Some landmarks regarding the first museological initiatives on the lower Danube. I. Galaji area

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Some landmarks regarding the first museological initiatives on the lower Danube. I. Galaji area

Costin Croitoru, Ion Gheletchi

Êðîéòîðó Ê., Ãåëåöüêèé ². Âèòîêè ïåðøèõ ìóçåîëîã³÷íèõ ³í³ö³àòèâ â ðåã³îí³ Íèæíüîãî Äóíàþ, ì. Ãàëàö

Ó ì³ñò³ Ãàëàö ïåðø³ ïàðîñòêè ìóçåºçíàâñòâà - ó ñåíñ³ îá'ºäíàííÿ îá'ºêò³â, ùî ñòàíîâëÿòü ïåâíèé ñóñï³ëüíèé ³íòåðåñ, ñïî÷àòêó çãðóïîâàíèõ ï³ä çàãàëüíèì êðèòåð³ºì «ö³êàâèíêè», ðåºñòðàö³ÿ òà äåìîíñòðàö³ÿ ÿêèõ áóëà äîñòóïíîþ äëÿ ãðîìàäñüêîñò³, ç'ÿâèëèñÿ íàïðèê³íö³ Õ²Õ ñòîë³òòÿ íà çàãàëüíîìó òë³ ðîçâèòêó ãóìàí³òàðíèõ íàóê ³, ñåðåä ³íøîãî, çàâäÿêè ñòâîðåííþ Íàö³îíàëüíîãî ìóçåþ ñòàðîæèòíîñòåé, çàñíóâàííÿ ÿêîãî áóëî ï³äòâåðäæåíî êîðîë³âñüêèì óêàçîì, ï³äïèñàíèì Àëåêñàíäðîì ²îàíîì Êóçîþ 25 ëèñòîïàäà 1861 ðîêó.

Ó öüîìó êîðîòêîìó âèêëàä³ àâòîðè çíàéîìëÿòü ÷èòà÷³â ç ñàìèì ïî÷àòêîâèì åòàïîì ñòâîðåííÿ äåÿêèõ êîëåêö³é, ïîâ'ÿçàíèõ ç ïåâíèìè îñîáèñòîñòÿìè, íàçâåìî ¿õ âèäàòíèìè â êóëüòóðíîìó æèòò³ ðåã³îíó, à ñàìå â÷èòåëÿìè Ïàóëîì òà ªêàòåðèíîþ Ïàøà òà ïðåäñòàâíèêàìè ³íòåëåêòóàëüíî¿ åë³òè, â÷åíèìè Âàñèëåì Àëåêñàíäðåñêó-Óðå곺þ àáî Êîíñòàíòèíîì Ñ. Äæ³óðåñêó. Òàê ÷è ³íàêøå, ö³ ïåðø³ ³í³ö³àòèâè áóëè ïîêëàäåí³ â îñíîâó ñó÷àñíèõ ìóçå¿â Ãàëàöà, â ÿêèõ áàãàòî àðòåôàêò³â, «ç³áðàíèõ» çãàäàíèìè ëþäüìè, âñå ùå ìîæíà çíàéòè ï³ä çàãàëüíîþ íàçâîþ «ñòàðèé ôîíä».

Êëþ÷îâ³ ñëîâà: êîëåêö³ÿ, ìóçåé, âîò÷èíà, ïîæåðòâóâàííÿ, ³ñòîð³ÿ.

The reader will of course intuit (if not, he will discover it in the following lines), that the beginnings of the coagulation of some collections are related to certain characters, let's call them prominent in the cultural life of the place - as is the case of teachers Paul and Ecaterina Pasa See for their activity in the field Costin Croitoru (editor). Pagini din trecutul muzeografiei gälätene, Acte, documente, corespondentä si note. Istros Publishing House. Bräila. 2009. passim (this article is a variant of the introductory study of the mentioned volume, see ibidem,pp. XVII-XXXVIII)., or of higher intellectual attire as is the case of the scholars Vasile Alexandrescu-Urechia or Constantin C. Giurescu, whose notoriety exempts us from possible biographical digressions. In one way or another, these incipient initiatives were at the basis of the contemporary museums of Galafi, so we will briefly draw them early history.

The first «artifacts» were reunited on November 11, 1890, on the occasion of the opening of the Public Library named after the illustrious scholar «V. A. Urechia» I. T. Dragomir, V. A. Urechia, istoric, publicist, colectionar si muzeograf in Danubius. VI-VII. 19721973. pp.179-192., in the halls of the «Vasile Alecsandri» high school. The mixed museum fund consisted of documents, prints, lithographs, photographs, paintings and moulds after some special pieces from the National Museum of Antiquities. Until the completion of the construction of the Cultural Palace, they were partially displayed in the reading room and in the library warehouse, others being found in a special room, namely intended for the expected Museum. It should be pointed and noted that each exhibited piece was accompanied by an identification sheet, on which were written the inventory number, the name of the object and the name of the donor.

