From: Calin Rang [calinakis@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 2:12 AM
To: mwirkk@eskimo.com
Subject: Vlad Tepes Issue

Good day, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Im a 38 years old Romanian. Ive decided to send this text to all Western "historians" which are treating the Vlad Tepes topic, because, after 1990, one of our greatest voivodes became the hero of lots of grotesque pokemonian and moronic stories. I have to emphasize that Vlad Tepes was NOT more blood-thirsty than other european Medieval kings or princes. Im also speaking in the name of numerous Romanian intellectuals which are outraged by what became today our voivode's name because of a strange complicity between (anti) Romanian Governments and western "historians".
   The main idea too keep in mind is that Vlad tryied to protect his country, Valachia, against the Turks. No matter the price and in the context of the XVth century. Lots of boyars (Romanian nobles) were also plotting against him. He had ferocious enemies outside and inside the Valachian borders. It was a kind of "live and let die" stuff.
   Was Vlad a kind of sadist? Perhaps. But we have to admit that ALL great emperors, kings and seniors of european History had mental disorders with sadist habits. It is NOT xenophobia to protect your national historical characters from diffamation.
   Was Vlad a bloody "murderer"? Its hard to tell this notion in the context of the insane Medieval Europe. And even more recent Europe. Napoleon himself ordered the slaughter of thousands of Turks unarmed prisoners on a Mediteranean beach. And not only this. Still, Napoleon is France's greatest hero. Napoleon fought for France. Our Vlad fought for Valachia, one of the romanian countries. Romanian historians saw in Vlad a kind of heroe BEFORE the Soviet invasion of 1945. So a certain view on Vlad's "heroical attitude" has nothing to do with Ceausescu's "nationalism".
   Bram Stoker ? We also have some information on him. He was an alcoholic Irish cheap writer which just needed some "exotic" nouns and words for his 2 penny novel which excites today the half-educated people. A pal suggested him to use "Dracula" and "Transylvania". Reliable information suggest that both hadn't the slightest idea who Vlad Tepes exactly was and were Transylvania exactly was. But the novel has been launched. And that's how my country Romania got its "vampiric" and pathetic celebrity which actually I try to dismantle (our moronic government authorities never tryied this since 1990).
   Cruelty? The most COMMON punishments in EUROPEAN MIDDLE AGE were the empaling, the horse-ripping and torning apart, the wheeling, the redhot iron throne and lots of exquisit tortures. ALL european medieval kings, princes and seniors were particularly cruel and excessive, because the times were as they were. Why this obsession of Western folks that our Vlad was Europe's big bad bloodiest "vampire"?
   Vampires in Romania? Things have been pushed too far away and poor educated people already believe in this stupid rumours. The notion of VAMPIRE or the like does not exist within Romanian folklore and tradition. Romania is a christian-orthodox nation. Period. Also, the enormous hoax called "Dracula Land" DOES NOT REPRESENT THE ROMANIAN PEOPLE. Its just the result of the "economical theories" of an insane President and his insane Ministry of Tourism.
   Its really embarassing to stand this grotesque situation because some cheap novelist's whiskey-soaked imagination made an unfortunate association of names.

Have a good day and check out again History, please.