Alexandru B. Știrbei

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Alexandru Barbu Știrbei
Romanian Minister of Public Works
In office
March 1888 – November 1888
Romanian Minister of the Interior
In office
November 1888 – March 1889
Romanian Minister of Finance
In office
November 1891 – December 1891
Personal details
Born1837
Eliza Brătianu, Barbu Știrbey
,
and six others
ProfessionBusinessman, journalist, soldier

Alexandru Barbu Știrbei, also rendered Alex. Știrbeĭ, Știrbey, or Știrbeiŭ (

Assembly of Deputies, inheriting the fortune left by his father. He established pioneering industries around his manorial estates of Buftea and Dărmănești, and became a guest, and sometime host, of literary meetings held by the political club Junimea
.

Știrbei's father renounced all claims to

Minister of Public Works and Minister of the Interior under Theodor Rosetti (1888–1889); he only served one more term in a cabinet, as Finance Minister under Ion Emanuel Florescu (1891). Știrbei personally dealt with the ramifications of the Strousberg Affair, which led him to participate in the creation of Romania's railway grid
.

He was survived by son

communist regime
, which also persecuted his descendants. It has been restored since, and continues to be lucrative into the 21st century.

Biography

Origins and early life

Born in Bucharest,[1] Alexandru was the son of Barbu, the future reigning Prince. As such, he was also the nephew of Prince Barbu's rival brother, Gheorghe Bibescu, cousin of the adventurer Georges Bibesco, and uncle of the aviation pioneer George Valentin Bibescu.[2][3][4] As such, he was also the granduncle of writer Anna de Noailles.[3] His other cousin was the poet Alexandru Bibescu, making Știrbei the uncle of diplomat Antoine Bibesco.[5]

At first, the

Phanariote rule and the ascendancy of native or assimilated boyars. A protege of Prince Grigore IV Ghica in the 1820s,[7] he married Ecaterina, granddaughter of the boyaress Safta Brâncoveanu and a member of the Văcărescu family.[4] His second son was adopted by a more prestigious Oltenian, the Vornic Barbu C. Știrbei, who left him his name, the estate of Cepturoaia,[8] and vineyards outside Drăgășani.[9] The Bibescu and Știrbei branches remained distinct and competitive, with the two brothers even running against each other in the princely election of 1842—although eventually Barbu ceded Gheorghe his votes.[10] Figures of the establishment looked down on both of them, seeing them as upstarts, equally unprepared for national politics.[11]

In all, Barbu Dimitrie Știrbei had seven children by his

United Principalities, George mounted the opposition to Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza, and, in 1860, was arrested for sedition.[14] A sister, Elena, had married count Leo Larisch von Mönnich from Cieszyn Silesia;[15] in 1855, she gave birth to his son Georg, later husband of the Baroness Wallersee.[16] Other brothers-in-law included General Ion Emanuel Florescu and politician Alexandru Plagino.[17][18]

Both Alexandru and his other brother, Dimitrie, were originally chased out of Wallachia by the Crimean War: in November 1853, the country's invasion by Russia forced them to settle in Paris.[19] Alexandru studied at the Military School of Saint-Cyr,[20] but he is also known to have held a degree in the sciences.[1][4] He secured an officer's rank in the French Army under the Second Empire, before being recalled to Wallachia by his father during the Italian War of 1859, in what was probably at attempt to maintain good relations between Wallachia and the Austrian Empire.[4] This policy was disregarded by the prince's nephew Georges Bibesco, who went on to serve with distinction in the Franco–Mexican War.[2]

Entering politics

Prince Barbu and his sons were offered a final chance to take the throne over both Principalities, in early 1866.[21] By contrast with Sașa Cuza, all Știrbei and Bibescu princes renounced their vague claims to the throne following the ascendancy of a foreign-born Domnitor, Carol of Hohenzollern.[20] The former Wallachian ruler visited Carol Carol, pledging his and his sons' support.[22] George Știrbei was an enthusiastic follower of the new regime, serving Carol as Foreign Minister. Within a few years, he quit politics, either because of disease[23] or because of feeling snubbed by Carol.[24] Dimitrie Știrbei, also active under the Carol regime, was a diplomatic envoy[23] before trying out a political career in the 1880s.[25]

