Câmpeni - Ţara Moţilor

Am citit destule despre Revoluţia din 1848 dar nu auzisem nimic despre orăşelul Câmpeni, a cărui existenţă o ignoram. Am aflat, odată ajuns acolo, că localitatea a fost cartierul general al lui Avram Iancu (1824-1872). De fapt, cartierul general propriuzis există şi astăzi, într-o casă ce găzduieşte astăzi Muzeul de istorie Avram Iancu. Acolo puteţi vedea printre exponate săbii şi puşti de la Revoluţia din 1848 şi chiar replica unui tun din lemn de cireş! Trebuie văzută şi statuia lui Avram Iancu, realizată de Ion Dimitriu-Bârlad în 1930 la Târgu Mureş şi mutată în 1940 la Câmpeni.

Câmpeni

The Revolution of 1848 in Transylvania pitted the Romanian population, led by Avram Iancu (1824-1872), against the Hungarian revolutionaries. The Romanians were objective allies of the Imperial Government in Vienna because they did not wish to be incorporated in Hungary, as Transylvania had always been an autonomous principality, with its own legislative body (the Diet, Hungarian and Saxon) and a Hungarian ruler (Voievode or Prince). The Romanians were mostly peasants, herdsmen or serfs, deprived of political or civic rights.

When Hungary was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1526 Transylvania continued to exist under suzerainty of the Turks, still ruled by a Hungarian elite.

Thus, the Romanian population in Transylvania (constituting the majority then and now) took up arms in the Apuseni Mountains to avoid being simply subjects of the Kingdom of Hungary. Their headquarters was in the small town of Câmpeni and the building is now a museum. The statue of Avram Iancu by Ion Dimitriu-Bârlad can be admired in the central square.

The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was finally defeated by the Austrians with Russian help. The revolt in the Apuseni Mountains also played a role. Unfortunately, Hungarians and Romanians could not agree at the time to fight together for their freedom.