Octavian Paler

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Octavian Paler (July 2, 1926–May 7, 2007) was a Romanian writer, journalist, politician in Communist Romania, and civil society activist in post-1989 Romania.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Political Activity 3 Journalism 4 Bibliography 5 Trivia

[edit] Biography

Octavian Paler was born in Lisa, Braşov County.

He was educated at Spiru Haret High School in Bucharest. In the summer of 1944, just one week before graduating the 7th grade, he was forced to leave the school because of an argument with his uncle and Sipru Haret's school head master - George Serban. Octavian Paler moved on to Radu Negru High School in Făgăraş, where he studied literature for his final examination. He graduated in 1945 with magna cum laude and outstanding results in philosophy, Latin and Greek. He sat the final examination in Sibiu in the same year.

Octavian Paler went on to study Philosophy and Law at the University of Bucharest.

He died of a heart attack on [May 7]] 2007 at the age of 80. He has buried with military honours in the Sfânta Vineri cemetery.

[edit] Political Activity

Octavian Paler was a substitute member in the Central Committee of Romanian Communist Party CCPCR from 1974 to 1979, and a member of the National Assembly with constituency in Vaslui, from 1980 to 1985. However, he was persecuted by the Romanian secret services Securitate because of his pro-western views and criticism of Romanian Communist Party, including Nicolae Ceauşescu. He was not allowed to leave his home and suffered restrictions in his artistic work.

After the fall of Nicolae Ceauşescu in 1989, Octavian Paler continued his anti-communist activity as a founding member of the Group for Social Dialogue Grupul de Dialog Social, together with Ana Blandiana and Gabriel Liiceanu amongst others. During his last years he was an intense critic of Romanian politics and it's politicians.

[edit] Journalism

The majority of his career has developed during the Communist Regime, as the vice-president of the Romanian Radio and TV Broadcasting committee from 1965 to 1970, and the president of the Romanian Journalist's Council in 1976. He worked as a Senior Editor at the influential newspaper România Liberă from 1970 to 1983.

After 1989, Octavian Paler received public appreciation for his journalistic work and political activism and was appointed as the chief editor of România Liberă. He has also published with Cotidianul and Ziua, and has made appearances on public TV discussing politics and morality.

[edit] Bibliography

• Umbra cuvintelor
• Drumuri prin memorie I (Egipt, Grecia)
• Drumuri prin memorie II (Italia)
• Viaţa pe un peron
• Scrisori imaginare
• Apărarea lui Galilei
• Aventuri solitare
• Deşertul pentru totdeauna
• Un om norocos
• Mitologii subiective
• Caminante, (2004)
• Autoportret într-o oglindă spartă, (2004)
• Caminante. Jurnal şi contrajurnal mexican, (2005), ediţia a doua, adăugită
• Viaţa ca o coridă
• Un muzeu în labirint
• Eul detestabil
• Vremea intrebărilor
• Rugaţi-vă să nu vă crească aripi
• Don Quijote în est
• Polemici cordiale
• Calomnii mitologice 2007)

[edit] Trivia

Octavian Paler came in 91^st in a poll conducted by Romanian Television to find the "greatest Romanians of all time" in 2006.