A. de Herz

Adolf Edmund George de Herz (December 15, 1887–March 10, 1936) was a Romanian playwright and literary journalist.

Born in Bucharest, his parents were Edgar von Herz and his wife Maria (née Keresteyi).^[1] His father was a high-level bank clerk from an ennobled Austrian family, and the son experienced a privileged childhood at Romania's royal court, which granted him its privilege for many years.^[2] His primary schooling consisted of private lessons;^[1] he attended Gheorghe Lazăr High School in his native city^[3] and two years of military school in Iași.^[1] After completing high school in 1907, he entered the literature and philosophy faculty of Bucharest University, where he was a good student and drew favorable notice from professors who included Titu Maiorescu, Mihail Dragomirescu and Pompiliu Eliade.^[2] He was a founding member of the Romanian Writers' Society and literary secretary at the National Theatre Bucharest. He edited and headed the literary magazine Făt-Frumos, and from 1917 to 1918 edited the theatre magazine Scena.^[1] He imposed a pro-German line on the latter publication, where his tenure coincided with the World War I occupation of Bucharest by the Central Powers, and his own articles reinforced this orientation. As a consequence, he was arrested in 1919 and tried for collaborationism. Although acquitted, the label of "traitor" was long applied to him, especially at delicate moments.^[2]

His written debut consisted of verses published in 1906 in Sămănătorul; he also contributed to Viața Românească, Convorbiri Literare, Viața nouă, Gândirea, Adevărul literar și artistic (where he was director from 1920 to 1924), Flacăra, Dimineața, Adevărul, Epoca, Steagul, Rampa^[1] and Convorbiri Critice.^[3] His work included theatre criticism, opera librettos and translations.^[3] Pen names he used include Dinu-Ramură, Mira Dăianu and Dinu. Aside from being a renowned journalist in his time, he contributed significantly to theatrical life, both through his magazines and through the plays he wrote. These include Domnița Ruxandra (1907), Noaptea învierii (1909), Păianjenul (1913), Cuceritorul (1914) and Omul de zăpadă (1927).^[1] He headed the National Theatre Craiova from 1930 to 1935. While there, he undertook efforts to secure a new building, worked to improve relations between management and actors, hired new actors and established a choir. His tenure ended when funding for the theatre was cut due to the ongoing economic crisis and political intrigue.^[3]

He was married to Lilly Tănăsescu, an operetta performer and the daughter of noted Craiova actor Ion Tănăsescu.^[4]

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