In less than a decade since its opening, the building has become too small, the collection being enlarged with objects of paleontology, archaeology, numismatics, heraldry, ethnography, various oil paintings, bas-reliefs, documents, old weapons, etc. The press at the end of the century records the existence of the museum; thus the Library of Galap «has next to it a beautiful museum of archaeology and numismatics»; or «owns a huge collection of old documents and a beautiful museum start», but also the constant growth of its patrimony: «Mr. Senator V. A. Urechia arrived in Galati on Friday, bringing with him a new gift for the institution that bears his name» and which possesses among others «various busts, 6 coloured canvases, donated by D. Voinescu, various ancient objects: the seal of Mihail Vodä Sturza, weapons found at Räzboieni, numerous autographs, including one from Avram Iancu, about 4 from V. Alecsandri etc., rich internal and external medals etc.»; «Among the many new acquisitions of the Urechia Library in Galaf, we will cite a very rare, if not unique, royal mace, from the 18th century in Moldova»; «The documents section, still not open to the public due to lack of premises, is in possession of high value originals, from Vasile Lupu, Mihai Viteazul, Cantemir etc. Romanian sigillography from the oldest centuries to the present day occupies several gallantries. In the archaeological collections are kept Horea's whistle, Iancu's sword from 1848, Anastasie Panu's cigar case with the Union of Principalities, an entire room full of souvenirs from Mihail Kogälniceanu, Cuza-Vodä, Negri, Vasile Alecsandri, Gr. Ghica of Moldavia. From this is his last business card made to the late Locini on the eve of his suicide, etc. One room is occupied with medal shelves. Some of these are donations from His Majesty the King. The fights of the Romanians from Transylvania against the Hungarianization are represented by two gallantry full of original documents».

Eloquent for the growth of the collections and the importance of this section of the institution is the article, suggestively entitled A museum, which captures in the most praiseworthy terms possible this initiative: «we, the people of Galaf, can be somewhat proud, our city has an entire museum - a historical museum that includes precious objects, antiques, hundreds of icons, javelins, maces, decorations and many other things, one older than another, one more interesting than the other... In him, he embodies an entire epoch and summarizes a long time of ups and downs, of wealth and poverty. One by one you look, you admire, you remain ecstatic in front of an object, a memory, an icon, linked each one by one, to a memory, to an episode, to a page of history. Decorations, depicting days of glory, boldness and virtue - javelins and maces - symbols of adventures and bravery fallen prisoners of shameful need, of the need for humility; Lucia Bor§ Biblioteca V. A. Urechia. in Boabe de grâu. III. 1932. p. 348. Nedelcu Oprea. Biblioteca publicä «V. A. Urechia» Galafi. Monografie.volume II. Galati. 2006. p. 408. «Ecoul Moldovei». September 25. 1891. «Patriotul». February 8. 1898. «Vointa Galatilor». April 29. 1898. «Dreptatea». January 1899. «Drapelul». February 4. 1899. icons - holy images of Christ, figures of the holy Virgin. And all this gathered from the world, gathered from cities and from different characters, here they are gathered and twinned, caressing each other, alleviating the humiliation and poverty of past times... This museum will remain an immortal monument for our city. I don't want praise; I can't bring it to old Urechia. In front of a large, old monument, you can only be silent and admire them. The words are too empty to perfectly convey the feelings that trouble your brain and mind».

In 1901 a report prepared on the activities undertaken within the Library in the first decade of operation, specifies: «in addition to books, Mr. Urechiä donated a rich collection of artistic canvases, prints, medals, souvenirs from illustrious men of the country, which souvenirs were the beginning of an interested contemporary museum [...] the numismatic collection was greatly enriched by the donations received, counting over 500 different old coins [...] the museum contains precious objects, ancient things, each related to a memory, an episode, a page of history» «Universul». no. 209-210. October 29-30. 1899. The Archive of the Library «V. A. Urechia» (below we will quote as BVAU Archive). file XXXI. 7-9 r/v, 1901. V. Goia. V. A. Urechia. Bucuresti. 1979. p. 85. See in this matter A. Popa, V. A. Urechia - istoric, Galafi, 2001, pp. 127-128. BVAU Archive. file XXXIII. 1903. f. 60, 62-67, 73-76. See full text at N. Oprea. op. cit.. pp. 417-425. BVAU Archive. file XXXIV-XLV. 1904. Ibidem, file XLV, 1915, f. 38-39. See full text of the donation act at N. Oprea. op. cit.. pp. 429-430..

V. A. Urechia's appetite as a collector would have determined his good friend, Bogdan Petriceicu-Hasdeu, to say that his friend was able: «to bring from Madrid, if he found them, Attila's glasses», allusion to his documentary journey to Spain between 1861 and 1862.

