dis- ning, the author establishes the meaning of “ethnic appearance of a language (the diminishing of the identity”, which he defines through the lens of self- community that speaks the respective language, fol- determination, namely the ethnic group the indi- lowed by the social stigmatization of that language viduals of these communities believe they belong and the subsequent reduction of its vocabulary), to in relation to their origin and appurtenance to completed by an overview over the present situation a group according to a language, culture and so- of the Romance languages and dialects in the area. cial structure. Five types of self-determination are There follows a presentation of the initiatives un- employed in this respect. However, linguistic self- dertaken so far concerning the documenting and determination does not always mirror the ethnic archiving the languages/dialects that run the risk of ‹Email address: [email protected].

© 2021 The Authors. Publishing rights belong to the Journal. Diacronia 13, June 13, 2021, A186 (1–6) The is freely accessible under the terms and conditions of the CC-BY Open Access licence. 2 Dinu Moscal extinction. The two projects announced in the title of the great powers in the vicinity of the area, the are recent initiatives that include the Balkan region, socialist ideas that followed the First World War, the which is of great importance in conserving Balkan communist plans that followed the Second World Romania’s data. The lazar project (Langzeitar- Warare presented in chronological order to render a hivierung regionalwissenschaftlicher Forschungsdaten; synoptic perspective over the Balkan area in the past lazar.gbv.de), due to its approaches, namely the pro- two centuries and a better understanding of a Balkan cessing and archiving of ethnologic and linguistic union through the European Union. However, we data collected by researchers from various regions, cannot fail to note that this “room for manoeuvre” also gathers data on the regional languages/ dia- between the three great powers (the Ottoman, the lects on the verge of extinction. The other project, Russian and the German) has not yet gained total vlach (Vanishing languages and cultural heritage; independence from two of the current representa- oeaw.ac.at/vlach), uses a part of the data resulting tions of the three powers in order to enter without from the first project to investigate the language’s certain sacrifices under the authority of the third. disappearance with the help of a commission of The independence of this area and the establishment renowned specialists. Thede Kahl, who has a signific- of a proper Balkan union indeed remain utopian. ant contribution in both projects, presents the out- There follow two articles signed by Horst Fassel, comes and steps to be taken concerning the Balkan this volume being dedicated to his memory. In the Romance communities within the vlach project. first article (p. 75–125), the author emphasizes the Such initiatives targeted at conserving en- cultural contribution of “Regele Carol” Publishing dangered languages and cultures require a great House in Bucharest in a period in which the histor- effort and can only be admired. However, what is ical provinces Wallachia and Transylvania were under to become of this treasure? Another such treasure German occupation (1917–1918). The reader dis- of incontestable greater value, namely the covers this publishing house’s history, the editorial language, seems to be far from enjoying a favourable context of that period, the fields of study targeted treatment in a prestigious university from the same by the publications and the translations into German area, as the University of Salzburg leaders intend to from folk and classic literature, with a repertoire of withdraw the only position reserved for Latin in this these works at the end of the article. The annexe prestigious institution which will soon celebrate its includes translations of four poems written by Mihai 400th anniversary (1622). Eminescu. The second article, Vasile Alecsandri – Edda Binder-Iijima resumes in its study, Present ein Vergessener? Kann man Kleintheater von anno in absentia: Die Idee der Balkanunion (p. 59–73), the 1843-1870 wieder auf die Bühne bringen? (p. 127– much-discussed and contested topic of establishing a 149), attempts to rehabilitate the theatrical works Balkan union. In the context of a possible political- of Vasile Alecsandri. Horst Fassel emphasizes the administrative cohesion of the Balkan area by the significance of Alecsandri’s comedies in depicting accession of all the states to the European Union, the image of and its capital in a period the author discusses the ideas on this topic that have dominated by a certain mentality, by the attempt to circulated from the end of the eighteenth century emancipate certain social classes, by the intercultural until today. The ad quem moment is represented dialogue marked by Alecsandri, a fine connoisseur by the political writings of Rigas Velestinlis, who of the language, with foreign linguistic insertions points out that the lack of unity in the Balkan area from Greek, French, Turkish, Russian, Armenian is caused not only by ethnic and religious diversity and Romani. The author of the article perceives but, above all, by the instability of authority, the lack Alecsandri’s theatrical creation as a model of peace- of equal rights, violence and the lack of legislation ful coexistence and tolerance in a multiethnic soci- during the Ottoman rule, which left a deep imprint ety (without excluding specific means for comedy, on the common consciousness. Rigas’ scepticism, the among which the caricature), a model that should division of authority on this area by the surround- inspire our contemporary society. A repertoire of ing powers, as the Polish Prince Adam Czartoryski Alecsandri’s theatrical works is played in Romanian imagined, the national impulse of 1848, completed regularly. However, a significant part of his dramatic by the idea of a transnational unity in the detriment work unfairly slips into oblivion, an aspect which T. Kahl, P.M. Kreuter & C. Vogel (eds), Vergessen, verdrängt, verschwunden 3

