Volga si Warszawa, Dobrogea

Mandria socialismului! Volga M21 si Warszawa erau printre cele mai raspandite masini "mari" pe soselele patriei. Au fost importate cateva mii - si pentru institutii, si pentru persoane fizice. Volga, fiind masina mai moderna, a avut o rata de supravietuire mult peste Warszawa, model care isi trage originea din Pobeda anilor 40. Modelul de Volga prezentat aici e generatia 2, produs intre 1958 si 1962. Poza e suprinsa intre 1966 si 1968 in Constanta. Warszawa din poza e relativ rara pentru Romania, fiind un model 200, stil fastback, produs inainte de 1964. Majoritatea exemplarelor in Romania sunt modele post-64, in trei volume, denumite 223. DB = Dobrogea, nu Dambovita.


The pride of socialism! The Volga M21 and Warszawa were among the most common "full-size" cars on Romanian roads. A few thousand would have been imported, both for individuals and for institutions. The more modern Volga - of which this is a second generation example, moade between 1958 and 1962 - has a higher rate of survival than the Warszawa, which traces its origins to the 1940s Pobeda. The example of the Warszawa shown here is a pre-1964 200, still with the fastback body style; most examples in Romania, however, were the later three-box 223. This photograph was taken between 1966 and 1968 in Constanta, Dobrogea region.

Noi imagini bucurestene, 1968 / New images of Bucharest, 1968

Inca sapte poze cu aspecte mai putin fotografiate din Bucurest. E vorba de zonele Gara Nord si Buzesti, astazi in paragina sau demolate. Remarcam un autobuz interbelic (sau imediat postbelic - Praga?) inca in functiune, precum si un Peugeot 404 visiniu si un Trabant 601, poate singra masina din poze care ne este arhicunoscuta si astazi.






Seven more photos, this time showing two lesser-photographed zones of Bucharest, Gara Nord and Buzesti, areas which are now either extremely dilapidated or knocked down. Alongside the prewar (or elary postwar - Praga?) bus, of interest is the burgundy Peugeot 404 and early Trabant, probably the only car in the photo which is instantly familiar to all.

Ultima Dacie Denem? / The last Dacia Denem?

Triste poze ... Masina, cu faruri de Renault, e moarta din 2005. Ultima speranta e break-up inchis intr-o sura din anii 80 ... daca nu l-ar fi mancat rugina ...

Sad photos ... The car, with Renault lights, died in 2005. The final hope is the estate locked in a barn since the 80s ... if rust hasn't eaten it away ...

Bucuresti din aer, 1941 / Bucharest from the air, 1941

Inca niste imagini din minunata colectie Pragher, aratand Bucuresti vazut din aer, 1941. Remarcam atat startea excelenta a soselelor cat si masinile americane...






Several more images from the Pragher collection showing Bucharest from the air in 1941. The condition of the roads is a impressive as the American cars!

Insignie comemorativa AB / AB commemorative badge

Aceasta insignie comemoreaza 30 de ani de la fabricatia primului autocamion romanesc. Fapt eronat, pentru ca, in anii 20, deja se fabricau camioane la Arad. Totusi ramane o amintire a vremurilor apuse, vremuri in care lumea se mandrea cu ce se fabrica in tara, oricat de demodat ar fi fost.

This badge commemorates 30 years from the manufacture of the first Romanian truck. Not strictly correct, as trucks were being made in Arad in the 1920s. However, it remains an interesting memento of past times, when Romanians took pride in their produce no matter how old-fashioned it was.

Camion mister, 1971 / Mystery truck, 1971

In aceasta poza, din 1971, aratand biserica Alba din Bucuresti, se vede un camion care, mie cel putin, e necunoscut. Nu pare a fi un MTD fabricat la uzinele Vulcan in anii 50, dar arata destul de primitiv sa poate fi de productie romaneasca din accea epoca. Ceva idei? Poate o autospeciala pentru pompieri?

In this 1971 photo showing the White Church in Bucharest, a mystery lorry can be seen. I have no clue what it is. It doesn't look like an mTD, made in the 1950s at the Vulcan plant in Bucharest - but it does look primitive enough to be Romanian and from that era. Amy ideas? Perhaps something custom-built for the fire service?

Parfum interbelic / A taste of the 1930s

De la Stefan, avid cititor de blog, o poza interebelica cu bunicul sau langa un Chevrolet din 1934. Masina e proaspat spalata, desigur ca sa arate cat mai frumoasa in poza: mandria oamenilor in fotografie este evidenta. Masina in acea perioada era, bine inteles, o emblema a bunastarii sociale, un simbol ca Romania putea sa tina pas cu alte tari europene, si o tinta pentru foarte multi oameni de clasa mijlocie: daca muncesti, poti sa ai si tu asa ceva. Si cand ai ajuns - de ce sa nu fii mandru si tu un pic?

From Stefan, a keen reader of this blof, an interwar photograph with his grandfather next to a 1934 Chevrolet. The car is freshly washed so as to appear as shiny as possible; the pride of the people standing around it is clear. In that era, the car was of course a symbol of proposerity, and also one of Romania being equal with other European countries. It was a reasonable aim for a middle-class family to own one - provided, of course, that one worked for it. And once you have one, why not be proud of it a little?