For his part, Alexandru was inactive during the Cuza and early Carol years, before entering political life with the "White" (conservative) party. In 1867, he began his philanthropic work by joining a famine relief committee, to which his father contributed 10,000

Eliza (born 1870) and Barbu Alexandru (born 1872).[4][32][34][35][36]

Știrbei family arms

A. B. Știrbei joined the

Assembly of Deputies during the 1871–1875 legislature, taking a seat in by-elections for Dolj County (June 1872).[37] Assisting fellow deputy Gheorghe Manu, he tried to solve the Strousberg Affair by reselling railway stock to the Romanian state. Against other colleagues, he did not favor selling more stock to the Englishman George Crawley, noting that the latter lacked credentials.[38] In May 1874, he was a rapporteur on the negotiations with Austria-Hungary, which dealt specifically with opening the Romanian railway grid to the Austrian StEG, through connections in Bolvașnița and Predeal.[39] In this, he pursued a political line that had been set by his brother.[40]

Știrbei also joined a committee of inquiry looking into the activities of Petre Mavrogheni as Minister of Finance[41] and a group investigating allegations of embezzlement by Nicolae C. Brăiloiu, the Mayor of Bucharest.[42] In the elections of July 1874, he was made a steward of Bucharest Commune, seconding Manu and Dimitrie Ghica.[43] Ahead of the legislative election of 1875, Știrbei rallied with Ghica's "Liberal Conservative" faction, which sought to reconcile the "Whites" and the liberal movement.[44] Thereafter, Știrbei focused on his Assembly career. In April 1876, with Petre P. Carp, he gave conditional support to the new Prime Minister Florescu, who, although a conservative and Știrbei's cousin, had been imposed by Domnitor Carol.[45]

In the election of June 1876, Știrbei was one only two conservatives winning seats in the 1st College, again at Dolj—all other seats were taken by a consolidated National Liberal Party.[46] The outgoing "Liberal Conservative" Prime Minister, Lascăr Catargiu, had reportedly undercut Știrbei's ability to win elections without resorting to fraud. The claim was voiced by the National Liberal Anastase Stolojan, who argued that Catargiu had graduated 300 tenant farmers, which he viewed as more malleable, into Dolj's 1st College.[47] This legislature saw Romania entering the Russo-Turkish War, and declaring her independence. In this context, Știrbei, Pantazi Ghica, Petru Grădișteanu, Pache Protopopescu, Dimitrie Sturdza and other deputies advanced moderate backing for the Foreign Minister, Mihail Kogălniceanu, who was drafting a declaration of war on the Ottoman Empire.[48] As the war ended, Știrbei tried to oppose Romania's cession of Southern Bessarabia to Russia, seeing it as an act of betrayal.[49]

He returned to take an

Ion Brătianu, who had survived an assassination attempt by Ion Pietraru; later that year, he voted in favor of establishing the Kingdom of Romania, with Carol as King of Romania.[53]

With Junimea

In the decade that followed, A. B. Știrbei sought to pacify the Conservatives' rebellious Junimea wing, led by Maiorescu and Petre P. Carp; he himself was seen as consistently in the establishment faction, or as an independent Conservative.[54] On November 6, 1881, with Junimist backing, he became leader of the party, but was toppled on November 22 by the returning Catargiu.[55] He remained a noted guest at Junimea's literary gatherings. During one such event in April 1882, he was one of the few to hear Eminescu reading a draft version of Luceafărul; in October, Maiorescu read the finished work in a special session held at Știrbei's manor in Buftea.[56] He was also in the audience as Alexandru Macedonski recited his "November Night" (March 1882) and Vasile Alecsandri read from his new play, Fântâna Blanduziei (March 1884).[57]

Together with the Junimists, Știrbei made a triumphant return to the Assembly in the

Minister of Public Works (March–November 1888) and of Interior (November 1888–March 1889),[61] being again elected at Dolj in October 1888.[62] As Interior Minister, he had to deal with the effects of a peasant revolt that had occurred during the first half of 1888, as well as the first general strike by typographers, which ended by satisfying certain demands by the workers.[63] He was also tasked with solving the issue of Romanian participation in the Paris World Fair, on which issue he was opposed to his cousin Georges Bibesco, who led the National Committee.[64] One contemporary described him as "loyal, hard-working, knowledgeable and precise in his duties".[1] In contrast, George Panu of the Radical Party mocked his "most profound muteness" as a deputy, his only visible "passion" being that of regaining a ministerial seat. This despite him having "all the negative qualities", an "absolute nobody" in politics (if "eminently honorable" in regular life).[65]

Știrbei was eventually removed by the new Conservative Prime Minister, Catargiu, who also purged Junimists from the leading posts.