Horst Fassel emphasizes in his article, pointing out this new name, by imposing the new architecture of that it applies to the entire creation of Alecsandri, kvartals in 1952 and the first years of the following whose importance in the Romanian literature’s evol- decades, proved to be a fortunate initiative despite ution is generally ignored or even underestimated. lacking monumentality. The author mentions the Jürgen Kristophson addresses the Romance iden- facilities provided by this architectural style related tity’s difficult topic in : Im slawischen to the Viennese Hofs that could also be found in the Meer verschwindende Dalmatiner und auftauchende city and the contrast with the socialist architecture Rumänen (p. 151–162). This area’s Romance lan- that still marks all Romanian cities. The architectural guage is associated with is the Dalmatian, docu- plans and the photos provide the readers with further mented by Bartoli, who wrote about the Vegliot information in this respect. dialect. A re-evaluation of the › based on the existing data appears as a challenging The second section of this volume (p. 175–287) com- process. The language’s possible reminiscences un- prises six studies dedicated to a series of authors or derwent deep transformations for which no histor- particular topics related to Balkan literature which, ical documents are available; to these, the possibil- despite their value and specificity, are currently left ity of misinterpretation of non-Dalmatian Romance in the background or even ignored. elements is also added. A similar situation applies to In the study Vergessen und vergessen werden im the latter elements. Thus, besides the two Dalmatian Leben und Werk von Matila C. Ghyka (p. 177– dialects, namely Ragusan and Vegliot, the Romance 196), the first in the Literaturwissenschaft section, equation in this area also includes the Venetian and Ilina Gregori revives the image of an unjustly for- Istro-Romanian, and Romanian elements that are gotten personality, Matila C. Ghyka, great-grandson borrowings from Serbo-Croatian or toponymic rem- of the last ruler of Moldavia, Grigore Alexandru nants. The author reaches a series of conclusions Ghica. Matila C. Ghyka, a complex personality— regarding phonetic evolutions (non-alteration of the studies completed at “École Navale” of Brest, “École consonants p, t, k, s in inter-vocalic positions, non- Supérieure d’Électricité” in and PhD in law palatalization of guttural consonants followed by e at “Université Libre” of Bruxelles, marine officer, or i). In the context of the meanings of the word diplomat and professor of esthetics, semantics and vlah in Serbo-Croatian, Jürgen Kristophson brings philosophy at the University of South Carolina—, into discussion the meaning of the ethnonym cara- also had a great activity as a memoirist, theorist of vlah and the Greek version that evolved into morlac, esthetics and novelist. As he was mainly known as yet with the limitation to the main meaning of the an aesthetician by his work Le nombre d’or. Rites determinant (tc. cara ‘black), without considering et rythmes pythagoriciens dans le développement de la the meaning ‘north’, taken from the Asian culture civilisation occidentale (1931), prefaced by a letter (cf. also the names tc. Kara Deniz “Black Sea” written by Paul Valéry referring to a previous work and Ak Deniz “White Sea” for the Mediterranean in the same field (Esthétique des proportions dans la Sea—a name that also existed in the premodern nature et dans les arts, 1927), Ilina Gregori dedicates Romanian—, colours that designate the cardinal a few pages at the beginning of her study to this points North and West in relation to the capital of particular topic, where the reader gains access to the Ottoman Empire). a brief synthesis of Matila C. Ghyka’s perspective The last article of the first section, Înrudirea on the esthetics of proportions. There follows a formelor urbane: Cvartaluri realist-socialiste în brief presentation of his diplomatic career in Vi- Brașov. Hof-uri vieneze / Remembering Lessons enna, mandatory for an accurate appreciation of the of Communal Housing: The Vienese Hof and the novel Ploaie de stele [Again one day], translated into Stalinist Kvartal (p. 163–173), Miruna Stroe Romanian in 2007; the presentation of this novel performs a comparative analysis of two architectural round-up the attempt to restore the memory of an styles of different origins, yet based on similar unjustly forgotten author. Ilina Gregori emphasizes principles, aimed at creating a living space that the means by which Matila C. Ghyka builds a psycho- ensured the necessary facilities for the less privileged. social image of Europe in the political-historical con- The renewal of Stalin’s city that is Brașov, under text following the First World War, in contrast with 4 Dinu Moscal the “old” Europe before the