Nicolae Paduraru (1937-2009), founder of the Transylvanian Society of Dracula: An Obituary

by Elizabeth Miller

Nicolae Paduraru, founder of the Transylvanian Society of Dracula, passed away yesterday on May 4, 2009 in Bucharest, Romania, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born on Dec 6, 1937, Nicolae graduated from the University of Bucharest's English Department. He worked first as a reporter and later in the Ministry of Tourism, Department of International Relationships. In 1991, he founded the Transylvanian Society of Dracula, a cultural-historical organization dedicated to scholarship and research centred on the two Draculas - the Count of Bram Stoker's novel and the 15th-century Wallachian voivode better known as Vlad the Impaler. In 1995, the Romanian TSD organized the first World Dracula Congress and have held annual symposia in Romania ever since. Nicolae also founded the Company of Mysterious Journeys, a travel agency specializing in Dracula-themed tours.

Nicolae leaves to mourn his wife and one son, along with hundreds of friends, acquaintances and tour participants both in Romania and around the world.