Germanophilia.[67] He returned to ministerial office under a later Conservative administration, set up by General Florescu (November–December 1891), when he served as Minister of Finance.[1] He resigned to be replaced by Ghermani, during a reshuffle which let back in Junimea men,[68] although, for a while, he was also tipped as a potential member of the consolidated cabinet.[69] He continued to hold seats in the Assembly and, following the 1892 election, replaced Păucescu as vice president of that chamber.[70]

During this interval, Știrbei involved himself in the proposals for a new railway terminal at Cotroceni. He presided over an architectural jury which favored the project by Alexandre Marcel, despite accusations of plagiarism.[71] In July 1894, alongside Manu, Sturdza, Triandafil, and Constantin C. Arion, he founded the Agricultural Bank.[72] His business activities were focused on Buftea, where he inaugurated a canning plant, twenty orchards, one hundred gardens, and fifty vineyards.[4][31] By 1898, his property there totaled 2350 hectares (5806 acres), more than half of Buftea's territory.[73] He also spent summers in Dărmănești, where he was neighbors and friends with a fellow Conservative, Radu Rosetti.[74] There, Știrbei and his younger son George set up a business in forestry and wood processing.[4][32] He owned other estates in Teleorman County, including Elisabeta, which he leased out to A. Anagnistiade.[75]

He doubled this work with contribution as a philanthropist, and had a special connection with his Oltenian constituency seat,

cholera outbreak of 1893.[80]

Death and legacy

From 1885, when Maria died in childbirth, Știrbei was raising alone his younger children, including infant Ioana.

Georges Achille Fould, and sponsoring their training as painters.[85] His other brother Dimitrie left a daughter, Martha, who married in 1901 the Austrian officer Hans von Blome,[86] later opening a literary salon in Vienna.[87]

Through his will, Știrbei had made his Junimist friend Ghermani a caretaker of his younger children, with Triandafil as their recommended adviser.[82] Most of his estate was eventually inherited by Barbu Alexandru, who spelled his name as "Știrbey" and was known locally as the "White Prince". He greatly increased the family's wealth with his intensive animal farming, his investment in cash crops, and his takeover of banking concerns,[4][35][88] also leasing out the family's Teleorman estates.[89] He enjoyed political influence over the new establishment, campaigning with the Conservatives alongside his brother George (who served for a while in the Assembly for Dolj),[90] but later switching sides. Eliza also divorced Marghiloman and, in 1907, married the National Liberal leader Ion I. C. Brătianu.[4][34][91] Their sisters also married into the elite: Zoe to George Cretzianu, Maria (Marieta) to Gheorghe Balș, Adina to General Gheorghe Moruzzi.[92] Zoe died young, in 1896, leaving twins Alexandru and George G. Cretzianu.[93] Ioana, herself a noted philanthropist, was married to officer Radu R. Rosetti in March 1907; she died seven years later, leaving him sole owner of Brusturoasa and Mândrești.[33][94]

Buftea became a favorite hangout of the Romanian elite from 1909,

Queen Marie of Romania, and alleged father of Princess Ileana.[4][95] He also had a friendly relationship with Marie's husband, now King Ferdinand, whom he reportedly convinced to side with the Entente Powers and join forces with them in the war of 1916.[4][35] The wartime split the brothers Știrbei: before his death from typhus in December 1917, George supported the rogue Conservative faction formed by Marghiloman and Lupu Kostaki, and favored the Central Powers.[96]

Știrbei inheritance

In January 1927, a moribund Ferdinand appointed the Prince as his Prime Minister, but Știrbey was toppled after only two weeks by Brătianu, who also died that year.

communist regime, but finding posthumous fame as a memoirist.[34]