war. The old aristocracy at that time. However, this new perspective’s entire stars are falling and a new society rises, in search of a preparation is only continued with a few possible new identity; this society is depicted from multiple interpretations of only one fable, The wolf, the hunter perspectives, ranging from behaviors, dressing styles and the shepherd. This analysis is not conducted in and traditions to its spiritual components and artistic the announced direction, but rather augmenting the tastes. Matila C. Ghyka’s complex personality can possibility of examining the fable from a narrative be discovered in the monography Păstrat în uitare? perspective (the narrative voice, the narrator), spe- Matila Ghyka. Numărul și Verbul [Remembered in cifying the roles in the fable, identifying types of oblivion? Matila Ghyka. The Number and the Verb] communication and the symbolic value of the depic- (2018), announced by Ilina Gregori’s studies in the ted realities. Nevertheless, these “new” methods of past years. analysis are limited to a general level or mere pro- In Sprachmischung als kulturelle Über- posals, exposed on a few lines, without an analysis; lebensstrategie: romanische Minderheitensprachen therefore, there are no mentions on these aspects in und Literatur in Istrien (p. 197–214), conclusions, which refer strictly to the first part of the Lukenda draws attention upon a relatively new article. phenomenon in literature, the multilingualism. In The study of Laura Eugenia Tudoras, La nar- the multicultural, multiethnic and multilingual rativa francófona del siglo XX: un escenario para la context of , the phenomenon of multilingual- memoria del exilio (p. 237–250), proposes an analysis ism in literature cannot be regarded as a means of Vintilă Horia’s novel, Dieu est né en exil. Journal of expressing stylistic and aesthetic values or of d’Ovide à Tomes. The author points out the novel’s rendering a particular local flavour, but as an almost main topics: an imaginary diary of the artist’s self “natural” reflection of this reality, which, in addition who, through exile, discovers new dimensions of his to the other aspects mentioned, is also related to existence. The exile places him into a new reality, identity, cultural and political conflicts. Although whereas his former reality is transformed through Istro-Venetian has a lingua franca status in the distanced perception, being fixed at the memory peninsula, the whole area is identified by bilingual- level. On both plans functions an acknowledged per- ism and trilingualism. Exploiting this aspect in ception that is subject to deep transformations that literature—favouring multiethnic, multicultural and the author emphasizes through analytical reading of multilingual dialogue, and opposing the tendencies the novel. of uniformity promoted especially through political There follows a well-balanced analysis of means—points out to the other path towards Poveștilor Peleșului [Peles Tales] (p. 251–275), identity, by refusing globalization and maintaining a written by Carmen Sylva, alias Queen Elisabeta of dialogue between minorities and the respect for the Romania. The study Die „rumänischen Märchen” der traditional values ofeach minority. „deutschen Königin” Rumäniens: Elisabeth zu Wied Anita Andreea Széll (p. 215–236) announces an – Carmen Sylva (1843-1916). Aspekte rumänischer entirely new approach on the volume Száz fabula Volkskultur, deutsch-rumänische Kulturvermittlung [One hundred fables] of Heltai Gáspár, a great scholar und politische Symbolik in Carmen Sylvas Märchen of of the Fortress of Cluj in the sixteenth century and Silvia Irina Zimmerman begins by providing details a writer in Hungarian who was a Transylvanian about Carmen Sylva, followed by a brief history of Saxon by origin (Caspar Helth). The author begins the reception of Carmen Sylva’s tales in Germany. by focusing on the German-Hungarian duality of The author underlines the information rendered the writer. Then, based mainly on three critical between inverted commas in the first part of the works, attempts to synthesize the traditional per- title, namely the cultivated character of the tales, ception upon his fables and the place they held in despite the frequent, almost programmed occurrence the Hungarian literature. The author announces a of Romanian elements, to which formulas specific new interpretation method of One Hundred Fables, to Romanian fairy tales are added. There follows with different results regarding this literary species: a thorough analysis of the symbiosis between identifying the villages’ ethnographic features “hid- Romanian and German motives and the cultural- den in Transylvania’s mountains and hills” (p. 226) political impact of the literary creation of Romania’s T. Kahl, P.M. Kreuter & C. Vogel (eds), Vergessen, verdrängt, verschwunden 5 first queen. phenomenon and its generalization by accepting a In the last article included in this section, Ver- viewpoint without researching the primary sources. gessen – verdrängt – verschwunden? Vom Kakanier An extensive study follows, Das Schicksal der aus der Bukowina zum zweisprachigen Dichter in Turzismen und Gräzismen bei der Gestaltung des Israel: Manfred Winkler (p. 277–287), Renate modernen Rumänischen (p. 303–343). The author, Windisch-Middendorf discuss the sinuous path of Alexandru Cizek, begins by providing an excellent the Jewish poet Manfred Winkler (1922–2014). The synoptic presentation of the historical and cultural Education received in his multiethnic