Ion 'Iron Man' Oncescu

Ion Vlad Oncescu (born April 25, 1978 in Bucharest) is a professional Romanian arm-wrestler (skandenberg), multiple World and European champion for both left and right hands.

He graduated Journalism and Economics at the Bucharest Academy of Economic and International Business Studies. His first contact with sports was at 17yo, at Dinamo Bucharest Football Club, where he played football but he soon found tennis more interesting and started to train with Florin Segărceanu. He practiced also swimming and mountaineering, he was a professional athlete and won several international crosses.

Ion Oncescu won his first national arm-wrestling title when he was 18 years old and since then has been undisputed champion. He became world champion for the first time (90kg) at the XXIXth World Arm-wrestling Championships in Veliko-Tarnovo, Bulgaria in October 2007. For the left arm competition, Oncescu fought in 10 matches, and 5 of his opponents were former world champions. He defeated 2-0 the great Russian champion Dzambolat Tsoriev in the final. The next day he had to compete for the right arm championship, was engaged in 8 matches and reached the final where he met the same Dzambolat Tsoriev, which he defeated 2-1.





Ion Oncescu won his third and fourth world titles at 100 kg, at the World Arm-wrestling Championships held in Kelowna, Canada in 2008. He had to fight in 20 matches, 10 for the left arm and 10 for the right arm and won the two world titles with ease. Oncescu won also 2 titles of European Champion in 2009 at Sofia, Bulgaria. On January 24, 2010, he defeated 300 arm-wrestlers, including professionals.

Profile of Ion Oncescu at World of Armwrestling.

Luncani Castle

Luna, (Hungarian: Aranyoslóna, German: Lone) is a commune in Cluj County, Romania. Luncani, previously Grindeni (Hungarian: Aranyosgerend, or Gerend; German: Neusatz), is a village in the Luna commune.

The domain was first attested in 1268, in an act of purchase (Terra Gerende) by Peter, Jakab and Saul Gerendi (sons of Samson Gerendi) from a citizen named Cute of Turda, for the price of 15 silver marks. In 1270, Istvan, son of Bela IV (1235-1270) refers to Peter and Jakab Gerendi and to Villa Guerend in the certificate of dedication of settlements Aranyoslóna (Luna) and Hadrévet (Hădăreni). The church (originally Roman-Catholic) in Luncani was probably built by Jakab Gerendi after 1268 and it was completed in 1290. An inscription in stone in the church shows the existence of the church at that time. In 1332, "Monumenta Vaticana" refers to this settlement, calling it Gerend.

It seems that the castle was rebuilt in the 16th century. In 1547 it was attested in a "Diploma" as a property of Gerendi family. In 1553, Apafi György bought it from Gerendi Erzsébet. Gerendi Péter owned also a part of the domain. The same year, he left the castle to his son, Apafi Miklós. In 1597, Báthori Zsigmond donated the castle to Jósika István and his wife, but in the next year Jósika István was charged of treason, was beheaded and his domains were confiscated. The domain was then owned by the widow of Jósika and the Sarmasághy family. In 1600, Michael the Brave occupied the castle.

In 1630, Kemény Boldizsár bought the castle and the domain from Jósika Gabor. Two inventories from 1653 and 1661 describe the castle and the domain, who belonged to Kemény Janos during this period. The last inventory was realized after a Tartar raid. Two inscriptions from 1702 in the basement of the castle show the deployment of extensive construction. In 1824 were finished the bastions at the corners of the castle.

During the Revolution of 1848-1849, the castle was devastated. In 1857 were performed other construction works, including a general rebuilt. An engraving of this period presents the castle in its current form. In 1861 died Kemény Samuel, the last man in the Kemény family, followed by a long process of succession. In 1867, the castle was attributed to Kun Josefine, married with William Klebelsberg. Subsequently, it was inherited by Bánffy and Zichy families.

