[Cz-L] Franz Porubsky's Suicide

Czernowitzers...

Thanks to Irene, we learned, that Franz Porubsky's suicide in August 1934 was much more than a personal tragedy, it had a political dimension. During that period of time Romania headed for a vehement Romanization course and all public employees, especially the teachers, were forced to take examinations for Romanian language, history and geography. A failure, followed by the dismissal, could destroy the basis of existence for the entire family.

Franz Porubsky was 54 years old in 1934 and failed the Romanian language examination. Before sitting for the re-examination, he committed suicide, as we learn from Hartmut Merkt's book "Poesie in der Isolation", Wiesbaden 1999, p. 61, footnote 176.

Elias Hauster, my grandfather, officer of the Czernowitz planning and building control office, 56 years old in 1934, he too had to endure this examination and from his correspondance one can comprehend his desperation and frustration to be treated like a first-grader at the end of a successful professional career.

In this context I do really realize Franz Porubsky's dilemma and fatal act of desperation!

Edgar Hauster
Lent - The Netherlands

                                               
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Received on 2012-08-24 05:26:36