In the following years various other donations complete the museum collection «Urechia»; unfortunately, these are recorded in documents only as a general title, without being nominated, for example, Professor Alador Baum donated «a museum object», Gh. I. Deciu donated «25 museum objects» etc. Subsequently, two of the most substantial donations were registered: in 1915 Nicolae Zugrafu offered a collection of objects from the Crimean War, collected directly from the battlefield, and in 1934 the M. Helder collection entered the Museum's patrimony.

About the same period dates the first initiative to reorganize the institution, thus argued: «Unfortunately, we, the beneficiaries, have never been able to give due importance to the Library and Museum «V. A. Urechia» and after 30 years we are in such a situation that being lacking premises, the precious collections are threatened by daily destruction... we will need to do something important for the Library and Museum «V. A. Urechia»» Apud N. Oprea, op. cit. p. 434..

The expected separation of the Museum and its transformation into the National Museum in Galafi did not take place, and this also represented the opening of a series of unfortunate events for its important collections, culminating in the very abolition and loss of identity. They hit the base of the Galafi cultural edifice: the earthquake of November 1940 that destroyed some artifacts, the burglary of December 1941 through which many objects were stolen, the war that forced the evacuation of some pieces from 1943 to 1948, the requisition of the Cultural Palace building by the Soviet army, at which point the doors of the rooms where the Library's materials were stored were forced open.

Finally, in 1948 the Museum was «reorganized». With the takeover of the Cultural Palace «V. A. Urechia» from the Soviet army, Covurlui County Cultural Adviser requested the intervention of the Ministry of Arts and Information from the Ministry of National Education in order to transfer the «museum objects» to the «Alexandra Ioan Cuza» Museum. The request was approved, already on December 31, 1948, the first handover-receipt report being concluded Costin Croitoru (editor), Pagini din trecutul muzeografiei gälätene...,p. 116, document no. 160.. This act constitutes, in fact, the beginning of the dissolution of the «V. A. Urechia» Museum and Pinacoteca. The objects that belonged to him, as many as have been preserved, were «lost» in the patrimony of the «Alexandra Ioan Cuza» Museum, which later became the County Museum of History and the Museum of Visual Art, in which they did not constitute any moment, as would have been appropriate, at least in memory of their initiator, the Urechia fund.

The collection «Ecaterina and Paul Pas»

In 1937 the «Cuza Vodä» Association was established with the stated purpose of ransoming the land, restoring the house of the former county leader and setting up a museum (the initiative was not new, since 1907 a request had been submitted to the Senate signed by several hundred people from Galafi, requesting the purchase of the house by the state and the establishment of a «museum in memory of Cuza», unfortunately unfinished According «Tribuna Liberalä». no. 1573. March 4. 1907.. After 14 years, a memorandum submitted to the Ministry of Cults and Arts also called for the redemption of the building and its transformation «into a museum containing all the memories left from the unforgettable ruler» According Galati County Directorate of National Archives (below we will quote as DJANG). fund: Primäria orasului Galafi. 1921. file no. 20.) which, for the most part, would be dedicated to the life and work of the first ruler of the United Principalities Asociatia Casa «Cuza Vodä». Actul constitutiv. Statutele. Gala(i. 1937. 15. On July 14. the constitutive act and the statute of the «Cuza Vodä» House were submitted to the Covurlui county court for authentication, According DJANG. fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi. file 17/1939. p. 35..

Until the time of redemption, the building had received various destinations Leon E§anu. Infiintarea muzeului «Cuza Vodä» in orasul Galafi. in Cercetäri Istorice. IV. 1973. p. 40.. In the period 1909-1913 the «Villa» had been inhabited by Grigore Trancu-Ia§i, hosting «the seat organized by the Committee for the erection of the statue of Mihai Eminescu» or the meetings of the «Literary Salon led by brothers Botez and C. Z. Buzdugan» See Gr. Trancu-Iaçi. Casa lui Cuza Vodä.in Actiunea. IX. no. 2369. April 24. 1938.. Later, for seven years, until 1920, the «Mihail Kogälniceanu» Girls' High School operated here See Paul Pältänea. Câteva date despre începuturile orasului Galafi, in Anuarul Institutului «A. D. Xenopol». Iasi, 1969. p. 134..

