September 6: The Birth of Mihail Kogălniceanu, Romania’s Third Prime Minister

September 6 marks the birth of Mihail Kogălniceanu, a statesman who became Romania’s third prime minister and one of the leading figures of his generation.

Born in Iași in 1817, Kogălniceanu worked as a politician, historian, writer, journalist, diplomat and government minister. He served as head of government and held the interior and foreign affairs portfolios. He also helped establish the Romanian Academy and later became its president.

Kogălniceanu worked closely with ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza on an extensive reform program that helped lay the foundations of the modern Romanian state. As a leader of the National Liberal Party, he also shaped Romania’s political life. In literature, he founded the magazine Dacia literară, whose opening article expressed the ideals of the 1848 generation and helped establish the movement associated with it. He died in Paris on June 20, 1891.

The date also recalls two major historical events. On September 6, 1863, London opened the world’s first underground railway, a 6.3-kilometer route between Paddington and Farringdon. Steam locomotives made the journey difficult because of smoke and ventilation problems, but the project introduced a new form of urban transport.

In 1940, King Carol II transferred the crown to his son Mihai after General Ion Antonescu demanded that he abdicate. The act, signed at 6 a.m. on September 6, was formally described as a delegation of power rather than an outright abdication. Carol left Bucharest with Elena Lupescu and several close associates.