‏Ioan Slavici‏

Ion (or Ioan) Slavici was born in the year of European liberal revolution of 1848. Learns in Arad and Timisoara and in 1868 starts studying at the University of Budapest, Hungary, (Then Transylvania was part of the Austro - Hungarian Imperium). In 1869 moves to study Law at the University of Wien, Austria. Fluent in German and Hungarian, is stimulated by his friend Mihail Eminescu (great Romanian poet), being also student in Wien in the same period, to write in Romanian. In 1874 he settles down in Bucharest, and publishes short stories for children; in 1881 writes his masterpiece "Moara cu noroc" (the Lucky Mill). During the WWI, because of his pro German attitude, (Romania being on the Allied side against Germany), is arrested in 1919 and convicted to 5 years in prison, but is released the same year. Tiered by his agitated life, retires to the vineyard home of one of his 6 children, and dies there in 1925.