The Transylvanian Society of Dracula a is a cultural non-profit organisation founded by Nicolae Paduraru and other Romanian scholars and tourism experts in 1991. Before, Paduraru worked for the Romanian Ministry of Tourism. After his death in 2009, his work was continued by other T.S.D. members and by the associated Company of Mysterious Journeys travel agency, which offers guided tours to Dracula-related sites and other romantic excursions. There are tours dealing with Queen Marie, Romania's last queen, trips by steamtrain in Bukovina, outdoor walks to Mt. Ceahlău and sightseeings in Bucharest, with due attention to Romania's "liquid legends". Every year, the T.S.D. organises a big Halloween event; in 2013, it was held at Hunedora Castle - a place also described in our Travel Guide book.
In 1995, the T.S.D. initiated the first World Dracula Congress, where Romanian specialists exchanged ideas with Western Dracula scholars for the first time. Since then, it has held annual symposia and sparked the establishment of Canadian, Italian, American and German chapters of its organization.
Dacre being a member of the American chapter, it seemed only logical for us to contact the Transylvanian mother society while planning our joint trip to Romania. In Bucharest, we met with Daniela Diaconescu, Vice-President and co-founder of the T.S.D., and with Bogdan Popa, representing the Company of Mysterious Journeys.
In August 2014, Hans traveled to Bucharest again, and from there made another trip to the Borgo Pass, together with Daniela and with Petre Tutunea. Daniela also arranged meetings with prominent T.S.D. members such as Prof. Dr. Constantin Balaceanu-Stolnici, the last descendent - from the maternal line - of Vlad the Impaler, Prof. Sabina Ispas, Director of the Ethnographical Institute, and historian Prof. Constantin Rezachevici, author of The tomb of Vlad Tepes: the most probable hypothesis.
In the meantime, Hans has also become the acting editor of Letter from Castle Dracula, the official new bulletin of the T.S.D.
Company of Mysterious Journeys
Meeting with Prof. Balaceanu (*1923), the last descendant of Vlad the Impaler, August 2014.