Convention Review

The 1994 Eurocon

The 1994 Eurocon
26th - 29th May, Timisoara, Romania
Roberto Quaglia reports.

We may immediately say that the 1994 the Eurocon, the annual European science fiction convention known that year as 'EuRoCon', was something out of the ordinary. Guests of Honour at the gathering included:  John Brunner,  Herbert Franke,  Joe Haldeman,  Jean (Moebius) Giraud,   Norman Spinrad,  and Peter Cuczka.  Its Special Guests included Jack Cohen, Jonathan Cowie, Gay Haldeman,  Bridget Wilkinson,  Lee Wood  and  Yours Truly who, like the other Special Guests, were all enticed by the promise of complete reimbursements of their costs (more of which later).  Already the large, ranks of the foreign guests tells you that what took place was not a low-key Eurocon: it was special…

The convention was held in Timisoara, Romania's second city with an historic city centre and many cathedrals.  Located not far from the borders of both Hungary and Serbia, it has a rich cultural heritage.

Then there were folk from: Austria, Bulgaria, England, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Ireland, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the USA.  Together with my friend and assistant Max Morando, we were the only Italians.  The absence of the Czechs, the Slovaks, the Polish and the Germans was particularly noticed by Eurocon regulars, for in the past years they'd always joined the convention in great numbers.  A chance case, or a modest act of snobbism against Romania?

Yet, it was a great convention in many senses.  Norman Spinrad in his final speech, during the convention's climactic gala evening, said that this was the most outstanding science fiction convention in which he had participated.  I don't know if you know Norman Spinrad?  From what I know of him, he is not the type to say something like this purely out of courtesy!

Having said that, the convention's organisation appeared at times a little shaky, but a great capability to improvise overwhelmed any deficiency.  Remarkable was the organisers' care to provide for all the Guests of Honour, Special Guests and for every foreign group of several fans a charming young lady (a Romanian college student studying a foreign language) who functioned as assistant/translator/tourist guide.  This was a useful initiative which, in addition to utility, made all the visiting foreigners feel very welcome indeed: here the traditional Romanian hospitality was decidedly confirmed.

The convention's theme was "Building Europe".  This was a serious topic reflecting the 1989/1990 fall of Europe's Iron Curtain, and referring to the imminent future which directly regards all of us in our continent.  It was also a topic very relevant to the ideals of science fiction; more so than some of the frequent ravings of mediaeval myths in SF explored at other conventions, that many of us have had to repeatedly endure.  For three mornings this official theme was discussed and explored – at least initially – in the Timisoara's spacious but overflowing – such were the numbers attending – national opera house, and the intellectual level of the guests always ensured interesting and lively conversation: so we were rescued from the usual, high entropy, of all those commonplace SF convention speakers who frequently stop short of insightful ideas.

The convention's local Romanian participation was elevating: I estimated that there were several hundred (I don't know official figures), mainly very young people, attending!

Extraordinary, from our usual Eurocon perspective, was the presence of Romania's mass media (though, similarly uncommon, the previous Eurocon in Jersey saw much local press coverage).  So we were subject to the instructions of cameramen, with the journalists at the ready (or vice-versa), as they snapped up images and shot interviews to pass on to the entire country.

There was, truly, a very important reason for all this attention.  In Romania SF is more popular, and has a certain status, than in almost all other European countries, and perhaps even world-wide(?).  Romania's radio and television provides regular SF offerings: it actually treats the subject with the competence SF deserves, and it promotes the genre's diffusion with great discernment.

Here, much commendation should be assigned to Alexandru Mironov, a Minister of the Romanian government and strong supporter of the promulgation and development of SF in Romania. Every Sunday afternoon, together with Mihai Bédescu, he personally presents a national television SF programme.

Much of the convention's opening ceremony was conducted by Mircea Oprita, writer, editor, president of ARSFAN (Romanian SF Association): a person of great kindness/gentility (and he also speaks elegant Italian).

Numerous Romanian writers and SF fan personalities were also present other than those already cited Mironov and Bédescu, we must not forget Jon Hobana, Romulous Barbulescu, George Anania, Florin Munteanu, Stefan Ghidoveanu, Silviu Genescu, Valentin Nicolau, Tudor E. Besuan, Mihai Gramescu and Mihaela Muraru-Mandrea.

The convention's focal point was the prestigious Teatrul National [National Opera Theatre] sited right in the city's main, central square.  There, facing the Opera House, was a great pedestrian square, and which also provided the stage for the convention's major TV broadcast, solely devoted to the Eurocon and aired on the nation's principal TV channel.

At the other end of the square, facing the Opera House is one of Timisoara's imposing cathedrals: central Timisoara has been likened to being a Paris of the East.

From left: Jean Pierre Moumon, Max Morando, Roberto Quaglia,
Jonathan Cowie at the "China" restaurant.

