Ioan Slavici

Ioan Slavici (Romanian pronunciation: [iˈo̯an ˈslavit͡ʃʲ]; January 18, 1848 – August 17, 1925) was a Transylvanian, later Romanian writer and journalist. He made his debut in Convorbiri literare ("Literary Conversations") (1871), with the comedy Fata de birău ("The Mayor's Daughter"). Alongside Eminescu he founded the Young Romania Social and Literary Academic Society and organized, in 1871, the Putna Celebration of the Romanian Students from Romania and from abroad. At the end of 1874, he settled in Bucharest, where he became secretary of the Hurmuzachi Collection Committee, then he became a professor, and then an editor of the newspaper Timpul ("The Time"). Alongside I. L. Caragiale and G. Coşbuc, he edited the Vatra ("The Hearth") review. During the first World War, he collaborated at the newspapers Ziua ("The Day") and Gazeta Bucureștilor ("The Bucharest Gazette"). He was awarded the Romanian Academy Award (1903).

Slavici was born in the village of Șiria, near Arad, in 1848, the revolutionary year throughout Europe, with ramifications in Transylvania (then part of the Austrian Empire). Until 1868, Slavici studied at the local Orthodox school and various other institutions in Transylvania, being taught in either Hungarian or German.

When he finished his studies, Slavici left Transylvania for Budapest, where he intended to study law. The following year, however, financial difficulties forced him to return home and take a job as a notary public. Throughout his employment, Ioan Slavici saved the money that would help him continue his studies.

In 1871, he left for Vienna as part of his military service. This proved to be a decisive moment in the life of the future writer, as Slavici had a chance to meet Mihai Eminescu, the most important Romanian poet, who was studying at the city University. The two became good friends, with Eminescu encouraging and assisting Slavici in the development of his style and of the works themselves. The same year marked Slavici's literary debut in Convorbiri Literare, the mouthpiece of the Junimea society in Iaşi.

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