Ion Creanga
(1839-1889)
 "I
am born at March 1 1837 in Humulesti village,
Neamt county, from Romanian parents: Stefan
of Petrea the shoemaker and his wife Smaranda,
born David Creanga, from Pipirig village,
Neamt county..."
The date written by Creanga's hand in Fragment
de biografie (Biopraphy Fragment) and accepted
by many literary historians is contested
by other researchers, wich afirm that the
writer was born, on June 10 1839, as the
only authentic document: a register of new-borns
from Humulesti, descovered and published
by Gh. Ungureanu, archievist from Iasi.
In the paesant house from Humulesti, from
where the ruin of Neamt Castle are seen,
in the family of Stefan and Smaranda were
born 8 children: ION, Zahei, Maria, Ecaterina,
Ileana, Teodor, Vasile and Petre. The last
three die as children. Ecaterina dies in
1893, and Zahei, Maria and Ileana will live
till 1919.
| 1846-1853
|
Smart and nasty,
as he describe himself later on in
Amintiri din copilarie (Memories
from childhood), Nica goes to the
church school, Vasile of Iloaiei being
his teacher, him who will be taken to
army by force. The school is in a little
chamber made by the paesants at the stimulus
of the vicar Ion Humulescu. The permanent
visitors arrived today in Humulesti are
seeing not only the museum from the little
house, but also the church and the way
to Ozana where Ionica have several times
bathed. Next, his mother Smaranda will
send him to her father David Creanga.
He will take Nica, together with his younger
son Dumitru, on Bistrita valley, to Brosteni,
where he will learn with N. Nanu as teacher,
till the amusing episode with the scab
and Irinuca's goats. |
| 1853-1854
|
Begins the Princely
school from Tg. Neamt, over Ozana river,
his teacher is the priest Isaia Teodorescu
(the hero from Popa Duhu). In
the school registers he is written a Stefanescu
Ion. |
| 1854,
autumn |
His mother Smaranda
wants to make him priest, and he will
go to the "priests factory":
"The Catechist school" from
Falticeni, director N. Conta (the uncle
of the philosopher Vasile Conta). Here
he is no longer Nica of Stefan of Petre,
but Ion Creanga, name kept all
his life. |
| 1855-1858
|
The school from Falticeni
was abolished (caricatured copiously in
Amintiri...), so Creanga goes to Iasi,
after his mother insistences, who want
him priest by all means. He is pupil at
Theological seminary "Veniamin Costachi"
from Socola. He will get at al the subjects
"good", "very good"
and "eminent". Stays in the
boarding school which is free. Finishes
the inferior course of the seminary. |
| 1859
|
Dies his father,
far away from Humulesti, on the Facauti
estate (his grave is in Prigoreni, near
Tg. Frumos, locality related to Neculce).
When the Union from Iasi was "cooked",
Creanga is a convinced citizen of Iasi,
even he did not want to leave Humulesti.
He will write Mos Ion Roata si Unirea
and Mos Ion Roata si Cuza Voda.
He marries Ileana, the daughter of the
priest Ioan Grigoriu from the church "40
de Sfinti" from Iasi. At December
26 he is ordained deacon at the "Sfânta
Treime" church. |
| 1864-1865
|
He is a very good
student at the Vasilian preparative
school from Trei Ierarhi (director
and teacher is Titu Maiorescu, younger
than Creanga). Maiorescu appreciates him
and names him as teacher at the primary
school no. 1 from Iasi. He finishes the
school on the first place. At June 10,
1965 he will become teacher, with graduation
certificate. He is 28 years old, is married,
and has a son, Constantin (born on December
19, 1860). Dies his mother Smaranda, ill
of epilepsy (he will suffer from the same
illness). |
| 1859-1872
|
For 12 year is a
servant of the church (deacon at several
churches from Iasi). At October 10, 1972
he is excluded definitively from the clergy.
His wife leaves him (for a deacon is not
allowed to divorce), he was shooting in
the crows that maked dirty the Golia church
roof (he was living in the house from
the church yard, house that is still there)
and have cut his hair like a civilian.
