Letter from Castle Dracula The newsbullettin of The Transylvanian Society of Dracula November 2001

Prof. Miller’s academic accomplishments and contribution to a scholarly approach to both the vampire lore and to the historical Vlad Dracula, in a world still dominated by confusions as to their identity, have determined the Inner Circle of the society (decisional body) to call her to superior duties.

The new vice-president replaces Prof. Andreia Costin, of Romania, to whom the society expresses gratitude for her incessant strive to fulfill the tasks set forth by the challenges of the cultural globalization.

?Prof. Miller’s new assignment involves the organization support and creation of TSD chapters and information points in Northern and Southern Americas, at the highest scholarly levels, attracting the cooperation of university professors, researchers, writers, media - in the interest of a rich cultural life of the members of the chapters, of all the romantics, of the scientific community. A particular accent will be placed on compared folklore, literature and cinematography.

Prof. Miller’s e-mail is emiller@morgan.ucs.mun.ca

Any courtesy shown to Prof. Miller in her new assignment is a courtesy to the Count.

November the 5-th, 2001

The Minister of Tourism informed the media about the contents of the "Dracula-Park" ("Dracula-land" had already been trade-marked by someone else, who demanded $500,000 to give it up).

Anticipating the press conference, the influential daily "Romania Libera" of Nov.5 published a full page of anti-"Dracula-park" articles, headed by a letter of "Mihai Eminescu Trust" - under the patronage of the Prince of Wales, signed by Jessica Douglas-Home (president of the Trust), H.C. Habermann, Steffen Mildner, Bonnie Burnham (president of the World Monuments Fund), Lois de Meril, Lord Dacre of Glanton (historian), Patrick Leigh-Fermour (writer), Lord Norwich (historian), Dr. Noel Malcolm (writer).

The letter was addressed to H.E. Ion Iliescu, president of Romania, on Oct.29, 2001, and expresses "profound concern about the rumours concerning approval given to a Dracula-land theme park, 1 km. away from Sighisoara. This project would involve mass-tourism in an area of cultural protection, threatening the whole structure of an important, perfectly conserved mediaeval town, - on the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage. The destruction brought about by this project cannot be justified by dubious estimations of arrivals or by the creation of new jobs"… "The Dracula-land Park will turn the history of Romania into a cartoon. Far from a reason to be proud of, it will ridicule Romania".

The letter suggests other locations for the project (Bran, Bistrita, Targoviste, Poienari) - as if the arguments against locating the park near Sighisoara would cease to be valid elsewhere.

Under this letter, and under a heading "Kitsch-tourism threatens the old burg", Saxon and Romanian personalities from Sighisoara (the chief priest of the Evangelic Church, rev. Hans Bruno Frohlich; Prof. Christa Richter; dr. Alexandru Gota - ecologist) reject the project on various grounds - one of which mentioning that the house presumed to have sheltered prince Vlad Dracul (1431 - 35) was actually built 200 years later, and that no documents confirm his son’s birth in Sighisoara.

November the 6-th

All national dailies carried news on the "Dracula-park" project. Here is a summary of the contents:

