Several public figures, both from the cultural and political spheres, sent messages of appreciation for the career of the writer and theater man Dinu Săraru, who died on Sunday, March 2.
Dinu Săraru died on Saturday, March 2. Photo: Archive
“I met Dinu Săraru when everyone avoided him, we had not met before. He looked for me, discovering a book of mine and wanting to know me better. I, of course, knew his books, you also started to know some of my books and that brought us closer, made us friends and there was hardly a day when we didn't talk on the phone until late at night. He was a man – although a few years old, the age of my parents – more alive than me and it seemed to me that sometimes even younger. And sometimes it seemed to me that he was immortal, he had such a love of life, such a great desire to meet people, almost every day someone crossed his threshold, although he said he was alone, but he was never alone. We did many things together. I went on an extraordinary trip to France, I went to Balcic, I went to book launches, I talked about your books, you talked about my books, he even wrote the foreword to a book, and dedicated a book, we even argued a little on this topic, he accused me of some things there, the first being the fact that I doubt myself too much. He was the man who praised me, I think, exaggerating the most, telling me, more than once, that I was his favorite contemporary writer. He awarded me twice the grand prize of the foundation he founded and led for a long time, “Some Peasants”. The first time I discovered that I was not the only laureate, all of us there had received the big prize and that, in a way, upset me and I told him that he could delete me. All the others were certainly very deserving people, more deserving than me, I could wait. This year, on January 30th, when his lordship turned 92, the Dinu Săraru foundation awarded me, this time alone, the foundation's trophy and grand prize. He has told me since the beginning of winter that I will be there and I will not doubt it for a moment and that he will be there with me. It couldn't be, he didn't feel well that day, but he made a phone call, it was his voice that said my name. It was a privilege to have known him. Even in an article I wrote today for the “Romania literară” magazine, I said that he was not an angel, he was a man with sins, as many of us have, but someone else will judge them, let's be patient until the next judgment.
Dinu Săraru loved life, wrote beautiful books, loved people made of earth, just as he was made, proof that he wanted to return home, to the yard of his parents' house. I have seen his grave since a few years ago, the two graves, because he first had one in the village cemetery, but then at his lordship's, parental house, having a very large area, almost a mansion of 4 hectares, until finally he was allowed to prepare a grave for himself there, on a hill, under some birch trees, as some white candles that had been waiting for him there for a long time were lit. I saw the tomb there and it is ready to receive it and that will happen, I understand, on Tuesday (March 5th). As the day of his departure from the world happened, in a strange way, but as if literary at the same time, between two birthdays. The day of his death happened between two birthdays of very dear people. March 1 – the birthday of his youngest daughter, Alexandra, who begged him in a post on Facebook to be patient. He said “dad, don't do it for my birthday, wait”. And he stayed. And between his wife's birthday, Mrs. Viviana, which will be on March 5, who was his real guardian angel, supported him in everything and I think that, without this lady, Dinu Săraru would not have been what he is. It didn't go anywhere without leaving a deep mark, even if some scrunched up their noses. He made a very big theater out of the Little Theater. He also did terrible things at the management of the National Theater in Bucharest. He ran a magazine founded by him – “Clipa” – published until a year, two years ago, when the necessary financial resources no longer existed.
He met people, young people, of all ages, and above all, he told many stories. Not only Dinu Săraru died, but all the stories he didn't get to tell died. And, in fact, a world died. He died, as someone beautifully said, the last great boyar of Romanian literature and culture.
I would have liked to see each other every day, but we saw each other the last days of February and he told me a story that you will see reported in this week's “Romania literară” magazine. A story not known by many, maybe new for many, because most of its protagonists are no longer alive. A strange tour of the Little Theater in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Leningrad at that time, the strange way only the Russians are able to welcome some great Romanian actors who were invited by them there”. writer Ștefan Mitroi declared for Adevărul.
And the former president of Romania, Ion Iliescu, sent a message of appreciation for Dinu Săraru's career.
“An exponent of a redoubtable generation of people who fought for their freedom, through words, through ideas and through culture, the writer Dinu Săraru, entered an eternal silence today. His immortality is guaranteed by a work in which the Romanian space former great protagonist: novels like “Niște țărani” and “Clipa”, masterpieces that found their extension in the film, make the name of Dinu Săraru a regrettable disappearance. He was a man who wrote worlds and built institutions: Teatrul Mic and the Very Small Theater were his great weaknesses, to which he devoted his energy and skill, but his dedication to the National Theater in Bucharest was no more modest. His biography shows us that the literature he wrote was milder than the trials of his life.My condolences to the family!God rest him in peace!”, transmitted Ion Iliescu on his blog.
“Dinu Săraru, writer and lover of deep Romania, creator and director of theaters, mentor for countless people of Romanian culture, left for a better world. I was honored by his lordship's friendship, every moment spent with him was a delight. May God forgive him and rest him! Condolences to the family!“, wrote Lucian Romaşcanu, former Minister of Culture, on Facebook on Saturday.
“Dinu Săraru has left us, leaving a great void in Romanian culture. I will always keep you in my heart, Mr. Dinu Săraru. Respect and gratitude for everything you have meant to me. Smooth way to the stars, may God rest in peace!“, Nicu Alifantis also sent on Facebook.