From his marriage to cousin Nadèje Bibescu, the "White Prince" had four daughters, all of whom left Romania before the

White Squadron, fleeing the country with her children after the arrest of her husband, Constantin Basarab Brâncoveanu.[4][32] Among the Brusturoasa Rosettis, Ioana's widower, General Rosetti, died a prisoner of the communist regime. Radu Jr, one of four children born to him and Ioana,[33] was similarly persecuted.[101] Dărmănești was also lost to the state, which used it as a sanatorium.[4][32] The home on Calea Victoriei became a museum of ceramics.[4][9][102]

Following the

Romanian Revolution of 1989, extensive legal disputes touched Știrbei's various properties. The former museum on Calea Victoriei, heavily damaged by the earthquake of March 1977,[9][103] was recovered by Ioana, baroness Kripp-Costinescu, who was sole inheritor of the "White Prince", in 2004. It was then controversially resold to a real-estate developer.[4] The Buftea complex, listed by the National Register of Historic Monuments in Romania, was sold and resold to developers, and in 2016 was valued as 20 million euro.[104] In 2011, it became the host of a yearly pop festival, Summer Well.[105] The Kripp branch preserved ownership of the vineyards in Drăgășani, which they turned into a leading producer of Tămâioasă Românească.[9] In 2005, the sons of Marina Știrbei were returned ownership of Dărmănești manor, which they also sold to a private investor.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Grigore & Șerbu, p. 115
  2. ^ a b (in Romanian) Roxana Roseti, Vlad Teodorescu, "Prințul rătăcitor", in Jurnalul Național, March 20, 2010
  3. ^ a b (in Romanian) Constantin Ciopraga, "Anna principesă Brâncoveanu contesă de Noailles", in Convorbiri Literare, August 2008
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y (in Romanian) Alexandra Șerban, "Serial. Boieri mari, Episodul 7: Cum a renăscut neamul Știrbey din propria cenușă. Barbu Știrbey, cel mai abil om din umbra regelui Ferdinand", in Adevărul, February 25, 2017
  5. ^ (in Romanian) Simona Lazăr, "Prințul Alexandru Bibescu, un sonetist francez", in Jurnalul Național, March 18, 2011
  6. ^ Iorga, pp. 9–10
  7. ^ Iorga, pp. 9–11
  8. ^ Iorga, pp. 11–13
  9. ^ a b c d e f (in Romanian) Tudor Cireș, Simona Lazăr, "Prințese valahe și baroni austrieci", in Jurnalul Național, August 31, 2008
  10. ^ Lăcusteanu & Crutzescu, p. 141
  11. ^ Lăcusteanu & Crutzescu, pp. 137–138, 258
  12. ^ Lăcusteanu & Crutzescu, pp. 74, 240; Iorga, pp. 95–96, 133–134, 149–150, 153, 164, 175, 179–183, 191; Mucenic, p. 74
  13. ^ Gherghe, pp. 128–130, 161, 173–174; Iorga, pp. 191–192
  14. ^ Badea-Păun, pp. 109–110; Iorga, p. 191. See also Gane I, p. 90
  15. ^ Iorga, p. 158; Mucenic, p. 74
  16. ISBN 80-86388-00-X
  17. ^ Crutzescu & Teodorescu, pp. 210, 370, 536, 549; Iorga, pp. 36, 49–50, 53, 82, 158, 166–167; Lăcusteanu & Crutzescu, pp. 74, 215, 241, 282; (in Romanian) Oana Marinache, "Vila prințesei Alina Știrbey, azi Muzeul orașului Sinaia", in Adevărul (Bucharest edition), December 19, 2015; Mucenic, p. 74
