GEORGE CALINESCU (1899-1965)

Complex personality or the Romanian literature: novelist, play writer, poet, literary critic and historian, essayist, journalist. Born in Bucharest as Gh. Visan illegitimate son of Maria Visan. The child is recognized by the railway clerk Constantin Calinescu and his wife Maria, in whose house the boy mother is housekeeper. Calinescu family, the "housekeeper" and the child, moves to Botosani, after that the railway clerk is transfered to Iasi. Here Gh, Visan (the future writer) begins the "Carol I" school. In 1907 the mother accepts that Calinescu husbands adopte his son (he will sign G. Calinescu). His adoptive father dies in the same year and together with his two mothers (both having the same name Maria) moves to Bucharest in 1908. During highschool and university he studies in Bucharest. Licence in 1923. Italian language teacher. Gets a scholarship for two years in Rome. In 1929 he marries Alice Vera, daughter of small proprietors from Bucharest. Takes his doctorate degree in letters in Iasi (thesis about Eminescu's manuscript Avatarii faraonului Tlà, 1936). Here he will be lecturer. Publish in Iasi the Literary Journal in 1939. From 1945 is professor at Bucharest University. Academy member from 1949.

Calinescu adheres, after King Mihai is banished and the comunism is instaurated, at the new ideology, being, obviously, tempted by the practical advantages. He traveled a lot in Soviet Union and comunist China, publishing his travel impressions. The is recalled as honorary professor at the Letters University. Republishes his all creation, is surrounded by honours, is awarded and homaged. In November 1964 is hospitalised in the Otopeni Sanatorium because of a hepatic cirrhosis. He dies in 1965, March 12, living "fundamental work for the Romanian people culture" (Geo Bogza).

He had published consacrated monographies of Eminescu, Creanga, Filimon, Alexandrescu (1932-1962), a monumental History of the Romanian literature from the origine till present (1941, almost 1000 pages in quatro), many studies, essays, conferences. Cartea nuntii, Enigma Otiliei, Bietul Ioanide, Scrinul negru, also poetry volumes, theatre, journalism collections (Cronicile optimistului).

Last update: 1999, September 8
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