A Christmas Stroll in Brasov/Remember the Revolution

Well, it's that time of the year again and Brasov has done its very best to get into the Christmas spirit. I went to the center of town last Saturday to finish my shopping, drink some boiled wine and take in the sights. Here's a little taste...click on the pics for a larger view.

You may have seen this building before. Or you may have not. Anyway, this is the Council Hall, which is located in Piata Sfatului, or the town square if you like. The Saxons built this baby in the 16th century and it served as kind of a city hall, a meeting place for the merchants and guilds, watchtower, etc. Basically, it was the center of administrative and commercial activity for the medieval fortified city. Nowadays it houses the Brasov History Museum. Ursus beer was kind enough to put up the tree, so I decided to drink one and raise a Christmas toast to them...after I drank my boiled wine with cinnamon and fruit in it, of course. Mmm good.

The Brasov County Prefecture, a building dating from 1902 in the Hapsburg style. This one went up when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was still calling the shots in Transylvania. It is an ornate building and quite stunning this time of year, accented by the Christmas lights. In the foreground we have a large wooden memorial to the '89 Revolution. More on that in a moment. Every county in Romania has a prefect, which is the local representative of the federal government. There are no states in Romania, just counties.

Strada Republicii, or the Street of the Republic, open to pedestrian traffic only, is the main drag that leads tourists in and out of the town square (Piata Sfatului). Cafes, pubs, shops, restaurants and small hotels line the streets, which are rather festive this time of year.

The Brasov Primaria, or City Hall. This is another Hapsburg-era building that has recently undergone a face lift, as the facade has been completely restored. Brasov is going to be absolutely stunning once enough money is available to restore all of the building facades. I give them about 15 years. Nice Christmas lights on this building.

Seventeen years ago, around this time of year, the Revolution against Ceausescu's communist regime began. It started in the western city of Timisoara and spread east to Bucharest, culminating in the death sentence by firing squad of Nicolae and his wife Elena on Christmas Day 1989 by a hastily formed "judiciary". The Romanian Revolution, unlike comparable events in neigboring Eastern Bloc countries, was especially bloody. In short, this was due to the fact that the Revolution was a revolt that erupted in a matter of days, rather than steadily building itself as a protest movement over a number of years such as in Poland or Hungary. The army and secret police panicked, the people panicked, everybody panicked. The most accurate assessment of total deaths that I've come across is about 1,000.

Brasov, along with a handful of other cities in Romania, is considered to be an "Orasul Martir", which means a city of martyrs. Violent protests broke out in the city center in late December '89 after word spread that the revolt was on in Timisoara. Many died, especially students and young adults. The photo above is an eternal flame memorial to the "Luptatorilor Anti-Comunisti", or the Anti-Communist Fighters from 1944-1989, located near the spot where the protests began. Protests before the events of December '89 were few and quickly put down. Vocal opponents of the regime were ostracized or silenced or worse. Brasov unsuccessfully tried its hand at revolution in November 1987, as thousands of workers took to the streets calling for better conditions, salaries, and a few for the end of the dictatorship. The name of the street that I live on, "Str. 15 Noiembire", is dedicated to that particular day. Many in Brasov consider their city to be the "first revolutionary city" because of the events of the 15th of November 1987. However, the mother of the revolution is without a doubt Timisoara.

I think that it is appropriate to end my last blog of 2006 by dedicating it to the spirit of Christmas, as well as to the spirit of revolution in the name of freedom and democracy. Below, you will find a slideshow of images from those revolutionary days of December '89, accompanied by some traditional Romanian music. Click on it to watch and turn up your speakers! Most, if not all of the images are from Timisoara. I visited Timisoara in September. The feeling of respect for those who participated in the Revolution and died fighting to liberate this country is alive and well there. These people are recognized and revered as heroes. That they are. Respect '89!