“Centenary Politehnica Timişoara Exhibit, a romanticized history of one of the most beautiful stories in Romanian football” officially opened its doors today in the Theresia Bastion at the symbolic hour 19.21.

Dozens of personalities from the history of the white-purple club participated in the opening, from outstanding players of their generations, to leaders and other supporters of Timisoara football. Among those who responded positively to the invitation to make a unique introspection into the history of the Polytechnic football roots, in a “different” presentation for a football club, were: Emeric Dembrochi, Ioan Igna, Marcel Băban, Remus Steop, Aurel Şunda, Alin Paleacu, Valentin Velcea, Sorin Brîndescu, Florin Macavei, Nicolae Secoşan, Dan Păltinişanu jr., Viorel Boiţ, Cristi Gălan, Petru Ţurcaş, Antonio Foale, Nicuşor Tanasoglu, as well as many other relatives, equally important, of our club. The event was attended and addressed by the organizers: Claudiu Ilaş, the manager of the National Museum of Banat County, Alexandru Proteasa, the vice-president of Timiş County Council, Florin Drăgan, the Rector of Politehnica University (aka Polytechnic Institute or UPT, abbreviated), Viorel-Aurel Şerban, the President of the Politehnica Timişoara, Ioan Carţiş, former Rector of UPT and leader of Poli, and Sebastian Novovic, the Image Director of the Poliehnica & Druckeria Association Rep..

“Those who don’t have a past and don’t respect it, they’ll havd no future, or if we refer to the past, those who watched this beautiful exhibition saw the stages, the periods, through which the football team went through. Until 1989, it was a way of playing sports and football in this country. Our team and others were amateurs, not professionals as they were after ’89. A characteristic of the student teams, including ours, was a sinusoidal evolution, as the Romanian philosopher Vasile Conta says: “Sometimes on the rising wave, sometimes on the descending wave”. This cyclical formula has an explanation, at the beginning of each championship, cycle, students were brought, in the first year, in two or three years the team matured, reached a certain maturity, and after graduation they left… I congratulate them once again on those from Druckeria, who are close to Poli with their senses and hearts and I hope to see you again, soon, on the stadium with the team in the first league and on honorable positions”, were the memorable words of professor Ioan Cartis on this special occasion.

The history of Politehnica Timişoara is visually rendered by large panels with vintage photos, there is also a video section and among the prize items there are a medal awarded at the 1958 Romanian Cup triumph, the game shirt of the great Dan Păltinişanu and various unique trophies, such as the one for winning the title in the National Youth Championship (2002-03). The exhibition located in the attic of the Theresia Bastion in Timişoara will continue until July 4 and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday, between 10:00 and 18:00. White-purple fans have free entry!

Reactions of the attending personalities: “I want to congratulate the organizers and those who proposed this exhibition, because Poli deserves it. It was an emblematic team and it deserves to have not only one museum, but more. Of course, it will probably be a permanent museum, which will have something to look like after 100 years of football. There were many very good generations, many good results, unfortunately we did not win the national championship of the first division. But as Mr. Cartis said, there were ups and downs, and in the end it remains a history…”, Emeric Dembroschi added.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect it to be so beautiful and well organized… What do I want, after 82 years, is to have had the chance to attend such an anniversary in the 1st League, not in League 2”, Ioan Igna said.

“It’s a very good initiative, very beautiful, it should be done much more often and reminding about the whole history of Politehnica since the ’20s, when it started. It’s very beautiful and I was impressed…”, Marcel Băban said.

“I think it turned out better than expected. I had spoken to Seba (n.r. Sebastian Novovic) a few days ago, when things had not taken this great shape, yet. Now it looks very very well, compared to the available tools & materials, done in a very short time, and so on. These panels are edifying, there are some special pieces and between them, let me be subjective, there is the reporter’s card of the one who speaks to you, which contains the bands of Poli and Dinamo from ’87, only that our team was written then with his hand as the second coach who was none other than Dan Păltinişanu…”, Nicolae Secoşan added.

“It simply came to our notice. I would like to congratulate all those who organized and participated. And I want to thank them for organizing greatly this exhibition”, Aurel Şunda said.

“It is a very good initiative and I am glad that there are still sports people who are still thinking about football and I hope and believe that in the future Timişoara will return to where it belongs, in the first league. I hope that the times will return as soon as they were when I and Timişoara played to become a pole of power in Romanian football”, Alin Paleacu ended the speaches.