and multi- framework, with sufficient details for even a less cultural home town, Chernivtsi, the war and its knowledgeable reader regarding the political, his- outcomes on his family and himself, the time spent torical and linguistic complexity of the Romanian in Romania, his emigration to Israel, along with the provinces starting with the medieval period and con- particularities of his poetic creation are revealed to tinuing, in relatively large areas, to this day (p. 303– the reader not only through accurate historical in- 310). Historical and cultural aspects are always fol- formation and critical and comparative analysis of his lowed by their linguistic effects, the author following poems but also through quotes from the poet’s diary the semantic changes of borrowed lexemes and their and poems inserted in the text (or just the beginning reflexes at the historical, dialectal (including the areas of a poem, in an instance), perfectly harmonized with of Greek and Turkish influence), socio-cultural (in- the author’s discourse layout. cluding the inevitable “conflict” with French loans) › and stylistic levels. He emphasizes the differentiation The third part of the volume, Sprachwissenschaft between loans that suffer semantic changes and loans (p. 289–356), includes three studies: two about that retain the meaning they entered the Romanian Romanian and one about the (Neo)Greek language. language: the former generally belong to the familiar The first study examines one of the grammatical register, those with primary meaning remaining in categories inherited from Latin, yet not specific to the general register, even if many became archaisms. all Romance languages, namely the neutral gender. There follows the analysis of borrowings, presented The same as the supine, the Romanian neutral gender at the language level (archaisms, words that have un- does not have a clear perception within the sci- dergone semantic changes, and words that have not entific community, neither concerning its status nor undergone semantic changes), first those of Greek, its history, although sufficient arguments favour its and then those of Turkish origin, each organized continuity in the Romance space and its survival in in fields (terminology), using general and special the . These arguments, along lexicographic sources, of which the contributions of with the issue of their reception, are investigated Lazăr Șăineanu. by Luminița Fassel in the study Das Schicksal des The last study addresses an issue outside the lateinischen Neutrums in der Romania oder „neutrul topic of this volume, Antikisierendes Griechisch latin, soartă și destin” (p. 291–302). The author (καθρεύουσα) im 19. und 20. Jh.: Alte Sprachformen presents a series of linguistic arguments insisting on als Ingredienz des Nazionalismus (p. 345–356). The the history of the neutral gender throughout Ro- author, Johannes Kramer, argues upon the relevance mania, with elements that can be identified up to the of the article within this volume by describing the present date. A more significant aspect is, however, historical conditions and political intentions, both the lack of reception of the argumentation regarding necessary for the attempt to revive a language, and the conservation of the neutral gender in Romanian by establishing a parallel with the affirmation of (and also in older historical stages in Italian, French, the Latin character of Romanian and the attempts Franco-Provençal and Spanish, with formal elements to consolidate the Latin character along with the preserved until today) of some linguists regarded expression of national identity, including the ortho- as experts in the field, starting with W. Meyer- graphic rule, issued in 1993, concerning the use of â Lübke. Furthermore, this was misunderstood by for intervocalic î motivated in relation to the Latin the scientific community, which was provided with language. The Greek language’s historical stages are the opposing arguments of its demonstration. The pointed out chronologically: the pre-Roman period, author draws attention to this artificial reception the Roman stage, the Byzantine Greek, the tenden- 6 Dinu Moscal cies of ancient Greek’s reconstruction, the challenges revival at the beginning of the nineteenth century. in the Latin Empire period and those following the The author considers that Romanian has followed a Constantinople’s fall, the Phanariot era, marked by similar path in the past two centuries, through the af- energetic actions to revitalize the language of the firmation of its Latin character and the abandonment forerunners, tendencies that became even more ob- of Cyrillic writing and opening towards the Romance vious with the national liberation. The efforts to “an- cultures. tiquate” the language in this last stage are thoroughly › examined in parallel with the political instability and social reality, the author highlighting the causes In conclusion, this volume offers an image of the that led to the abandonment of “purified” language Romanians from the Balkan area from multiple per- (καθρεύουσα) and the stages of the formalization of spectives. This image reflects the complexity of the the δημοτική variant. Johannes Kramer underlines political, cultural and linguistic background, and a that a culture cannot be abandoned when it is a continuity of a Romance identity in this area that component of a nation, as is the case of Old Greek, has been under constant allogenic influences and which was reinvigorated in Greece with the national pressures.