As we have shown, in 1921 a memorandum submitted to the Ministry of Cults and Arts signalled the degradation of the building and the intention of the signatory committee to redeem it and turn it into a museum Idem, Al. I. Cuza si Galatii. in Danubius. II-III. 1969. p. 135.. The initiative remains without echo, since two years later, on July 30, 1923, another committee was set up with a synonymous goal: «to buy back the building in the city of Galafi - the former home of the unforgettable ruler Al. I. Cuza and to give this building a more worthy destination compared to the memories that the entire Romanian people have from the one who laid the foundation for today's Romania»25. Again, the intentions were not realized, judging by the findings of another «committee» organized in 1937; in addition to the deplorable condition of the building, «everything is in the greatest irregularity and disorder. No minutes of the decisions taken, no complete register of income, expenses and deposits» DJANG, fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi, file 22/1923, pp. 3-4. Ibidem. fund: Rezidenta Regalä a Tinutului Dunärea de Jos. file 21/1937. pp. 21-24. Ibidem. fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi. file no. 17bis/1939. pp. 31-37. See also «Adevärul». July 13. 1937. Ibidem. fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi. file no. 16/1939. p. 235. 249. Costin Croitoru (editor). Pagini din trecutul muzeografiei gälätene....p. 15. document no. 1. Ibidem. p. 20. document no. 8. However. only on July 15. 1921. the museum institution was recognized as a legal entity. being valued at approximately 5 million lei, According DJANG, fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi, file no. 16/1921. p. 14, 16. Costin Croitoru (editor). Pagini din trecutul muzeografiei gälätene....p. 14. document no. 4.. Finally, in the mentioned year, it is decided to achieve the declared purpose of the association, organizing a public subscription: «in our city, the first port of the Danube, is the house where Alexandru Ioan Cuza, ruler of Covurlui County, lived. After many attempts, we finally managed to start an action that we hope will lead us to purchase it and turn it into a regional museum with several sections. For this purpose, we thought of appealing to all people of soul...». A year later, on March 8, 1938, the Association announced the fulfillment of the first objective it had assumed: the redemption of the former ruler's building; from this date he was officially in possession of the house. The other two objectives followed: the restoration of the building and the establishment of the Museum dedicated to the personality of Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

The donation that was to be the nucleus of the expected exhibition from «Villa Cuza Vodä» belonged to the teachers Ecaterina and Paul Pasa, from School of boys, number 6. On April 24, 1913, by the address number 213 submitted to the relevant Minister, P. Pasa requested: «as there are six classrooms at this school, two of which are available (storage space), I have the honor to ask you to approve the establishment of a museum in these rooms as well as a conference room and school celebrations. Regarding the painting of the halls, the furniture necessary for the museum, stuffed animals and birds, antiques, the library, etc., I am committed to make it as soon as possible from donations, having already collected some of the material». The initiative received a favourable opinion, so that through the address of the School Inspectorate of Covurlui County number 3506, of May 5, 1913, the director of School no. 6 was notified: «in accordance with the order of the Ministry No. 30641/913, I have the honour to inform you that following your report no. 213, the Ministry approved that in the two free rooms of the school a museum will be set up in one, and the other to be used for conferences and school celebrations».

The patrimony of this School Museum consisted of donations, collected by its initiator, as mentioned in a letter, dated April 30, 1913, addressed to the administrator of the House of Schools: «Having started, I will bring people from the locality to school every day to convince themselves of the reality. With nothing at the beginning, now I only started to gather something in a few days. But when my visitors see that you give me the contest, procuring the above [at least 25 animals and 25 stuffed birds, our note], each then will compete to make donations. I have the greatest certainty of success in my plan, because everyone I addressed was as excited as I was». In general, these donations of the most varied parts, but which, not infrequently, are also represented by objects or materials necessary for the equipment and maintenance of the building, can be traced in the Official Gazette of the Ministry where constantly, P. Pasa forwarded «thank you publications», «including the names of the persons as well as the objects donated to this school». Moreover, «for donors who will donate objects worth over 300 lei, they will write them on a marble plaque in the museum hall; as well as the people on the Committee. For donors with higher values, I will put them in the museum and their portrait, in painting».

Shortly after receiving the approvals, a Committee was set up, which included 1Q local personalities, among whom, in addition to the two initiators - Paul and Ecaterina Pasa - were also the President of the Galati Court of Appeal, the director of the National Bank, the branch Galafi, the head of the docks, a doctor, a naval major Ibidem,pp. 2Q-22, document no. 11..

One year later, on March 14, 1914, the Museum financed by «subscriptions and public offerings» is provided by the City Hall at the value of 15000 lei (in gold!) Ibidem, p. 47, document no. 64.. In the presence of many personalities, on the occasion of the school celebration, on June 22, 1914, the Museum was officially inaugurated.

Its situation in the first year of operation is found in a letter addressed by P. Pasa to Queen Maria of Romania, having the following content: «Since its establishment until now, it is researched daily by many visitors, which proves that the city of Galati, the country's first port on the Danube, lacked such an institution so useful, all the more so that throughout the country there are just a few museums, which largely contribute to the completion of the education and instruction not only of students but also of a committee of prominent people of the city, and became the property of the state, but it is up to the committee and the initiators to enlarge and complete it. All the existing furniture and objects in the museum, whose value reached approximately 15,000 lei, is made and collected only through lists of subscriptions and donations». In conclusion, the signatory requests for the Museum objects that belonged to the late King Carol I Ibidem, pp. 56-57, document no. 1QQ. Ibidem, p. 67. document no. 128.. Consequently, on April 3Q, the Crown Estate sends five boxes of stuffed animals and birds as well as 15 paintings. P. Pasa thanks Queen Maria for the donation in a letter, at the end of which he requests, again, «a small object that belonged to King Carol I»(sic!).

