Gheorghe Pop de Basesti
Encyclopedia
Gheorghe Pop de Băseşti (August 1, 1835 – February 23, 1919) was an Austro-Hungarian
-born Romania
n politician. He was the vice-president (1881-1902) and then the president (1902-1918) of the Romanian National Party
at a time when Transylvania
was part of the Kingdom of Hungary
inside Austria-Hungary.
Born in the Transylvanian village of Băseşti
(present-day Maramureş County
), he completed gymnasium
in Baia Mare
and high school in Oradea
, before moving on to study Law at the Oradea Academy. In 1872, he was elected deputy in the Hungarian diet
, where, for the following nine years, he advocated the rights of ethnic Romanians
living in Transylvania. In 1892-1894, Pop de Băseşti was one the leaders of the Transylvanian Memorandum
movement that demanded equal rights for the Transylvanian Romanians, and was among those who received prison sentences as a result of their activism during the period.
After the end of World War I
, Pop de Băseşti was the president of the assembly of Alba Iulia (December 1, 1918), when the Romanians living inside Hungary proclaimed the union between the Romanian Old Kingdom
and Transylvania. He died only a few months later, aged 84. His birthplace, Băseşti
, is home to a memorial museum.
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
-born Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n politician. He was the vice-president (1881-1902) and then the president (1902-1918) of the Romanian National Party
Romanian National Party
The Romanian National Party , initially known as the Romanian National Party in Transylvania and Banat , was a political party which was initially designed to offer ethnic representation to Romanians in the Kingdom of Hungary, the Transleithanian half of Austria-Hungary, and especially to those in...
at a time when Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
was part of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
inside Austria-Hungary.
Born in the Transylvanian village of Băseşti
Basesti
Băseşti is a commune in Maramureş County, northern Romania. It is composed of four villages: Băseşti, Odeşti, Sălişte and Stremţ.-Famous people:*Gheorghe Pop de Băseşti , Austro-Hungarian and Romanian politician...
(present-day Maramureş County
Maramures County
Maramureș is a county of Romania, in the Maramureș region. The county seat is Baia Mare.- History :* The 10th century frontier county of Borsova was founded by Stephen I of Hungary. Since then Máramaros served as the north-eastern border of the Hungarian Kingdom until 1920, the Trianon Peace...
), he completed gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Baia Mare
Baia Mare
Baia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
and high school in Oradea
Oradea
Oradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...
, before moving on to study Law at the Oradea Academy. In 1872, he was elected deputy in the Hungarian diet
Diet of Hungary
The Diet of Hungary was a legislative institution in the medieval kingdom of Hungary from the 15th century, and in its successor states, Royal Hungary and the Habsburg kingdom of Hungary throughout the Early Modern period...
, where, for the following nine years, he advocated the rights of ethnic Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
living in Transylvania. In 1892-1894, Pop de Băseşti was one the leaders of the Transylvanian Memorandum
Transylvanian Memorandum
The Transylvanian Memorandum was a petition sent in 1892 by the leaders of the Romanians of Transylvania to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor-King Franz Joseph, asking for equal ethnic rights with the Hungarians, and demanding an end to persecutions and Magyarization attempts.-Status:After the Ausgleich...
movement that demanded equal rights for the Transylvanian Romanians, and was among those who received prison sentences as a result of their activism during the period.
After the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Pop de Băseşti was the president of the assembly of Alba Iulia (December 1, 1918), when the Romanians living inside Hungary proclaimed the union between the Romanian Old Kingdom
Romanian Old Kingdom
The Romanian Old Kingdom is a colloquial term referring to the territory covered by the first independent Romanian nation state, which was composed of the Danubian Principalities—Wallachia and Moldavia...
and Transylvania. He died only a few months later, aged 84. His birthplace, Băseşti
Basesti
Băseşti is a commune in Maramureş County, northern Romania. It is composed of four villages: Băseşti, Odeşti, Sălişte and Stremţ.-Famous people:*Gheorghe Pop de Băseşti , Austro-Hungarian and Romanian politician...
, is home to a memorial museum.