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Academician Dan Berindei, a prominent figure of the Romanian intellectual elite and an important representative of Romanian historiography, died on Thursday, at the age of 98, the Romanian Academy makes the announcement.
"Descendant of the Brancoveanu family, with a capital role in the Romanian history and culture, Dan Berindei kept the nobility and distinction of this old aristocratic family and cultivated throughout his life fundamental values, assuming, in unfavorable times, a destiny of honesty and self-exigency. A patriotic spirit par excellence, with a deep attachment to the political elite that laid the foundations of the modern Romanian state, Dan Berindei has dedicated his entire life to the study of history and has developed an exceptional career that span over seven decades. Now, when we bid him farewell, the Romanian Academy is in mourning. Members of the Romanian Academy, its leadership voices its regret and grief. The memory of academician Dan Berindei will always remain with us," reads a press release of the Office of the Presidium of the Romanian Academy.
Born on November 3, 1923, in Bucharest, he studied first in private, then at the "Clemence" School and at the "Spiru Haret" High School. He is a graduate of the Faculty of History and Philosophy, the History Department, University of Bucharest, with the title "magna cum laude" and doctor of history, with a thesis on "The City of Bucharest, Residence and Capital of Wallachia (1459-1862)." After graduating, he became a researcher and scientific secretary at the Institute of Balkan Studies and Research (1946-1948), then assistant at the Institute of History and Philosophy of the Romanian Academy (1948-1952).
In 1952-1955 he was abusively removed from scientific research by the ruling communist regime. He was recalled in 1955 and worked as a principal investigator at the "Nicolae Iorga" Institute of History of the Romanian Academy for 45 years. He served as Scientific Secretary and Vice-President of the Scientific Council.
After 1990 he was able to develop a teaching career, being an associate professor at the Faculty of History of the University of Bucharest, at the Politehnica University of Bucharest and the Hyperion University of Bucharest.
He was a specialist in the modern history of Romania and the author, alone or in collaboration, of over 90 volumes and over 700 articles and studies published in prestigious scientific journals in the country and abroad, in which he addressed issues related to the political and social history of the 19th century (revolutions of 1821 and 1848, Union of Principalities, War of Independence), economic history, history of culture, journalism, Bucharest, history of diplomacy and international relations.
He was secretary of the National Committee of Romanian Historians (1977-1993) and its president (1993-2015). Member of the Romanian Society of Historical Sciences, the Association of International Law and International Relations, the Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigilography Committee of the Romanian Academy (vice-president 1971-1981, president since 1981).
For his exceptional career as a historian and professor, he became doctor honoris causa of the universities of Craiova (2001), Ovidius of Constanta (2007), "Valahia" of Targoviste (2009) and the West University of Timisoara (2009). The Romanian Presidency awarded him two high state orders: the National Order "Star of Romania" in rank of Knight (2002) and the National Order "Star of Romania" in rank of Officer (2016).
Historian Dan Berindei devoted his entire life to the Romanian Academy, which he always considered to be a fundamental institution of the modern Romanian state, for which he worked skillfully and efficiently. He held two consecutive terms as Vice President of the Romanian Academy (2006-2014) and as President of the Department of Historical Sciences and Archeology (1993-2005 and 2016-2019), of which he had been Honorary President since 2005.
In 2006 he wrote an extensive history of the Romanian Academy, republished in 2016, on the occasion of a century and a half since the establishment of the institution.