• "The National Liberal Party joined hands with the Great Romania Party to form an anti Dracula-park axis", said Matei Agathon Dan, minister of Tourism, at the press-conference.
• 130 hectares on the Breite tableland (a secular oak-wood reservation), 5 km. away from Sighisoara - are the dowry brought by the mayor, Dorin Danesan (worth 21 million US$) in the marriage with the project.
• "We are not sentimental, we are pragmatic", continued the minister. We are no longer afraid of historians, architects, ethnographers or journalists".
• Investments amount to 31,5 million US$.
• Estimated annual revenues: 27 million $ out of which 12,5 million go to the municipality of Sighisoara for the conservation of the mediaeval town.
• Estimated visitors: year 1 - 400,000; year 2 - 650,000; year 3 - 860,000; year 4 and on - 1,100,000.
• Entrance fee: $5; it is not clear if the fee covers any other admissions.
• Estimated expenditure per day, per visitor: $ 24,5
• "We are talking about an entertainment park not a horror one", said the minister. "People will mock at Dracula, will pull his leg".
• "We shall avoid the image of Dracula as purported by American film-studios", warned the minister, without disclosing Dracula’s new attire.
• "The park will have two main sections: Dracula and a general-entertainment area (to be developed if the turn-over is satisfactory).
• "We are not making a Chernobil at Sighisoara, we are making an entertainment park which abides by the ecological norms" (Matei Agathon Dan).
• No cars will be allowed inside the park. Pedestrian trails, horse-caleches (black) and a vintage train will cater for transport inside the park.
• The first constructions will be a Castle Dracula - inspired by a 15-century Transylvanian castle, with 4 wings, inner courtyard, towers, mout. Inside- a collection of weapons, the torture room, the judge’s hall, alchemy lab, the room of the vampires, the prison tower, the initiation hall where the young vampires will be invested knights. Some catacombs are planned between the castle and the Institute of Vampirology. Another building will be that of the Institute of Vampirology - containing conference rooms, the library of the vampires, theatres for the hundreds of vampire films. (after "National", Nov.6).
• The concept of the park belongs to Westernstadt Pullman City, a German company specialized in entertainment parks.
• Accommodation: from camping to villas and a 700-bed hotel.
• One main street will offer shops with specific souvenirs.
• Other attractions: a labyrinth-garden; lake, boating; disco-clubs; bars, beer-hall, restaurants, tournament site, horse riding, an open-air concert/play amphitheater, cabaret, horror-house, mirror-house, the jet-stake(?) - having to do with impalment, montagne russe, ball-room for 2000 dancers, swimming pool.
• The traditional Festival of Mediaeval Arts in Sighisoara will be roomed by the Dracula park.
• The architect of the project is named Dan Covali.
• "Ora" daily, Nov.6, writes - under the signature of Eliade Balan: "I do not believe that the project at Sighisoara is a happy choice. My conviction is that we import a macabre project, which has nothing Romanian in it. "Dracula land" may stir the curiosity of the foreign visitors, but not that of the Romanian citizen. The more so that prince Vlad Tepes has no proven connection with Sighisoara - the place chosen by Mr. Agathon to invest. My opinion is that the Romanian tourism merits something else, autochthonous, not imported. If such kitsch is believed to boost tourism, then minister Agathon should better find another job".
• The infrastructure of the park will be started in March 2001. By August, the castle and the institute of vampirology should be ready. By 2003, the whole park will be completed, offering some 3000 new jobs.
• The producer of the "Dracula" opera, Michael Buttler will be glad to perform his creation in the park, in Sept-Oct. 2002; among his guests - Tom Cruise, described as a "friend" ("National", Nov.6).
• "The Wall Street Journal", quoted by the Romanian weekly "Bursa" (Nov.2, 2001) wrote: "Romania has officially admitted that it is the land of the vampires". The Journal goes on: "The new project of the Romanian government will exploit the most abject facet of the human imagination".

The initiator of the Institute of Vampirology within the Dracula Park is Prof. Raymond McNally - says "The Wall Street Journal".

• According to the daily "Ora" (Nov.7, 2001) a commission of $250,000 was offered to build the park near Sighisoara. The location "Bran" would have produced a commission 5 times smaller. The newspaper wonders if the size of the commission could be a valid reason to emplace the park in Sighisoara rather than somewhere else.

The Transylvanian Society of Dracula takes note of the diverging opinions regarding the opportunity of building a Dracula park in Romania, of its correct emplacement, of its consequences on the Romanian culture.

It does not take great insight to see that the Dracula park IS a horror park (horror house, catacombs, the castle, the institute, etc.) in spite of reassurances to the contrary.

But the main concern is cultural - the blend between the vampire lore and the Romanian history which vampirizes everything it touches - Vlad, his ancestors, his followers, Sighisoara itself (Saxon and Romanian alike), the whole of Romania (the castle is a 15 century reproduction, the jet-stake, the institute run by Raymond McNally, author of "In Search of Dracula" - the book which confused the vampire-count with Vlad, etc.).

It all does look like a cultural Chernobil.

The issue lies in the economic versus the cultural aspects of the project. It is obvious that the Ministry of Tourism masters the economics, but it is equally obvious that the Ministry is culturally ignorant. (It reminds of the story of the child who demolishes the house to build a tiny dam across the creek in the back of the garden, to play paper boats on, with friends).

What could one do when a ministry of the government has the official decree in its pocket to start the construction of a cultural Chernobil in the midst of its country? ("We are no longer afraid of historians, architects, ethnographers or journalists" - Matei-Agathon Dan, decree in hand).

Nothing at all?

The task of this society is to cooly record and monitor dracularian developments. When asked, TSD offered its opinion (emplace the park in the Borgo Pass, where Bram Stoker located the castle of the vampire-count; the area is neutral from a historic or cultural point of view, practically uninhabited, allowing the visitor to cross sites associated with both Draculas, therefore form an opinion of his/her own).

For reasons obscure, the choice was different. It seems to be too late to change the location, and too late to change the contents of the park. Or is it?

As we predicted, the Dracula offer has started to split, with peripheral sites like Poienari or Bistrita or the Borgo castle afraid of the competition posed by the park, feverishly designing their own mini-Dracula parks.

There is a major question yet unanswered: what chances has the cardboard castle in the park near Sighisoara in comparison with the historical fortress Dracula, Poienari, or the castle of the vampire-count in the Borgo Pass (or even castle Bran, of recent associations with Dracula)?

The public itself is going to split - between meaningful Dracula tours and the Dracula park.

The TSD will keep you abreast of the latest developments.

 

TSD/November 2001