Neuer Weg ('New Path') was a German language daily newspaper published from Bucharest, Romania.[1][2] It was the country's main German-language newspaper under the communist regime.[3] The first issue of the newspaper was published on 13 March 1949.[4][5] Initially Neuer Weg carried the subtitle "Organ of the Antifascist Committee of German Toilers in Romania" (Organ des Antifaschistischen Komitees der deutschen Werktätigen in Rumänien).[3] The Anti-Fascist Committee had been founded in March 1949, by a group of German members of the Romanian Workers' Party, following a decision of the Party Central Committee in December 1948.[4][6] At this point the initial post-Second World War wave of discriminations against ethnic Germans had subdued.[3] Neuer Weg was the first German-language press organ addressing a nationwide audience in Romania.[4]
Ernst Breitenstein was the founding editor-in-chief of Neuer Weg, serving in that function until 1954.[6][7] In 1953 the subtitle was changed to "Organ of the People's Council of the Romanian People's Republic" (Organ der Volksräte der Rumänischen Volksrepublik).[3] In 1954 Breitenstein was replaced by Anton Breitenhofer as editor-in-chief.[6] In 1969 Neuen Weg started a book publishing company.[1]
Between 1968 and 1973 the subtitle of the newspaper was "Political Daily Newspaper in the Socialist Republic of Romania" (Politische Tageszeitung in der Sozialistischen Republik Rumänien).[6] Between 1973 and 1989 the subtitle was to "Daily Newspaper of the National Council of the Socialist Unity Front" (Tageszeitung des Landesrates der Front der Sozialistischen Einheit).[3][6]
As of the mid-1970s, Neuer Weg was published daily except on Mondays.[1] In February 1970 Breitenstein was named Assistant Editor-in-Chief. Hugo Hausl was named Assistant Editor-in-Chief and Ioan Frank Secretary General of the publication in November 1972.[8] In November 1976 Breitenstein returned as editor-in-chief, serving in that function until 1989.[1][7][9] Hausl continued as Assistant Editor-in-Chief whilst Frank's tenure ended in December 1978.[9] As of the early 1980s, it was estimated to have a daily circulation of around 70,000.[10]
In 1992 Neuer Weg was closed down. It was replaced by Allgemeine Deutsche Zeitung für Rumänien.[11]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Newspaper Press Directory. Benn. 1974. p. 853.
- ^ K. G. Saur Verlag GmbH & Company; Walter De Gruyter Incorporated (1 January 2000). Bauer-Ose - Björnson. Walter de Gruyter. p. 509. ISBN 978-3-11-096114-0.
- ^ a b c d e Elemér Illyés (1982). National minorities in Romania: change in Transylvania. East European monographs. p. 300.
- ^ a b c Monica Barcan; Adalbert Millitz (1978). The German Nationality in Romania. Meridiane. pp. 87–88.
- ^ Horia C. Matei (1989). Romania Yearbook. Editura Științifică și Enciclopedică. p. 70. ISBN 9789732900987.
- ^ a b c d e Annett Müller; Arbeitskreis für Siebenbürgische Landeskunde (2002). Abschied in Raten: vom Neuen Weg zur Allgemeinen Deutschen Zeitung für Rumänien : der Wandel der Zeitung nach der massenhaften Auswanderung der Deutschen aus Romänien. Hora. pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-3-929848-23-6.
- ^ a b Zeitschrift für Siebenbürgische Landeskunde. Vol. 13–14. Böhlau Verlag. 1990. p. 152.
- ^ Directory of Romanian Officials. Central Intelligence Agency. 1973. p. 179.
- ^ a b Directory of Officials of the Socialist Republic of Romania. Central Intelligence Agency. 1982. p. 136.
- ^ Günter Holtus (1 January 1989). Die einzelnen romanischen Sprachen und Sprachgebiete von der Renaissance bis zur Gegenwart: Rumänisch, Dalmatisch / Istroromanisch, Friaulisch, Ladinisch, Bündnerromanisch. Walter de Gruyter. p. 236. ISBN 978-3-11-096611-4.
- ^ Annemarie Weber (2010). Rumäniendeutsche?: Diskurse zur Gruppenidentität einer Minderheit (1944-1971). Böhlau Verlag Köln Weimar. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-3-412-20538-6.