Scientific Papers Series B Horticulture

done before. Also the speed of the demolishingand mostly the lack of any urban logic (thatpreviously was quite clear) generated a sort ofparalyse and awe. We can consider the buildingof civic centre project like a Shock and Aweurban strategy, in the perfect logic of Blank isBeautiful („Shock and Awe are actions thatcreate fears, dangers, and destruction that areincomprehensible to the people at large...”Klein, 2007).worldwide correspondencesThough the Romanian communist demolitionsrepresent the biggest European urban dramasince the last world war, this is not unique, and,in the course of history, many large scale,dramatic demolitions took place in many othercountries and in all types of totalitarian politicalregimes. The study is to reveal, through thefollowing examples that, the urban-collectivememory was seriously affected not only inRomania, but also in other cities and countriesof the world.Haussmann’s ParisThe 19 th century Paris was almost completelytransformed, following the Napoleon III’sLondon-like dream and due to the prefectBaron Haussmann relentless works ofdemolition and reconstruction (Figure 5).Unlike Ceauescu’s demolitions, Haussmann’swere based on principles. All the buildings thatwere to disappear were carefully photographedand measured in detail in order not to beforgotten, while on the area of the new civiccentre, photographing was forbidden. Also,Haussmann had motives for his actions and hebegan his demolitions by founding specializedservices at first. Baron Haussmann became,from a destroyer a praised person. “AndHaussmann – without question, the greatestdestroyer of our capital, as, unlike the case thathe would have made a “historical centre” avantla lettre and a museum, there was no alternativeto this violence – he had to continue Paris asPhilippe-August, Charles V, Francis I, LouisXIV and their contemporaries done beforehim.” (Choay, 2011)Figure 5. Demolition of Butte des Moulins for Avenuede l“The city of lights inherited a medievalstructure, one that did not faced the needs ofthe 19 th century. Baron Haussmann proposed aseries of principles that were approved by themayors. He founded specialized services thatwere later used with success. Haussmann askedfor the measurement and the photographing ofthe buildings that were to be demolished. Hechose the best professionals of each domainand asked for the pragmatic solutions.”(Pandele, 2009)354Figure 6. The achievement of Boulevard Haussmann(www.gutenberg.org)As Françoise Choay presents it, Haussmann’sdemolitions are not singular in Paris. Theprevious debatable disencumbering worksdestroyed part of picturesque sceneries of thecity in order to reveal somemonuments. However, though FrancoiseChoay critics are well funded, the demolishedspaces were rebuilt in a most coherent way andthey contribute to the heritage of the urbanmemory, representing – back then and today –one of the most admired urban developmentmodels. Napoleon III’s vision, accomplished byHaussmann was such a success partly becausehe proposed a functional urban system, one thatstill works (figure 6). “Haussmann’s changesfind theirs most complete form in the publicsquares, gardens and parks that articulates the