Romanian Academy of Sciences (1935 – 1948)

Romanian Academy of Sciences (1935 – 1948)

Establishment of ASR

On March 11, 1935, at the initiative of 26 scientists, the scientific association of the Romanian Academy of Sciences was established “de facto” (source: Articles of Association). Section Ia of the Ilfov Tribunal, by sentence no. 44/29 March 1935, he responded to the request of the Romanian Academy of Sciences (ASR) and granted him legal personality on March 29, 1935. Following the establishment of ASR, the Romanian Academy protested vehemently. The President of the Romanian Academy, Ludovic Mrazec, pointed out on March 29 that both the name of the Academy of Science and the purpose of this association had caused confusion in the Romanian Academy.

More categorically, the general secretary Lapedatu remarked that, through the adopted title, a legal right is impeached, a moral patrimony is usurped and serious and damaging damages are brought to our institution, as the Romanian Academy had a precious moral patrimony on which it was indebted and had the obligation to guard it dearly and to defend it against anyone who might harm or harm it. -History of the Romanian Academy (1866-2006). In support of the two, only “ten academics and six corresponding members” expressed their protest:

“On February 14, 1936, an extraordinary general meeting was held on the same issue, addressing the memoirs of the King and the Government, and at the same time spreading a pamphlet informing the public.” – Annals of the Romanian Academy

On December 19, 1936, Section I of the Court of Appeal ruled both on the request for intervention of the Romanian Academy submitted in the hearing of June 24, 1935 and on the appeal made by the First Prosecutor of the Ilfov Tribunal against the sentence no. 44/29 March 1935 of Section I of the Ilfov Tribunal. The main objections raised by the appeal made by the Chief Prosecutor, as well as by the request for intervention made by the Romanian Academy referred to the fact that at the date of the application, the “Romanian Academy of Sciences” did not have a steering committee, did not draw up a Statute and Rules of Procedure and had not set up an account.

Taking into account the fact that on January 20, 1936, in the plenary session of the founding members of the “Romanian Academy of Sciences”, and on January 25, 1936, in the meeting of the General Assembly of the same association, the Statute and Rules of Procedure of this Association were approved. Academies and that by the constitutive act of March 11, 1935 a leadership of the Academy was in fact elected, later completed, on December 19, 1936, Section I of the Court of Appeal rejected as unfounded both the appeal made by the First Prosecutor of the Ilfov Tribunal against the sentence no. 44/29 March 1935 of the First Section of the Ilfov Tribunal as well as the request for intervention made by the Romanian Academy in the meeting of June 24, 1935 and confirmed the legal personality of the “Romanian Academy of Sciences” granted on March 29, 1935.

In the substantive article from Bulletin no. 1 of the ASR, published in 1936, states that

“The role of the Romanian Academy of Sciences is not so much to create, but rather to help scientific creation, encourage it, guide it and coordinate it. Therefore, its existence does not exclude, but, on the contrary, implies the existence of associations by specialties. Likewise, its coexistence with the Romanian Academy is not an obstacle for either of the two institutions. The scientific section of the Romanian Academy, made up of a small number of members, will be able to continue its role of coordinating scientific activity with that which takes place in the literary and historical field, in the general framework of the national culture efforts of the Romanian people. ”. – ASR bulletin

Romanian Institute of Sciences

By Decree Law no. 2,418 / 7 July 1938, published in the Official Gazette no. 154/8 July 1938, the Romanian Academy of Sciences was banned from bearing the name of Academy, considered as a monopoly right of another older institution. As a result, on September 24, 1938, the General Assembly of the Romanian Academy of Sciences decided to change its name from “Romanian Academy of Sciences” to “Romanian Institute of Sciences”.

The statement concerning that change was authenticated by the Ilfov Tribunal, Notarial Section, under number 34801/1 of October 1938. Through Journal no. 222 / 18.01.1939, the appeal of the Romanian Academy was judged and it was found that the “Romanian Academy of Sciences” changed its title to the “Romanian Institute of Sciences”. On November 7, 1940, the Official Gazette No. 261, Part I, published Decree Law 3714/6 November 1940 by which it was decided that the Romanian Institute of Sciences, a legal entity based in Bucharest, should resume the name of “Romanian Academy of Sciences ”.

Scientific activity

The Romanian Academy of Sciences carried out a valuable scientific activity between 1935-1948 (between July 8, 1938 and November 7, 1940 under the name of the Romanian Institute of Sciences, without modifying the content of the scientific activity) and, between 1936-1947, published in 8 volumes of “Comptes rendus de L’Académie des Sciences de Roumanie”, 754 original scientific papers, supported in the 10 sections:

  • I, 1936-1937, 5 issues with 432 pages;
  • II, 1937-1938, 6 issues with 716 pages;
  • III 1939, 6 issues with 716 pages;
  • IV, 1940, 6 issues with 446 pages;
  • V, 1941, 6 issues with 462 pages;
  • VI, 1942, 6 issues with 362 pages;
  • VII, 1943-1945, 1 issue with 392 pages;
  • VIII, 1945-1946, 1 issue with 186 pages.

During 1936-1946, the Romanian Academy of Sciences also published 14 issues of the “Bulletin of the Romanian Academy of Sciences” (issues 1-9, 1936-1941; issue 10, 1942; issues 11-12, 1943; issue 13, 1944-1945; issue 14, 1945-1946) in which annual administrative reports, summaries of meetings, and brief summaries of unpublished communications and lectures in the “Comptes rendus de L’Académie des Sciences de Roumanie” were printed. .

Through Journal no. 432/9 April 1947, the Council of Ministers decides “for the superior interests of the state” to abolish section VII “Military Genius” of the Romanian Academy of Sciences. In response to this decision, on April 29, 1947, the Romanian Academy of Sciences addressed the Ministry of Justice in a memorandum to inform about the activity of section VII “Military Genius” and requested “to re-examine the situation created by the Romanian Academy of Sciences by Journal of the Council of Ministers no. 432/9 April 1947 ”.

Verification of economic and financial activity

By virtue of art. 22 of Law no. 11 / 14.01.1944, a Sub-Inspector General of Control from the Ministry of Justice was empowered to make a verification of the economic and financial activity of the Romanian Academy of Sciences as a legal entity subject to supervision and control. Following the last verification carried out between 6 May and 1 June 1948, the Sub-Inspector General concluded – in a report signed on 1 June 1948 and submitted to the Ministry of Justice, and on 24 June 1948 also submitted to the Ministry of Public Education – that, During the period 1935-1947, the Romanian Academy of Sciences, despite the difficulties generated by the state of war and the consequences of this state, “had a fruitful and assiduous activity in the last 5 years” and, “considering the past and activity of this academy , recommends the continuation of scientific studies and research not only on a theoretical level, but also in a practical field, as the Academy of Sciences has shown so far “.