Romanian Academy's President Ioan-Aurel Pop: Doina Cornea, legendary face, comparable to Harriet Beecher Stowe

The President of the Romanian Academy, Ioan-Aurel Pop, compared Doina Cornea with the author of the famous novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin", who is known to have had a frail stature but who succeeded in overturning a world of injustice."

"For me, as I had the privilege of knowing her personally, she remains like a legendary face, comparable to that of American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, who, through the novel 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', succeeded in overturning a world of injustice, preparing one of liberty and equality.

This little and fragile lady is said to have been welcomed by President Abraham Lincoln, who was surprised that such a frail woman overturned such a big [unjust] world. And she, coming out from the president, told the journalists that the head of state was one of those rare people who, even when they become great, do not cease to be good," said the President of the Romanian Academy.

"The disappearance of Doina Cornea from this world has a special significance for the community of UBB (Babes-Bolyai University, ed. n.) professors and students, because this Lady of the anti-communist protesting spirit was a teacher of Alma Mater Napocensis. It is true that the institution did not know how and could not, in those dictatorship times, protect and treasure her as she deserved, but gratitude to great personalities often comes in history after their death. This is not an excuse but a remark," Ioan-Aurel Pop said in a reply given to the press when learning about the death of the writer who lived in Cluj-Napoca.

Anti-communist dissident Doina Cornea died in her home at the age of 88 on Thursday to Friday night.AGERPRES(RO - author: Elena Stanciu, editor: Irina Poenaru; EN - author: Bogdan Gabaroi; editor: Maria Voican)