Razvan Theodorescu is one of the numerous Romanian intellectuals who opposed the destruction of historic monuments before 1989.
– We all have lost battles in our lives. What was your greatest loss?
– It was not only my great loss. The loss belonged to all intellectuals. We all lost monuments, churches…
– After 1989 you wanted the Mihai Voda church back on its initial spot.
– Another lost battle. My request was in vain. Nobody’s interested today in historic monuments. I had hoped that after 1989 things would get better. Things are the same though. Everyone can buy space around monuments and hide them. They decay unseen and eventually they have to be dismantled because they cannot be repaired. In this regard we are almost Oriental-like. I like this saying based on a Cocteau quote: “The Orient begins where monuments decay.”
– How about the extraordinary solidarity amongst intellectuals before ’89. It is it completely gone.
It was artificial. Our solidarity came from a mutual enemy. After ’89 it disappeared and the Romanian breaking up tradition took over again. We are very individualists; we are the Latin population of the East. We always believe we are right. The press noticed that Romanian intellectuals parted into a left group and a right one. We are dealing with political options here. They forgot all about fighting for a common cause – culture.
– Is individualism a common trait for Romanian intellectuals?
There is no doubt that this is the truth. We have no solidarity. Look at Romanians outside Romania. They all marvel at how united other peoples’ Diaspora is. Not ours. We sent our brothers, fathers and children to die in a grandiose way. At the beginning of the 20th century, when democracy was only beginning we had a certain intelligence, a sort of refinement of the political class and culture people that prevented excesses. Today we are mixed; we are a society without purpose. We have a transactional mentality. We were the only people among European countries who never knew the state was falling to pieces. Other people realised they were losing their state and this made them warriors. Romanians laid low and played it cool. We always paid our dues. We used to have many intellectuals. Our generation, I think is the last. We survived through culture. We will be replaced by a roboticised generation.
– What do you see in the future of such a society?
– Let me tell you something. Everything that happens in these years, no matter how noble the purpose, ends horribly. As an example I would mention the Masonic activity. It was one of the most generous activities ever. This movement was split in Romania and we now have two movements. There were people who suffered for their Masonic ideas during the Communist years. This was the case of Sadoveanu. The intellectuality is no exception. All power struggles are part of intellectual life.
– What could be done for the rebirth of solidarity among culture people in Romania?
– Absolutely nothing. This is no longer an option.
Interview by Marcela Zamfir