Tom KINTER - Informatician @ Mayo Clinic, Minnesota


https://acum.tv/articol/4750/

An American at Queen Marie’s Court

by Marius DOBRIN (May the 10th, 2006)

“I greet you, day of celebration

Holy day of May 10 ”

The American’s name is Tom Kinter, the Queen’s Court is virtual and represents an excellent site dedicated first to Queen Marie, then to the Dynasty and last but not least to Romania.

Tom Kinter tells how he discovered a book about Queen Marie and how, fascinated by her deeds, he set out on the path of discoveries and understanding of what Queen Marie and the history of Romania meant. Tom Kinter came to Romania to find out what this country means. He took many photos which also means an almost complete album about who we are and how we look.

It is impressive how this man managed to gather so many testimonies and period documents about Queen Marie. What he did is equivalent to the work of historians and institutions. We Romanians must go to his website to find out and learn about Romania.

He is also a photographer.

These days he is invited by the Romanian officials from America to participate in the Romanian Art Festival. Where do you think? At the Maryhill Museum, where there is also a sign of Queen Marie’s passage through America, another corner dedicated to her.

 

May 2006:

Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, Washington http://www.maryhillmuseum.org

Romanian Arts Festival: View artisans demonstrating traditional egg decorating, drop spindle spinning, Inkle loom weaving, woodcarving, embroidery, and icon painting. Children can learn flat weaving, egg decorating and listen to stories by Queen Marie. Join the curator for a walk through the exhibition A People’s Legacy: Romanian Folk Life through Dress, Textiles & Arts. Noted author Dr. Ronald Wixman will lecture on Romanian culture and folk dress. Free with Museum admission. A special Romanian dinner will be held for Museum Members.

Sunday, May 14

Maryhill Fun Day: Celebrate Romania!

Take Mom to Europe for Mother’s Day! You’ll both have fun exploring Romanian folk art demonstrations. Queen Marie will be telling Romanian folk tales to children, and we’ll have art activities for kids of all ages. Enjoy a musical performance in the Queen Marie Gallery. Café Maryhill offers a special Mother’s Day lunch.

Queen Marie Tells Stories and Teaches a Romanian Weaving Art

2:00 – 4:00pm

Join Queen Marie as she tells stories for children of all ages. Stories included will be some of her most charming children’s stories that feature Romanian people. At the conclusion of the story hour, Queen Marie and her helpers will teach all how to do traditional Romanian flat weaving, based on inkle loom weaving.

Romanian Dance, Costume and Folk Art

3:00pm

Dr. Ron Wixman from the University of Oregon discusses the art, dance, costume and folk traditions of Romania.

Folk Art Demonstration

2:00 – 4:00pm

Come and visit with a number of people who will be

demonstrating Romanian folk arts including weaving,

painting, carving and more.

EyeSEE Resource Room

Examples of Romanian folk arts will be available in the

Museum’s EyeSEE Resource Room for hands-on experience.

It is the old National Day of Romania!

Long live Romania!

Long live the King!

Long live the good people who value the word!

 

Thanks Tom KINTER!

 

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Preview – Radio Romania International – November 8, 2007

On SUNDAY “Inside Romania” will introduce you to Tom Kinter, an American in love with Romania’s queens. Although he is not a historian, but an IT expert, the so-called “knight of Queen Mary” has a true passion for Romania’s Queen Mary, a passion he will tell you all about in Sunday’s “Inside Romania”.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Radio Romania International – Archives: ”La Roumanie chez elle”

http://old.rri.ro/arh-art.shtml?lang=6&sec=324&art=7127

Tom Kinter – “Queen Mary’s Knight”

(2007-11-15)

Last Updated: 2007-11-21 13:55 ET

 

Tom Kinter is, probably, the last knight of the queens of Romania. This American computer scientist, keen on history, has created the best website of the Queens of Romania. This inclination originated in “The Tales of Peles, a book written in 1882 by Carmen Sylva, the first queen of Romania, wife of Carol I.

 

In every book, there are pages that ignite the reader’s imagination more than others. For Tom Kinter, the pearl of the Romanian Royal House is Marie Alexandra Victoria of Saxe Cobourg-Gotha, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, granddaughter of Queen Victoria. In other words, Queen Marie, the woman who, with her charm and her political knowledge, has greatly influenced the history of Romania and Eastern Europe; at the same time, the woman whose favors many men have secretly fought over.

 

Remember, Queen Mary was also the granddaughter of Tsar Alexander II. At 16, she became the fiancée of Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern, the heir to the throne of Romania, whom she married on December 29, 1892. During the First World War, Marie refused to take shelter – with her ladies-in-waiting and goes straight down to the front, where she works in the field hospitals. The soldiers adore her and call her “The Mother of the Wounded” or even “the Queen in Arms”. A diplomat not by training but by vocation, Queen Marie pleaded the cause of Romania in Europe and the United States, winning the hearts and the reason of all the politicians she met. The “English Rose” – as she was called – also had two loves, her native country and her adopted country, which fascinated her with its countless contrasts.

 

These same contrasts also prompted Tom Kinter to dig into the archives of a period of Romanian history, which the communist regime wanted to lock down definitively. Tom Kinter:

“History interests me a lot and especially the First World War, because my grandfather died on the field of honor. Quite by chance, I came across a book about Queen Marie of Romania. It was the first time I had heard of her. It was said there that, during a military parade, the soldiers threw flowers at her and that the Queen was very enthusiastic about their gesture. Her attitude surprised me very pleasantly. Then, in the same book, it was also about Queen Elisabeth, better known by her writer name, Carmen Sylva. All of these stories sparked my interest in a historical period that held many enigmas for me – the early 20th century, the first three decades up to World War II. This passion has changed my life…”

 

Starting with the stories and ending with postcards and photos, Tom Kinter’s collection has grown year after year to also include a volume that bears the signature of Queen Mary. After eight years, Tom thought he would share his treasure with other Romanian history enthusiasts. Let’s listen to him:

“I had the idea of ​​posting on the Internet all the information I had collected on the queens of Romania. For eight years I used the Internet to accumulate information, but I offered nothing in return. This is how I started to post some photos and stories to then manage to meet people interested in what I had written. It motivated me even more to continue my research.”

 

We asked Tom to present the most precious piece of his collection.

“It is a giant book called “Romania” and whose first part, “Ode to Romania” was written by Queen Marie. It is quite simply a declaration of love that Queen Marie wrote very poetically for her new country. The book, published in a limited edition, bears the Queen’s signature and features several large-format photos with the royal couple Ferdinand and Marie, along with works of art and landscapes from Romania. I was lucky enough to find this book on the Internet and then buy it.”

 

In 2004, the Bucharest City History Museum organized an exhibition of portraits of the Romanian royal family. It was the perfect pretext for Tom to come to Romania to follow in the footsteps of Queen Marie. This decision surprised his wife and friends, who did not understand his passion.

“Sometimes when people hear that I’m going to Romania, they ask me if it’s a charity mission. But my goal is to discover Romania. I tried to explain to them that Romania was my passion and that I liked to travel alone.”

 

From Bucharest to the Black Sea and from Sighet to the capital, Tom wanted to see with his own eyes the mysterious and distant places he had studied and dreamed of. He keeps visiting Romania. His message for the people of Queen Marie is simple and beautiful:

“Please remember that Queen Marie loved you so much and had a real passion for this country, where she arrived a little scared at a very young age. Queen Marie really loved Romania and Romanians. You really need to rediscover this love story.”

 

Text – Andreea Demirgian

Translation – Andei Popov, Alex Diaconescu





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