Western Romania: Timișoara marks 1989 Revolution anniversary with two-month events program
The city of Timișoara, in western Romania, is marking the 35th anniversary of the December 1989 Revolution with an extensive program of events spanning two months, titled "35 Years of Freedom."
Timișoara is the city where the Romania Revolution began, concluding with the overthrowing of the Ceausescu communist regime.
"With this program, we commemorate and honor the courage and sacrifice of the 1989 generation. But we want to do more than that. Our goal is, on one hand, to reach younger generations who know little about communism and the Revolution. On the other, we want to remind older generations of the stakes of those days and the challenges Europe faces now," said mayor Dominic Fritz, cited by Agerpres.
The events will include exhibitions, conferences, theater performances, concerts, guided tours, films, and debates. They will begin with four historical moments of great significance: the fall of the Berlin Wall (November 9), the death of Corneliu Coposu (November 11), the Brașov uprising (November 15), and the 1956 Budapest uprising.
The exhibition "Aufarbeitung. East Germany and Romania in the Culture of Memory" will open on Saturday at 5:00 PM at the Timișoara Revolution Memorial and remain open until November 17.
"Corneliu Coposu, a Life Dedicated to Principles and Values" is an exhibition open from November 9 to December 31 on the Bega waterfront (near Vila Mal), organized by the Corneliu Coposu Foundation. On Sunday at 5:00 PM, there will be a book launch for Corneliu Coposu – Pages from a Forbidden Journal. 1936-1947, 1953, 1967-1983 at the Revolution Memorial.
On Saturday, at 5:30 PM, the film "Brașov 1987. Two Years Too Soon" will be screened at Cinema Victoria, followed by a discussion with Marius Boeriu and Dănuț Iacob, the president and vice-president, respectively, of the November 15, 1987 Association Brașov, who were protagonists of the film and the anti-communist uprising in Brașov.
On Monday at 11:30 AM, the West University of Timișoara will host a debate titled "Have We Learned to Be Free? 35 Years Since the Revolution."
At 7:00 PM the same day, the Timișoara National Opera will hold the Corneliu Coposu Gala, consisting of three parts: the awarding of young winners of the essay contest organized by the Corneliu Coposu Foundation, a lecture by historian Thierry Wolton, and a gala concert featuring soprano Teodora Gheorghiu Spiess and baritone Sorin Coliban, accompanied by pianist Diana Ionescu.
Finally, the exhibition "Hidden Photos. Budapest, Revolution, 1956" will be open at the Revolution Memorial until January 15, 2025, featuring a selection of photographs from 1956, drawn from the National Museum of Hungary's historical photo collection, gathered after the regime change in 1989.
The Timișoara City Hall is also organizing the "The Revolutionary in My Family" photography contest, dedicated to students in Timișoara and nearby areas. Submitted photos will be evaluated by a specialized jury, with the best entries being exhibited and awarded.
(Photo source: Dominic Fritz on Facebook)
