Teatrul Național din București în vreme de război (1916-1918)

Abstract

The volume by Vera Molea, The National Theatre of Bucharest during Wartime (1916–1918), published by ACS Publishing, offers a documentary exploration of one of the most difficult periods in the history of this theatrical institution. Based on archival research and previously unpublished documents from the collections of the “Ion Luca Caragiale” National Theatre Museum, the book reconstructs the artistic, administrative, and symbolic life of the National Theatre during the First World War and the occupation of Bucharest.

The study examines how the theatre continued to exist and operate in a context marked by restrictions, insecurity, and profound social change, capturing both its artistic activity and the everyday realities of a cultural institution under the pressure of history. These events are framed within the broader historical context of the era, when Romania’s capital underwent occupation and radical transformations of urban life.

A key focus is placed on the documentary value of the archival and visual material, which brings to light little-known or previously unpublished information, offering a new perspective on the role of the theatre as a space of cultural resilience and symbolic continuity in times of crisis.

Through its analytical approach and richness of sources, the volume is addressed to researchers in theatre studies, cultural history, and the history of Bucharest, as well as to readers interested in how artistic institutions survive and transform during periods of conflict.