Corneliu Coposu Monument: A symbol of the fight for freedom and democracy in Romania

By Bucharest Team
- Articles
Close to the center of Bucharest, an unremarkable monument has been erected as a symbol of democracy and the fight for freedom: the Corneliu Coposu Monument. Dedicated to one of the most important political figures of post-war Romania, the Corneliu Coposu monument was meant to bring to everyone's lips values such as courage, integrity and devotion to democratic principles.
Who was Corneliu Coposu: Corneliu Coposu (1914-1995) was a Romanian politician, leader of the National Peasant Christian Democratic Peasant National Party (PNȚCD) and a fervent supporter of democratic values during the communist period. All this ambition unfortunately landed him on the list of political prisoners, for 17 years he endured torture and inhuman conditions without renouncing his principles. After the 1989 Revolution, he became a symbol of the rebirth of democracy in Romania, fighting for the restoration of democratic values and human rights.
The monument of Corneliu Coposu is a bust created by sculptor Mihai Buculei in 1996. He said in an interview that he made the sculpture in three days to commemorate the suffering the politician had endured. For Mihai Bulai, Corneliu Coposu's sacrifice was all the more significant as the sculptor's father was himself imprisoned for eight years in Aiud prison because he had been a member of the Legionary Movement.
Mihai saw the sculpture finalized in plaster, in the shape of a sign of the cross, as in the cemeteries of the Transylvanian region, and wanted to exhibit it at the Catacomba Gallery. When Dimitrie Berea saw the work, he contacted Mircea Ciumara, who was then Minister of Finance. He came to Mihai Buculei together with Coposu's sisters and asked him to cast it in bronze to be exhibited in a public space. He decided to accept the request without asking for any money.
The sculpture is made of bronze and depicts Corneliu Coposu in a stylized bust, showing only his head and shoulders. This artistic approach emphasizes the solemnity and importance of his figure.
The unveiling of the monument was a moment of great emotion, bringing together politicians, former political prisoners, members of the Coposu family and ordinary citizens. It has quickly become a place of pilgrimage for those wishing to pay their respects to Corneliu Coposu and the values he represented. The monument is visited annually by thousands of people and serves as a constant symbol of the struggle for democracy in Romania.
Other monuments of Corneliu Coposu can be found in Iași, Râmnicu Sărat, Drobeta-Turnu Severin (in the Youth Park) and Timișoara (modeled by the Timișoara sculptor Victor Gaga and unveiled on May 20, 2000 in the park near the Bega).
Corneliu Coposu's monument is more than just a statue; it is a powerful symbol of resistance against oppression and a tribute to an emblematic figure of Romanian democracy. By visiting this place, Romanians are encouraged to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom and to renew their commitment to democratic values.