On the events that followed World War I, the castle was damaged again. In September 1944, the castle was occupied by Russian troops. In 1949, the Bánffy family members are forcibly evicted from the castle by the new communist authorities. Thereafter, there was established the site of an agricultural association. In this period, much of the annex buildings were demolished. In 1990, Bánffy Istvan recovered possession of the castle and domain, and in 2003 donated it to "Bánffy Castle Voluntary Association". The castle has 44 rooms, two annex buildings and 10 ha of terrain. Were donated also 53 valuable paintings, the furniture and other objects. The castle was transformed into a center for handicapped children.

Romanians at Hollywood (Part 8)

Maia Morgenstern (born May 1, 1962) is a Romanian film and stage actress, described by Florin Mitu of AMOS News as "a symbol of Romanian theater and film". In the English-speaking world, she is probably best known for the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In Romania, she has been nationally known since her 1992 role as Nela in Balanţa, a film known in the United States as The Oak, set during the waning days of Communist Romania.

Born in Bucharest, in a Jewish family, she graduated from the Film and Theater Academy of Bucharest in 1985. She then played at the Teatrul Tineretului (Youth Theater) in Piatra Neamţ until 1988, and at the Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat (State Jewish Theatre) in Bucharest 1988-1990. From 1990–1998 she was a member of the company of the National Theater in Bucharest, and since 1998 of Teatrul Bulandra, also in Bucharest; in addition, she continues to act at the State Jewish Theater and other Bucharest theaters and elsewhere in Romania.

Since making her film debut in 1983 in Prea cald pentru luna mai (1983) she has appeared in dozens of Romanian feature films as well as several international productions, including the English-language Nostradamus (1994), starring F. Murray Abraham and Tchéky Karyo; the Hungarian-language Siódmy pokój (1995) and the English/Greek language Ulysses’ Gaze (1995), in which she co-starred with Harvey Keitel. More recently, she played Nonna in the French language feature Marie, Nonna, la vierge et moi (2000). Morgenstern also took on a role in the USA Network TV movie Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula (2000). She has received two major awards for her work on the stage: Stars of Tomorrow Award (1992) and the Felix Prize as Best Actress (1993). Also in 1993, she won a European Film Award for Best Actress in Balanţa (1992).

Her surname Morgenstern means "Morning Star", a title of the Virgin Mary, the character she played in The Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson, a devout Traditionalist Catholic, thought this of great significance when casting her. In interviews, she has defended the film against allegations of antisemitism, saying that the high priest Caiaphas is portrayed not as a representative of the Jewish people, but as a leader of the establishment, adding that "Authorities throughout history have persecuted individuals with revolutionary ideas."

Maia Morgenstern at IMDB and Wikipedia.

Poale'n brâu pie

One of the traditional recipes that make Romania’s name join the list of countries with the best dishes is a specific type of pie called in Romanian: "poale'n brâu". This pie is specific for the area of Moldova (Moldavia). They are usually consumed in any circumstances, not related to holidays or other seasonal practices as in the case of other typical Romanian dishes. Therefore their composition may vary from sweet or salty cheese to fruits or jams.

Ingredients:
500 grams of flour
100 grams of lard (or butter or oil)
4 egg yolks
100 grams of cream
60 g of yeast
half teaspoon of salt
300 ml of milk
100 grams of sugar.

In addition to these in preparing the filling you will also need:
500 grams of cheese (or jam / fruits)
If using cheese, add:
2 eggs
a glass of milk
60 grams of cream
50 grams of sugar.

It’s pretty easy to prepare this pie but it requires a longer period of time as you need the dough to rise. In a larger bowl mix the yeast with the sugar until becomes liquid. Add 2 tablespoons of tepid milk, a little flour and mix well. Cover and let sit in a warm place. Meanwhile prepare egg yolks with sugar and salt and after a while add this composition in the one previously made and mix. Knead this dough while adding warmish lard, and then leave it to rise again. While waiting prepare the filling: mix the cheese with eggs, salt, sugar and other ingredients such as currants and vanilla sugar, depending on what you like. Add salt and knead with flour until the dough comes off your hands and bowl easily. Cover and let rise in a warm place. After the dough has raised, roll into a 1cm sheet and make medium sized squares out of it. Then put the filling in the midst and pull the corners of the squares in the middle of the pie, envelope style. Stick well so that the filling may not come out. Sprinkle flour on the baking sheet, then put the pies in tray, wash with egg, cover with baking paper and leave in the oven about 45 minutes. Serve as you like it, because it is good both warm and cold, with sugar or plain.

