The Brașov Ethnographic Museum recently showcased a historical photograph of merchant Ilie Savu and his wife Maria Orghidan, taken by local photographer Heinrich Lang. Born in 1868 in Baciu-Săcele, Ilie was the younger brother of George Savu. Together, they operated a well-known grocery store, “La Împăratul turcesc,” located in the building that now houses the Museum of Urban Civilization in Brașov.
The Savu brothers apprenticed under Dimitrie Eremias, a prominent merchant during the late 19th century, whose wealth was eventually inherited by his nephew Nicolae Eremie. After Nicolae’s passing without direct heirs, the estate transferred to George and Ilie, as their mother was Nicolae’s sister.
Ilie resided on the first floor of a building on Piața Sfatului, while George lived nearby on Hirscher Street. By the early 20th century, their grocery business had begun to decline, and it later transitioned into a brewery.
During World War I, following the Romanian Army’s entrance into Brașov, Ilie was arrested and imprisoned for several months in the military prison in Cluj without trial or explanation. He was known locally for advocating Romanian causes and represented the Romanian Merchants’ Society at the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia.
Ilie Savu passed away in 1938, while his wife Maria lived until the early 1960s; her estate was confiscated by the communist regime. The Museum of Urban Civilization in Brașov invites visitors to explore documents detailing the history of the Savu and Eremias families.