  18. ^ a b Gheorghe G. Bezviconi, Necropola Capitalei, pp. 265–266. Bucharest: Nicolae Iorga Institute of History, 1972
  19. ^ "On lit dans le Wanderer, de Vienne", in La Presse, December 3, 1853, p. 2
  20. ^
    Journal des Débats
    , March 26, 1895, pp. 1–2
  21. ^ Iorga, p. 193; Theodorian-Carada, pp. 58, 60
  22. ^ Badea-Păun, p. 110. See also Iorga, pp. 193–194
  23. ^ a b c P. Boutet, "Nouvelles diplomatiques et internationales", in Le Mémorial Diplomatique, No. 18/1870, p. 205
  24. ^ Badea-Păun, p. 111
  25. ^ Bacalbașa II, p. 104
  26. ^ "Bucurescĭ 4/16 Florarŭ", in Romanulu, May 5, 1867, p. 1
  27. ^ Ștribăț, p. 208
  28. Romanulu
    , February 24, 1868, p. 171
  29. ^ Badea-Păun, pp. 111–112; Mucenic, pp. 74–75
  30. ^ Crutzescu & Teodorescu, p. 535
  31. ^ a b Mucenic, p. 75
  32. ^ a b c d e f (in Romanian) Simina Stan, "Conacul familiei George Știrbey de la Dărmănești", in Jurnalul Național, July 25, 2009
  33. ^ a b c d (in Romanian) Nicolae Petrescu-Redi, "Generalul Radu R. Rosetti, între moșia cea mică – Brusturoasa și moșia cea Mare – România", in Convorbiri Literare, December 2015
  34. ^
    Z. Ornea, "Memoriile soților Brătianu", in România Literară
    , Nr. 40/1999
  35. ^ a b c d e f (in Romanian) Daniela Cârlea Șontică, "Prințul alb", in Jurnalul Național, December 12, 2005
  36. ^ Grigore & Șerbu, p. 219; Rosetti, pp. 92, 126–127, 194
  37. ^ Gherghe, p. 287
  38. ^ Nicolescu, pp. 121–123, 169–173, 243
  39. ^ Nicolescu, pp. 145–146
  40. ^ Lucia Tafta, "Relațiile economice româno-franceze: aranjamentul comercial din noiembrie 1876", in Muzeul Național, Vol. XII, 2000, p. 124
  41. ^ Gane I, pp. 163–164
  42. ^ Nicolescu, pp. 135–136
  43. ^ Bacalbașa I, pp. 132–133
  44. ^ Bacalbașa I, pp. 152–153
  45. ^ Nicolescu, p. 214
  46. ^ Bacalbașa I, p. 190; II, p. 78; Ștribăț, p. 230
  47. ^ Anastase Stolojan, La question nationale. Discours de Mr. An. Stolojan prononcé à la Chambre des Députés, le 10/22 Décembre 1893, p. 89. Bucharest: Imprimerie G. A. Lazareano, 1894
  48. ^ Nicolescu, p. 201
  49. ^ Nicolescu, pp. 321–322
  50. ^ Bacalbașa I, p. 269
  51. ^ Gane I, p. 240; Ștribăț, pp. 220, 234, 238–239
  52. ^ Ornea (1998), p. 277
  53. ^ Nicolescu, pp. 393–394, 410–411
  54. ^ Gane I, pp. 249, 361–377; Grigore & Șerbu, p. 115; Ornea (1998), p. 294
  55. ^ Gane I, pp. 249; Ornea (1998), p. 280
  56. ^ Lovinescu, pp. 196–197, 212
  57. ^ Lovinescu, pp. 79, 197
  58. ^ Bacalbașa II, pp. 53–54; Gane I, pp. 361–377
  59. ^ Theodorian-Carada, p. 100
  60. ^ Bacalbașa II, pp. 61–63; Gane I, p. 361; Nicolescu, pp. 497–498
  61. ^ Bacalbașa II, pp. 66, 77, 140; Gane I, p. 371; Grigore & Șerbu, p. 115; Ornea (1998), pp. 311, 314
  62. ^ "Deputații aleși din tóte județele", in Gazeta Săteanului, Nr. 18/1888, p. 282
  63. ^ Grigore & Șerbu, p. 116
  64. ^ Georges Bibesco, Exposition universelle 1889. La Roumanie avant-pendant-après, pp. 49–51, 79. Paris: Imprimerie Typographique J. Kugelmann, 1890
  65. ^ Panu, pp. 152–153
  66. ^ Bacalbașa II, p. 140
  67. ^ Panu, p. 152
  68. ^ Nicolescu, p. 534
