OCTOBER 31 IN HISTORY

Archives' Day

1862 - The General Directorate of the State Archives is set up by a decree on the unification of the two Directorates of the State Archives based in Bucharest and Iasi signed by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1862); the first head of the Directorate is Grigore Bengescu II

1871 - The Aerial Gas Plant opens in Filaret, built by the plans of French architect Paul Gottereau

1881 - Birth of literary critic and author Eugen Lovinescu, a Romanian Academy member (d. July 16, 1943)

1918 - The Allied Powers and Hungary sign a truce in Belgrade, setting up an arbitrary demarcation line between Hungary and Transylvania

1918 - The National Council of Bessarabia adopts a "fundamental law on the powers of Bukovina" by which it assumes the entire state power

1920 - The law on the establishment of Romanian higher studies schools in Paris and Rome

1926 - Birth of painter Dan Hatmanu

1930 - The film "Ciuleandra" premieres, being the first film after a novel by Liviu Rebreanu as well as the first sound film spoken in Romanian

1953 - Death of poet, translator and playwright Petre Dulfu (b. March 10, 1856)

1960 - Death of philosopher Mircea Florian, a member of the Romanian Academy (b. April 1, 1888)

1972 - Death of pedagogue and memories author Onisifor Ghibu, a corresponding member of the Romanian Academy (b. May 31, 1883)

2002 - The Romanian Gendarmerie is accepted as a full member of the Association of European and Mediterranean Gendarmeries and Police Forces with Military Status (FIEP) during a meeting of the member states held in The Hague; At the Istanbul Summit on Oct. 15, 2001 it had been accepted as a FIEP observer

2005 - The General Anti-corruption Directorate (DGA) of the Ministry of Administration and the Interior is officially launched in a ceremony at the Palace of Parliament attended by Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu and British ambassador in Bucharest Quinton Quayle

2006 - Death of conductor and composer Dan Beizadea (b. Oct. 14, 1933)

2011 - President Traian Basescu welcomes at the Cotroceni Palace, His Beatitude Teodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All-Africa, and the Romanian Orthodox Church's Patriarch, Daniel. The president is presented with the Order of Saint Apostle Mark by the Patriarch of Alexandria and receives the medal of Saint Apostle Andrew from the Romanian Patriarch.AGERPRES