Dinu Hervian

Dinu Hervian (Moineşti 31 December, 1913 – 15 March, 1974 was a Jewish Romanian journalist and writer

Biography

Dinu Hervian was born in Moineşti, a typical East-European shtetl located in Moldova - where the Jews, whose presence was mentioned even before 1800 had a substantial contribution to the economic, social and cultural development, with hard - working people, with personalities that surpassed the boundaries of their country, a town that went into legend through the formula: "through Moinesti towards Eretz Israel". 1. Many important Romanian and International Jewish figures were born here. Among them Tristan Tzara, writer and founder of The "Dada" Surrealist movement, as well as Moses Rosen, Chief Rabbi of Romania from 1948 to 1994.

1930-1937

At a very young age he started his writing career by having a real contribution in editing the Moinesti newspaper "Cuvantul Nostru". Only 17 years old, he publishes his first translations from Yiddish in the Magazine "Copilul Evreu". Later he joins the Hashomer Hatzair zionist organization and writes a few articles in this spirit in "Cuvantul Nostru". Among them, a fierce attack on the colonialist policies of the British Mandate in Palestine, the famous at the time article, "Evreii si Palestina", published under the pen name H.DUŢU. He is often present in the pages of such sacred Jewish Romanian Publications as "Adam" Magazine ,( Directors Isac Ludo and Miron Grindea ), where he writes daily columns along with other prestigious writers like : Tudor Arghezi, Gala Galaction, Paul Zarifopol , Camil Petrescu, Eugen Lovinescu, Benjamin Fondane, Felix Aderca, Ilarie Voronca, Ion Călugăru, Marcel Iancu. He also contributes to "Ecoul Evreiesc" and "Gazeta Evreiasca". His subjects are of a large variety: from analyses of Sigmund Freud’s theories to a personal cry at his grandmother passing or from Street Chronicles to Sholem Aleichem. He also experiences with verses, from poetry of love to tragic poetry.

WWII Years

At the beginning of the war, Hervian is called to service but is soon expelled, due to the renewed anti-semitic stance of the Antonescu regime. He is thrown out of the running train he boarded on his way to the front.

During World War II, due to the fascist and anti-Semitic policies of the government of Romania and its alliance with [...] Germany, Hervian was denied access to writing or publishing either under his real name or any of his pen names. He is however active in the Jewish cultural life, holding conferences and participating in many artistic and literary events held at the historic BARASHEUM – now the State Jewish Theater of Bucharest. In the times of persecution, it was here the Jews have gathered to learn and to continue their cultural life.This was also a forum for the Jewish Resistance during the war. Among the outstanding cultural events held there in 1943 was a literary cenacle in which Hervian entertained polemic discussions with A.L.Zissu 2.Participants at these cenacles were many other members of the Jewish Cultural Elite such as Nina Cassian, Horia Liman , Beate Fredanov, Moni Ghelerter, Al Finti, M. H. Maxy , Ieronim Serbu. Hervian also received many accolades on a resounding conference entitled “ A Spiritual Adventure in Literature” which enjoyed superlative critics within the Jewish Intellectual circles of the times.

1944-1964

After the war, Dinu Hervian's multiple talents and organizational skills were used by the new regime to promote many new publications. He has initiated and founded many newspapers and magazines. Meanwhile his daily columns were on the first page of most of the central journals in Bucharest. As Director of the newspaper “TIMPUL” he joined a multitude of Romanian intellectuals with democratic views. He was the Chief Editor of Frontul Plugarilor a newspaper edited by one of the a peasant parties lead by Dr. Petru Groza the Prime Minister of Romania who was elected on March 6, 1948, after the departure of Romania’s last monarch. Hervian's signature along with a few of his pen names (Daniel Hamer, Al.Anca, H.Spiru, Dutu Herv) fill the pages of various newspapers such as “Democratia”, “Libertatea”, “Vatra”, “Veac Nou” , “Orizont” , “Tribuna Poporului” , “Fapta” , “Luptatorul” , ”Victoria” , “Lupta CFR” , “Gazeta Literara” , “Vremea” , ”Ecoul” , “Contemporanul” , "Viata Romaneasca" and others. He chronicles under the title “Humans Friends” the lives and works of literary and political figures such as : Cervantes, Walt Whitman, Stendhal, Thomas Dewey, Petru Groza, Marshal Tito ; he sends correspondences from Stockholm, Prague, Sofia, and Budapest ; he writes about daily life in various neighborhoods of Bucharest;

Between 1948 and 1956 Dinu Hervian is appointed as the First Deputy Director of the Romanian News Agency – AGERPRES a Government outfit , being in charge with the modernization of the foremost news organization in the country.

In 1956 he becomes the first Romanian Press Correspondent in Communist China, at a time when very few countries filled similar positions. His correspondences appear in the main Romanian newspapers and are read on the radio, bringing to Romania fresh news on a new country : the Mainland China and its transformation under Mao Zedong rule. Upon his return Hervian is appointed, as Press Representative within the Government Delegation to the United Nations in New York. For a few months he writes interesting correspondences about the American way of life during and immediately after the Joseph McCarthy politically charged years.

In 1958 he is appointed General Secretary of the Romanian Journalists Association. In this capacity he creates for the first time an umbrella organization representing interests of the Romanian Journalists. He also travels extensively, creating alliances and cultural exchanges with similar organizations abroad. In 1962 he is awarded The International Medal for Excellence in Journalism.

LAST YEARS

By 1964 the Communist Government in Romania takes a sharper anti-Semitic turn and Dinu Hervian is eliminated from the country's central press. After a long period of unemployment he is assigned a job as Head of The International Department at a periodical newspaper with an economical profile. With no previous experience in economic sciences, in his older age, he is forced to study economical matters. Once he gathers enough expertise in the new domain he begins to write occasional columns on the subjects. Soon however he is asked to stop signing his articles and use a pen names instead.These "pen names" become known once again and he is invited to talk on the radio or give speeches at the Economic Academy of Bucharest. Unhappy with his reemergence on the national level, the communist propaganda authorities decide to prevent him from ever writing or speaking again. Dinu Hervian dies in March 1974, at 60.