The history of the history of religions in Romania

While the history of religions (HR) has a long 'prehistory' in Romania, its formal introduction dates only from 1925-26, with the early writings of Mircea Eliade. Eliade's career in Romania was cut short by political events and the Second World War, while the imposition of Soviet control after the war resulted in his becoming an exile. His influence led a few of his compatriots to follow in his footsteps during the dark decades of Communism, but not until the overthrow of the Ceauşescu Government in 1989 did it again become possible to engage freely in HR studies. Today these studies are flourishing as never before and bidding to attract worldwide attention. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.