Vasile Goldiş
(b. November 24, 1862, Mocirla, Romania – d. February 10, 1934, Arad, Romania)
Vasile Goldiș was a publicist, a politician, and an honorary member of the Romanian Academy. With Philology and Philosophy studies completed at the Universities of Budapest and Vienna, he gained a reputation as an orator and proponent of political doctrine. As a Member of the Hungarian Parliament between 1906-1910, he repeatedly intervened against various laws that violated the rights of nationalities and, in particular, of Romanians.
He headed Românul (The Romanian) newspaper, founded in Arad on January 1, 1911. The periodical became the headquarters of Romanian unionist action. As director, Vasile Goldiş refused to sign the fidelity declaration to Count István Tisza’s government under the conditions of Romania’s entry into war against Austria-Hungary. His act of rebellion led to the suspension of the newspaper in March 1916, and it re-emerged only in 1918.
He drafted the Oradea Declaration, which proclaimed the right to self-determination of the Romanians in Transylvania, on October 12, 1918. He was also among those who inspired the Resolution of Union of 1918.
On December 1, 1918, Vasile Goldiş gave a speech at the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia in which he highlighted the national and social oppression of Romanians in Transylvania and Banat throughout the ages.
After the Union, his political career continued in Bucharest, where he was elected Deputy in the Romanian Parliament and co-opted in several governments.