When you sign an important document or your wedding certificate, you shold bear in mind that the fountain pen you are using was invented by a Romanian, Petrache Poenaru (1799 – 1875). Actually, this was one tiny detail in his many achievements as an engineer and pioneer in the development of modern Romania.

He was born in 1799 in Banesti, Valcea County. His uncle, Iordache Otetelisanu, was one of the promoters of an institutionalized educational system, in a time when a great part of the population was illiterate. Poenaru attended the seconday school Obedeanu in Craiova and worked as a copyist at the office of the bishop of Ramnicu Valcea. Later on, between 1820 and 1821, he taught Greek language at the Metropolitan School in Bucharest.

In 1821, the Revolution led by Tudor Vladimirescu began. That time, Wallachia was under Turkish domination and was ruled by the Phanariots (Greeks originating from Constantinople and very loyal to the Sultan), who burdened the country with numerous taxes and an expensive and corrupt court. Tudor Vladimirescu gathered an army of Oltenian soldiers called ”panduri” and moved towards Bucharest to overthrow them. He was joined by many and, among them, was the young Petrache Poenaru. During his first skirmish, he proved he didn’t have any fighting abilities and his comrades took him in front of the revolution’s leader, for punishement. But Vladimirescu was impressed by the young man’s educated spirit and sharp mind and made him his personal assistant. From this position, he ellaborated the army’s manifesto, now considered one the first Romanian newspapers and designed their flag, which is now Romania’s national flag (red, yellow and blue).

Poenaru was lucky enough not to be around Tudor Vladimirescu when the leader was lured in a trap and assassinated, as he was sent in a diplomatic mission to advocate the Romanian cause to the representatives of the great powers, Russia, Austria or England. After news of Vladimirescu’s death spread, he took refuge in Sibiu.

When the political situation improved, he was able to earn a scholarship to study in Vienna, in 1822. There, he learnt about measuring tools and micrometers, unknown to the underdeveloped Romanian engineering field and discovered a great appetite for technical sciences, while also fervently studying Greek, Latin, French, Italian and English. In a letter sent to his family, he confessed that he thought the sweetest pleasure a man can experience is learning.

In 1824, the Wallachian ruler Grigore Ghica granted him another scholarship, which compelled Poenaru to return to the country after the studies ended and share his acquired knowledge as a teacher. In 1826 he went to France and attended Ecole Polytechnique from Paris, where he studied Geodesy and Surveying. He was so busy taking notes and copying courses, that invented a writing tool which allowed him to save time. This was the fountain pen, presently used by millions of people around the world. On the 27th of May 1827, the Manufacture Departament from the French Ministry of Interior registered Poenaru’s invention with the code 3208 and the description ”plume portable sans fin, qui s’alimente elle-meme avec de l’ancre" (never-ending portable pen, which recharges itself with ink). This invention prevented paper scratches, ink leaks and was made of replaceable parts.

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