  69. ^ Gane I, pp. 418–419
  70. Journal des Débats
    , November 30, 1893, p. 3
  71. ^ "Concursul pentru Gara centrală", in Analele Arhitectureĭ și Ale Artelor cu Care Se Légă, Nr. 5/1893, p. 72
  72. ^ Bacalbașa II, p. 168
  73. George Ioan Lahovari, Constantin I. Brătianu, Grigore Tocilescu, Marele dicționar geografic al Romîniei. Alcătuit și prelucrat după dicționarele parțiale pe județe, Vol. I, p. 136. Bucharest: Stab. Grafic J. V. Socecŭ
    , 1898
  74. ^ Rosetti, pp. 22–24
  75. ^ Chefani-Pătrașcu, p. 292
  76. ^ D. E. Petrescu, Un splendid colț din România Mare, p. 72. Craiova: Ramuri, [n. y.]
  77. România Liberă
    , September 13 (25), 1887, p. 3
  78. ^ Chefani-Pătrașcu, p. 41
  79. ^ "Informațiuni", in Epoca, December 1 (13), 1888, p. 2; Grigore & Șerbu, p. 117; Theodorian-Carada, p. 188
  80. ^ a b D., "Baracele cholerice de la Trocadero", in Adevărul, August 8, 1893, p. 1
  81. ^ Mucenic, p. 75; Rosetti, p. 22
  82. ^ a b Mucenic, pp. 75–76
  83. ^
    Journal des Débats
    , March 14, 1895, p. 2
  84. JORF
    , March 17, 1895, p. 1439
  85. ^ Badea-Păun, pp. 114–115
  86. ^ Félix, "Le Monde et la Ville. Salons", in Le Figaro, November 18, 1901, p. 2
  87. ISBN 978-94-6270-070-3
  88. ^ Mucenic, pp. 64, 69, 76–79
  89. ^ Chefani-Pătrașcu, pp. 110–111, 140, 315
  90. ISBN 973-27-0501-9
    . See also Gane II, pp. 273, 498–499
  91. ^ Grigore & Șerbu, p. 219; Rosetti, p. 194
  92. ^ Mucenic, p. 75. See also Rosetti, pp. 92, 126–127
  93. ^ Rosetti, pp. 127, 194
  94. ^ Rosetti, pp. 191, 194–195
  95. ^ (in Romanian) Ion Bulei, "Acum un veac (XXXVII). Regina Maria – Barbu Știrbey", in Ziarul Financiar, November 26, 2015; Ioan Scurtu, "24–25 iulie 1931. Nuntă la Castelul Peleș", in Magazin Istoric, May 2001, p. 65
  96. ^ Vasile Th. Cancicov, Impresiuni și păreri personale din timpul războiului României, Vol. II, pp. 46–47, 148, 196–197, 214, 414, 550. Bucharest: Atelierele Universul, 1921. See also Gane II, p. 545
  97. ^ Grigore & Șerbu, pp. 219–220
  98. ^ (in Romanian) Ionuț Butoi, "O corespondență inedită din timpul guvernării antonesciene. Mircea Vulcănescu și Alexandru Neagu", in Sfera Politicii, Nr. 175, May–June 2013
  99. ^ Grigore & Șerbu, pp. 220–221
  100. ^ Mucenic, pp. 76–79. See also Mihai Sorin Rădulescu, "În jurul a două scrisori de la George D. Florescu", in București. Materiale de Istorie și Muzeografie, Vol. XX, 2006, p. 283
  101. ^ (in Romanian) Gabriel Andreescu, "Avanpremieră. Cărturari, opozanți și documente. Manipularea Arhivei Securității (fragment)", in Suplimentul de Cultură, Nr. 382, January 2013, pp. 12–13
  102. ^ Crutzescu & Teodorescu, pp. 510, 534; Mucenic, pp. 64, 69–71, 78–80
  103. ^ Mucenic, pp. 71, 80
  104. ^ (in Romanian) Mediafax, "Palatul Știrbey este scos la vânzare, statul are drept de preemțiune", in Ziarul Financiar, September 2, 2016
  105. ^ (in Romanian) Diana Pârvulescu, "Reportaj: Placebo – un show energic și electrizant la Summer Well, care a eclipsat 'Super Luna'", Mediafax, August 11, 2014

References

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