Napoleon III's friends, the Great Union and the fascinating history of the UPT Senate Hall
The fascinating history of the Senate Hall of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara
Napoleon III's friends, the Great Union and the fascinating history of the UPT Senate Hall
On 11th May, the Senate Hall of Politehnica University Timişoara hosted the conference "Napoleon III and Romania", supported by members of the Friends of Napoleon III Association, the event being organized in partnership with the Politehnica University Timişoara and Politehnica Foundation. The conference focused on the construction of Romania, the unitary state, starting with the first union of the Romanian Principalities in 1859, followed after 60 years by the Great Union of 1918 and the annexation of Banat to Romania on 3rd August 1919.
On the historical context of the realization of the union and the creation of the unitary Romanian state, but also about the role of France in this process, spoke Abel Douay, president of the Friends of Napoleon III Association and Gerard Hertault, author of the book "Napoleon III and Romania", as well as Geo Lehene, initiator of the event, who presented the context of the presence of General Berthelot's mission in Romania. Also, journalist and publisher Liviu Crişan, director of the Balkan Publishing House of Timişoara, talked about the "Diplomatic Action of the Romanian Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919", with a special focus on the integration of Banat into the motherland. A delegation of 20 people from France and Belgium, members of the Friends of Napoleon III Association, was present at the conference in the Senate Hall of Politehnica University Timişoara.
At the opening of the event, Professor Ivan Bogdanov, president of the Politehnica Foundation, presented the fascinating history of the Senate Hall of Politehnica University Timişoara, ocassion on which he unveiled, together with the UPT Rector, prof. eng. Viorel-Aurel Serban, Ph.D., an anniversary plate.
The event is part of the series dedicated to the centenary of Politehnica University Timisoara, the centenary of Romania, but also to the European Year of Cultural Heritage.
The fascinating history of the Senate Hall of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara
Lloyd Palace from Timisoara, a work by architect Leopold Baumhorn, is one of the most representative buildings in Victory Square. It was built between 1910-1912, from the Lloyd Society's funds, set up by the grain wholesalers in Banat in 1866.
The palace was in fact a hotel complex, including offices of commercial and banking firms. In 1945 it became property of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which had inherited it after the dissolution of the society. Since 1951 it belongs to Politehnica University Timisoara, and today is the Rectorate of the institution.
The beautiful Hall of the UPT Senate in Lloyd Palace hides a special history. On 19 February 1919, an American commission arrived in Timisoara to assess the situation after the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Given the complicated situation in Banat, where many ethnicities lived, the Americans had a lot of fears. They regularly sent reports to their governments to have a clear and impartial picture of the situation, but they met in Lloyd Palace with representatives of all Banat nationalities.
"It was one of the big halls in the city at that time and used several times for events in which space was needed. The event that marked the history of Timisoara happened on February 19, 1919, when from the Paris Peace Conference, a commission led by US General Goodwin arrived in Timişoara, to analyze the situation in the city, to discuss with ethnicities to see what desires they had. Nationalities expressed their interests and patriotic feelings. The result was that part of Banat arrived in Romania, because the Romanian, German and Jewish population thought we should go to Romania. Serbs wanted to move to newly formed Yugoslavia, the Hungarians, of course, voted with Hungary. With this conclusion, the US delegation left for Paris. It probably contributed to the Peace Conference’s resolution", says Professor Ivan Bogdanov, president of the Politehnica Foundation, a passionate about history.
During the First World War, Lloyd Palace was the headquarters of the German Army under the command of General August von Mackensen, and from December 2, 1918, that of the French troops. The Lloyd Palace apartments, which are now designated for the Rectorate, were elegant dwellings. As was the case in all Corso report houses, built to be rented. Because it was a central location and the apartments were large, in this building, upstairs, today's rector's residence lived and the German commanders, headed by Mackensen when they entered here, as well as the French, with General Berthelot as their leader.
During communism, the Senate Hall was turned into a classroom, but after the Revolution of 1989 it regained its former glory. The current Senate Hall of the University was allocated to educational activities, divided into two compartments with false walls and classroom. After the Revolution, the surprise was that no one claimed this building, so it remained the property of Politehnica. The university's leadership felt it had to be brought to the state it once had. It has succeeded. Today, we are proud of this room. It is restored in Secession or Art Nouveau. The walls were uncovered, the stained glasses were restored, which are very beautiful. Politechnists are accustomed to say that it is the most beautiful room in Timisoara.
