The masterclass Prince Ștefan Răzvan: The Construction and Deconstruction of a Roma Hero in the Context of Romanian History and National Memory, with historian Adrian-Nicolae Furtună, produced in the framework of the project Reclaiming Our Past, Rebuilding Our Future: New Approaches to Fighting Antigypsyism (JEKHIPE).
The masterclass explores how Ștefan Răzvan, who ruled Moldavia between April and August 1595, became a lasting figure in Romanian debates about identity and memory, shaped in part by claims of his Romani origins and his alliance with Mihai Viteazul against the Ottomans. It traces historiographical disputes sparked by Nicolae Bălcescu, who framed Răzvan as a symbol of emancipation, versus critics who cast him as an illegitimate usurper, embedding ethnic stereotypes in national memory.
The session then examines Răzvan’s literary reinvention in Răzvan Vodă by Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu, which elevated him to heroic status, a move contested by figures like P. P. Carp. Concluding with modern Romani reinterpretations that integrate Răzvan into a narrative of resistance and empowerment in a move to reclaim heritage, the masterclass shows how proverbs, literature, and activism have continually reshaped Răzvan’s image, revealing how history and memory intersect in constructing collective identity.
About the author
Adrian-Nicolae Furtună is a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at the Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian Academy. His doctoral thesis addresses the social memory of Roma slavery. He coordinates the Romano Rodipe Research Program on Roma History at the National Centre for Roma Culture and is a member of the Centre for the History of Eugenics and Racism in Cluj-Napoca. His work focuses on memory–history relations, Roma slavery, and the deportation of Roma to Transnistria during the Holocaust.
This masterclass is based on a research study produced by Adrian-Nicolae Furtună and developed within the JEKHIPE project. Six research fellows from Germany, Spain, Italy, Romania, Czechia, and Sweden were selected to produce in-depth papers documenting historical and contemporary forms of antigypsyism, Roma civil rights movements, and cultural history in their national contexts.
These papers are designed to generate new historical evidence, enrich academic and policy debate, and inform public-facing outputs. Each study is published in both the national language and English to ensure accessibility at local and European levels. Together, they form the foundation for a series of masterclasses that translate the research into accessible audiovisual formats for wider audiences.
Read the Research Paper “Prince Ștefan Răzvan: The Construction and Deconstruction of a Roma Hero in the Context of Romanian History and National Memory” Authored by Adrian-Nicolae Furtună (Available in English and Romanian)
