Constantza

As early as 1896 there were presented at Constanţa shows of super cinematograph, animated pictures representing ball games and sea bathing [1]. The first representations were held in improvised places, usually in summer gardens and restaurants. In 1904 Isac Leon requested permission to held cinema shows in the garden of Splendid Hotel [2], and in September 1905 Emil Roznavski wanted to host oral shows with his electrical biscop machine. Sometimes serious incidents occurred, such as the fire that destroyed the cinema of Mitică Georgescu, settled in a wooden enclosur [3].

In 1910 there were cinema devices at the Royal Brewery of Gheorghiu, and at the establishments led by Dumitrescu and Cosac, Mitică Georgescu and Filip Hagiopol [4]. A cinema was also hosted at the local gymnasium, and shows were presented not only during classes, but also in special sessions. In 1913 cinema shows were hosted by Venus, Apolon, Palat, Regal, Edison, Tomis, Lux, Volta, Rex, and Carpați [5]. In the same year the authorities drafted a regulation for the functioning of cinemas. Each cinema theatre had to pay to the municipality a sum equal to the salary of one or two firemen. Fiscal evasion, hygiene issues and film content were settled by this regulation. Thus, in May 1914 the entrepreneur of “Venus” Cinema was warned by the municipality about the violent character of some movies he presented [6].

Picture 3.1.2.2_1 Grand Cinema

Source: http://constanta-imagini-vechi.blogspot.ro/

[1] Maria Boia, “Activitatea cultural-artistică din Dobrogea în perioada 1878–1916, mijloc de afirmare a conştiinţei naţionale a poporului român”, Analele Dobrogei, new series, 3:1 (1997), 143.

[2]Din tezaurul documentar dobrogean, edited by Marin Stanciu (Bucharest: Direcţia Generală a Arhivelor Statului din RSR, 1988), 288.

[3] Constantin Cheramidoglu, “La cinematograf, în Constanţa Veche”, Poliţia impact, June 2009, 15–16.

[4] Idem, “Acum 100 de ani, la Constanţa”, ibid., January 2010, 23.

[5] Serviciul Judeţean Constanţa al Arhivelor Naţionale, Primăria municipiului Constanţa, File 23/1913, 54.

[6] Cheramidoglu, “La cinematograf”, 15–16.

References

Archival sources:

Serviciul Judeţean Constanţa al Arhivelor Naţionale [The National Archives, Constanţa Branch], Primăria municipiului Constanţa [The Municipality of Constanţa], File 23/1913.

Bibliography:

Boia, Maria, “Activitatea cultural–artistică din Dobrogea în perioada 1878–1916, mijloc de afirmare a conştiinţei naţionale a poporului român” [The Cultural–Artistic Activity in Dobrudja during the Period 1878–1916, a Means of Affirmation of the National Consciousness of the Romanian People”, Analele Dobrogei, new series, 3:1 (1997), 141–148.

Cheramidoglu, Constantin, “Acum 100 de ani, la Constanţa” [A Century Ago, at Constanţa], Poliţia impact., January 2010, 23.

Cheramidoglu, Constantin, “La cinematograf, în Constanţa Veche” [At Cinema, in Old Constanţa], Poliţia impact, June 2009, 15–16.

Din tezaurul documentar dobrogean [Treasure of Documents from Dobrudja], edited by Marin Stanciu (Bucharest: Direcţia Generală a Arhivelor Statului din RSR, 1988).