Ioan Holender

Ioan Holender (born Johann Hollaender, born 18 July 1935, Timişoara) is a Romanian singer, manager and director of opera. He is the General Manager of the Vienna State Opera.

Holender's family is of Jewish ancestry, and growing up, he spoke 3 languages. His father owned a factory in Timişoara, which was expropriated in 1948. After baccalaureate, Holender studied for three years mechanical engineering at the Technical University in Timişoara, specialty steam machines and successfully completed the first round of the state examination. While in third year of studies, in 1956, he was expelled from the whole Romanian higher education system on political grounds, following his participation at students movements. He worked as a tennis coach and a stage director assistant until he and his family emigrated to Austria, where his mother was residing. He intended to continue his engineering studies, but became interested in singing. After completing his music studies - Canto at Vienna Conservatoire (1959-1962), from 1962 to 1966 he started a career as an operatic baritone and concert singer and sang two seasons at the Klagenfurt Stadttheater.

In 1966, he began to work at the Starka theatrical agency, which he eventually took over and, under the name of Holender Opera Agency, increased the prestige and made it one of the most important German Agencies.

In 1988, Eberhard Waechter named Holender as Secretary-General of the Vienna State Opera, effective as of 1991. There was controversy as this appointment, because of perceived conflicts of interest between this post and his prior association with his theatrical agency. Eventually, Holender dissociated himself from the Starka business. After Waechter's death in February 1992, Holender became Director of the Vienna State Opera on 1 April 1992. He also led the Vienna Volksoper for 4 years simultaneously. Holender's contract was extended three times and his tenure is scheduled to conclude on 31 August 2010. At the conclusion of his tenure, he will have been the longest-serving general director in the history of the Vienna State Opera.

In the years 2002 – 2004 he was artistic consultant of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Since 2003 he is honorary president and artistic director of the George Enescu Festivals in Bucharest / Romania. In addition he is a guest lecturer at the Vienna University Institute of Theater, Film and Media Sciences and at the Danube University Krems. Further he is a jury member for several international singing-competitions.

He has received five honorary doctorates and is a recipient of the Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria and the Gold Medal for meritorious service to the State of Vienna, the Award in Gold of the State of Vienna as well as the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art I. Class. In 1999 he was appointed "Officier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the French Republic. He is Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy.

Ioan Holender is an Honorary Member of the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper. He holds the Clemens Krauss Medal given by the Vienna State Opera chorus, the Golden "Franz Schalk" Medal given by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and has also been awarded the honorary citizenship of his native town Timisoara. During the first tour of Vienna State Opera in Bucharest (George-Enescu-Festival) in September 2001 he has been decorated with the most important Romanian medal. In December 2002 he received the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria. Further he received the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold of the Italian Republic in June 2004 and with this has been appointed "Commendatore". In May 2005 he was awarded the „Europäischer Kultur Initiativ Preis“ of the European Foundation for Culture Pro Europa and the Prize for a long life activity dedicated to culture and for the contribution to the assertion of the Romanian values throughout the world, awarded by the Romanian Cultural Foundation.

Ocna Mureş Castle

Ocna Mureş (Hungarian: Marosújvár, German: Miereschhall) is a town in Alba County, Romania, located in the north-eastern corner of the county, near the Mureş River. The town is situated next to a large deposit of salt. The city was attested as a Roman civilian settlement in Dacia (II-III century AD), known for salt exploitation, as Salinae.

The Teleki Castle in Uioara de Sus (Upper Uioara), a district of Ocna Mureş, was first an medieval castle. In a document from 1290, it was named Castrum Novum (New Castle), supporting the existence of an earlier fortification (10th-11th centuries), from which can be seen today portions of a mound with a ditch. This New Castle was built at the end of the 13th century by order of the Hungarian Crown, to protect the neighboring salt mine. It was then attested in documents of 1336 and 1382. During the 14th century the castle became the property of some nobles.

