4th ESRS Congress

Prof. Liviu Popoviciu chaired the Local Committee, which prepared the congress in close cooperation with P. Passouant, President of the ESRS. Deciding to have a Congress in one of the most austere Eastern Countries was not without any risk, both from the practical and the political point of view. However, despite the fact that Prof. Passouant knew L. Popoviciu very well as Dr. Popoviciu had been a fellow in Passouant’s laboratory in 1966/1967, communications between Montpellier and Tirgu-Mures took time and it was difficult to evaluate the quality of the facilities which would be offered for the scientific sessions, the lodging and the food. Some members were opposed to have a Congress in a communist country and refused to attend whereas others accepted to participate but clearly expressed their opposition to the political regime while in Romania. Michel Jouvet had very strong words against the regime at the opening ceremony, and a team conducted by J.L. Valatx asked and obtained permission to visit political prisoners during the Congress.