The patrimony and fame of the Museum increased constantly, so that in 1915 P. Pasa asked the City Hall for the insurance of the pieces, as well as «funds for the maintenance of the museum 50-60 lei per month». The estimated amount, which was approved by the City Hall to be included in the future budget, amounted to 31, QQQ lei, of which 2Q,QQQ lei were museum objects.

The situation set out is eloquently presented in a report prepared on February 3, 1930, at the request of the Press and Propaganda Directorate «for documenting abroad on Romanian art», which specifies: «the undersigned, together with my wife, both teachers, set up in Galaf, since 1913, a Regional Museum recognized as a <Legal Entity>. This museum is installed in the building of the primary school for boys, no. 6 from Galaf. The value of this museum is estimated at approximately - 5,000,000 lei. The museum has different sections. Zoology - geology - petrography, numismatics, archaeology, prints - documents, various historical objects, etc. This Museum, since its establishment, has been visited by tens of thousands of people from the country and abroad (Poles, Czechoslovaks, Dutch, French, English, etc.). I cite only a few names from the Museum's Golden Book: Baron E. Von Nagel (Minister of the Netherlands), Widowietzchi (Minister of Poland), Martin Nuksa (Minister of Latvia), Count Nicola, Abbot Zavoral, Director General of Education in The Hague and Prague, Consuls: Dutch, Polish, Czechoslovak, Persian, Turkish, German, Mexican; His Royal Highness Prince Nicolai, His Royal Highness Princess Elena, former ministers Dr. C. Angelescu, Simion Mehedinti, I. G. Duca, Gr. Trancu - Ia§i, N. Iorga, I. Andriesescu, D. I. Simionescu, etc. For the activity carried out at the prosperity of this Museum I was decorated with the Work Reward for Education class I and II, the Crown of Romania, the Star of Romania - officer, Bene Merenti class II and class I. My wife also owns: Reward for education, class I and II, Bene Merenti class II and class I. Regarding the setting up of this Museum, we have made all the moral and material sacrifices, without any material competition from any authority. The current Museum is too small. I urged all local authorities and parliamentarians to present a bill that Villa «Cuza Vodä» in Galati, today an abandoned and ruined building, be declared a <Historic Monument> and then move the Museum to that place. But today's times and unfavourable circumstances prevent the realization of the projected plan and predict that this museum made with much effort, after I retire this year, will be left to deterioration and indifference not having its own building. The objects of the Museum are inventoried, but due to lack of funds we do not have printed catalogues. Private initiatives, in most cases, are almost never encouraged. Only for a zoological object, a snake <Boa Constrictor> in length of 5 meters, I spent for the preparation 8,000 lei, and for a camel, whose skin I sent to the Dermoplastic Institute in Bucharest (Mr. Iosif Enächescu Muscel, Street Dela Vrancea, No. 27) I was asked 20,000 lei for stuffing, but I gave up executing it. I did what I could, with my own means".

The entire collection was ceded on February 20, 1938 to the «Cuza Vodä Association»; the initiative becoming official through the address no. 8138 of the Ministry of Cults and Arts. On the same occasion, acts, documents and photographs from institutions and personalities from the city or from the country are collected and thus, on January 24, 1939, the museum that will bear the name of the illustrious ruler is officially opened, in a festive atmosphere, which included a varied cultural program, broadcast live on the radio.

Paul and Ecaterina Pasa are appointed on the same occasion as honorary members of the new institution, also acquiring the right to consultative voting. At the same time, the members of the museum that had functioned within the Boys' School no. 6 were to be «by right the active members of the new cultural establishment, the Cuza Vodä Museum». Despite the opposition of the two founders, the committee decided that the «Cuza Vodä» Museum and House should be donated to the «Country Guard». In this sense, the Pasas reacted: «this report was signed by all members of the association, Ibidem, pp. 75-77. document no. 152. V. S. Pisicä, Restaurarea din anul 1938 a «Casei Cuza Vodä» din Galafi. in Danubius. XXII. 2004. pp. 185-194. DJANG. fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi. file no. 17bis/1939. p. 11. Ibidem, file no. 16/1939. ff. 477-562; See also «Actiunea», no. 2594 from January 27. 1939; «România». no. 236 from January 27 1939; «Timpul». no. 622 from January 27. 1939. DJANG. fund: Primäria municipiului Galafi. file no. 16/1939. f. 477. Ibidem. file no. 16/1939. p. 17. Ibidem, file no. 19/1939, p. 13. except for the undersigned, as the museum had been donated and was intended for the city of Galap, and not for the Guard.»43, as an alternative, proposing: «so that this cultural institution of general interest for the city of Galati, the museum made with so much effort and sacrifice by us, not to be destroyed, but on the contrary to progress through the care you will give it and to become a future as close as possible an ornament of the city of Galati, we donate it to the City Hall of Galati».The new reality is enshrined on April 30, 1941 by order 25,302 of the Ministry of Cults and Arts, empowered by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Regarding the management of the new museum institution, Paul Pasa, in a memorandum addressed to the Royal Residence of the «Lower Danube» Land, wrote: «I worked for my country as much as I could and I knew how. Please accept what you believe in, but look for the successor who will continue and complete this work» Ibidem, file no. 27/1941, pp. 12-13. Ibidem, pp. 12-13. Ibidem, file no. 27/1941, p. 8. L. E§anu, op. cit., p. 49. DJANG, fund: Primäria municipiului Galap. file no. 16/1939. pp. 15-16. Ibidem, fund: Rezidenta Regalä a Tinutului Dunärea de Jos. file 218/1942. p. 3. Costin Croitoru (editor). Pagini din trecutul muzeografiei gälätene.... p. 94. document no. 154..