One of the convention's highlights took place on the Saturday night, again in the great square, and in the ambience of the Eurocon, with a notable light display of "Laser Theatre", together with a concert of electronic music, and rounded off with a spectacular fireworks display.  A crowd of tens of thousands of locals gathered to witness this spectacle.  Something like this has never been seen at a Eurocon before or since: it then (and also currently in 2024, forty years on) holds the all-time record for the Eurocon programme item with the greatest audience attendance!

The Eurocon also offered nourishment for more demanding minds.  The Romanian scientist Florin Munteanu held a brilliant talk on the difference between intuition and imagination.  The English scientist Jack Cohen ventured a reduction of the actual frontiers of knowledge in his talk "the Collapse of Chaos" (the title of one of his books with Ian Stewart).

Scientifically interesting were the contributions of the Anglo-Scot Jonathan Cowie and Herbert Franke.  Discreet, and not fanatical, was the SF/F art show exhibition.  Outstanding were the numerous tales of the artist Moebius .  Tony Chester produced an amusing theatrical representation in which he managed to involve Norman Spinrad, Lee Wood, Jack Cohen and B. Wilkinson.

The traditional fancy dress "Masquerade" – very popular with Anglo-Saxon conventions – was re-interpreted by the Romanians with a vitality and imagination that managed to crack my natural, profound aversion towards this kind of triviality.  Deprived of the money, that allows one to expensively dress in traditional national costume, the locals aptly created, with much use of imagination, attire allowing for truly insane and, in certain cases, with original cross-dressing.  All was clarified by an evening of dance held in Opera House's foyer.  Here, they succeeded to involve authors John Brunner and Norman Spinrad and their wives, who were accompanied by a team of girls armed with silver papers, streamers and sequins.

A Bulgarian fan party, based on liquids and solids of pleasurable edibility, announced their bid to host the 1996 Eurocon.  Ireland was then proposed for 1997.  We must, however, keep in mind the Netherlands, which last year (1995) showed its own interest to host a Eurocon.

Then there were the Eurocon Awards.  Here, helped also by the scarcity of competition, Romania snapped up nearly all available ESFS (European SF Association) Awards. Nemira won the award for the Best European SF Publisher.  Jurnalul SF won in the 'Best European Magazine' category.  Conrunner Cornel Secu took the 'Best Promoter' and, possibly due to its the tri-lingual (English, Romanian and German [with a Swiss accent]) edition of that was circulated at the convention, SF² Concatenation took 'Best European Fanzine'.

The Eurocon Awards: SF² Concatenation receiving theirs for 'Best European Fanzine'.

What more than anything else made great this a great Eurocon, one is almost lost for words!  Perhaps it was the atmosphere that was felt along the event's winding path: one of enthusiasm, one of consequence?  Perhaps it was the profound sense of importance for SF, in Romania more than any other place.  Or was it the conscious will of Romanians to face the future in a more open Europe, with a clear mind and a heart full of optimism's passion?

Ah… I am forgetting two very important things.  First: there was everywhere a swarm of young ladies of extreme value.  Second, we had repeatedly to swim in the connoisseurs' sea of Romania's wines that made Picolit (a very good Italian wine) somewhat pallid.

And finally... as with every respected perfect symphony (this is not absolutely true but let us pretend it is so) there was a note decidedly out-of-place and off-key.  Here, I must confess to considering it normal that any convention should keep the promises it makes when making their formal Guest invitations: those pledges to reimburse travel and accommodation expenses.  For some of us this was sadly, and unexpectedly, not so!  When asked 'why?', with a perfect smile of ordinance regularly printed on his face, the convention's chief organiser, Cornel Secu, answered confusedly, with obfuscation, pretending an improbable amnesia.  What a pity for what was an otherwise remarkable Eurocon!  But nothing and nobody is perfect.  Having said that, I must nevertheless add that the provision food to the Guests was a pledge dignifiedly maintained….

Looking back to the Romanian Eurocons of two and three decades ago, one can’t but realise those have been milestones in Eurocon’s history. Here, especially the 1994 Eurocon in Timisoara has been one of the largest and somehow inclusive European conventions in my memory, as so many and diverse nationalities and cultures were present and represented - the very first Eurocon held in an East European country after the end of the Cold War. If we compare the world of the 1990s with today's divided Europe, it is quite sad.

Roberto Quaglia

Roberto Quaglia is without doubt one of Italy's most irreverent and iconoclastic SF writers with three novels under his belt, including Bread, Butter and Paradoxine, as well as other books.  He has also authored: a collection of shorts, a TV serial, and various SF plays including Somebody up There is Lusting For Me which was distributed at the 1993 UK-hosted Eurocon cum Eastercon Jersey.  He has co-won a British SF Association (BSFA) Award (2010) for a short story jointly written with Ian Watson that appeared in their collection The Beloved of my Beloved from NewCon Press.  He has worked with a few of the SF² Concatenation team on a number of Anglo-Romanian Science & SF Exchange fan fund projects and also provided it with European SF reportage.  He has been an Officer of the European SF Society (ESFS) from 2002 - 2013.  His construction of Quagliaspace has begun and a version of this convention report first appeared there.  Enter it if you dare at RobertoQuaglia.com.  He can also be found on Facebook

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