In 1576 it was the property of Báthori Kristóf, who left it in 1581 to Gálfi János. Michael the Brave donated the castle and the Uioara domain to his counselor Mihalcea, Great Ban of Craiova (1599). In 1620 Prince Bethlen Gábor donate the benefits of the castle and town to the orphaned son of Siményfalvi Székely Mózes. Mikes Mihály acquired the castle during the reign of Apafi Mihály I, and his family owned it until the middle of the 19th century. The Latvian count Mikó Imre repaired the castle and converted it in Baroque style.

The castle was partially demolished to permit the construction (between 1850-1860) of an impressive neo-Gothic castle for the Banffy noble family, building which later became the property of Teleki counts. From the medieval castle can still be seen today the ruins of a pentagonal tower, representing an old dungeon.

The building has a square plan, with ground floor and two levels. The residential building is adjacent to annexes for management staff and estate maintenance. In the court there is a wine cellar and a chapel, which was originally equipped with an organ. The Teleki family arranged around the castle a park with paths and trees, including some rare acclimatized species.

The complex includes the ruins of a church, built in Romanesque style around 1300. There are still preserved some brick walls and a bell tower, that has windows with cubic capitals. Over time, it underwent several major changes. The castle is a historical monument.

Fotos from Ocna Mureş Online.

Cetatea de Baltă Castle

Cetatea de Baltă (Hungarian: Küküllővár; Saxon German: Kâkelbrich; German: Kockelburg, Kukelburg, Kuchelburg, Kümelburg) is a village in Alba County with a population of 3235. It is located between Târnăveni (15 km) and Blaj (21 km).

The village was first attested in a Papal register in 1177, as "Villa Cuculiensis Castri". The reformed church towers were built in 1060, and have resisted to the Tatar invasion of 1214. As a reminder of those events, on church walls is painted a big head of a Tatar (late 13th century). According to another document in 1214, during King Stephen I of Hungary here was a wooden fort fortified with embankments of earth, which was destroyed during the Tatar invasion in 1241.

Documents from the early 14th century refers again to a fort, which during 1467-1538 was under the rule of Ştefan the Great and Petru Rareş, ruling princes of Moldavia. In 1565 it was destroyed by the Csaky family, owner of the serf villages to build here a fortified castle. In the late 17th century the domain became the property of Prince Apafi Mihály.

In 1757 was bought by Gábor Bethlen, than the castle than became the property of his brother Miklos Bethlen, who, in 1770 , rebuilt the castle. Instead of the drawbridge he built a stairway, the building got a pointed roof, the outer wall was dismantled, he built a chapel, a boose, and a gate barbican which, in 1972, crumbled down.

After Count Bethlen’s family, the Haller family received it by marriage and moved into the magnificent castle. During the WWII the walls of the castle were damaged (1944). After the war, the castle was used as a granary, office house, and after the 70’s the Jidvei champagne factory used the cellars of the castle for storing. Today the castle is private property and can not be visited. The castle was bought from Count Haller’s grandchild with the condition that it can not be modified. The new owner wants the castle to be placed in the touristic circuit.

The Bethlen-Haller Castle was built in the 16th century in the French Renaissance style and restored in the 17th-18th centuries in the Baroque style. The building has a rectangular plan, with massive walls, laid on top with holes for oil and circular defense towers on corners.

The basement and first floor have semi-cylindrical vaulted ceilings. On the upper side is a spiral staircase. The main staircase, richly decorated, is carved in wood. The new owners have preserved it, and at its end, in the cellars where were tortured the serfs and where food was kept, is now arranged a room for wine tasting. The doors and window frames, the architecture, generally bears the imprint of the French Renaissance. The gate, in Baroque style, was built in 1769. The castle was famous for its gardens and the deer farm. From the castle cellars start tunnels leading to the castle of Sânmiclăuş, another family property.

Images from here.