A slection of postcards showing the activity of the Romanian Militia (traffic police) in 1979.
la Zürich
23 hours ago
18 August 2010
Militia 1979
O selectie de carti postale aratand activitatea Militiei in 1979.
A slection of postcards showing the activity of the Romanian Militia (traffic police) in 1979.
A slection of postcards showing the activity of the Romanian Militia (traffic police) in 1979.
5 August 2010
2 August 2010
Science Fiction 2: Mrs Ceasuescu's Renault
Mai sus am vorbit despre tendinta de a spunce ca orice masina mai luxoasa care a existat in Romania a apartinut unei personalitati. In acel caz am vorbit despre un Citroen cu care se spune ca se plimba toavarasa Elena Ceausescu, adevarul fiind departe. Dar azi, in acest articol , am sansa sa aud despre o masina autentica.
E vorba despre un Renault 18 in paragina, fosta masina de serviciu, apoi donata la o scoala de la tara in 1997. Asa ceva se facea. O scoala din Targu Neamt s-a ales cu un ARO bleo, comanda speciala, masina de vantoare pentru alesi. In plus, Renault 18 chiar era masina folosita de elita anilor 80. inclusiv primi secretari si alte cadre elevate. In final, numarul spune tot. 1-B-180 era clar una din masinile oficiale. Acuma, daca fundul Lenutei intr-adevar se cocota pe banchata din spate e greu de spus, in lipsa evidentei fotografice. Cert e, totusi, ca e o masina cu o istorie deosebit de interesanta, care, in ciuda starei si mai precare decat Citroenul CX, merita din deplin salvata.
Some time ago I talked about a tendency to ascribe any luxurious car which used to exist in Romania to a famous former owner, the example given being the Citroen CX with which - apparently - Elena Ceausescu used to get around. As in the Citroen's case, the truth is usually far away. Yet here , I read about something different, and quite possibly authentic.
The story rings true. It was apparently Elena's work car and given to a school in 1997. Indeed, mny official vehicles ended their days in this way: I remember, and have photos of, a school in Targu Neamt which ended up with an official light blue hunting ARO. The Renault 18 was the standard "elite car" in 80s Romania and was favoured by party first secretaries and the like. And the numberplate - 1-B-180 - could only have belonged to someone very important. Whether or not it was the self-same vehicle in which comrade Elena would park her Communist bum will probably be lost in the mists of time, unless photos surface of the car in its heyday. But, as one of the official cars of Communism, it has an excellent and fascinating history and - despite its terrible condition - is well worth saving.
E vorba despre un Renault 18 in paragina, fosta masina de serviciu, apoi donata la o scoala de la tara in 1997. Asa ceva se facea. O scoala din Targu Neamt s-a ales cu un ARO bleo, comanda speciala, masina de vantoare pentru alesi. In plus, Renault 18 chiar era masina folosita de elita anilor 80. inclusiv primi secretari si alte cadre elevate. In final, numarul spune tot. 1-B-180 era clar una din masinile oficiale. Acuma, daca fundul Lenutei intr-adevar se cocota pe banchata din spate e greu de spus, in lipsa evidentei fotografice. Cert e, totusi, ca e o masina cu o istorie deosebit de interesanta, care, in ciuda starei si mai precare decat Citroenul CX, merita din deplin salvata.
Some time ago I talked about a tendency to ascribe any luxurious car which used to exist in Romania to a famous former owner, the example given being the Citroen CX with which - apparently - Elena Ceausescu used to get around. As in the Citroen's case, the truth is usually far away. Yet here , I read about something different, and quite possibly authentic.
The story rings true. It was apparently Elena's work car and given to a school in 1997. Indeed, mny official vehicles ended their days in this way: I remember, and have photos of, a school in Targu Neamt which ended up with an official light blue hunting ARO. The Renault 18 was the standard "elite car" in 80s Romania and was favoured by party first secretaries and the like. And the numberplate - 1-B-180 - could only have belonged to someone very important. Whether or not it was the self-same vehicle in which comrade Elena would park her Communist bum will probably be lost in the mists of time, unless photos surface of the car in its heyday. But, as one of the official cars of Communism, it has an excellent and fascinating history and - despite its terrible condition - is well worth saving.
1-IS-610
Poza gasita pe Picasaweb aratand pe doi membri ai unei familie iesene, mandri pe langa Dacia lor 1310. Fotografia are o importatna anume pentru mine intrucat si masina mea, Volga M24 din 1973, circula pe acelasi numar 610, numai de Vrancea. Fostul proprietar a fost foarte important atunci, circuland, de doua ori pe saptamana, de la Focsani pana la Bucuresti si inapoi. Bine inteles, nu avea nevoie de cupoane de benzina! Ma intreb cum de aveau respectivii din poza numerele ravnite cu trei cifre... Sigur, nu toti erau cu partidul. Multi mecanici de ex. aveau numere foarte tari. Iar cei mai "tari" din anii 80 de multe ori preferau sa nu iese in evidenta si circulau pe numere gen 2-B-xxxx. Ce vremuri...
Photo, from Picasaweb, showing a father and child from Iasi county proud next to their Dacia 1310. For me the photo is rather special becasue, back in the day, my own 1973 Volga had the same plates (1-xx-610), but issued by Vrancea county. The owner, a VIP at the time, would drive to Bucharest from Focsani and back twice a week at least. No petrol rationing for him! I wonder what the man in this photo did to get himself the much-wanted three-digit number plates... Of course, he need not necessarily have been a senior Party activist. Many mehchanics, for example, had very good (ie short) number plates. While the true movers and shakers would often prefer to travel more discreetly... Interesting times.
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Photo, from Picasaweb, showing a father and child from Iasi county proud next to their Dacia 1310. For me the photo is rather special becasue, back in the day, my own 1973 Volga had the same plates (1-xx-610), but issued by Vrancea county. The owner, a VIP at the time, would drive to Bucharest from Focsani and back twice a week at least. No petrol rationing for him! I wonder what the man in this photo did to get himself the much-wanted three-digit number plates... Of course, he need not necessarily have been a senior Party activist. Many mehchanics, for example, had very good (ie short) number plates. While the true movers and shakers would often prefer to travel more discreetly... Interesting times.
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27 July 2010
Ploiesti 1943
Cars, mainly American, in Ploiesti, in 1943. Pragher archives.
Automobile in Ploiesti, majortiatea de fabricatie americana, in 1943. Arhivele Pragher.
Automobile in Ploiesti, majortiatea de fabricatie americana, in 1943. Arhivele Pragher.
23 July 2010
16 July 2010
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