Only in 1993, after 122 years, a reparatory
decision was made post-mostem: Creanga
was reincluded in the clergy as deacon.
|
| 1859-1872
|
For 12 year is a
servant of the church (deacon at several
churches from Iasi). At October 10, 1972
he is excluded definitively from the clergy.
His wife leaves him (for a deacon is not
allowed to divorce), he was shooting in
the crows that maked dirty the Golia church
roof (he was living in the house from
the church yard, house that is still there)
and have cut his hair like a civilian.
Only in 1993, after 122 years, a reparatory
decision was made post-mostem: Creanga
was reincluded in the clergy as deacon.
|
| 1864-1889
|
For 25 years, Creanga
was teacher, beeing and excellent educator,
even that he was exclude from the educational
system between 1872-1874. He is author
of 4 school manuals, written together
with other teachers. |
| 1873
|
After a long law
suit, the tribunal gives the divorce decision
and Creanga wins and gets in custody their
child. Constantin was 12 years old and
his carrying father search for a suitable
house. So they move to Ticau suburb in
the bojdeuca ("mud house" -
the writer call it like that). As house
wife he will call Tinca Vartic, with whom
he will live all his life, without marrying
her. |
| 1875
|
A decisive moment
in his life is when he meets Mihail Eminescu,
then school reviser in Iasi and Vaslui.
The poet discovers Creanga's unprecedented
talent of story teller. They become friends
for ever and are spending their time together
in Bolta Rece pub or other inns from Iasi.
Is the most beautiful frienship from Romanian
literature. Eminescu convinces Creanga
to write and introduces him in Junimea
literary club. He reads the story Soacra
cu trei nurori (published in 1875,
October 1, in Convorbiri literare).
The manuals author become, at 36 years
old, a writer, with the help of his great
friend, who have had lived for a while
in the house from Ticau, tasting Tinca's
very good food. It was between 1876-1877,
before Eminescu leaves for Bucharest.
|
| 1875-1883
|
With the help onfthe
poet, who reads and corrects his manuscripts,
are composed his brilliant literary works,
which charm all generations of Romanian
readers (the foreign one to by the translations).
Now is the time of his masterpieces; now
is the time of Eminescu's masterpieces
too. The cruel destiny have made that
in 1883 both get sick and to write no
more something important, after this year.
After Soacra cu trei nurori, Creanga publishes
in Convorbiri literare: Punguta cu
doi bani, Danila Prepeleac, Povestea porcului,
Mos Nechifor Cotcariul, Povestea lui Harap-Alb,
Fata babei si fata mosneagului, Ivan Turbinca,
Poveste unui om lenes, Amintiri din copilarie
(primele trei parti, a patra fiind postuma),
Popa Duhu, Cinci pâni.
He writes also now, Mos Ion Roata
and Mos Ion Roata si Voda Cuza,
and are published in other publications.
|
| 1883-1889
|
In the same period
as Eminescu, our great story teller is
ill and writes very little. His epilepsy
crisis bring his six years of sufference.
When he reads in the press that Eminescu
is ill he is very desperate. Even he fall
in class, in front of his pupils, having
many sick leaves. He goes to Slanic Moldova
for treatement. |
| 1889,
June 15 |
Creanga knows, also
from newspapers, that "brother Mihai"
died Bucharest, cries like a child. After
a few weeks, he knows that - at the begining
of August - the poor Veronica Micle, Eminescu's
beloved friend, who have had come to the
house of Ticau sometimes, have poisoned
herself at Varatec Monastery. |
| 1889,
December 31 |
The kids are all
over Iasi to go through streets on New
Year's Eve reciting congratulation verse.
Cheerfull Creanga goes down town. Eats
some donuts. Together with the teacher
Draghici drinks some brandy. His friend
accompanies him almost to his house and
wishes him "Happy New Year!".
He receives the cheering kids, remembering
his childhood in Humulesti. That very
night he dies. His friend put him into
a coffin but they can not take it out
from the house. The coffin - too big,
the doors - too narrow. How to get out?
The wall was demolished and he was taken
to Eternitatea cemetery, where he was
burried on January 2, 1890. |
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source: http://www.ici.ro/romania/culture/index.html
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Copyright © Consulate General of Romania 2004
