Istoria popoarelor din Sud-Estul Europei în epoca modernă (1789 -1923) ed. III

1987 was the issuing year of a reference work in the Romanian historiography, the synthesis “Istoria popoarelor din sud-estului Europei în epoca modernă”, later republished in 1998. From the very beginning, the book written by the historian Nicolae Ciachir enjoyed well-deserved praises in the country and abroad – Belgrade, Sofia, Ankara, Tirana, Moscow, Warsaw, Munich, Toronto.

 “Istoria popoarelor din sud-estului Europei în epoca modernă” is not an instantaneous occurrence, but the result of many years of research and constant enthusiasm. A historian with a variety of interests, Nicolae Ciachir has made a name for himself and brought valuable contributions in a wide range of research fields: the Unification of the Principalities “100 de ani de la Unirea Principatelor”, 1958, the war of independence “Războiul pentru independenţa României în context european”, 1977, universal modern history “Marile puteri şi România, 1856-1947”, 1996; “Istoria politică a Europei de la Napoleon la Stalin”, 1997; “Istoria universală modernă”, vol. I-II, 1998, the history of international relations “Diplomaţia europeană în epoca modernă”, 1984 – “Nicolae Iorga” Award of the National Academy; “Istoria relaţiilor internaţionale (1648-1947) ”, 1998, the history of Bessarabia and Bukovina “Basarabia sub stăpînire ţaristă (1812-1917), 1992; “Din istoria Bucovinei (1775-1944), 1993, Balkan and Slavic studies “Istoria modernă a Poloniei”, 1987, „Istoria slavilor”, 1998.

Nicoleta Ciachir, Ph.D.

Republishing one of Prof. Nicolae Ciachir’s most significant books, at the end of the 20^th century, was not only necessary to satisfy the need for historical information of the generations nowadays; it represented, beyond this undoubted utility, more than that: a modest but peremptory (re)illustration of the inherent scientific value of a tome which, at the time of its publication, demonstrated the European dimension of Romanian historiography. A book that, even today, preserves the topicality of informational and ideational content intact. On the other hand – this editorial remembrance may offer the chance to reflect upon the destiny of international recognition or upon the assertion of the value of a scientific work which belongs to a national culture – other than those of the English or French-speaking space.

Had the present volume been written (or, at least, translated) in English – French has no longer served, for about a half a century, the ubiquity of information –, and issued by an Euro-Atlantic publishing house with international impact – its author would have, undoubtedly, ranked among the greatest balkanologists of his time; NB: not in Romania only – but of the whole international scientific community. Some might find this statement encomiastic; however, I did not know Prof. Ciachir personally (unfortunately) but accidentally, so I could not be suspected of partis pris – other than those of purely scientific nature.

 Reader Stoica LASCU, Ph.D.