MIRCEA GELU BUTA, ADRIAN ONOFREIU, Romanian Cultural Pursuits in Bistriţa, 1907. Recordings
from the Press of the Time
A composite society, an ethnic and national mix formed of Transylvanian Saxons, Hungarians and
Romanians. That was the image of Bistriţa at the beginning of the 20th century. After centuries
of exclusion, the Romanians were already permeated intra muros in the old Transylvanian Saxon
town, practicing liberal professions – priests, advocates, teachers, merchants, craftsmen, state offi
cials with various attributions, all accompanied by family members. Romanians in Bistriţa made
their way in society by founding reunions in different areas in the economic and cultural life, such
as The Reunion of Romanian Craftsmen in Bistriţa or The Romanian Reunion for Songs, taking as
model the ones founded by the Transylvanian Saxons, which had a much longer tradition.
“Revista Bistriţei” appeared in this context, a publication that proved to be a platform for the economic,
national, and cultural affi rmation and emancipation of Romanians, dominated by the two
privileged ethnic groups – Transylvanian Saxons in towns and Hungarians in counties. This text exemplifi
es some of the cultural experiences and manifestations of the Romanians in Bistriţa, in 1907.
KEYWORDS: Bistriţa, culture, Romanians, cultural reunions

MIRCEA GELU BUTA, ADRIAN ONOFREIU