2023, Volume 5
ON THE ROADS OF THE COUNTRY. EXPERIENCES OF TRAVELLING IN GREATER ROMANIA IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
Maria Tătar-Dan, Lecturer Ph.D., George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology of Târgu Mureș
Abstract
After the Great War and the creation of Greater Romania through the incorporation of Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bucovina, travel gained new significance within Romanian society. In the context of debates about the need for “spiritual unification” to complement the country’s political and administrative consolidation, travel began to be viewed as a means to build a cohesive national identity and promote unity among the diverse regions of the newly enlarged state. Consequently, Romanians were encouraged to explore their homeland and acquaint themselves with their fellow citizens. The numerous travel notes, memoirs, and announcements of various trips and excursions organized by different associations and professional societies that filled up the contemporary newspapers and magazines reflect a great interest for travel, many travellers choosing to share their experiences.
Drawing primarily from these travel notes and memoirs but also contemporary press articles, the study explores the experience of travel, its hypostasis and challenges, the social and cultural interactions that occurred in different travel contexts, and the habits and customs of the Romanian society in the early interwar years they reveal.
Keywords: Greater Romania; unification; travel; memoirs; cultural interactions
Pages: 25-41