Ioan Slavici(1848-1925)
- Writer
Ion (or Ioan) Slavici was born in the year of European liberal
revolution of 1848. Learns in Arad and Timisoara and in 1868 starts
studying at the University of Budapest, Hungary, (Then Transylvania was
part of the Austro - Hungarian Imperium). In 1869 moves to study Law at
the University of Wien, Austria. Fluent in German and Hungarian, is
stimulated by his friend Mihail Eminescu (great Romanian poet), being
also student in Wien in the same period, to write in Romanian. In 1874
he settles down in Bucharest, and publishes short stories for children;
in 1881 writes his masterpiece "Moara cu noroc" (the Lucky Mill).
During the WWI, because of his pro German attitude, (Romania being on
the Allied side against Germany), is arrested in 1919 and convicted to
5 years in prison, but is released the same year. Tiered by his
agitated life, retires to the vineyard home of one of his 6 children,
and dies there in 1925.
