The President of the Romanian Writers’ Union, Nicolae Manolescu, DIED today at the age of 84. – GorjOnline

The literary critic Nicolae Manolescu, an emblematic figure of Romanian culture, died today, at the age of 84, following a cardiac arrest. The tragic news was confirmed by journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu, who posted the information on his Facebook page.

Nicolae Manolescu had been admitted to the Elias Hospital in the capital on Friday, but the doctors’ efforts were in vain.

Born on November 27, 1939, in Râmnicu Vâlcea, Nicolae Manolescu stood out as a critic, literary historian and prestigious essayist. His mother, Sabina Apolzan, was a French teacher, and his father, Petru Apolzan, a philosophy teacher, contributing to his formation in a stimulating intellectual environment.

His education was solid, graduating from the Faculty of Philology of the University of Bucharest in 1962, with an outstanding bachelor’s thesis. Starting in 1963, he dedicated his academic life, becoming an important name within the Department of History of Romanian Literature, where he advanced through various university degrees to the position of professor.

Nicolae Manolescu was not only a dedicated academic, but also a leader in the cultural and political world. A member of the Romanian Writers’ Union since 1963, he held the position of president of this institution since 2005. He was also a senator from Sibiu in the 1992-1996 legislature and ran for the Presidency of Romania in 1996.

His contribution to Romanian literature was also recognized by the international community, being Romania’s ambassador to UNESCO in the period 2006-2015. Manolescu was awarded numerous prizes and decorations, including the National Order “Star of Romania” in the Grand Cross degree and the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of several universities in the country and abroad.

In addition to his academic and political contribution, Nicolae Manolescu was a fervent promoter of cultural values ​​and education, remaining in the collective consciousness as one of Romania’s foremost literary critics. His disappearance leaves a huge void in the Romanian cultural landscape, but his legacy will continue to inspire entire generations of intellectuals, according to adevarul.ro.