In 1942, Dimitrie Stähiescu, a teacher at the «Vasile Alecsandri» High School in Galap, was appointed director of the «Cuza Vodä» museum: «we considered that you, as a teacher of history and archeology, at «Vasile Alecsandri» High School, are the most suitable person to correspond to the goal pursued by the above-mentioned institute of culture. We have no doubt, Professor, that you will do your best for this cultural establishment to take an ever-increasing development and become a real adornment of our city by collecting everything that may be of interest not only in the past of Galati and Covurlui County, but also of the whole Lower Danube region, which was and is the intention of generous donors». This is also the moment when (February 25) a very rigorous inventory of the objects from the «Ecaterina and Paul Pasa Museum from Villa Cuza Vodä»is drawn up in 13 large galleries, five small ones, as well as numerous other isolated ones.

Taking over the position entrusted to him, D. Stähiescu becomes acquainted «on the go» with the museum's patrimony, including through an active correspondence with P. Pa§a, retired to Bucharest. In this sense, eloquent is an epistle sent by the latter, which also includes explanatory notes on some archaeological pieces: «So far, I have sent you two postcards related to the Pasa Museum with some clarifications you needed. In this letter I give you the explanations you asked me for, being the following: the 3 amphorae in front of the museum are brought by me. The first-largest is from the Byzantine Fortress Heracleea (today Enisala, Tulcea County) used by the Genoese-pirates for the conservation of drinking water, which was brought from great distances. The second vessel is from the Calatis Fortress (Mangalia) used for the preservation of cereals in times of drought; and the third vessel, the glazed one, once more recent, and is found at the Carsium Fortress (Hârçova) used for oil preservation. The inscribed stone is from the time of Emperor Trajan, found near Galap (§endreni commune) in the vineyard of the vegetable merchant Tofan from Galap. That stone was once used in a Roman temple. The inscription was translated both by Bärcäcilä, the Director of the high school from Turnu- Severin, when he came with the students at Galap to visit the Museum, and by professor N. Iorga during his visits to our Museum - being members of the committee. If you can't find the translation in the Museum's archive, you can do it yourself - as a specialist you are. It is about building a Temple of the God Jupiter, as a thank you for defeating and driving out the barbarians of ancient Dacia.

Then there are some bricks and stones noted by me, from: Trajan's Bridge, Adam-Clisi, Hârçova, Sarmizegetusa etc. The beheaded Roman soldier is found in the excavations at Mäcin, and the Capitol is taken out by divers from the bottom of the Danube, near Silistra. Regarding the 2 sarcophagi and the ten boxes placed in the corner between the closet No 1 and the closet No 2 (these are boxes, the sarcophagi being in front of the Museum), I can give the following explanations: during the time when Professor C. Giurescu was royal resident in Galaf, had provided in the budget of the Residence an amount for the excavations and archaeological researches in Tulcea County, Constanta, Tecuci (Poiana), wanting to give a great development to my Museum. In charge of the research he had entrusted the University Professors: Lambrino, Radu Vulpe, and Asvarian. The last two are currently in Rome. The sarcophagi are therefore brought to the Museum during the time of Professor Giurescu (former Resident) and found as far as I can remember at Iglita near Mäcin, as well as what you will find in the ten yet unpacked boxes.

You could be interested in the Covurlui Prefecture from the Residence archive, to know for sure where exactly they were found. Also, there you will probably find the correspondence with the respective rural town halls, where the excavations were made as well as a memorandum of mine regarding the improvements that had to be made to the Museum. C. Giurescu is a man of great value and if he was still living in Galaf, he would have made many improvements. You can find a copy of my memoir at Galaf City Hall when I handed it over with the Museum on May 3, 1942. You should look for her at Teodoreanu, the City Hall Secretary. This memorandum for guidance will be of great use to you, especially since you have as mayor Mr. Ghita Vasilie, a man of all kindness, skill and initiative that characterizes him»Ibidem, pp. 100-101. document no. 156..

