A Romanian businessman bought the manuscripts of philosopher Emil Cioran for EUR 405,000 and promise that will donate them to the Romanian State

Philosopher Emil Cioran (1911 - 1995)

Businessman George Brăiloiu, owner of Romanian energy consulting company KDF Energy, bought, through his company, the entire lot of manuscripts belonging to Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran. The manuscripts were sold at Binoche and Giquello Auction House from Paris on 7th of April 2011, for the price of EUR 405,000 from 100,000, the initial estimation. 

George Brăiloiu, the buyer of Emil Cioran manuscripts

The businessman has announced that he will donate the manuscripts to the Romanian state.

Library access of Emil Cioran

Some of the documents sold at the auction were: Cioran’s BA diploma (EUR 17,000), his bachelor degree diploma (EUR 8,000), the manuscript of Cioran’s famous work “The Transfiguration of Romania” (EUR 20,000), The Book of Delusions (EUR  13,000),Tears and Saints (EUR 8,000).

Manuscript of "Transfiguration of Romania" by Emil Cioran

At the auction, the Romanian National Television channel, TVR, also participated, as well as the Central University Library “Carol I” of Bucharest (BCU) and they each had managed to purchase some of the auctioned manuscripts, until they were announced that a Romanian bought the whole lot. The Romanian Ministry of Culture didn't take part to the Auction because of the lake of money.

Emil Cioran would have turned 100 on April 8.

Emil Cioran

Cioran was a Romanian philosopher and essayist, born in Răşinari, part of Sibiu County. In 1937, he left to Paris and never came back to his home country. Skepticism and negativism characterize Cioran’s works, which mostly focus on an atmosphere of torment and torture. He is also a well-known critic of his home country, whose hesitation and shyness towards life he often showed dismay against. He published both in Romanian and French and some of his works are: On the Heights of Despair (Pe culmile disperării), The Transfiguration of Romania (Schimbarea la faţă a României), My country (Mon pays/Ţara mea), Tears and Saints (Lacrimi şi sfinţi).