Lucian Giura
Abstract
The nineteenth century is rightly considered in historiography as the century of nationalities. During this period, the Enlightenment messages propagated in the world by the ideas of the French Revolution and then by the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte, ripe during the mid-century revolutions, led to an awakening of the oppressed nations of Europe. These ideas showed the nations a new way forward.
Now there is a persevering investigation of the origins, the similarity as well as the people’s own physiognomies, materialized by the establishment of settlements and institutions that represent and legitimize them.
The Transylvanian Romanian nation is found in this general landscape. The written press is among the institutions with a decisive role in affirming and appropriating national values. Among the Romanian newspapers of the time, in order to deal with the proposed subject, I turned to the “Gazeta Transilvaniei” founded in Brașov in 1838. This newspaper operated until the First World War.
Important pages are allocated with news and data from the life and activity of the national hero Avram Iancu, touching descriptions of his passage to the afterlife, homage manifestations, etc. as well as important conclusions expressed by the descendants regarding the personality of the national hero.
Keywords: Avram Iancu, “Gazeta Transilvaniei” newspaper, culture, ASTRA Society.