For that interval, documentary materials illustrating the history of the «Cuza Museum» are reduced in number. In order to fill some of these gaps, we further present an «activity report» signed by D. Stähiescu himself, entitled Data on the history of the Museum «Cuza Voda» during 1942-1948: «<House Cuza Vodä Association>, after reconstituting the building where Alexandru Ioan Cuza lived in the street of the same name, when he was a county leader in Galaf, had decided to organize a memorial museum in this building, which would include historical documentary material from the time of Alexandru Ioan Cuza and the era of the Union of Romanian Principalities. With some effort, the <Cuza Voda Association> managed to gather a fairly small material - some objects that had belonged to the Cuza family, displayed in six glass windows and some paintings from the union era displayed on the walls - all sitting in the large hall below and on the two sides. Then, the <House Cuza Vodä Association>, seeing its purpose fulfilled, dissolved and entrusted the keys of the building to the Galati City Hall care, following that this beginning of the museum would develop over time.

A favorable circumstance arose in this regard through the <Paul Pasa donation>. In 1939, the retired teacher Paul Pasa (who organized at Primary School number 6 - whose director was for a long time - a school museum, whose inventory had increased over time and barely fit in the two classrooms of the school, affected in this purpose) he established in Bucharest, and donated the inventory of this museum to the City Hall of Galati to be installed in the more spacious rooms of the <House Cuza Vodä>.

In October 1944, returning to Galaji, I found a disaster here. During the terrible bombing of the city by Hitlerites, a bomb hit the Aschinger house [?] near the Museum, destroying it, and the blast produced by the explosion shattered all the windows in both buildings of the Museum. I began to take the necessary steps. I put, at my own expense, the windows in the apartment where I lived and then I addressed the Technical Service of the City Hall for the windows in the Museum building, which were more numerous. I found all the agreement from the chief engineer Nicolae Damian and the sub-engineer M. Dunäreanu, who took measures to put the windows from the City Hall funds. It was also drilled and the roofing sheet because of the splinters that fell from the bombing projectiles and the rainwater was leaking quite seriously inside. In this case, I did not get the City Hall competition, so I hired, on my account, a tinsmith, which I paid from my teacher's salary, with the amount of about one million lei (in the inflation currency of that time).

Also, in the fall of 1944, the <Passive Defense> offices were re-installed in the rooms it had previously occupied, remaining until the end of1946, when the military unit was disbanded. But just now, when it seemed that we had remained calmer and hoped for more favorable prospects to open up for the Museum, for a better organization, Colonel Ioan appeared, who had probably obtained the approval of the City Hall, and asked me to make the Great Hall of the Museum available for soldiers' bedroom. About 20 beds were brought, the soldiers keeping the hall occupied until the end of the year, thus determining the closure of the Museum. It is conceivable how we should crowd the material next to the walls, not having full certainty for its good preservation.

At the end of March, I left the rooms where I lived and with them the management of the Museum, entrusting the keys to the City Hall. The period in which I led the Museum was: 1942-1948. Such harsh circumstances have been a serious obstacle to the development of this institution» Archive of the History Museum of Galati, unpaged, non-inventoried document, written at 23.02.1976..

Next, the collection «Ecaterina and Paul Pasa» followed the destiny of the «V. A. Urechia»» collection, «spilled» in the patrimony of the «Alexandra Ioan Cuza» Museum, lost in the few preserved inventories, so like the last one, not individualized in the contemporary emulation of the Museum, as it would have been appropriate, at least in the memory of the initiators.

The collection from Royal Residence

Organized on the principles of a museum in 1939, the «Regional Museum from Galati» consisted, as we have shown, of the collections «V. A. Urechia», «Ecaterina and Paul Pa§a», to which were added, obviously, other donations, exhibited in 1939 at «Villa Cuza Vodä». On May 9, 1953, the Regional Museum - «Cuza Palace» is registered in the list of historical monuments, through the minutes no. 16 of the meeting of the State Committee for Architecture and Constructions, Historical Monuments Approval Council V. S. Pisicä, Cum a devenit monument istoric «Casa Cuza Vodä» din Galati,in Danubius, XVIII, 2001, pp.181-183..

