G. Dem. Teodorescu

G. Dem. Teodorescu (25 August 1849 – 20 August 1900) was a Wallachian, later Romanian folklorist, literary historian and journalist.

Born in Bucharest, he was an only son. His father Tudor came from around the Amaradia River in the Oltenia region, and had a construction business; his mother was Sultana. He entered primary school in 1855, later attending Gheorghe Lazăr Gymnasium and Matei Basarab High School from 1859 to 1867. While an adolescent, he began collecting pieces of folklore he heard around him, with examples from both of his parents dated to 1865. In 1868, a few months prior to obtaining his high school degree, he was hired as a civil servant at the Religious Affairs and Education Ministry, meanwhile working on two publications by V. A. Urechia. Near the end of the year, he left government and was hired at Românul newspaper, where he worked as proofreader, reporter, translator (until 1870), editing secretary and contributor (through 1872) and editor (until 1875). He published numerous chronicles, polemics and articles on folklore, literary criticism and history. His first published work on folklore appeared there at Christmas 1869 and New Year's 1870; the two articles were meant to demonstrate the roots of Christmas in Saturnalia. His first book review appeared early in 1870.

In May 1870, he began a regular collaboration with the newspaper Ghimpele, which took a stance against the reigning dynasty. Writing under the cover of the pen name Ghedem, he made somewhat of a name for himself with satiric anti-monarchical poems. During the first half of 1871, he was an editor there, and also briefly edited another satirical anti-royalist gazette, Sarsailă. Later that year, he ventured as Românul's correspondent to Putna Monastery in Austrian-ruled Bukovina, marking 400 years since its foundation. In his memoirs, Ioan Slavici noted the valuable insights recorded by Teodorescu's reportage. Although exempt from military service as the only son of a widow, he joined the militia organized by General Ion Emanuel Florescu, rising to the rank of sergeant. In 1872, writing for Transacțiuni literare și științifice, he contributed studies on folklore; translations of French romantic poetry and essays on French literature; material on the life and writings of André Chénier, as well as translations of his poetry; translations from Alphonse de Lamartine and Alfred de Musset; and a study on the origin and development of luxury in Rome. In 1874, he published his first book on folklore, Încercări critice asupra unor credințe, datine și moravuri ale poporului român; prefaced by Alexandru Odobescu, it collected his studies on the topic published from 1869 to 1874.

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