Annus Mirabilis in Suceava (Suceava, 6842 km)

(Suceava, 03.09.2018 - 04.09.2018) After a diversion of not less than 4883 km in fifteen stages - the direct route to Suceava would have been 1959 km - we finally made it to Southern Bukovina and Suceava. Everywhere, for instance at the regional border or in town, the Romanian authorities point continuously to the centenary, which marks the unification of Transylvania, but also of the provinces of Bessarabia and Bukovina with the Romanian Kingdom in 1918.

The Romanian Government represented by its Romanian Cultural Institute states: "In the annus mirabilis 1918, at the end of the bloodiest war history had ever known, Romanians fulfilled their most cherished political ideal: the unification of all provinces where they were in the majority – Transylvania, Banat, Crișana, Maramureș, Bessarabia, and Bukovina – with the Old Kingdom of Romania in one democratic, national state." This statement is questionable, besides the fact that the term "annus mirabilis" is grossly overstated. But at the same time the period of 100 years stands for the time frame for the obligation of secrecy imposed by the Romanian National Archives. Nevertheless in Suceava we succeeded to fill in the only remaining blank in our "Books of Seven Seals", i. e. the Solca Births / Marriages / Deaths for the years 1917-1929. Mission accomplished!