Another important fund, with archaeological specificity, comes from the archeological research journey performed by Mircea Petrescu-Dîmbovita Incidentally, the archaeological sites identified on this occasion later became systematic sites that provided an extremely significant heritage, see Costin Croitoru, Galati. O bibliografie arheologicä si numismaticä, Istros Publishing House (Romanian Academy. Commission for the History of Romanian Cities), Bräila, 2012, passim; Idem, Galati. Repertoriul descoperirilor arheologice si numismatice, Publishing House of the History Museum, Galati, 2013, passim. As a «case study» see also Idem, Câteva documente inedite referitoare la situl arheologic «Cetätuia» de la Stoicani (judetul Galati),in Memoria Antiquitatis, XXXI-XXXII (2015-2016), 2016, pp. 319-330., in the '40s of the last century and deposited at that time at the Royal Residence of the Lower Danube County, today mostly in the management of the History Museum in Galati. Mircea Petrescu-Dîmbovita's presence in Galati was not accidental at all. Here he was bom on May 21, 1915, in a family of leading intellectuals of the city Costin Croitoru, Mircea Petrescu-Dmbovita si începutul cercetärilor arheologice in sudul Moldovei, in Costin Croitoru, Cristina Bodlev (editors), Despre începutul cercetärilor arheologice la Dunärea de Jos (I). Contributiile lui Mircea Petrescu-Dmbovita, Istros Publishing House, Bräila, 2018, pp. 15-56., so that his appointment, after graduating from the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy Bucharest, as a delegate of the National Museum of Antiquities and the former Royal Residence in Galati of the Lower Danube, for undertaking an «archaeological trip» in Covurlui County it was as natural as could be Costin Croitoru, Cälätorie de cercetare arheologicä in Judetul Covurlui,in V. Spinei, N. Ursulescu, V. Cotiugä (editors), Orbis Praehistoriae. Mircea Petrescu-Dmbovija - in memoriam, Publishing House of «Al. I. Cuza» University, Iasi, 2015, pp. 645-655..

The new graduate received support for the proper conduct of this research, according to his own confession Mircea Petrescu-Dîmbovi(a, Multumiri si recunostintä,in Arheologia Moldovei, XXVIII, 2005, p. 36., from Constantin C. Giurescu - former royal resident of the land Leontin Negru, Istoricul Constantin C. Giurescu in functia de Rezident Regal al Tinutului Dunärea de Jos, in Stefan Stanciu, Costin Croitoru (editors), Perspective asupra istoriei locale in viziunea tinerilor cercetätori gäläteni,I, 2005, Istros Publishing House, Galati, 2005, pp. 99-112., institution that also financed the project. Then, he was helped by Professor Scarlat Lambrino, former director of the National Museum of Antiquities, Professor I. Andrie§escu, former director of the Seminary of Archaeology and Prehistory of the University of Bucharest and Ion Nestor, former curator and later director of the National Museum of Antiquities. The documentation for this extensive field research meant, first of all, the consultation of the answers to Alexandra Odobescu's Archaeological Questionnaire, which were also published on this occasion Mircea Petrescu-Dîmbovija, Räspunsurile mvätätorilor din judetul Covurlui la Cestionarul lui Alexandra Odobescu, in «Actiunea» (Galap), April 1939., remaining still, after 80 years, next to those for Dorohoi county, the only ones published, obviously, except Bräila Ionel Cândea, Costin Croitoru (editors), Documente privind istoria Bräilei. Räspunsurile la chestionarele Odobescu si Hasdeu pentru judetul Bräila,Istros Publishing House, Bräila, 2015.. Starting from the verification, in the field, of the information provided by the answers to the Questionnaire, three itineraries were followed, during which 30 points of archaeological interest were collected and listed, from various periods, from the Neolithic to in the early Middle Ages. All these new discoveries were published by the discoverer Mircea Petrescu-Dîmbovija, Cälätorie de cercetare arheologicä in judejul Covurlui (24 aprilie-14 mai 1939), in Orizonturi. Revista Asociapei Profesorilor Secundari din Galap. III. no. 5-9 (1940). 1941, pp. 323 (= Idem, Archäologische Forschungsreise in Bezirk Covurlui (Untere Moldau),in Dacia, VII-VIII (1937-1940), 1941, pp. 427-447). Both materials are also to be found at Costin Croitoru, Cristina Bodlev (editors), op. cit., pp. 85-106 respectively pp. 107-132..

Also, on the initiative of Constantin C. Giurescu, an extensive raising campaign had started «in the territory» in order to collect the fortuitously identified archaeological materials at the Residence's headquarters «A real understanding of the importance of archaeological research has guided Mr. Prof. Constantin Giurescu, Royal Resident of the Lower Danube County, to take the initiative of a vast archaeological research program, inscribing in the budget of the County the amount of one million lei, thanks to which the National Museum of Antiquities was able to organize new research sites in different places of the Land. At Dinogetia and Enisala the excavations began on July 15 and will soon begin at Troesmis. Mister Resident Regal Giurescu visited several sites in full activity, interested in the research results. The research was directed especially in Dobrogea, because this Romanian land is rich in traces of the past», According «Buletinul Tinutului Dunärea de Jos», I, no. 22-23, 1939, pp. 4-5., testimony standing in this regard two documents Costin Croitoru (editor) Pagini din trecutul muzeografiei gälätene...pp. 89-90. document no. 148-149. relative to the identification of six, respectively two Roman and Byzantine coins on the territory of Luncavita commune. Two months later from the date of their submission, the pieces in question, together with the forwarding addresses, were given for identification to Mircea Petrescu-Dîmbovifa, who added the determination of numismatic emissions at the bottom of the page.