Iosif Vulcan (March 31, 1841 â€" September 8, 1907) was an ethnic
Romanian Austro-Hungarian magazine editor, poet, playwright, novelist
and cultural figure. He founded the literary magazine Familia, which
he published for four decades.Vulcan was born in Pusztahollód, Bihar
County, in the Kingdom of Hungary, now Holod, Bihor County, Romania.
His father Nicolae was the local Greek-Catholic parish priest from
1831 to 1844.[1] Nicolae was a nephew of Bishop Samuil Vulcan and was
born in Șinca Veche to a family originating in Wallachia.[2] His
mother Victoria (Viktória) Irinyi came from an old family of Romanian
origins called Irimie before its name was Magyarized. The daughter of
a schoolmaster from Létavértes (Leta Mare), her brother was János
Irinyi.[3][4][5][6] Vulcan's parents had six children, five of whom
died early. His father was transferred to the Létavértes parish in
1844 before being named canon in Oradea (Nagyvárad) in 1879.[5]
Vulcan was attached to his parents as well as to Létavértes, where
his mother is buried. He attended primary school there from 1847 to
1851, returning for his high school and university vacations. In later
years, he came back for leisure as his busy schedule permitted.[7]He
attended the Premonstratensian high school in Oradea from 1851 to
1859, followed by a Law degree from the University of Pest. In 1853,
while in high school, he helped start a magazine that appeared until
1870.[1] There are poems of his written in Pest in 1859, when he was
eighteen.[8] He became involved with Gura Satului ("The Voice of the
Village") in Pest in 1861 and thereafter with Concordia and Aurora
Română. Vulcan often spent time in Létavértes during his student
days, writing his first love poems there, about a sweetheart who lived
in the town.[9]He launched Familia literary magazine in Pest-Buda in
1865 and would lead it for some forty years. In 1866, he published his
first volume of poetry.[9] The same year, "De-aÈ™ avea" ("If I Had"),
a poem that marked the proper literary debut of sixteen-year-old Mihai
Eminovici, appeared in Familia. Vulcan received it with enthusiasm,
publishing him under the more Romanian-sounding name Mihai Eminescu. A
good part of the latter's work would continue to appear in Vulcan's
magazine until 1883.[10][11] In 1867, Vulcan visited France, a bold
act for a resident of Austria-Hungary, which encouraged close ties
with Germany instead. In 1868, he visited Romania. In 1869, in
addition to a volume of short stories, he published a biography of
Prince Carol, as well as an anthology of writings by Andrei Mureșanu,
Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Timotei Cipariu, August Treboniu Laurian,
Mihail Kogălniceanu, George Bariţ and Vasile Alecsandri. He showed a
sincere admiration for Romania and its prince. In 1870, in Pest, he
helped launch an appeal for funds to set up a Romanian-language
theatre. Iosif HodoÅŸiu was the first head of the cultural society
behind the appeal, with Vulcan presiding from 1895 to 1907.[12]
Romanian Austro-Hungarian magazine editor, poet, playwright, novelist
and cultural figure. He founded the literary magazine Familia, which
he published for four decades.Vulcan was born in Pusztahollód, Bihar
County, in the Kingdom of Hungary, now Holod, Bihor County, Romania.
His father Nicolae was the local Greek-Catholic parish priest from
1831 to 1844.[1] Nicolae was a nephew of Bishop Samuil Vulcan and was
born in Șinca Veche to a family originating in Wallachia.[2] His
mother Victoria (Viktória) Irinyi came from an old family of Romanian
origins called Irimie before its name was Magyarized. The daughter of
a schoolmaster from Létavértes (Leta Mare), her brother was János
Irinyi.[3][4][5][6] Vulcan's parents had six children, five of whom
died early. His father was transferred to the Létavértes parish in
1844 before being named canon in Oradea (Nagyvárad) in 1879.[5]
Vulcan was attached to his parents as well as to Létavértes, where
his mother is buried. He attended primary school there from 1847 to
1851, returning for his high school and university vacations. In later
years, he came back for leisure as his busy schedule permitted.[7]He
attended the Premonstratensian high school in Oradea from 1851 to
1859, followed by a Law degree from the University of Pest. In 1853,
while in high school, he helped start a magazine that appeared until
1870.[1] There are poems of his written in Pest in 1859, when he was
eighteen.[8] He became involved with Gura Satului ("The Voice of the
Village") in Pest in 1861 and thereafter with Concordia and Aurora
Română. Vulcan often spent time in Létavértes during his student
days, writing his first love poems there, about a sweetheart who lived
in the town.[9]He launched Familia literary magazine in Pest-Buda in
1865 and would lead it for some forty years. In 1866, he published his
first volume of poetry.[9] The same year, "De-aÈ™ avea" ("If I Had"),
a poem that marked the proper literary debut of sixteen-year-old Mihai
Eminovici, appeared in Familia. Vulcan received it with enthusiasm,
publishing him under the more Romanian-sounding name Mihai Eminescu. A
good part of the latter's work would continue to appear in Vulcan's
magazine until 1883.[10][11] In 1867, Vulcan visited France, a bold
act for a resident of Austria-Hungary, which encouraged close ties
with Germany instead. In 1868, he visited Romania. In 1869, in
addition to a volume of short stories, he published a biography of
Prince Carol, as well as an anthology of writings by Andrei Mureșanu,
Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Timotei Cipariu, August Treboniu Laurian,
Mihail Kogălniceanu, George Bariţ and Vasile Alecsandri. He showed a
sincere admiration for Romania and its prince. In 1870, in Pest, he
helped launch an appeal for funds to set up a Romanian-language
theatre. Iosif HodoÅŸiu was the first head of the cultural society
behind the appeal, with Vulcan presiding from 1895 to 1907.[12]
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