The life of Dinu Săraru
Constantin (Dinu) Grigore Săraru, screenwriter, writer, publicist, theater man, was born on January 30, 1932, in Râmnicu Vâlcea, Vâlcea county.
He grew up in the Slătioara commune, then he attended secondary and high school courses in Râmnicu Vâlcea and Bucharest. He graduated, in 1978, from the Faculty of Journalism in Bucharest and made his debut in the press at only 18 years old, as a reporter at the Romanian Radio Broadcasting (1950-1960). He was deputy editor-in-chief at the magazine “Secolul XX” (1961-1963) and head of the cultural section at the newspaper “Scânteia Tineretului” (1963). Between 1964 and 1967, he was general secretary of the editorial office at the magazine “Luceafărul”, it shows fundatianistetarani.ro, according to Agerpres.
In the period 1969-1977, he was general editorial secretary, deputy editor-in-chief, editor-in-chief of the Radio-TVR Cultural Editorial Office. Between 1977 and 1990, he was director of the Small Theater and creator of the Very Small Theater. After 1989, he held the positions of: founding director of “Noi” magazine (1990); founding director of “Clipa” magazine (1991); director of the daily newspaper “Universul Românesc” (1992); director of the magazine “Armonia” (1993); director of the newspaper “Tăranul román” (1999); founding director of the magazine “Renaissance of Romanian rural civilization” (starting with 1993), reports the quoted source.
He is the founder of the National Foundation for Rural Civilization “Some Peasants”, established in June 1998, as well as one of the organizers, since 1998, of the International Film Festival “Eco-Ethno-Folk Film” from Slătioara. Also in 1998, he initiated and coordinated the Pro Istoria project.
In 2000, he was general director of the PRO Foundation Publishing House. Between 2001-2004, he served as director of the “IL Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest. In 2001, he resumed the publication of the “National Theater Gazette”. He became the founding director of the magazine “Clipa” in 2008. Member of the Writers' Union since 1961 and founding member of the Romanian Academy of Scientists in 2001. His editorial debut was a collection of chronicles and articles dedicated to the theater, collected under the title ' “Romanian theater and contemporary performers” (1966), notes Agerpres. In 1973, he would publish a new collection of chronicles and theatrical essays, “The Third Gong”. He debuted as a novelist and, at the same time, consecrated himself with “Some Peasants” (1974, the “Ion Creangă” Award of the Romanian Academy). The book was screened, in 1980, under the title “Fox hunting”, directed by Mircea Daneliuc, and was staged by Cătălina Buzoianu at Teatrul Mic, in 1981, with the title “Dramatic scenario in seven seasons” '.
The novels followed: “Clipa” (1976, premiered in 1978, at the State Theater in Constanta, directed by Virgil Stoenescu), the trilogy “Love and Revolution” (1981-1989; “Red Autumn” '', ''Those who pay with their lives'', ''Hope''), ''Everyday truths'' (1987), ''A white butterfly with blood on its wings'' (1992), ''The grass of the wind'' (1993, “Mihai Eminescu” Award), “The Peasant Trilogy” (triptych of novels, 1996), “Crime for the Earth” (1997, “Liviu Rebreanu” Award) – edited by director Grigore Gonţa at the “IL Caragiale” National Theater in Bucharest, “Ciocoii noi cu bodyguard” (2004), “The General of the Revolution with his leg in plaster – Dialogue with General Victor Atanasie Stănculescu”, volume of interviews (2005 ), “The Last Peasant from Slătioara” (2006).
The subject of the film “Ticăloșii” (2007), whose director and screenwriter is Şerban Marinescu, is inspired by Dinu Săraru's novel “Ciocoii noi cu bodyguard”. He also signed the screenplays based on his own novels: “Clipa” (in directed by Gheorghe Vitanidis, 1979) for which he received the National Award for cinematography, “Fox Hunting” (directed by Mircea Daneliuc, 1980, after “Some Peasants”), “Love and Revolution” ( directed by Gheorghe Vitanidis, 1983).
He was awarded, twice, with the Cultural Merit Medal and once with the homonymous order. In 2002, he was awarded the distinction of Knight of the National Order “Star of Romania”. A year later, he was awarded the National Award of the Ministry of Culture for his entire artistic activity.
In 2007, at the age of 75, he received the Gold Medal of the Romanian Academy of Scientists, the White Gold Medal with the effigy of the writer of the National Bank of Romania and the Silver Medal – Antim Ivireanu of the Archdiocese of Râmnic. In 2011, the Archdiocese of Râmnic gave him the gold medal – Constantin Brâncoveanu.
In 2012, at the age of 80, Dinu Săraru was awarded the Diploma of Merit of the Bucharest Writers' Association, as well as the Gold Medal of the Romanian Academy of Scientists.
Dinu Săraru is an honorary citizen of the municipality of Bucharest, the municipality of Râmnicu Vâlcea and the county of Vâlcea.
Dinu Săraru was a blogger on the Adevarul.ro platform, where he published every Friday morning. His latest text for Adevărul, published on Friday, March 1, is “False diary of yesterday and today. Chronicle of the Salters II”.
